MUNICH
Munich at a Glance…
Munich is the natural habitat of well-heeled power dressers and Lederhosen-clad thigh-slappers, Mediterranean-style street cafes and Mitteleuropa beer halls, highbrow art and high-tech industry. Germany’s unofficial southern capital is a flourishing success story that revels in its own contradictions.
Munich’s walkable centre retains a small-town air but holds some world-class sights, especially galleries and museums. Throw in royal Bavarian heritage, an entire suburb of Olympic legacy and a kitbag of dark tourism, and it’s clear why it’s a favourite. You can seek out the past but hit the town once you’re done.
Munich in Two Days
Start your day with breakfast at the Viktualienmarkt then cross the Marienplatz for a tour of the royal splendour of the Residenz. Take a break in the English Garden, then spend the afternoon admiring technical achievements at the Deutsches Museum. Finish the day at a typical Munich beer hall. Your second day can be devoted entirely to the top-notch museums and galleries in the Kunstareal.
Munich in Four Days
Start day three at BMW World and the BMW Museum followed by a clamber up the Olympic Tower at the Olympiapark. In the afternoon head to Nymphenburg to see one of Bavaria’s finest palaces. Finish off at one of the city’s superb beer gardens. Board the S-Bahn on day four for trips to Starnberg and Dachau.
Arriving in Munich
Munich Airport Located about 30km northeast of the city, Munich’s airport handles flights from all European capitals, tourist hotspots and some long-haul destinations.
Hauptbahnhof Situated at the western end of the city centre, Munich’s main train station is a major terminus receiving local, national and international services.
Central Bus Station Located on the Stammstrecke with easy access to the rest of the city.
Allgäu Airport Some services touting themselves as flights to Munich actually land at Allgäu Airport near Memmingen, over 100km away.
Sleeping
Munich has the full range of accommodation options you would expect from a major city in Western Europe. Luxury hotels dot the centre, midrange places gather near the Hauptbahnhof. Room rates tend to be higher than in the rest of Bavaria, and they skyrocket during the Oktoberfest. However, midrange accommodation is cheaper here than in other major European cities.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Oktoberfest
The world’s most famous beer festival (held mid-September to early October) is an event only ever described in superlatives – biggest, most visited, longest-running…the list goes on. Come and join six million beer lovers for Munich’s most raucous annual party.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Dress the part: buy or hire some Bavarian Lederhosen (men) or a Dirndl (women).
8Need to Know
Oktoberfest (www.oktoberfest.de) is served by its own U-Bahn station called Theresienwiese.
5Take a Break
Bring a picnic to the Oktoberfest – the food is as pricey as the beer.
oTop Tip
Hotels book out quickly and prices skyrocket, so reserve a year in advance if you can. If not, try booking a room in another part of Bavaria and coming by train.
Oktoberfest’s Beginnings
It all started as an elaborate wedding toast – and turned into the world’s biggest collective booze-up. In October 1810 the future king, Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig I, married Princess Therese and the newlyweds threw an enormous party at the city gates, complete with a horse race. The next year Ludwig’s fun-loving subjects came back for more. The festival was extended and, to fend off autumn, was moved forward to September. As the years rolled on, the racehorses were dropped and sometimes the party had to be cancelled, but the institution called Oktoberfest was here to stay.
Dirndl, Lederhosen & Wies’nbier
Nearly two centuries later, this 16-day extravaganza draws more than six million visitors a year to celebrate a marriage of good cheer and outright debauchery. A special dark, strong beer (Wies’nbier) is brewed for the occasion, and Müncheners spend the day at the office in Lederhosen and Dirndl in order to hit the festival right after work. No admission fee is charged, but most of the fun costs something.
Oktoberfest Traditions
On the meadow called Theresienwiese (Wies’n for short), 15 minutes’ walk from the Hauptbahnhof, a temporary city is erected, consisting of beer tents, amusements and rides – just what drinkers need after several frothy ones! The action kicks off with the Brewer’s Parade at 11am on the first day of the festival. The parade begins at Sonnenstrasse and winds its way to the fairgrounds via Schwanthalerstrasse. At noon, the lord mayor stands before the thirsty crowds at Theresienwiese and, with due pomp, slams a wooden tap into a cask of beer. As the beer gushes out, the mayor exclaims, ‘O’zapft ist’s!’ (It’s tapped!). The next day resembles the opening of the Olympics, as a young woman on horseback leads a parade of costumed participants from all over the world.
