Travel Eye on Munich (Germany)

Write a review or view peoples experiences in Munich.	Hotels in Munich.	Flights	Car Hire/Rental	Tickets & Attractions in Munich

Want to contribute to the writings of this travel guide? If so, Click here

Overview:

The Bavarian city of Munich, centre of southern Germany, is one of the country's favourite tourist destinations, offering a unique combination of modern flair and traditional charm, all mixed together with a heavy helping of "Gemutlichkeit", the special German term for hearty, happy, healthy togetherness.

Traditionally the city, famous for its breweries and beer halls, conjures up images of jolly red-cheeked, portly men in lederhosen, downing steins of beer. There is plenty of this fun to be had, but Munich and the Bavarian region has plenty more to recommend it to visitors. The city has numerous great museums, art treasures, hi-tech industries and gems of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It is also the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from near and far.

Munich itself was founded in 1158 on the River Isar, and acquired its name, Munchen (home of the monks) from its first monastery. It was the monks that started the beer brewing tradition for which the city is now world famous, particularly since it started celebrating an annual beer festival in 1810. Today close on six million people visit the Oktoberfest every year, and consume more than five and a half million litres of beer during its two-week run.

Munich attracts backpackers, package tourists, expense-account executives and conference delegates. It is also popular with academic, political, financial, managerial and scientific people.

The accommodatiion in Munich varies from basic student campsites and budget pensions to top-of-the-range 5-star grand palaces, though the emphasis is on mid-range hotels geared to the Mon-to-Fri business traveller and tour groups at weekends and during the peak summer holiday season.

Locality:

Munich is situated towards the south east corner of Germany, in the heart of Bavaria (45 mls N of the Austrian border, 150 mls SE of Stuttgart, 90 mls W of Salzburg, 18 mls SW of the airport). It is found astride the river Isar and surrounded by rolling farmland, with the foothills of the Alps to the South.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

The pedestrianised centre hosts a wide variety of upmarket department stores and boutiques. A large open-air fruit and vegetable market, Viktualienmarkt, has expensive but high-quality merchandise. Maximilianstrasse and vicinity for designer fashion shops. All this makes Munich a great place for the shoppers.

During the daytime take strolls around the traffic-free streets of the old town, see the panoramic views from the tower of St Peter's church, tour the rather eclectic Munchener Stadtmuseum, see the Residenz palace, whose Schatzkammer showcases royal treasures.

Visit the Neue Pinakothek for Impressionists and early 20th-century artists, the Deutsches Museum of Technology, one of the largest of its kind, the Schloss Nymphenburg (one-time summer residence of the Bavarian royalty), with its lovely grounds, botanical garden and several museums.

The nightlife offers numerous drinking halls, cafes, bars, nightclubs and discos. There is much on offer musically, from jazz, rock and pop to opera and classical concerts (3 orchestras of international fame are based in Munich and the July opera festival ranks third in the world). There are 11 major theatres and a further 40 fringe and cabaret venues. There are also 3 cinemas specialising in English-language soundtracks.

There is something here to suit virtually every taste (and budget), from traditional Bavarian fare to Italian, Balkan, Greek, Persian, Romanian, Thai, Turkish and vegetarian. Bavarian specialities tend to be hearty, and include braten (roasts), schweinshaxe (pork shanks) and weisswurst (spiced veal sausages); sauerkraut is the typical accompaniment. A popular snack-on-the-go is "semmel mit ein paar Wiener" (a roll with 2 frankfurters). Lots of locally brewed beers.

Munich's main attractions include:

Frauenkirche - The distinctive towers of Munich's most famous landmark can still be seen from all over the city. 

Marienplatz - This historic square, bordered by the new and old town halls, forms the heart of Munich. 

Viktualienmarkt - A visit to Munich isn't complete without a visit to its popular central market. 

Olympiapark - The site of Munich's 1972 Olympics is known for the stadium's futuristic tent-like roof. 

Residenz Palace - Munich's large palace, once the home of the Bavarian monarchs, now houses a museum.