TOUR MUNICH BY BIKE

 

An excellent way to get your bearings around the city and visit some of the city’s most important monuments. There are several companies offering bike tours of Munich, but Mikes Bike Tours comes highly recommended for a fun, informative half day activity that’s perfect for families, individuals and friends. The company has been operating since 1995 and has gained a reputation as one of the best. 

 

We suggest you take this tour during your first few days in Munich as it gives you an excellent overview of the city and the most important sights, giving you the opportunity to plan to return and see things that you are especially interested in. 

 

The tour lasts around four hours in which time you learn a lot about local sights and German culture from your guide as you cover around 4 miles of flat bike paths around the city, ending with a cold stein of beer in one of the English Garden’s beer gardens. 

 

In summer, there is an opportunity to take a dip in one of the streams running through the gardens, recommended for strong swimmers only. The water is extremely cold as it comes down from the Alps- be warned!

 

Tours run twice a day and start from under the tower of the Old Town Hall. No need for reservations, just turn up. The tour costs 24 euros for adults and half price for children under fourteen years of age. Special discounts apply if you stay at one of their recommended hostels, listed on their website. Bikes, helmets and child seats are also available for no extra cost. 

 

Bike rental is also available for 12 euros for the first day and 9 euros for each successive day. Weekly rates are also available. 

 

 

 

DEUTSCHES MUSEUM, MUNICH

 

The Deutsches Museum in Munich is the world’s biggest museum of science and technology, with more than 100,000 items on display, including the highly prized first motorised aircraft built by the Wright brothers, the U1 submarine and the first motorcar built by Karl Benz. 

 

Children will love this museum, so it makes for a great day out as a family. From space travel to coal mining, you’ll find an excellent range of themes exhibits including early and modern communications, industrial machinery and technological evolution, transport, energy, astronomy, physics, chemistry and biology, and much more!

 

Open from 9:00am to 17:00pm every day but closed on most public holidays. Admission is 8.50 euros for adults and concession/ children are 3 euros. Take the S-Bahn to Isator station or the metro U1 or U2 lines to Fraunhofer Str. 

 

 

MARIENPLATZ, MUNICH

 

The centrepiece of Munich, the Marienplatz square was where the markets were held during the middle ages. Festivals, executions and government announcements were also held here.  Today this square is the main artery of Munich, and a good place to start a self-guided tour of the city to get a feel for the place. 

 

The name Marienplatz translates to “St Mary’s Square” and was changed from its original name “Schrannen” as a tribute to the Virgen Mary, as a means of protection from a fierce cholera epidemic that struck during medieval times.

 

The most interesting aspects of the square include the Old Town Hall, destroyed during the Second World War but rebuilt according to the plans drawn up by Jorg von Halsbach between 1470- 1480. Also the New Town Hall, standing 79 meters in height, built in the “Flemish Gothic” style between 1867- 1909 by Georg Hauberrisser. The “Mariensaule” is the column which stands in the centre of the square, dedicated to the Vigin Mary, and erected in 1638. 

 

The glockenspiel clock on the New Town Hall bursts into life every day at 11:00am, 12:00pm and 17:00pm. The figures perform a dance which was performed originally in this square in 1517 to celebrate the end of the Plague. Love it or hate it, every visitor to Munich should see it at least once. 

 

 

ENGLISCHER GARDENS, MUNICH

 

The largest city park in Europe and one of the most beautiful, the English Gardens covers almost four square kilometers. Famous with locals and tourists equally are three main attractions within the park: four different beer gardens, the icy and refreshing Isar river, and the nude meadow!

 

The biggest beer garden or “biergarten” in German, is the one surrounding the Chinese Tower, where bands play to entertain the crowds during the summer months. 

 

One of the more unusual sights in the gardens is the standing wave, which attracts surfers from all over the world to show off their talent, with the added advantage of not having to paddle out  for their 30 seconds or so on a wave!! 