Head to the popular Bier & Oktoberfestmuseum (Beer & Oktoberfest Museum; map Google map; www.bier-und-oktoberfestmuseum.de; Sterneckerstrasse 2; adult/concession €4/2.50; 
h1-6pm Tue-Sat; 
jIsartor, 
bIsartor) to learn all about Bavarian suds and the world’s most famous booze-up. The four floors heave with old brewing vats, historic photos and some of the earliest Oktoberfest regalia. The 14th-century building has some fine medieval features, including painted ceilings and a kitchen with an open fire.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Residenz
Home to Bavaria’s Wittelsbach rulers from 1508 until WWI, the Residenz is Munich’s number one attraction. The Residenzmuseum takes up around half of the palace – allow around two hours to do it justice.
Great For…
8Need to Know
map; www.residenz-muenchen.de; Max-Joseph-Platz 3; hvaries between individual attractions; 
bOdeonsplatz
5Take a Break
Cafe Luitpold (map Google map; www.cafe-luitpold.de; Briennerstrasse 11; mains €10-19; h8am-7pm Mon, to 11pm Tue-Sat, 9am-7pm Sun; 
W; bOdeonsplatz) is one of the best places in central Munich for a light lunch.
Residenzmuseum
Tours of the Residenzmuseum (map Google map; 
%089-290 671; Residenzstrasse 1; adult/concession/under 18yr €7/6/free; h9am-6pm Apr–mid-Oct, 10am-5pm mid-Oct–Mar, last entry 1hr before closing) kick off at the Grottenhof (Grotto Court), home of the wonderful Perseusbrunnen (Perseus Fountain), with its namesake holding the dripping head of Medusa. Next door is the famous Antiquarium, a barrel-vaulted hall smothered in frescoes and built to house the Wittelsbach’s enormous antique collection. It’s widely regarded as the finest Renaissance interior north of the Alps.
Upstairs are the Kurfürstenzimmer (Electors Rooms), with some stunning Italian portraits and a passage lined with two dozen views of Italy, painted by local romantic artist Carl Rottmann. Also up here are François Cuvilliés’ Reiche Zimmer (Ornate Rooms), a six-room extravaganza of exuberant rococo carried out by the top stucco and fresco artists of the day; they’re a definite museum highlight. More rococo magic awaits in the Ahnengallery (Ancestors Gallery), with 121 portraits of the rulers of Bavaria in chronological order.
The Hofkapelle, reserved for the ruler and his family, is stunning but not as memorable as the exquisite Reiche Kapelle (Ornate Chapel) with its blue-and-gilt ceiling, inlaid marble and 16th-century organ. This chapel was reserved for court residents in the reign of the Wittelsbachs – the Bavarian rulers who lived in the Residenz from 1385 to 1918. Considered the finest rococo interiors in southern Germany, another spot to linger longer is the Steinzimmer (Stone Rooms), the emperor’s quarters awash in intricately patterned and coloured marble
Schatzkammer der Residenz
The palace’s Treasury (adult/concession/under 18yr €7/6/free; h9am-6pm Apr–mid-Oct, 10am-5pm mid-Oct–Mar, last entry 1hr before closing) is a veritable banker’s bonus worth of jewel-encrusted bling from yesteryear, from golden toothpicks to finely crafted swords, miniatures in ivory to gold-entombed cosmetics trunks. The 1250 incredibly intricate and attractive items on display come in every precious material you could imagine, including rhino horn, lapis lazuli, crystal, coral and amber.
oTop Tip
Four giant bronze lion statues guard the entrance to the Residenz, supported by pedestals adorned with a half-human, half-animal face. If you wait a moment, you’ll see why the lion have remarkably shiny noses: scores of people walk by and casually rub one or all four noses, to bring wealth and good luck.
