10 German Habits You’ll Pick Up Living in Munich

German Habits You’ll Pick Up Living in Munich
A sunny afternoon in Munich is best spent outdoors.|©iStock/FooTToo

After living in six countries, I’ve stopped asking myself which culture I belong to. The honest answer is: all of them, a little. Now living in Munich, Germany, I’ve picked up habits I never expected—some practical, some quirky, and a few I can’t imagine living without.

If you’re considering life in Germany, it helps to know what day-to-day living actually looks like. From airing out your apartment several times a day to embracing co-ed saunas and sipping a “beer for the road,” these are the cultural habits that slowly become second nature.

So without further ado, here are 10 cultural habits I adopted over a decade of living in Munich, Bavaria...

1. Lüften: The Sacred Art of Airing Out Rooms

Germany is a humid country, and since many buildings are old and poorly ventilated, rooms can develop mold if not properly managed. This has created the sacred ritual known as ‘lüften,’ or airing out the room. It’s not only a habit, but it’s even in the rental contracts to open the windows several times a day to prevent mold and mildew buildup. Now, I get the constant feeling that it’s stuffy, and I need open windows, fresh air, and air circulation — especially in the morning and before bed.

2. German Directness

It’s no secret that Germans are known for their directness. This can be a bit confronting to foreigners from cultures where people don’t always say what they mean. For example, in the US South, ‘that sounds nice, honey,’ could mean ‘I’m not interested in this conversation at all.’ Similarly, the British: ‘I couldn’t possibly’… to a German means, ‘I won’t, and I don’t want to.’

Today, I find it refreshing when everyone says what they mean, and you know where you stand with people. Direct, tactful, open conversation saves time and confusion about what everyone ‘really’ means. Also, be prepared to discuss politics!

3. Proper Escalator Etiquette & Bike Lanes

When it comes to transportation and mobility, there are unspoken rules of ordnung (order) that everyone else seems to know but you. When it comes to the flow of traffic on foot, biking, or driving, you pass on the left, and slower traffic keeps right. Even on the escalators, people stand on the right and pass on the left! This makes so much sense in the morning when slow people can stand to the side, eating their breakfast sandwiches as others run past to get the next U-Bahn.

4. Daily Movement + Mountain Time

Andrea takes in Bavarian peaks with her “Munich Hiking Buddies” crew.
Andrea takes in Bavarian peaks with her “Munich Hiking Buddies” crew.|©Andrea Hunt

Before moving to Munich, my weekend activities revolved around cafes, clubs, and restaurants. Since German winters are admittedly cold and dark, no one wastes a nice sunny day here. At the first sign of sunshine, people are out walking, biking, running, rollerblading, swimming, hiking in the mountains, and even surfing in the English Garden. It completely transformed the way I learned to appreciate biking to a picnic or hiking a mountain to enjoy a beer and some käsespätzle at the top. Also, spending a day in the Bavarian Alps is like getting nature therapy.

5. Wheat Bread Over White Bread

After over a decade here, I admit Germany turned me into a bread snob. Today, I wholeheartedly agree with my German friends that their bread is the best in the world. In fact, there are 3000 kinds of the best-tasting healthy wheat breads, in savory and sweet varieties, with different seeds and grains. The best thing about their breakfast is the tasty rolls, cheese and ham slices, yogurt and fresh fruit, and often salmon and a boiled egg. Bakeries are open at the crack of dawn with fresh bread, not to mention nothing beats a fresh, hot pretzel.

A fresh pretzel beats breakfast back home.
A fresh pretzel beats breakfast back home.|©iStock/Svetlana Khovrina

6. Winter Sauna Rituals

One of the habits I picked up in Bavaria was heading to the lakeside or public saunas for a winter wellness and sauna day. Unlike the super-stale, dry saunas I had experienced, here the saunameister pours water onto the coals to release steam infused with essential aromas like eucalyptus, lemongrass, and winter herbs.

One thing to know is that German public and spa saunas are mixed and textil-frei (no swimsuit), which was a huge culture shock for me. This is considered normal and nonsexual, and people don’t stare. Also, it’s totally ok to wrap yourself in one towel and sit on another as long as no part of your body sweats on the wood.

7. German Superstitions

Every culture has its superstitions, and even though I didn’t grow up here, I don’t like risking bad luck, and I’m always open to good luck. In Germany, it’s considered impolite to start guzzling your drink without toasting first. People say ‘prost’ while looking in each person’s eyes as you cheer them one by one before taking a first sip. No matter where I am in the world, I do it because now I’m paranoid! Also, it’s considered bad luck to say ‘happy birthday’ before the actual day.

8. Sprudelwasser: Only Fizzy Water Will Do

Germany is known for its love of fizzy water. But what you might not know is that still or sparkling water isn't the only option. When you go to the supermarket, prepare yourself for decision paralysis. Do you want still water or ‘classic’ with fizz, maybe ‘lightly fizzed,’ ‘medium fizzed’ or even ‘extra fizz’? Bavaria already has incredibly fresh water from the Alps, and now I don’t want to drink anything else. It’s now one of my most German habits, and I happily make my own fizzy water at home.

In Bavaria, beer isn’t just a drink—it’s a way of life.
In Bavaria, beer isn’t just a drink—it’s a way of life.|©iStock/Nikada

9. Wegbier Culture: Beer for the Journey

The German word ‘Wegbier’ translates to a ‘beer for the road.’ While in the US and some other countries this is not even legal, here no one bats an eye. In fact, one of the first things I noticed in Munich was taking the S-bahn train back from class and seeing people calmly sipping a cold pint bottle of beer. On my beer tours, people love walking through the cobblestone streets of Munich Old Town with a cold wegbier. Next time you’re in Germany, don’t forget to try it!

10. Funny Sounds, My Favorite Words: Hä, Naja.

While learning German has admittedly been a struggle for me, what I love about the language is that there are so many words we just don’t have in English. And they’re witty and on point. Some I adopted without even realizing it, like the affirming ‘mm.. Ja, ja ..’ that many Germans do throughout the whole conversation to let you know they’re actively listening. There are other words that are on point, like fremdschämen, or second-hand cringe or embarrassment. Or ‘fernweh,’ is a romantic way to imply longing for travel to far away places, which is the opposite of ‘heimweh’, meaning longing for the home (homesick). In German, my favorite sound is ‘hä,’ and it’s often accompanied by a frustrated, confused expression like wtf.

Final Thoughts

For the record, yes, I’m still holding onto some American habits. I still eat with my knife and fork, American-style; I’m still chatty, and I want ice in everything. But somewhere between Alpine hiking and learning to say 'hä' when life confuses me, Bavaria got to me, and it’s made me better in many ways. And while I might not fit in here perfectly, I’ve got the habits, the hiking, and the hydration preferences to prove I’ve been paying attention… not to mention I’ll never look at recycling the same way ever again.

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