Hartmut Speck
Guided City Tours in Munich
What I offer
The following guided tours usually last 1 ½ to 2 hours, the fixed price is € 180 per tour, whether for individuals or groups (max. 25 people). Extensions are possible with a surcharge of € 40,- per hour or part thereof.
The guided tours can be booked in German or English. They can be customised to suit the target group (e.g. school classes, specific requests).
Guided tour of the Old Town
The Old Town tour is the ideal way to get an overview of downtown Munich. Marienplatz, Old and New Town Hall, Viktualienmarkt, Alter Hof, Residenz, Odeonsplatz and the Feldherrenhalle are some of the highlights. You will gain insight into the architecture, art and history with a variety of events that have taken place here.
The tour usually starts at Marienplatz in the center of Munich.
Tour of Munich under National Socialism
National Socialism is the darkest chapter in our city’s rich history. This is where the NSDAP got its start, followed by the so-called Hitler Putsch on November 9, 1923. Later Munich became the ‘capital of the movement’ with the NSDAP party quarter and the ‘House of German Art’. There are many reminders of Munich’s brown past but also places of remembrance of the victims of National Socialism as well as from courageous resistance, e.g. the members of the ‘White Rose’.
As part of the tour, we will visit a variety of these places and shed light on their background. The tour usually starts at the Feldherrnhalle/Odeonsplatz and ends at Königsplatz. It can be adapted upon request.
Guided tour of the Palace of Justice
The Munich Palace of Justice is one of the most magnificent places ever built for the judiciary in Germany. The neo-baroque monumental building between Stachus and the main railway station offers historically and architecturally rich visual material. Which trials took place here and who worked here? What is the structure of the ordinary court system? Why is there a jury courtroom if we have lay judges? You will find the answers in this interesting tour of the Palace of Justice.
Tour of the Glockenbach and Gärtnerplatz neighbourhoods
This is where I live and I love my neighbourhood. It’s extremely central and yet away from the mainstream.The two neighbouring districts are colourful, diverse, lively and don’t only have great cafés, restaurants and shops but also have a lot of history and an interesting background.
Let me take you on a journey through time in my neighbourhood. How and when did it come into being? Who lived here? Where did Albert Einstein and Karl Valentin go to school? Where was the office of the NSDAP from 1921 until the party was banned in November 1923? Where are the best views? The tour usually starts at Gärtnerplatz and ends at the Old Southern Cemetery or back at Gärtnerplatz.
Walk through the art centre
Munich offers several outstanding art museums. This tour is not only for art and culture enthusiasts but also for visitors who want to get an overview of the diverse cultural offerings in Maxvorstadt and beyond.
In Maxvorstadt, the first district outside the old city walls, several world-renowned art museums are strung together like a string of pearls. From the Lenbachhaus, the municipal art museum with its impressive Blauer Reiter collection, across Königsplatz with the Glyptothek, past the Academy of Music and the adjacent Nazi Documentation Centre, on to the Academy of Film and Television, the State Museum of Egyptian Art, over to the Alte Pinakothek, one of the most important museums in the world, the Neue Pinakothek and the Pinakothek der Moderne, ending at the Museum Brandhorst. As the crow flies, 5000 years of art history are covered in one kilometer. An ideal way to round off the tour is with a coffee in a stimulating atmosphere (several options here) or simply with an ice cream from one of Munich’s best ice cream parlours. After this tour, you can decide which of the impressive museums you would like to explore in detail on this or on your next trip to Munich.
Further neighbourhood tours
If you are interested in other neighbourhood tours, I would be happy to offer you an interesting walk through Haidhausen, a former working-class neighbourhood or how about the highlights of Art Nouveau in Schwabing?
Classic bus tour
If you come by bus, I also offer city bus tours. The tour usually starts at the Altstadtring, takes you through the museum quarter in Maxvorstadt, past the Pinakotheken, across Königsplatz, to the Lenbachhaus, Nymphenburg Palace, past the Olympic Park and BMW Welt, through Schwabing, to the universities, Ludwigstraße with Odeonsplatz and the Feldherrnhalle, Bavarian State Chancellery, Haus der Kunst, to the other side of the Isar river with the Friedensengel, Maximilianeum and through the magnificent Maximiliansstraße back to the Old City.
The route depends on the traffic situation and can therefore vary. The tour can be customised upon request and can also be done by car.
Cycle tour through the city
Munich is a wonderful city to discover by bike – providing the weather is ok. I would be happy to guide you through the city to many interesting places that would take much longer to discover on foot. You will have to organise bikes and helmets (if wanted) yourself. Bikes can be easily rented in the city, e.g. MVG Rad https://www.mvg.de/services/mvg-rad.html or bikes and helmets https://www.radiustours.com/de/radverleih/
Trips into the surrounding countryside
The Bavarian Oberland is a popular holiday destination for both locals and tourists. Mountains, lakes, castles, monasteries, hiking, cycling tours and beer gardens. If you are interested in this, please contact me.
Consultation by phone or video conference
Would you like advice on your stay in Munich and how to make the most of it? I offer a telephone or online consultation and will try to give you tips according to your interests that will make your stay in Munich more special. 45 minutes costs € 90.00. This does not include travel arrangements or event bookings.