Our Story
The story behind The Local Experience actually goes back to 2008, when our founder arrived in Munich with little more than curiosity and a love for meeting new people. Within two weeks, he was working for a beer crawl known as The Crawl, introducing travelers to Munich’s beer culture and nightlife. What started as a temporary job quickly turned into something more. Within a year, he was running the crawl himself and had become a familiar face in Munich’s hostel and backpacker scene, also working as a bartender and event organizer at a local hostel.
In 2011, together with a co-worker and friend, he launched a new tour built on the idea that Munich experiences could be more personal, more thoughtful, and better organized. What began as a single beer tour gradually grew into something bigger. By 2017, the company evolved into The Local Experience, expanding beyond beer tours to include historical walking tours and day trips across Munich and Bavaria.
Like many small travel businesses, the pandemic brought enormous challenges. Tourism stopped overnight and the company had to rebuild from the ground up. With the help of family, friends, and a wonderful community of local guides, The Local Experience slowly returned with a renewed focus: smaller groups, deeper storytelling, and more meaningful guest experiences. (Fun fact: the largest tour we ever ran was a beer tour for 127 people in 2018 — unforgettable, but proof that bigger isn’t always better!)
Today, The Local Experience is proudly family-run, supported by a fantastic team of local guides who love Munich as much as we do. Together, we’re here to share the stories, traditions, and hidden corners that make this city special.
We’re grateful you’re considering The Local Experience as your local tour partner, and we look forward to showing you why we love Munich so much. Munich has been home since 2008, and sharing it with curious travelers has been the best job we could imagine.
Meet the Guides
Below you’ll find the wonderful team of local guides who help bring Munich’s stories to life. Each guide brings their own personality, expertise, and favorite local spots to share with guests.
Christine
Tour Guide
Sarah grew up in southern Germany and has called Munich home for over a decade. With a background in history and cultural studies, she loves helping visitors understand the stories behind the city’s beautiful architecture, traditions, and beer culture. When she’s not guiding tours, you’ll usually find her exploring new cafés, cycling along the Isar, or discovering lesser-known corners of Bavaria.
Languages: English, German
Tours: Munich Walking Tour, Third Reich Tour, Dachau Memorial Site Tour
Guiding Since: 2021
Stefanie
Tour Guide
Sarah grew up in southern Germany and has called Munich home for over a decade. With a background in history and cultural studies, she loves helping visitors understand the stories behind the city’s beautiful architecture, traditions, and beer culture. When she’s not guiding tours, you’ll usually find her exploring new cafés, cycling along the Isar, or discovering lesser-known corners of Bavaria.
Languages: English, German
Tours: Munich Walking Tour, Third Reich Tour, Dachau Memorial Site Tour
Guiding Since: 2021
James
Tour Guide
Sarah grew up in southern Germany and has called Munich home for over a decade. With a background in history and cultural studies, she loves helping visitors understand the stories behind the city’s beautiful architecture, traditions, and beer culture. When she’s not guiding tours, you’ll usually find her exploring new cafés, cycling along the Isar, or discovering lesser-known corners of Bavaria.
Languages: English, German
Tours: Munich Walking Tour, Third Reich Tour, Dachau Memorial Site Tour
Guiding Since: 2021
Supporting Mental Health
In memory of a close friend and tour guide we lost during the difficult pandemic years, The Local Experience supports organizations that help people struggling with depression and mental health challenges. Travel brings people together, and we believe supporting mental well-being is an important part of building stronger understanding communities.