 

The waves are produced by the pumping mechanism that drives water through one of the artificial streams that runs through the garden. These stream are a popular place to take a swim further along the stream from the surfers. Be warned however, the currents are extremely strong and many drownings have occurred when weaker swimmers underestimate the dangerous currents. 

 

Another popular attraction is the array of naked sunbathers in the nude meadow! This particular area is usually quite crowded, if not by the sunbakers themselves, but by those who come to check out the scene for themselves!

 

 

THE BMW CAR MUSEUM

 

Fans of European cars will enjoy a visit to Munich’s BMW Museum. Located next to the old Olympic village, the exhibition chronicles 90 years of the birth and evolution of the BMW brand through seven thematic exhibition halls. 

 

Recently moved into a larger exhibition space, the museum has information in German and English and guided tours are available. There is also a gift shop and cafe. 

 

Open Tuesday- Friday from 9:00am- 18:00pm and weekends and public holidays from 10:00am- 20:00pm. Adult entry is 12 euros and children/concession admission is 6 euros. Guided tours are 15 euros/ 7.50 euros. Take the U3 Underground metro and get off at “Olympiazentrum”, the follow the signs to the entrance of the museum. 

 

 

BEER AND OKTOBERFEST MUSEUM

 

In a country where beer is practically a national treasure, a visit to this museum should not be missed. Learn about the history, tradition and culture of beer from ancient times through to the history of beer in Munich and the evolution of one of Europe’s biggest festivals- Oktoberfest. 

 

The museum is housed in one of Munich’s oldest residential buildings, built in 1327. It’s a fairly small  exhibition space, but still well worth a visit, and is located close to Marienplatz on Sterneckerstrasse, 2. At the end of your visit you can enjoy a beer and some traditional Bavarian snacks from the museum restaurant. 

 

Open from Tuesday- Saturday 13:00pm- 17:00pm. Adults 4 euros, and for groups of six or more people, entry is reduced to 3 euros. Concession 2.50 euros. 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY TRIPS FROM MUNICH

 

If you have more then a few days to explore Munich it is well worth heading out to the Bavarian Apls, close to the German boarder with Austria, to enjoy the postcard scenery, icy cold glacier lakes and snow capped mountains.  The more adventurous could even squeeze a day trip to Salzburg in Austria. 

 

During the summer there are many excellent walking paths, fishing spots and bike trails that are worth exploring, located only about 180 kms outside of the city (2 hours journey by car). During the winter, this area is also very picturesque for day trippers and a popular destination for skiing. 

 

If you don’t have a hire car, you can organise day tours at various places from the city centre. Some operators will even combine several sights in a one or two day package. Some of the highlights include:

 

 

NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

 

There are several castles in Bavaria, but this is arguably the most glorious and beautiful. It is the most photographed building in Germany and one of the most popular tourist sights to visit from Munich. 

 

Built on a rugged clifftop overlooking the landscape below, it is quite an imposing and impressive structure. It is the castle that inspired the fairytale castles in the Disney movies Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. 

 

It was built during the 19th Century as a retreat for Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was believed to be mad. He died in mysterious circumstances in 1886 before the castle was complete. Seven weeks after his death the castle was opened to the public. 

 

The German government has spent over 11 million euros restoring and maintaining this castle in recent years. With more than 1.3 million tourists visiting the castle per year, it seems this is money well spent!

 

Entry to the castle is 9 euros and includes a tour. It is not possible to explore the castle on your own and photography is forbidden inside the castle. There are quite a few stairs to climb up and down but there are tours available for disabled or elderly visitors on Wednesdays. You can enquire and book in advance to secure your spot. 

 

You won’t be able to take photos inside the castle, but its well worth stopping on Marienbruecke (Mary’s Bridge) on your way up the hill for a great shot of the Castle and waterfall in one from this vantage point. 

 

You can organise a day trip to the castle with a tour operator, or go by car or train. Take the A7 to Fussen, the follow the signs to to Hohenschwangau, then to the castle. There is a day carpark which costs 4 euros at the castle. If you go by train, get off at Fussen and take bus number 9713 to Hohenschwangau. 

