Chinesischer Turm e.V.A route with walking times
Walking the English Garden
The English Garden covers 375 hectares and has 78 kilometres of paths. Anyone wanting to see the essentials of the southern park needs no map, only an order. Here it is, starting at the Chinese Tower.
The walk begins and ends at the beer garden at the Chinese Tower, because it is the one point in the park where you can stay seated afterwards. Total walking time without stops: a good two hours. With stops, half a day.
The route
- 1. Chinese Tower, start
- The pagoda of 1790, the beer garden with 7,000 seats, brass bands from the first floor in summer. Buses 54 and 154 stop at Chinesischer Turm.
- 2. Historic carousel, 2 minutes
- Right beside the tower, running since 1913.
- 3. Monopteros, 10 minutes south
- Klenze's round temple on the artificial hill. The best view of the old town skyline.
- 4. Schönfeldwiese, on the way
- The large meadow south of the Monopteros, known for nude sunbathing. A Munich matter of course that regularly surprises visitors.
- 5. Eisbach wave, another 10 minutes
- At the southern edge by the Haus der Kunst. River surfing all year, including winter. Watch from the bridge.
- 6. Japanese Tea House, 5 minutes
- Built in 1972 for the Olympic Games, on an island in the Schwabinger Bach.
- 7. North to Kleinhesseloher See, 30 to 35 minutes
- The lake of 1803, 8.64 hectares, three islands, the Seehaus and boat hire.
- 8. Back to the tower, 10 to 15 minutes
- South across the ring canal.
The short version
If you only have an hour: tower, Monopteros, back. Those are the two buildings that explain the park, and the path between them is the finest stretch of the southern half.
The quiet version
North of Kleinhesseloher See, beyond the ring road, the northern park begins with 245 of the 375 hectares. There the park turns wide and empty, with meadows, streams and the Aumeister beer garden as a destination. Anyone wanting the English Garden without crowds goes there.
Practical notes
- Admission
- free, all year round
- Getting there
- Bus 54 or 154 to Chinesischer Turm, U3 or U6 to Giselastrasse, tram 18 to Tivolistrasse. Details on the visiting page.
- Cycling
- allowed on marked paths and the fastest way to cross the park
- Best time
- weekday mornings and autumn. Summer Sunday afternoons are crowded.
- Winter
- worth it. The Christmas market at the tower in Advent, empty paths and clear views from the Monopteros.
Why this order
The walk follows the logic of the landscape garden: it leads from scene to scene rather than ticking off sights. Tower and Monopteros, the exotic and the classical building, form the contrasting pair around which the southern park is composed. Everything else follows from them.
Frequently asked questions
What should you see in Munich's English Garden?
The Chinese Tower with its beer garden, the Monopteros, the Eisbach surfing wave, the Japanese Tea House and Kleinhesseloher See.
How long does the English Garden take?
About two hours of walking for the southern park with all the main points. Tower and Monopteros alone take an hour.
Is there an entrance fee for the English Garden?
No. The park is open all year round and free of charge.
How do you get to the Chinese Tower?
Bus 54 or 154 to the Chinesischer Turm stop, U3 or U6 to Giselastrasse and 15 minutes on foot, or tram 18 to Tivolistrasse.
Where is the quiet part of the English Garden?
In the northern section beyond the ring road, north of Kleinhesseloher See, which holds 245 of the park's 375 hectares.