Munich
The Germans themselves consistently rank Munich as the country's most livable city and once you visit you'll see why. With a relatively mild climate and sprawling parks and gardens the city has quite a different feel than most of Europe's other major cities. Munich is the capital of the southern state of Bavaria and is probably most famous for its yearly Oktoberfest celebration and its consistently successful football club, but there is obviously a lot more to it than that.
What to do
The city is centered around Marienplatz and its impressive old town hall. From there you can walk along the cobblestone streets and through the city's main shopping district to check out the famous Hofbrauhaus, which is touristy as hell, but still a very worthwhile scene on your first visit. Speaking of beer, Munich's world famous Oktoberfest actually runs for 16 days starting in mid September and ends on the first Sunday in October. It's a blast, but avoid visiting the city during that time if you aren't intending to imbibe because it gets crowded and expensive during the festival.
For a sample of the good life that the locals lead, head to the Englischergarden, which is very similar New York's Central Park, but this one has great outdoor dining in the center as well as a huge beer garden. Not far away is the BMW Factory and Museum, which is open for tours. Just on the outskirts of town you can visit the Dachau concentration camp. It may not sound like fun, but it is as unforgettable as it is sobering and is highly recommended.
Munich has a compact center, but then spreads out quite a bit from there. Fortunately they have an excellent public transportation system, and it's also the sort of city you might consider renting a bike or taking an organized bike tour.
Getting there
Flights to Munich International Airport can be reasonable, but at times you might find a better deal by flying into larger Frankfurt Airport and then taking the train to Munich. The airport is not near the city center, but it is connected to the S-Bahn transport system so for a reasonable fee you can take that into the main city train station in about 40 minutes.
Where to stay
The area surrounding the main train station is filled with both hotels and hostels in all price ranges. It's a fairly safe area so it's not a bad place to stay, particularly if you are arriving in Munich by train. There are accommodations all over town, but in such a large city it's important to weigh price with accessibility to the things you want to see. A cheap hotel suddenly isn't such a bargain if it's 30 minutes outside of the city center.
Attractions in Munich
Address: Museumsinsel 180538 Munich, Germany
Maybe not quite what you’d expect from a museum simply known as the German Museum, the Deutsches Museum is not a museum of German art or antiques, but rather it’s the largest museum of science and technology in the world. The museum’s full name translates to The German Museum of Masterpieces of Science and Technology, and with the country’s reputation for precision and science, perhaps the shortened name isn’t surprising after all.
This is one of Munich’s top tourist attractions receiving over 1.3 million visitors per year. Exhibits of 50 different specialties are on display including traditional sciences, energy, transportation, and communication & information. There are sections meant for children throughout the museum with plenty of button-pushing and noise-making opportunities.
In 1923 the world’s first modern planetarium opened at the Deutsches Museum, which today hosts science shows in addition to laser and other multimedia presentations. An Imax theater offers 3D films and other special shows on its giant screen for an extra entry fee.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, closed on major holidays
Admission: €8.50 for adults; €3 for ages 6 to 15; €2 extra for the planetarium
Address: Englischer Garten, Munich, Germany
Often compared to New York City’s famous Central Park, Munich’s Englischer Garten (which, of course, means English Garden) is larger, making it one of the biggest public parks in Europe. The park was actually founded by an American-born physicist in 1789, and the name refers to the English style of the garden.
With one border near Munich’s city center, the park is easily accessible by both residents and tourists alike. On warm days the park’s southern section is crammed with what seems like half of Munich, while the park’s larger northern section still feels more like a forest.
There are several large lakes in the park, but the most notable feature is probably the Chinese Tower, which is a 25 meter-high wooden pagoda that overlooks the parks largest beergarden (7,000 seats!). There are other smaller beer gardens in the park, a Japanese teahouse, and an area where nude sunbathing is both permitted and popular.
Perhaps the strangest feature of the Englischer Garten is a permanent surfing wave. In spite of nearby signs stating that it’s not permitted, local “surfers” get out into the permanent wave that is created by the pumping system at the mouth of an artificial stream that runs through the park, trying to stay up as long as they can.
Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
Address: Frauenplatz 180331 München
The green dome-topped towers of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) are perhaps the most recognized symbol of Munich. Built during the late 1400s, the cathedral is a few steps from the Marienplatz and is Munich's largest church. Seriously damaged during World War II, the Frauenkirche's roof had to be rebuilt after collapsing entirely, and one of the towers had to be repaired. Displays inside the church illustrate the damage sustained.
The massive interior of the Frauenkirche can hold 20,000 people, and services are held here regularly. Most of the interior was rebuilt after WWII, so you may notice that it looks relatively plain for a Gothic-style church. One thing which was not destroyed is the legendary "Devil's Footprint" at the entrance. It is said that the devil stamped his foot here in anger when he was fooled into thinking the cathedral had been built with no windows - it's a trick of architecture that you can't see windows from the point of the footprint.
Although much of the art which once filled the cathedral was ruined in the war, there are still several tombs on the main floor and in the crypt which are of interest. But if the vast, white interior of the Frauenkirche is a disappointment, go back to the Marienplatz and go to the top of the New City Hall's tower where you can get a great photo of the cathedral's roof and trademark domes.
Hours: No tourist entry during services
Admission: Free, donations accepted
Address: Marienplatz, Munich, Germany
Marienplatz, or "Mary's Place," is the main square of historic Munich. It's a bustling open space, full of tourists and locals, lined on one side by the beautiful New City Hall. The Glockenspiel on the city hall's tower is a popular tourist attraction, especially every hour when the parade of characters dances to the clock's chimes. The wooden puppets which come out each hour are representative of some of the historic tournaments and markets which were held in the square during the Middle Ages.
The Old City Hall is also on one side of the Marienplatz, though both city halls have characteristics which make them resemble cathedrals more than municipal buildings. The tower on the Old City Hall is one of Munich's city symbols, and the New City Hall's tower offers fantastic views of the city, including the Marienplatz below.
Marienplatz gets its name from the Marian column (in honor of the Virgin Mary) which was placed in its center in the mid-1600s as a monument to the end of the Swedish occupation. There are several pedestrian-only zones surrounding the square, which are all home to shops, restaurants, beer houses and hotels.
Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
Address: Odeonsplatz, 80539 Maxvorstadt, München, Germany
This large public square rivals nearby Marienplatz for importance, although not usually for crowds or popularity. Designed in the early 19th Century as one of the focal points of Munich, Odeonsplatz is occasional home to classical concerts and other cultural events, but it’s mostly known for a few famous things on and around the square.
The Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshall’s Hall) is the centerpiece in Odeonplatz. It was designed in 1841 in honor of Munich’s generals and is famous for its 3 arches and two Bavarian lions out front.
The Theatinerkirche (Theatiner Church) dates back to the 17th Century, but this Italian-inspired baroque church and its two distinctive towers weren’t finally complete until 1768.
The Hofgarten across from Odeonsplatz is a Renaissance court garden laid out in an Italian style in the early 17th Century. A domed temple sits in its center, which houses a bronze figure that symbolizes Bavaria.
Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
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