English Garden South – the most visited part of the English Garden. This is where most of the action is. You can find all the highlights on the large map.
English Garden southern section: local recreation for Munich residents
The southern part of the English Garden begins close to the city center. It is actively used by all Munich residents for a variety of leisure activities. The park is particularly popular at weekends, because on hot summer days and nights life moves from the apartment to the garden. This map gives you a perfect overview:
An overview map of the southern part of the English Garden (in local language) is also available as a PDF document.
Walk from the Kleinhesseloher See lake, via the Chine Tower to the sunbathing lawns – you’ll find it all in the southern part of the English Garden.
You can reach the English Garden from several subway stations: Odeonsplatz, Universität, Giselastraße and Münchener Freiheit. From Münchener Freiheit, walk to the entrance at Kleinhesseloher See, around which you can take a wonderful stroll. The boat hire invites you to take a short tour on a pedal boat or rowing boat and, located directly on the lake, you can enjoy your beer in the “Seehaus” beer garden with a view of the water and in dignified surroundings. Incidentally, the lake is not suitable for swimming, as it is firmly in the hands of greylag geese.
If you walk around the lake and across the large meadow towards the city center, you’ll meet families, street singers, sportsmen, slavers, footballers, dogs and children having a great day out. At some point on this route you will pass the Chinese Tower. Young and old, tourists and locals, the beautiful and the not so beautiful, students and non-students meet here and it’s quite lively and fun. At the weekend, the brass band plays in the beer garden at the Chinese Tower and creates the right atmosphere.
Sunbathing lawns in the southern part of the English Garden
A little further on are the large sunbathing lawns at Eisbach and Schwabinger Bach. You are welcome to sunbathe naked here – but this is not officially permitted …. There are also often musicians or bongo drummers who provide good rhythms close to the Monopteros. When the sun disappears behind the trees in the evening, young people party here with music and beer.
The Eisbach swimmers
Where Eisbach and Schwabinger Bach meet, Munich’s young people jump into the water and float for a few hundred meters – you can find out more in the extra chapter “Eisbachswimmer”. However, you should only take part if you are a very good swimmer, know the route and know exactly where the exit is. However, the city does not allow swimming and accidents happen regularly.
The Eisbachwelle Munich with Eisbach surfers
At the Eisbach, right next to the Haus der Kunst, you can watch the Eisbach surfers riding the Eisbach wave – the most popular surfing spot in the city.
The English Garden in winter
There’s not really less going on here in winter! Covered in snow and bathed in white, the park has a wonderful flair and instead of beer there is mulled wine at the Chinese Tower. Cheers!
Further information and background information can be found on the website of the Castles and Lakes Administration. You can also find information about the streetcar through the English Garden project and the planned tunnel / underpass. You can find accommodation and hotels around the English Garden on our Hotels & Accommodation overview page.
You can find all the important addresses in the English Garden on our address list.