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Munich
Trip Planning & Itineraries
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Munich, rivaled only by Berlin as Germany's most popular destination, is a sophisticated city that enjoys contradicting itself. Don some ironic lederhosen and head down to the capital of Bavaria, where cutesy folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and Black Forest cake shares the table with haute cuisine.
The city is a haven for all sorts of culture, with a staggering array of museums, a vibrant arts scene and the infamous revels of Oktoberfest. Bavaria is souvenir-icon Germany at its postcard best, and the fairy-tale Gothic, Biergarten-filled city of Munich is no exception.
Best of Munich: Must Do Experiences
Best of Munich: Suggested Itineraries
Munich brings to mind the three Bs: beer, BMW and Bavaria. But it's so much more than that. Munich is Germany's second largest city with a thriving culture including arts, sport and education. Munich is famous for Oktoberfest, the annual beer festival, but the city hosts festivals year around and not all of them are about drinking! It's located within some of the world's most beautiful scenery: alps and lakes and truly spectacular castles. And don't forget history; Munich is rich in Baroque and Rococco architecture (restored after heavy bombing in WW2), has some of the best museums and collections in Germany, and, of course, was important during the notorious Third Reich of Hitler. For some suggestions of how to see this splendid city, check out our tours of Munich. Or read our Suggested 3 Day Itinerary below.
Day 1: Spires and Shopping in Munich
There are a few ways to orientate yourself in Munich: by hop on hop off bus, by bicycle or on foot around the historic centre, or Altstadt. Walking is recommended to really be able to appreciate all the amazing architecture. Begin at Marienplatz, the heart and soul of Munich. Check out the gargoyles of the town hall, the Neues Rathaus, Be there at 11am, noon or 9pm to see the characters of the carillon spring into action. In Max-Joseph-Platz, you'll find some of Munich's best buildings: the Nationaltheater and the Residenz - the palace which housed Bavarian rulers from the 1300s until 1918. Now it houses an impressively huge museum. Along the way, you can climb to the top of many of the towers for a bird's eye view of the city. Try the 85m tower of the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus, or the 92m tower of St Peterskirche. To go further afield, hop on a bike. Munich has great parks to explore and is very cyclist friendly.
The city centre is also a great place for shopping. Grab a bite to eat at the Viktualienmarkt, one of Europe's greatest food markets, then head to Maximilianstrasse for a bit of luxury shopping, or the pedestrian strip of Kaufingerstrasse for more mid-range prices.
Day 2: Beer and BMWs
One quick and easy way to learn all about Munich is to experience the city's most famous exports: beer and BMWs. Start the day with a tour of the BMW museum, a must see for any motoring enthusiast. If your interest extends to general science and technology, pop into the Deutsches Museum. And if it's sports you love, check out the Olympic Stadium from 1972, and the FC Bayern Football Stadium. If you'd rather participate than watch, head for the Englischer Garten and surf! Yes, there are artificial waves on the Isar River!
And now you have earned your beer! In Munich, beer gardens are a tradition, and you'll find locals, young and old, plus tourists sitting under the chestnuts trees enjoying a local brew. They are so family friendly, that most of places have children's play areas to one side. At the enormous Hirschgarten (8000 seats) there is even a mini zoo with deers and boar. Or head back to the Altstadt and dive into the Hofbrauhaus, Munich's most famous beer hall.
Day 3: Castles, Lakes and Mountains
Now it's time to leave the city and get into those Alps. Nearby are so many must-see sites. If it's castles you want, you've come to the right place. King Ludwig II indulged his dreams when he built Neuschwanstein and Linderhof. As did Hitler when the Nazi's built him the spectacular Eagle's Nest for his birthday. His vertigo and phobias about lifts (this one through the mountain core!) curtailed his enjoyment somewhat. On an even more sombre note, you could visit Dachau, a pretty artist town now infamous as the location of a WW2 concentration camp. Not for children. More uplifting is a day trip to Salzburg, Nuremberg, Innsbruck or along the Romantic Road.
Best of Munich: Top 3 Restaurants
- Plan Munich vacations on Yahoo! Travel
- Munich hotels, Germany from PlanetWare
- Munich hotels from HotelsCombined.com
- Munich trip planner & travel guide from NileGuide