Cuvilliés-Theater
Commissioned by Maximilian III in the mid-18th century, François Cuvilliés fashioned one of Europe’s finest rococo theatres (adult/concession/under 18yr €3.50/2.50/free; h2-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun Apr-Jul & Sep–mid-Oct, 9am-6pm daily Aug, 2-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun Nov-Mar; jNationaltheater). Famous for hosting the premiere of Mozart’s opera Idomeneo, restoration work in the mid noughties revived the theatre’s former glory and its stage once again hosts high-brow musical and operatic performances. Access is limited to the auditorium, where you can take a seat and admire the four tiers of loggia (galleries), dripping with rococo embellishment, at your leisure.
Hofgarten
Office workers catching some rays during their lunch break, stylish mothers pushing prams, seniors on bikes, a gaggle of chatty nuns – everybody comes to the Hofgarten (map Google map). The formal court gardens, with fountains, radiant flower beds, lime tree–lined gravel paths and benches galore, sit just north of the Residenz. Paths converge at the Dianatempel, a striking octagonal pavilion honouring the Roman goddess of the hunt. Enter the gardens from Odeonsplatz.
Munich Altstadt
1Sights
7Shopping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
1Sights
Munich’s major sights cluster around the Altstadt, with the main museum district just north of the Residenz. However, it will take another day or two to explore bohemian Schwabing, the sprawling Englischer Garten, and trendy Haidhausen to the east. Northwest of the Altstadt you’ll find cosmopolitan Neuhausen, the Olympiapark, and another of Munich’s royal highlights – Schloss Nymphenburg.
1Altstadt
AsamkircheChurch
(map Google map; Sendlinger Strasse 32; h9am-6pm; jSendlinger Tor, bSendlinger Tor)
Though pocket sized, the late-baroque Asamkirche, built in 1746, is as rich and epic as a giant’s treasure chest. Its creators, the brothers Cosmas Damian Asam and Egid Quirin Asam, dug deep into their considerable talent box to swathe every inch of wall space with gilt garlands and docile cherubs, false marble and oversized barley-twist columns.
Münchner StadtmuseumMuseum
(City Museum; map Google map; www.muenchner-stadtmuseum.de; St-Jakobs-Platz 1; adult/concession/child €7/3.50/free, audioguide free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Installed for the city’s 850th birthday (2008), the Münchner Stadtmuseum’s Typisch München (Typically Munich) exhibition – taking up the whole of a rambling building – tells Munich’s story in an imaginative, uncluttered and engaging way. Exhibits in each section represent something quintessential about the city; a booklet/audioguide relates the tale behind them, thus condensing a long and tangled history into easily digestible themes.
MarienplatzSquare
(map Google map; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
The epicentral heart and soul of the Altstadt, Marienplatz is a popular gathering spot and packs a lot of personality into a compact frame. It’s anchored by the Mariensäule (map Google map; St Mary’s Column), built in 1638 to celebrate victory over Swedish forces during the Thirty Years’ War. This is the busiest spot in all Munich, throngs of tourists swarming across its expanse from early morning till late at night. Many walking tours leave from here.
Neues RathausHistoric Building
(New Town Hall; map Google map; Marienplatz; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
The soot-blackened façade of the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus is festooned with gargoyles, statues and a dragon scaling the turrets; the tourist office is on the ground floor. For pinpointing Munich’s landmarks without losing your breath, catch the lift up the 85m-tall tower.
Altes RathausHistoric Building
(Old Town Hall; map Google map; Marienplatz; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
The eastern side of Marienplatz is dominated by the Altes Rathaus. Lightning got the better of the medieval original in 1460 and WWII bombs levelled its successor, so what you see is really the third incarnation of the building designed by Jörg von Halspach of Frauenkirche fame. On 9 November 1938 Joseph Goebbels gave a hate-filled speech here that launched the nationwide Kristallnacht programs.
FrauenkircheChurch
(Church of Our Lady; map Google map; www.muenchner-dom.de; Frauenplatz 1; h7.30am-8.30pm; bMarienplatz)
The landmark Frauenkirche, built between 1468 and 1488, is Munich’s spiritual heart and the Mt Everest of its churches. No other building in the central city may stand taller than its onion-domed twin towers, which reach a skyscraping 99m. The south tower can be climbed, but has been under urgent renovation for several years.
Jüdisches MuseumMuseum
(Jewish Museum; map Google map; www.juedisches-museum-muenchen.de; St-Jakobs-Platz 16; adult/child €6/3; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; jSendlinger Tor, bSendlinger Tor)
Coming to terms with its Nazi past has not historically been a priority in Munich, which is why the opening of the Jewish Museum in 2007 was hailed as a milestone. The permanent exhibition offers an insight into Jewish history, life and culture in the city. The Holocaust is dealt with, but the focus is clearly on contemporary Jewish culture.
