The best neighbourhoods for students in Munich

The first thing you need to know is that finding accommodation in this German city is quite complicated. For this reason, we recommend that you start as early as possible and be open to looking in areas further from the city centre (but with good public transport connections).

Maxvorstadt

Located northwest of Munich's historic centre, Maxvorstadt is known as the city's university district. This is because it’s home to several university campuses, including:

• The Technical University of Munich (Technische Universität München),
• The Open University of Hagen (FernUniversität in Hagen),
• The FOM University of Applied Sciences (FOM Hochschule Hochschulzentrum München),
• The University of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München).

Maxvorstadt is a neighbourhood that’s full of student pubs and affordable restaurants offering cuisines from around the world, as well as a variety of independent shops, bookstores, and cafes. This is part of why it's one of the best student neighbourhoods in Munich!

As far as cultural visits are concerned, this neighbourhood has a wide variety of museums, including the four Pinakothek art museums. But there are also museums on all subjects: mineralogy, Greek and Roman sculpture, antiquities, industrial design, architecture, among others. In Maxvorstadt, there are also several monuments and historical buildings to visit, such as the Siegestor Triumphal Arch or St. Boniface's Abbey (Benediktinerabtei St. Bonifaz).

Königsplatz stands out as a green space to enjoy picnics and walks, as well as concerts and open-air cinema during the warmer seasons. The Old Botanical Garden (Alter Botanischer Garten) and Maximiliansplatz, which is full of monuments and fountains, are also worth mentioning. And the green lung of the city, the Englischer Garten, is very close!

Maxvorstadt is next to the city's main train station, München Hauptbahnhof, so it has easy access to that means of transport to get to other cities. It also has tram, bus, and metro stops (U-bahn).

Schwabing

Schwabing is located north of Maxvorstadt. Depending on which area of ​​this neighbourhood you choose, rents may be a little higher. However, students still choose Schwabing to live in because of its artistic atmosphere and all it has to offer.

Choosing accommodation in this neighbourhood means being close to most of the universities with campuses in Maxvorstadt, the TUM campus in Olympiapark, and the TUM Garching Campus is also easily accessible by metro.

Schwabing offers a variety of eateries, both affordable and more exclusive. In addition, it has a large number of bars, pubs, and nightclubs that are frequented by students.

One of the most beautiful places in this neighbourhood is the large Englischer Garten, one of Munich's most outstanding parks and one of the largest urban parks in the world. It's so large that it has almost 80 kilometers of exercise trails! There are also sports courts, canals, a lake, restaurants and beer gardens, historical monuments, an amphitheatre and much more. For all these reasons, it’s one of the favorite places for locals and students to enjoy sunny days in the city.

In terms of green spaces, the Luitpoldpark is also worth mentioning, smaller but also beautiful. In addition, the famous Olympiapark München is next to this neighbourhood.

As for public transport, Schwabing is very well connected to the other areas of Munich by tram, metro (U-bahn), and bus lines.

Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt

This district extends south-west of Munich's Old Town. It includes the neighbourhoods of Ludwigsvorstadt, Isarvorstadt, Gärtnerplatzviertel, and the famous Glockenbachviertel.

It’s home to the LMU Klinikum, where many of the medical-related faculties of the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich are located, so it’s one of the best neighbourhoods in Munich for students who’ll have their classes there.

Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt has a wide range of restaurants and cafes, covering diverse cuisines. It also has a variety of bars and pubs, especially in the Glockenbachviertel area, where many students and locals go at night to go out to bars and nightclubs.

As for cultural visits, the Museum of Technology (Deutsches Museum) and the German Theatre in Munich (Deutsches Theater München) are worth a visit.

The truth is that in Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt there isn't a lot of green space to enjoy. However, students often take the opportunity to stroll along the banks of the Isar river and the Nußbaumpark with its beer garden and food trucks. This neighbourhood’s also home to the world-famous Oktoberfest venue, the Theresienwiese!

In terms of public transport, Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt is served by Munich’s main railway station, München Hauptbahnhof, as well as several metro (U-bahn), tram, and bus lines. Furthermore, Munich's historic centre can be reached in just a few minutes walk from most parts of the district.

Sendling

Sendling is a more residential and family-oriented neighbourhood than those mentioned above, with a quieter atmosphere. Students who choose to live here do so mainly because the cost of rent tends to be cheaper than in more central neighbourhoods, but it still has good access to the rest of the city via public transport.

This neighbourhood has easy access to different university campuses, such as the Großhadern/Martinsried Campus of the LMU Klinikum, and those in Ludwigsvorstadt.

One of the most popular parks in the Sendling area is Flaucher. It’s crossed by the Isar River, and has beaches to enjoy during the summer. There are also hiking trails, barbecue areas, a beer garden, and many places to relax and play sports.

Sendling is very well connected to the rest of Munich via metro (U-bahn), train (S-Bahn), and bus. In fact, you can reach the historic city centre in about 20 minutes.

FAQ about neighbourhoods in Munich