Introduction
Capital of Bavarian oompah-pah, beer and BMW-riding excess. Munich, rivalled 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 folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and hearty meals share 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.
The heart of Munich is bisected by the Isar River, flowing northwards from its source 60km (37mi) away in the Bavarian Alps. Most of the city's sights are clustered on the river's left bank. It's a 15-minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof to the Altstadt, the historic old centre - just head east through Karlsplatz (aka Stachus) and along the pedestrianised Kaufingerstrasse. It's difficult to get lost if you use the twin onion-domed towers of the Frauenkirche as a landmark. The grand old square Marienplatz lies at the heart of the Altstadt, with the former royal palace to the north. Southwest of the Hauptbahnhof there's the gentrified Westend and the Oktoberfest grounds at Theresienwiese. The university is north of Marienplatz at Schwabing, bordered by the Englischer Garten (English Garden), Europe's largest park. Schloss Nymphenburg is around 7km (4.3mi) northwest of the centre, and Olympiapark is to the north. The area around the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) enjoys a huge selection of accommodation, while the nearby Westend district is stuffed with appealing cafes. There's a major pub and restaurant quarter east of Marienplatz, and plenty of window-shopping along Maximilianstrasse.
Places of Interest
Munich, rivalled 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 folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and hearty meals share 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.
Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 310
Coordinates: 48.1409759521 latitude and 11.5429534912 longitude
Population: 1300000
Languages: German belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family and is spoken by over 100 million people worldwide, mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Currency: Euro (€)
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Area codes: 089
Getting there and away
Munich's multi-level Franz-Josef-Strauss Flughafen (airport) is only slightly less busy than Frankfurt's mega flughafen, but it's way less intimidating. Flights bound for Europe, New York and Sydney jet in and out, either direct or via Frankfurt, and a host of German cities are served by at least six flights daily. Departure tax is included in the ticket price, as are airport security fees. There are rapid train connections every two hours or so to all major German cities, and frequent services to European cities like Vienna, Prague, Z ü rich, Rome and Paris. Driving to Munich along Germany's excellent roads can be fun, but your car will be next to useless once you've arrived. Boat/car/train/bus combos are another possibility: ferries go between Germany and the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Getting around
Getting from museum A to beer hall Z is simple: either promenade with the M ü ncheners along the central pedestrian zone from the Hauptbahnhof to Marienplatz or catch a ride on Munich's excellent public transport network (MVV). The system is zone-based and most places of interest are within the inner-city white zone. The underground will get you to most of the sights, with buses filling in the gaps. A novel but expensive way to get around is via pedicabs. You can also cycle your way around the city.
Weather
Weather-wise, the shoulder seasons - April-May, September-October - are generally good times to visit Munich, with enough sunshine to go around. If you visit between November and March you'll have below-freezing temperatures and sunless skies. As a general rule, you can expect rain any time of year; there's also a chance of experiencing the F ö hn, a warm, dry wind that's blamed for everything from headaches to crankiness and lethargy.
Related posts: Cologne City, Hamburg City, Frankfurt City, Berlin City
Capital of Bavarian oompah-pah, beer and BMW-riding excess. Munich, rivalled 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 folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and hearty meals share the table with haute cuisine.
Munich, rivalled 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 folk traditions ride alongside BMWs and hearty meals share the table with haute cuisine.
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 310
Coordinates: 48.1409759521 latitude and 11.5429534912 longitude
Population: 1300000
Languages: German belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family and is spoken by over 100 million people worldwide, mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Currency: Euro (€)
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Area codes: 089
Munich's multi-level Franz-Josef-Strauss Flughafen (airport) is only slightly less busy than Frankfurt's mega flughafen, but it's way less intimidating. Flights bound for Europe, New York and Sydney jet in and out, either direct or via Frankfurt, and a host of German cities are served by at least six flights daily. Departure tax is included in the ticket price, as are airport security fees. There are rapid train connections every two hours or so to all major German cities, and frequent services to European cities like Vienna, Prague, Z ü rich, Rome and Paris. Driving to Munich along Germany's excellent roads can be fun, but your car will be next to useless once you've arrived. Boat/car/train/bus combos are another possibility: ferries go between Germany and the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Getting from museum A to beer hall Z is simple: either promenade with the M ü ncheners along the central pedestrian zone from the Hauptbahnhof to Marienplatz or catch a ride on Munich's excellent public transport network (MVV). The system is zone-based and most places of interest are within the inner-city white zone. The underground will get you to most of the sights, with buses filling in the gaps. A novel but expensive way to get around is via pedicabs. You can also cycle your way around the city.
Weather-wise, the shoulder seasons - April-May, September-October - are generally good times to visit Munich, with enough sunshine to go around. If you visit between November and March you'll have below-freezing temperatures and sunless skies. As a general rule, you can expect rain any time of year; there's also a chance of experiencing the F ö hn, a warm, dry wind that's blamed for everything from headaches to crankiness and lethargy.
Related posts: Cologne City, Hamburg City, Frankfurt City, Berlin City
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