 

 

 

ALPINE HIKING

 

Not for the faint hearted! The best scenery in the Bavarian Apls is reachable only by walking. Even the less strenuous routes are certainly not a walk in the park, but they are usually clearly marked and have huts along the way where you can stay overnight (by prior arrangement) or have a meal or a stein of beer.

 

 If you want to explore this picturesque region on foot, first stop in at the Garmisch- Partenkirchen visitor’s centre. Here you can buy maps of the areas and ask for advice about which routes are available and what level of fitness they require. 

 

The most visited and easily the most spectacular areas in this region are: Eckbauer and the Berchtesgarden National Park.

 

 

LAKE STARNBERG

 

A popular spot for summer day trips from Munich, and easily reachable by the S- Bahn in 45 minutes from Munich City. Here you can enjoy fishing, bike riding, boating or just strolling around the lake taking in the scenery. The lake is 20 kms long and 5kms wide, offering about 49 kms of shoreline to explore. You can also rent a lake side lodge in this area or camping style cabins. 

 

 

 

DAY TRIPS BY TRAIN FROM MUNICH

 

If you’re budget is tight but you still want to get out of Munich and see some of Bavaria, you can’t beat the Bayern Train Ticket. This pass allows you unlimited travel on the fast travelling trains that go through the country as far as Salzburg in Austria. 

 

Trains are a great way to see Germany as you can cover a lot of distance in a short space of time and you can enjoy some amazing scenery to enjoy along the way. Many of these trains have a kiosk onboard where you can buy something to eat and tea and coffee, but if you bring a picnic lunch, you can get off and explore some of the smaller villages for lunch or afternoon tea.

 

An adult ticket costs around 20 euros, but group tickets are also available at a discount for more than five people travelling together. Buy them from the ticket machines at the Marienplatz S-Bahn station. You will be charged a surcharge if you buy them at the ticket windows. 

OKTOBERFEST, MUNICH

September-October annually

 

Being the largest worldwide festival, everyone at least knows about Oktoberfest, but not many know that this festival began in Munich and is traditionally a Bavarian region based festival, making the city of Munich the perfect place to celebrate Oktoberfest the traditional way! Of course we can’t blame the rest of the country wanting to join in, with six million visitors who come annually to take part in the madness all over Germany, and of course the beer too!

 

This sixteen day festival starts in late September and runs into early October, ending on the first Sunday of the month. The original festival was first held in 1810 to commemorate the marriage between Crown Prince Ludwig (later Ludwig I) and Princess Therese and featured horse races, music and performances, dancing and feasting. The locals enjoyed the event so much, it was held again the following year, and soon became a favourite event amongst the residents of Munich. 

 

Today the festival begins with the Lord Mayor of Munich tapping the first keg of beer at midday. The there is sixteen days straight of music, drinking, entertainment and dancing in several main beer tents which are set up especially for the festival.  

 

The most important part of the festival today is drinking and eating, and lots of it! Bavarian cuisine, including sausages, potatoes and meat laden stews are served and of course the beer is flowing non-stop! 

 

Locals and attention-seeking tourists like to get dressed up in traditional Bavarian costume- Lederhosen. A parade of national dress is also included in the festivities. 

 

The kind of beer served at Oktoberfest is brewed by six of Germanys main breweries known as “The Big Six”. Traditionally, “Oktoberfestbier” was a dark larger, later expanding to include red largers. Since the 70’s however, the larger that is usually served at the festival is a pale larger. 

 

It is free to enter the festival grounds and even the individual beer tents, but tickets must be bought to reserve a seat inside the tents. Food and beer vouchers are also available for sale and can be bought in advance or on the day. 

