Cold Water, Fast Wheels: Surfing in Munich

Surfing the Eisbach, cycling the city

Munich is famous for beer gardens and baroque facades, but for locals like Tim and Nuri, it’s also a place where you can surf a river at lunch and cruise bike paths by evening. In this edition of “Stories from the Road,” we meet two friends who split their time between the Eisbachwelle and the city’s cycling routes.


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Surfing the Eisbach, cycling the city

Munich is famous for beer gardens and baroque facades, but for locals like Tim and Nuri, it’s also a place where you can surf a river at lunch and cruise bike paths by evening. In this edition of “Stories from the Road,” we meet two friends who split their time between the Eisbachwelle and the city’s cycling routes.


Getting to know Tim & Nuri

Where are you from and where do you live now?
Tim calls Munich home and is currently in Indonesia for a semester abroad while studying urban development. Nuri is Palestinian by heritage, born and raised between Munich and Berlin, and now lives in Vienna, where he studies dentistry.

How do you know each other?
Through the Eisbach scene mutual friends, Tim’s brother, and plenty of river sessions over the years. “Now we’re basically brothers,” they say.

How long have you been surfing?
Tim has been surfing since 2017. Nuri’s been at it for almost a decade.

Fascination Eisbachwelle.

For both, the Eisbach is a reset button. It’s headspace on demand: Cold water on hot days, quick sessions between classes or work, and a tight community that makes city life feel lighter. “It clears the head,” says Tim. “I forget everything and just live in the moment,” adds Nuri.

What do you enjoy most about surfing?
Both love the shared stoke and being close to nature. Nuri draws a line between ocean and river surfing: ocean sessions feel like a lifestyle; river surfing fits into your day, you drop in, ride, and carry on.

Favourite spots (beyond the Eisbach)?
A dream list: Jeffreys Bay (South Africa) for both; Pavones (Costa Rica) and Uluwatu (Bali) for Nuri.

Cycling in Munich: movement with meaning

Munich opens up on a bike. Tim gravitates to the Isar cycle path and the English Garden; Nuri rides through the city. Urban mobility, for them, is about independence: moving freely, choosing the next stop without fuss, and staying nimble in a busy city.

Post-surf (and ride) favorites

Their go-tos after sessions:

  • Santoloco Café
  • Fräulein Grüneis
  • A picnic on the Monowiese in the English Garden
  • Munich Surf Kitchen
  • Hot chocolate at Goldene Bar
Tips & little mantras

Beginner tips:

  • Make it fun first. Do it for yourself, not for anyone else.
  • Practice a few times a week; progress takes dedication and a bit of endurance.

Personal quotes:

  • Tim: “It’s all about having fun.”
  • Nuri: “Right is good but left is better (lefter hander waves in the ocean)"

Where will your next ride, or your next wave take you?"

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