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Munich’s river is perhaps the best-loved summer destination in the city. And in our opinion, there’s no better plan than to chill and grill by the Isar on a sunny day.
In order to have the best time next to the Isar, you obviously need to know the best spots in the area…also the city’s barbecue rules are pretty important too. That’s why we created this nice detailed guide to help you route your summer by the river.
Scroll on down to get your Munich summer sizzle on!
Grill By The Isar: General Rules
Whether you want to swim in the ice cold Isar water, grill on the sandy shores, or just catch some rays, Munich has you covered. And we’ve got you covered when preparing for it all!
Before we get into the beautiful barbecue itinerary that’s on the way, let’s go over some of the general details you’ll need to know;
- Forests, heaths, moors, and other forest areas are prohibited from barbecuing between March 1 and October 31.
- Throughout the summer, fires and smoking are prohibited within a radius of 100 meters of these areas – with the exception of designated barbecue areas.
- Barbecuing is only allowed with charcoal or gas
Table of Contents
(keep reading for more details or just grab our handy google map!)
Grill By The Isar: Flaucher
There are plenty of green spaces and river bank barbecue areas along the Flaucher, which runs between the Brudermühlbrücke and the Tierpark to the southern city limits.
Grill By The Isar: Along The Isar River
There are 14 km of the Isar that run through Munich, running from the Flauchersteg to before the Wittelsbacherbrücke, from the Max-Joseph bridge to before the Oberföhring weir, from Marienklausensteg to the Thalkirchner bridge.
And in Munich’s most popular barbecue area, the banks of the Isar, the rules are pretty simple: only in the gravel bank area! Here, you can grill until your heart’s content, but your grill has no place in the undergrowth or beneath bridges.
Grill By The Isar: Parks With Grill Areas
Sadly, barbecuing is not allowed in the English Garden (that would be a dream summer day right? oof!) – with the exception of the spots near St.-Emmerams-Mühle.
However, there are built in grilling zones in the far northern end of the English Gardens, near Studentenstadt, near a small park area next to a stream, where barbecuing is officially allowed.
Nonetheless, if a park grill session is your summer goal, the city has many other fantastic parks to choose from;
Hirschgarten
Most of the time, when friends ask you to head over to Hirschgarten, it usually means they want a big tasty brew from Munich’s iconically large biergarten. However, this local favourite also boasts a massive lush park where you can find the perfectly constructed barbecue area south of the garden.
Westpark
The barbecue areas here are officially designated and are gratefully used by the community. Around the lake in the western part, some even have stone grills with grates that are waiting to be fired up. The barbecuing areas include near Siegenburger Strasse, Heiterwanger Strasse, west of the lake, as well as south of the lake.
Ostpark
The Ostpark is more familiar to Ramersdorf and Neuperlach residents, as it is their local patch of green with streams and ponds. And when it comes to getting their grill on, in the summer, a designated area near the skate park at the Michaelibad is used frequently.
Grill By The Isar: Lakes Near Munich
Feldmochinger See
Feldmochinger See is the largest of the lakes closest to Munich coming in at whopping 16 hectares. It is particularly popular on the western side, where barbecues can also be done under the shade of the old trees on the shores.
All of you sporty people will appreciate the volleyball courts and fitness course located near the lake, and for anyone who forgot to pack or didn’t manage to bring enough drinks, a small kiosk is right there and ready to help.
Fasaneriesee
Fasaneriesee is close to the Fasanerie S-Bahn station, making it a perfect spot for those not keen on cycling or just looking for easy access over. There is a barbecue area on the south and west sides of the park.
A large meadow with volleyball courts is located between shady trees, plus table tennis tables and badminton courts to if in addition to some sizzling sausages, you’ve got a hearty appetite for some summer sports!
Lerchenauer See
A bike ride from the city center gets you to the smallest of the lakes, the Lerchenauer See near Olympia Einkaufs Zentrum. Barbecues are permitted on the lower east and south shores.
Leisure activities are limited compared to the other nearby lakes, but what more do you really need other than enjoying a summer sunset paired with your barbecue, and perhaps taking a quick dip in the water?
Grill By The Isar: Locations Where Barbecuing Is Not Allowed
Barbecuing is not allowed within the inner-city area from the Brudermühlbrücke to the Oberföhringer Wehr in the north.
This includes all areas around the Braunauer Eisenbahnbrücke, Wittelsbacher Brücke, Reichenbachbrücke, Museumsinsel, Praterinsel and the English Garden.
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