 

Visit the official website for more information: www.oktoberfest.de

FASCHING FESTIVAL, MUNICH

January 

 

Fasching is an annual festival in Bavaria which includes a series of events held over several weeks in Munich. It’s sort of the German version of Carnival and is held every year starting in January. The origins of this festival date stem from the eating, drinking and dancing in the leadup to fasting for Lent in pagan times. Rest assured, like many German festivals, eating and drinking both playa central role in the celebrations today!

 

During the festival, fancy dress balls, concerts, and street parades will be held all over the city. Some of these events are classy and taken seriously, others are little more than an excuse to drink and dance! 

 

It all comes to a climax on February 8th (Shrove Tuesday) when many people get the afternoon off from work to gather in the streets in silly costumes. The day is not an official holiday as such, but most local businesses choose to allow their employees participate in the fun.

 

Starting from 2pm- 5pm in the afternoon, most revellers head to Viktualienmarkt square in town for live music and lots of partying. If you’re anywhere around this area as far as Marienplatz, you’re likely to be be able to witness some of the madness, or join if, if you’re that way inclined!

MUNICH FILM FESTIVAL

Late June- July

 

Every late June to early July, Munich becomes the host to an internationally respected festival of film. Usually lasting eight days, German feature films and independent films are screened, some for the first time. 

 

German film-making, acting,  directing and producing is a strong focus of the festival, but many international works, including some from the USA are also celebrated and some released for premiere. Awards are given to honour outstanding contributions to European cinema. 

 

As well as various outdoor and indoor film screenings, there is usually an open-air concert and party held to conclude the festival. 

 

For program events and schedules closer to the next festival, visit the official website: http://www.filmfest-muenchen.de/

TOLLWOOD FESTIVAL, MUNICH

Summer and Winter

 

At just twenty years of age, the Tollwood festival in Munich is fast becoming one of Europe’s most popular music, arts and performance festivals. 

 

Held twice a year, once in summer at the Olympic Park and once in winter at the Theresienwiese, the Tollwood festival features many local and international acts who perform for free alongside outdoor markets, food stalls, exhibition displays and fun fair entertainment. 

 

Its an excellent day out for families and people of all ages with something to entertain everyone. The event is mostly free entry. Some special scheduled performances to coincide with the festival may be ticket entry only but the main outdoor event is free to enter and enjoy. 

 

Visit the official website for program and date information: http://www.tollwood.de/english/

CHRISTMAS MARKETS, MUNICH

December. 

 

Ever dreamed of a magical European Christmas experience? Munich is definitely one of the best cities in the world to enjoy Christmas atmosphere at its very best. The Christmas markets, or Christkindlemarkt in German, starts late November or early December and runs until Christmas eve in Marienplatz, which is decorated with thousands of fairy lights and of course, a Christmas tree. 

 

There is entertainment for children, a nativity scene and an array of stalls selling Christmas decorations, crafts, foods, wine and deserts. It’s an especially good opportunity to try some famous German gingerbread! Many well known artist also sell their work which makes for a unique Christmas gift or souvenir to take home. A great event for kids and families, but everyone who enjoys a little Christmas atmosphere will really enjoy this unique experience. 

With many stores open until as late as 20:00pm on weekdays, and as late as 16:00pm on weekends, shopping in Munich is not only a convenient leisure activity, but a fun way to explore the city and interact with the locals. 

 

Credit cards are readily accepted as is cash. You will easily be able to spend your euros in Munich, but be aware that there is a 16% VAT tax included in most items. If you are visiting from a non EU country, you will be able to claim back this tax on your departure. Look for shops that display a “tax free” sign, and ask for the relevant paperwork and proof of purchase before leaving the store. 

 

 

Where to shop?

 

Serious shopaholics should plan to visit Neuhauserstrasse and Kaufingerstrasse- the two main shopping streets in the city that are bursting at the seams with department stores, international brand chain stores like H&M and Zara, and huge commercial shopping centres. This is also a great area to grab a meal and watch life go by at one of the many street cafes in this area. 

