The Heart of Munich – Schwabing’s unique lifestyle is coming back to life

RIEDEL Magazine, Issue 02 Summer 2025 | Text: Stephanie Geiger | Reading time: 5 minutes

There are neighbourhoods that are not just places, but evoke certain feelings. Schwabing is one of them. Anyone who has ever strolled down the bustling Leopoldstraße, relaxed in the English Garden or savoured the atmosphere of a charming café in a historic building will immediately understand why Schwabing is one of Munich’s most sought-after neighbourhoods – as it was in the past, and increasingly so once again today. Here, historic elegance, modern urbanity, creativity, indulgence and a special sense of light-heartedness come together. Schwabing is the heart of Munich.

This article appeared in RIEDEL Magazine, Issue 02, Summer 2025. The shops, venues and offers mentioned are correct as at the time of publication and should be checked before visiting.

Artists, writers and free spirits

At the beginning of the 20th century, painters such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the ‘Blue Rider’ group centred on Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc and Paul Klee, as well as writers such as Thomas Mann, Frank Wedekind and Joachim Ringelnatz, were regulars at the artists’ pubs. The writer Hans Magnus Enzensberger lived in Schwabing until his death three years ago; the screenwriter and author Patrick Süßkind calls it home; and the free spirit, Kommune 1 founder and veteran of the ’68 movement, Rainer Langhans, still lives in Schwabing.

Schwabing is not just a district, but a way of life.

A way of life just like back then

Street of light period facades in ochre and cream with oriel windows, stucco cornices and balconies, with parked cars and trees in front. — Pretty, ornate Art Nouveau façades characterise the streetscape of Schwabing.

Schwabing is not just a district, but a way of life: Spending afternoons in cafés on Leopoldstraße – lined with poplars and arguably one of Munich’s liveliest streets – and strolling through its side streets, enjoying the peace and quiet of the English Garden, and experiencing the cabaret scene around Münchner Freiheit. People meet up for an after-work beer or enjoy a fancy cocktail in one of the trendy bars. All this – and much more besides – is Schwabing. You’ll find recommendations for fine dining as well as hip restaurants and foodie hotspots from page 32 onwards.

Shop, browse, be amazed

A woman in a striped summer dress walks along a wide pavement, with a café terrace with seating on the left and the road on the right. — Ah… that incomparable sense of freedom you feel when you’re strolling through lovely Schwabing.

Small street cafés and pubs also draw visitors to Hohenzollernstraße. This is where typical Schwabing life comes to life, and it’s the place to go shopping if you find the pedestrianised area too mainstream and bustling. You’ll also find international brands, small fashion boutiques, homeware shops and antiques in the courtyards here.

Always worth a visit: Lemoni, where you’re sure to find something for your next beach holiday. At the Heiße-Liebe concept store, you’ll find everything you’d love to treat yourself or others to: fashion, cosmetics, jewellery and stationery. HeyRubi! showcases sustainable fashion for babies and children. Modern design comes to life on Kaiserstrasse in the showroom of international lighting designer Ingo Maurer, who also created the lighting concept for the ‘Münchner Freiheit’ underground station.

“You can always manage a bit”

Entrance to the Schwabinger 7 pub with curved lettering above the door, a lantern and a street sign on the corner of the building. — ‘Schwasi’ – the iconic Munich rock pub has been captivating people since the 1960s.

Schwabing was, therefore, for good reason, one of the main settings for the series “Monaco Franze”. In the 1980s, Schwabing was regarded as Munich’s cultural and intellectual hub, where artists, bohemians and bon vivants gathered – particularly on Leopoldstraße – making it just the right setting for the charming womaniser Monaco Franze. The ‘eternal playboy’ Franz Münchinger embodies the spirit of this neighbourhood like no other: free, artistic and also slightly eccentric.

In the 1980s, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate life in Munich. The 1972 Olympic Games had made the city famous. Superstars from all over the world flocked to Munich. Mick Jagger, Frank Zappa and Freddie Mercury, and bands such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple were regulars in the city and recorded their tracks at Musicland Studios in the basement of the Arabellahaus.

They, along with the many free spirits and artists, enjoyed the liberal atmosphere that prevailed back then – and which seems to be flaring up again more and more today. The Munich scene included, amongst others, Rudolph Moshammer, restaurateur Gerd Käfer, director Helmut Dietl, gossip columnist Michael Graeter and playboy James Graser. Chic parties, wild nights and a hedonistic love life defined the decade.

Experience the charm of days gone by

Pink climbing roses on a light blue period facade next to windows with white glazing bars and a wall lantern. — The fact that Schwabing is anything but a run-down neighbourhood is also evident from the beautiful plants blooming on the façades.

In series such as *Monaco Franze* and *Kir Royal*, the spirit of that era can still be felt very clearly today. A stroll through Schwabing brings back memories, and many of the filming locations can still be recognised. It is precisely these charming, historic buildings that lend the series a very special atmosphere. And they remain sought-after residential areas to this day.

In the neighbourhood around Agnesstraße 16, where Monaco Franze lived, the property experts at RIEDEL – who know the particularly beautiful corners of Schwabing inside out and are well connected in the district – regularly sell flats. Furthermore, some time ago RIEDEL also had on offer the stunningly beautiful flat where the gossip reporter ‘Baby Schimmerlos’ from the series ‘Kir Royal’ lived.

Schwabing is a blend of tradition and modernity, of elegance and informality – a neighbourhood that enchants its residents and visitors alike. Anyone who has ever lived in Schwabing or spent time there understands this very well. For Schwabing is a place that stays in your heart. That’s how it used to be, and that’s how it is again today.

What the Schwabing lifestyle means for the market

The article describes what a location cannot offer: an established neighbourhood, easy access to green spaces, and shops that cater to everyday needs. This is precisely what determines property prices in Schwabing. The Art Nouveau and historic neighbourhoods between Leopoldstraße, Hohenzollernstraße and the English Garden are among Munich’s most stable sub-markets, and supply is tight because hardly anyone moves away of their own accord.

Anyone wishing to buy or sell here can find an overview at ‘Immobilien in Schwabing’. For owners looking to sell a flat in an older building, ‘Selling a flat in Schwabing ’ is the right place to start. You can contact us directly at our office in Schwabing. The Munich market report shows how supply and prices have developed recently.

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