Maybe to Memmingen, Germany

Destination Review: Memmingen, Germany

Our idea to visit this year’s Oktoberfest three weeks before its start was great up to the moment we tried to find accommodation and transport to Munich. You guessed it, the prices were crazy and not many accommodations were available because of the huge number of people booking in advance (unlike us).

We decided to get a bit creative and try not to focus on Oktoberfest only, but to other things in the area worth visiting as well. So, after finding a great deal for Skopje -> Nuremberg with Wizz Air, we also noticed a cheap flight Memmingen -> Skopje. Since Memmingen to Munich is around 2-hour drive and we had already rented a car for the period, we thought it would be cool to settle there instead of in Munich.

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We booked our return flight from Memmingen and rented two different accommodations; we were three nights in Kellerman’s Apartments and a single night in Drexel’s Parkhotel.

First Impressions

Driving from Nuremberg, we were quite tired when we finally arrived in Memmingen during a rainy afternoon. It was getting dark already and the exit on the highway we were supposed to take was closed due to construction; were we happy? Absolutely not! In fact, we were quite irritated because in Nuremberg we had an enjoyable time and we left it to arrive in a dark, wet and cold place.

However, this overly dramatic reaction of ours was quickly fixed by the wonderful accommodation and then by the Town of Memmingen itself. Even though cold, the place was obviously clean and peaceful, something that had a soothing effect on us. Memmingen is a relatively small town, especially its central area; thus, we could explore most of it without paying for transportation or spending hours in walking. I consider that to be our first win of the Memmingen adventure.

Opinion on:

The place in general – a nice and charming little town, with striking traditional German wooden architecture and a few great places to eat and drink. The streets were clean and sometimes too empty for my taste. There’s nothing much to do in Memmingen, however; everything closes pretty early (except for some restaurants and gas stations) and it’s impossible to find people anywhere.

Parking – we had a parking spot in front of our accommodation in Kellerman’s Apartments, while Drexel’s Parkhotel provided us with a cheap parking in a nearby garage. There are several garages around the central area and various parking zones too; everything was in German though, so I can’t really say much regarding the policies. There were some boards with hours and sentences, who knows what they meant. I recommend leaving the car in a garage anyway. There was an official authority checking parking passes and writing tickets to cars improper parking passes.

Nature – there are lots of trees and we also saw a small park nearby the city center. We didn’t have enough time to specifically look for a city park, but I remember reading about Memmingen Stadtpark so I guess that’s something worth visiting for nature lovers.

Shops – well, there were certainly all kinds of shops in Memmingen’s central area; I bought some cool souvenirs and noticed some 1-dollar shops, supermarkets etc. However, keep in mind that these close at 8 PM, some even earlier.

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During the Stay

I can’t really reveal any important tips from our stay in Memmingen. We walked around the central area mainly and ate twice in Zur blauen Traube (Trip Advisor Award). I can definitely recommend this restaurant since their prices were acceptable and you can find traditional German dishes that are insanely tasty.

Another place I would recommend is Robert’s (official Facebook site) where we had a nice breakfast on one occasion and a great night out on another; it’s really cozy and local, so you’ll get a chance to glimpse into the life of random Memmingen people.

Things to see in the area:

Altstadt Memmingen – of course, the Old Town is a must-see spot where most of the other worth-seeing sights are located;

Rathaus – a real architectural gem, plus it’s located right on the main square so you won’t be able to miss it anyway;

Sankt Martinskirche – a wonderful Lutheran church that offers paid tours (2 euro per person), but also can be just enjoyed on the outside;

Westertor, Ulmer Tor and Kempter Tor – important architectural and historical buildings, these present the gates of Memmingen;

Hexenturm – this is the Witch Tower and it is oldest surviving tower in Memmingen i.e. you must see it;

Stadthalle – the City Hall is a wonderful building to see and take photos of;

Stadtmuseum – the City Museum is wonderful on the outside; unfortunately, we didn’t go inside but I’m sure it’s interesting to those that love visiting museums around the world.

I want to point out that we randomly found some very helpful maps of the city, plus there are billboard maps as well where you can find two tracks (red and blue) across the city; taking these tracks brings you to all the important landmarks of Memmingen.

Happy to Leave

Even though we had fun times in Memmingen, I can’t say I was sad to leave. The town itself is relatively small, plus it was time for us to head home and I was looking forward to relaxing at home. I am not saying that Memmingen is a bad destination; quite on the contrary, it’s a charming little town where you can enjoy Bavarian culture and cuisine without spending as much money as in other top spots.

Furthermore, it’s a great destination if you want to visit nearby places like Munich or the Bavarian Castles without paying overly expensive accommodation. Most importantly, at least for us, it offers cheap flights to many destinations, which means it’s perfect for those traveling on a budget.

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