>A lot of the time it feels flat and dull in comparison to other large cities [...] My personal theory is that it’s just too rich and developed; you need cheap ‘edgy’ areas

As someone hailing from Cologne but with lots of friends in Munich, I tend to agree. Maybe it's the "Ruhrpott" dysfunction you're used to when you grew up in this part of Germany, but Munich always felt like a giant Apple Store, Hamburg does too but with a Protestant/Nordic spin instead of the posh Catholic south.

I think also another factor is that Munich is monocentric, the urban core absorbed districts very quickly (most people wouldn't know it these days but Bavaria used to be very underdeveloped for a long time) whereas the Ruhr area or Berlin are much more decentralized urban agglomerations, growing over a longer time, making it a bit more chaotic and sprawlish and economically hit or miss.

Idk about that. The Bavarian State Opera is very good, and all three(!) of Munich's three orchestras are world-class. Munich is a science and tech hub bringing interesting and important transients all the time. It has an amazing art collection, English Gardens that actually get used, and cultural and entertainment amenities that are well-spread across different parts of the city.

Well, you're right. I was comparing to places as clean, calm and safe as Munich. I only found that kind of peace in much smaller cities that were way less vibrant. I understand (and agree) with your second paragraph, but from all the "too rich and developed" places I've been, this is the most vibrant.

Except for housing, I did not find it particularly expensive. I ate out at very nice places for less than 10€ a lot of times, ice creams were amazing and cheap, too. At least compared to Spain, I did not noticed a big difference, taking into account the wealth of the city.

Munich has a smaller version of the Octoberfest all year around. Beer Gardens everywhere, many people wearing "Tracht". The tourists love it and the munich people love the money. It has some nice places like the English Garden or the River Side. Also the Farmers Market in the city centre is nice to hang around. It is not for the young crowd but more for the settled and wealthy ones. Very much like Zürich, but bigger. The mountains are close and the lakes around Munich are famous. Also many nice castles like Schloss Nymphenburg, the Residenz and of course the castle built by Ludwig II. Lots of historic buildings. The city was founded 1158 and parts of the old city still exist.

> but absolutely not what I’d call vibrant.

Could this varying perception be age, cohort, interest related?

Young me would recoil at current me's sense of culture and preferences.

Munich/Bavaria were not ruled by the Habsburgs, unless you want to count the whole Holy Roman Empire.

As someone from Munich, I often joke that if I fell unconscious and woke up in Vienna, it would take me a rather long time to figure out that I’m not in Munich.

Because their history matches your attitude, maybe? :-D