Options for cooling down on hot days in Munich

Freibad or Outdoor pool in Munich

We love summer in Munich and the enjoyable “Freibäder” (sing. Freibad). These are public outdoor swimming pools. Besides the “Hallenbad,” which is the indoor swimming pool open all year, there are “Freibäder.” They are open only during the summer season, from May to mid-September. You can find Hallenbäder and Freibäder in different parts of the city.

The entrance fee is approximately 5€, and it is a great place to go with friends or enjoy a moment by yourself. It is a lovely place for families too, and this year, kids and teenagers do not pay an entrance fee. They close commonly around 20:00 so you have time after work to get refreshed.

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The special one: Maria Einsiedel outdoor pool

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Close to the Thalkirchen (Tierpark) metro station with the U3 or bus 135 Maria Einsiedel station. This is Munich´s nature “Freibad.” The swimming pool water is from the river Isar and continuously flows through it, so there are no chemicals to treat the water. There is also a small stream that flows through the „Freibad.”

There are many other Freibäder, here is a link to find one near to you.

Our top 5 Bavarian lakes

1) Walchensee and Kochelsee

You get there from the central train station. Take a regional train (Regional Zug) to Kochel, which is the final station. It takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Do you like water sports? The ideal activities on this lake are Windsurfing and SUP. In the Walchensee there is no “Strandbad” as in other lakes however, you will find a kiosk to buy light food and drinks, and you can rent the SUP as well. There are mobile toilets like Dixi or Toitoi.

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2) Kochelsee: the relaxing lake

This lake is charming and offers a very relaxed environment for chilling on the shore, swimming, or doing some SUP. There are more gastronomic offers here than at Walchensee. You will find international cuisine, and you can’t miss the Bavarian cuisine prepared by the experts.

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3) Staffelsee

It is 60 km. South of Munich. You get there in approx. 54 minutes by train (Regional Zug) from Munich Central Station. You get the regional train from the central station to Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the station “Murnau am Staffelsee.” Be careful to get on the right wagon because as usual in Germany, the train separates. The right cabs are those going to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the train station where you get off is the village of Murnau.

You find rivieras to chill in the village of Murnau and in the town of Seehause.

The Staffelsee is an excellent option for a day trip, or as we say in German, “Ausflug.” You can walk through the beautiful village of Murnau and swim in the lake on the Murnau Riviera or Seehausen Riviera. In this last one, there are several entertainment options, water sports and a place to relax, such as the “Strandbad” and the camping area.

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4) Pilsensee

One of the jewels of Bavaria is the Pilsensee. The proximity to Munich makes it ideal for a day trip or even just for a couple of hours. You get there very easy by S-Bahn 8 to Herrsching, you get off at the station Seefeld-Hechendorf. It takes 45 minutes by S-Bahn from Munich Central Station. It is located 35 km. West of Munich.

The lake Pilsensee is less known than others like the Starnberger See, and for this reason, there are not many tourists. It is more frequented by the local people, and is our “insider secret.” This tiny lake was once connected to the Ammersee.

What you can do at the Pilsensee Strandbad Hechendorf About a mile from the S-Bahn station is the “Strandbad” (bathing area) Hechendorf. This area is very comfortable to swim due to the facilities such as dressing rooms and bathrooms. The cafeteria has homemade options and a varied vegetarian menu. You can get there very quickly on foot, although there is also a bus option every hour. To be oriented in Google maps, the address is Badeweg 68 Seefeld. There is no entrance fee.

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5) Schliersee

The Schliersee is 51 km. Southeast of Munich. And it takes 50 minutes by train Bayerische Oberlandbahn or BOB from Munich central station. The BOB departs from the central station and stops at several stations within Munich.

The Schliersee is ideal for a day trip with your family, alone or with friends. In addition to the paradisiacal landscape offered by this lake, there are several activities to enjoy.

The train is divided into three sections with three different destinations, so it is essential that you get into the right car. The wagon that passes through the Schliersee goes to Bayrischzell as a destination. If you are mistakenly in another one, you have the opportunity to change before the Holzkirchen station, which is where it separates.

In addition to enjoying the landscape, there are several things you can do. One of our favorites is going to the Strandbad. On the shore of the lake, this Strandbad has a spa facility with dressing rooms, bathrooms, showers, restaurant, and cafeteria. On the lake, there are several games for children and adults. There is also a beach volleyball court and children’s playground area.

We wish you lots of fun in these hot days in Munich, and if you want to tell us about your experience and give us more tips, please contact us! You can follow us on Facebook.