 

 

Those looking for something a little unique, browsing amongst the gift and designer boutiques on Thearinerstrasse and the upper market Maximillianstrasse areas would suit you perfectly. German design is some of the most innovative and creative in the world, so don’t miss your chance to check out some of the trendiest design ideas coming out of Germany during your visit to Munich, even if your budget doesn’t allow you to take any home!

 

Those interested in antiques should head for Schellingstrasse or alternatively, head to Viktualienmarkt, the famous fresh food, flower and gourmet markets close to Marienplatz. As well as fresh food and produce and two beer gardens to keep you occupied for at least a half day, there are many cute little shops in this area full of gifts, antique and other speciality  items in this area where you can find a great bargain or a unique gift. 

 

Another famous shopping district in Munich is close to the main University, where many local students gather after class to get together and enjoy browsing the stores, cafés, art galleries and restaurants in this area.

 

 

What to buy?

 

 

To see and perhaps take home some traditional Bavarian goods, including art, crafts and  edible delicacies, you must explore the smaller pedestrian streets surrounding Marienplatz Square. 

 

As well as many tourist oriented shops selling the usual beer mugs, soccer souvenirs, Ocktoberfest T shirts and more, you will be able to discover some real gems, where you can take something home to remind you of your trip to Munich. 

 

One of the most sought after shopping item by tourists in Munich is without a doubt Bavaria’s traditional food delicacies. Cured meats, hams, preserved jams, gingerbread, home made mustards, potato and bread dumplings and trimmings including bacon, sauerkraut and other pickled goodies are some of the tried and true favourites. Be sure to sample the famous white sausages- Weisswurste with sweet mustard, and don’t go past the bakeries selling scrumptious afternoon treats and fresh baked bread. Yum!

 

Bavarian jewellery, usually crafted silverware is generally of a very good quality. For a unique gift, or something to remind you of your stay in the German Capital, you can’t go past something that features the famous Edelweiss flower. Brooches, earrings or a pendant with this beautiful mountain flower are easy to find and stylishly crafted. 

 

Men will appreciate the array of leather items available in Munich. Belts, wallets and other items are easy to find in this area. 

 

Last but not least, German woodcrafts make wonderful gifts or souvenirs to take home. Wooden toys for the children, marionette dolls, puppets and practical items like wooden bowls or serving dishes are examples of these. You’ll find many examples of traditional Bavarian crafts in Munich, and it is worth browsing around to find something that matches your preferred budget and level of quality, whether you are looking for a collectors item or just a little something to remind you of your trip. 

 

If you are lucky enough to be visiting Munich at Christmas time, don’t miss the Christkindlemarkts or Christmas Markets held every year in Marienplatz. The atmosphere itself is good enough reason to go, but you’ll also be able to browse amongst the best of Bavarian crafts and traditional Christmas decorations and gifts for all the family. 

The Franz Joser Strauss Airport in Munich (Airport code MUC) is located about 28kms northeast of the city of Munich. It is the second most busiest airport in Germany and the 28th busiest in the world. In 2007 it was awarded “Best European Airport” by Skytrax, an independent transport research company. 

 

There are two main terminals, the second being the newest, opened in 1992 and capable of processing more then 20 million passengers per year. The terminals sit back to back so its relatively easy to get between them. 

 

Apart from the usual facilities including information helpdesks (in several languages) food and shopping facilities, there is a conference centre and good access points and facilities for disabled passengers. There is also a pay-per-hour hotel where you can enjoy a bed and shower if you’re travelling a long-haul route. 

 

Getting To Munich by Car

 

The airport is situated between Munich and Deggendorf on the A92 and is well signposted from both directions. Take the A9 Autobahn and then the A92 towards Deggendorf to the Flughafen Munchen Exit, OR take the B11 or B13 from the Mittlerer Ring and then A92. 

 

Taxis stands are outside on the street, opposite the arrivals hall. The journey in to the city centre is about 45 mins. 

 

By Train

 

Take the commuter train S1 or S8 express trains to get to the main central stations in Munich: Munich Hauptbanhoff, Marienplatz, Liam or Ostbanhof.