Munich is a friendly city with great beer gardens, delicious Bavarian food, beautiful architecture, a wealth of museums, and many other attractions. Countless tourists go to Munich for Octoberfest, the folk festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October, but I prefer to visit at a less busier time. You can go to one of the many beer halls throughout the year without the crowds that descend on the city for Octoberfest. However, you may also want to try some of the fine dining; it’s not all beer and knackwurst in Munich.
The capital of Bavaria, Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg, and is an economic power house. It is a major centre of art, technology, finance, publishing, culture, education, business, and tourism. Munich has the highest standard of living in Germany and the lowest unemployment rate. It is also home to BMW World – the show room and museum of my favorite car manufacturer, and is a university town boasting two of Germany’s top higher learning institutions.
Munich is different from Berlin – it is a large city with a small town feel. Berlin, in my opinion, is the New York City of Europe, while Munich has more of a European / Austrian vibe. The Isar River, originating in the Alps, runs through the center of Munich and is a key attraction. The city also has a lot of green space ideal for hiking and biking.
However, this city will always be, first and foremost, the city of my sister Janka, who lived in Munich for most of her life and recently passed away there. I visited her in Munich many times since the 1970’s and spent many evenings with her in the various beer gardens.
I highly recommend a visit to Munich. Bavaria is the heart of Germany, and Munich is what keeps it beating. You cannot visit Germany without visiting Munich.
Things to do
Beer Halls and Beer Gardens When you are in Munich you have to sample the Bavarian food and beer at least once. I love the large steins of beer, the delicious pretzels and rustic Bavarian food. Try some of the more authentic Bavarian dishes instead of just schnitzel or sausage. The various roasts with knodel or spaetzel and sauerkraut are amazing! The famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589, located in the Old Town is certainly a must see, as is one of the preferred venues by locals Augustiner-Keller.
Museums – these are just a few of the many museums found in Munich:
Alte Pinakothek Translated as the Old Picture Gallery, Alte Pinakothek is regarded by experts as one of the greatest galleries in the world. There are over 800 German, French, Dutch, Flemish, Italian and Spanish paintings from the 1200s to the 1800s. Rubens (one of the world’s largest collections) Titian, Rembrandt, and Da Vinci are some of the prestigious names you will encounter.
Neu Pinakothek Some 400 paintings from the 1800s are on show at the “New” Pinakothek and they represent all of the influential movements from the century. There are German Romantics like Caspar David Friedrich and Karl Friedrich Schinkel, French Realists such as Delacroix and Courbet, and Impressionist Art by Degas, Cézanne, Monet, Gauguin and Renoir.
Deutsche Museum is an amazing science and technology museum. The museum sits on an island in the Isar river and maps the development of Science and Technology in Germany.
Marien Platz Glockenspiel is one of the most popular attractions in Munich. The chiming clock consists of 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures. The bells ring and the little dancers perform by moving to a waltz daily at 11 a.m. and noon (and 5 p.m. in the summer months). If you are wondering why large crowds have stopped to stare up at the tower, this is why. The show lasts about 15 minutes and concludes with the golden bird up the top emerging and chirping three times.
Nymphenburg Palace is brimming with architectural splendour (from a variety of classical periods) and breathtakingly ornate interiors. This magnificent palace also boasts extensive gardens, a lovely spot in which to enjoy a picnic.
Residenz Royal Palace Inside, you’ll find the Crown Jewels, the State Collection of Egyptian Art, the Residenz Theatre and the Herkulessaal concert hall. Outside are courtyards, fountains, grottoes, a medicine room, a chapel and more.
Olympic Stadium Park While many former Olympic venues around the world tend to be forgotten, Munich’s 1972 Olympic Park is still a popular day out. The park is a massive activity centre where you can ride a zip-line over the iconic stadium, take part in watersports on the lake and ski on the hill in winter. There are also fairground amusements in summer, and no lack of places to grab a snack or meal.
Allianz Arena Sports fans will love a trip around the arena, home to the city’s famous FC Bayern Munich. Their tour guides all speak English and they’ll take you round the locker room, trophy cabinet, press room and tunnel entrance. Or, even better, head along and watch a match – you’ll be truly blown away by the atmosphere!
Hellabrunn Zoo Established in 1911, it was one of the first in world to adopt moats and ditches as barriers instead of cages, but also introduced the concept of the Geo-Zoo, where animals are located according to their geographical regions. If you’re concerned about the zoo’s humane credentials, it takes part in breeding programs for endangered species like silvery and drill baboons, as well as elephants, Arctic foxes and gorillas.
English Garden Spend an afternoon wandering around the English Garden (or Englischer Garten), a 900-acre park with 78 km of hiking and cycling trails as well as a Greek temple, Chinese pagoda, Japanese tea house, and of course, a beer garden.
Octoberfest The main Oktoberfest is held on the original meadow, named Wiesn, a short tram ride from the centre of Munich. It runs mid or late September to the first weekend in October.
Odeons Platz, one of Munich’s many towns squares. This is where Hitler tried to first seize power of Germany in 1923.
If you like cars, this is one of the most impressive museums of old and new BMW cars. Bavarian Motor Works started as an airplane engine manufacturer (the classic logo represents a propeller over the Bavarian sky) and is now one of the most revered car manufacturers in the world. For a while, BMW also had cars in the Formula One races. The museum is fascinating so plan to spend an afternoon, or longer.
Where to Stay
- Mandarin Oriental is probably the top hotel in Munich with 5 star luxury and prices.
- Bayerischer Hof is luxurious with reasonable prices and old world charm.
- Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski vies with Bayerischer Hof as one of the most renowned hotels in Munich. It is located on Maximilianstrasse where the high end stores are found.
- Hotel Königshof is one Munich’s grand rebuilt pre-war hotels.
- Sofitel Munich Bayerpost is in a great location with well designed modern rooms.
- Le Meridien hotels are always nice quality for a decent price.
- Hotel Opera is a boutique hotel with stylish rooms and a beautiful garden.
- Hotel Prinz is inexpensive, basic decent rooms and nice staff right on the Isar river.
Where to Eat
- Atelier with 3 Michelin stars, it can’t be beat. It is a spectacular, but pricey restaurant.
- Sohpia’s located in the Charles hotel, is another high end Michelin rated restaurant.
- Tantris is a stunning restaurant that has held two Michelin stars since 1974, the longest period of any restaurant in Germany. It is one of the best in Germany.
- Tegernseer Tal Brauhaus serves delicious Bavarian food.
- Ratskeller, Hofbrahaus and Augustiner Keller serve good old Bavarian fare in a classic beer hall setting.
- Esszimmer is located at BMW World and has excellent food.
- Cafe Luitpold another Michelin rated restaurant, has outstanding pastries and fine food.
- Cafe Glockenspiel is located in Marienplatz with excellent views of the famous Glockenspiel. Located on the fifth floor of the main building on the Marienplatz, the café serves up great beer and coffee and a delicious light menu.
Enjoy your visit to Munich!