St PeterskircheChurch
(Church of St Peter; map Google map; Rindermarkt 1; church free, tower adult/child €3/2; htower 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Some 306 steps divide you from the best view of central Munich from the 92m tower of St Peterskirche, central Munich’s oldest church (1150). Inside awaits a virtual textbook of art through the centuries. Worth a closer peek are the Gothic St-Martin-Altar, the baroque ceiling fresco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann and rococo sculptures by Ignaz Günther.
Dachau Concentration Camp
Officially called the KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau (Dachau Memorial Site; %08131-669 970; www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de; Peter-Roth-Strasse 2a, Dachau; h9am-5pm) 
F, this was the Nazis’ first concentration camp, built by Heinrich Himmler in March 1933 to house political prisoners. All in all, it ‘processed’ more than 200,000 inmates, killing at least 43,000, and is now a haunting memorial. Expect to spend two to three hours here.
Start at the visitors centre, which houses a bookshop, a cafe and a tour-booking desk where you can pick up an audioguide (€4). Tours (€3.50; 2½ hours) also run from here at 11am and 1pm (extra tours run at 12.15pm on Sunday between July and September).
You enter the compound itself through the Jourhaus, originally the only entrance. Set in wrought iron, the chilling slogan ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ (Work Sets You Free) hits you at the gate.
The museum, at the southern end of the camp, screens (four times daily) a 22-minute English-language documentary that uses mostly post-liberation footage to outline what took place here. Either side of the small cinema extends an exhibition relating the camp’s harrowing story, from a relatively orderly prison for religious inmates, leftists and criminals to an overcrowded concentration camp racked by typhus, and its eventual liberation by the US Army in April 1945.
MichaelskircheChurch
(Church of St Michael; map Google map; www.st-michael-muenchen.de; Kaufingerstrasse 52; crypt €2; hcrypt 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, to 2.30pm Sat & Sun; jKarlsplatz, bKarlsplatz, bKarlsplatz)
It stands quiet and dignified amid the retail frenzy out on Kaufingerstrasse, but to fans of Ludwig II, the Michaelskirche is the ultimate place of pilgrimage. Its dank crypt is the final resting place of the Mad King, whose humble tomb is usually drowned in flowers.
ViktualienmarktMarket
(map Google map; hMon-Fri & morning Sat; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Fresh fruit and vegetables, piles of artisan cheeses, tubs of exotic olives, hams and jams, chanterelles and truffles – Viktualienmarkt is a feast of flavours and one of central Europe’s finest gourmet markets.
FeldherrnhalleHistoric Building
(Field Marshalls Hall; map Google map; Residenz-strasse 1; bOdeonsplatz)
Corking up Odeonsplatz’ southern side is Friedrich von Gärnter’s Feldherrnhalle, modelled on the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. The structure pays homage to the Bavarian army and positively drips with testosterone; check out the statues of General Johann Tilly, who kicked the Swedes out of Munich during the Thirty Years’ War; and Karl Philipp von Wrede, an ally turned foe of Napoleon.
It was here on 9 November 1923 that police stopped the so-called Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler’s attempt to bring down the Weimar Republic (Germany’s government after WWI). A fierce skirmish left 20 people, including 16 Nazis, dead. A plaque in the pavement of the square’s eastern side commemorates the police officers who perished in the incident.
1Maxvorstadt & the Englischer Garten
Alte PinakothekMuseum
(map Google map; %089-238 0516; www.pinakothek.de; Barer Strasse 27; adult/concession/child €7/5/free, Sun €1, audioguide €4.50; h10am-8pm Tue, to 6pm Wed-Sun; 
gPinakotheken, jPinakotheken)
Munich’s main repository of Old European Masters is crammed with all the major players who decorated canvases between the 14th and 18th centuries. This neoclassical temple was masterminded by Leo von Klenze and is a delicacy even if you can’t tell your Rembrandt from your Rubens. The collection is world famous for its exceptional quality and depth, especially when it comes to German masters.
Pinakothek der ModerneMuseum
(map Google map; %089-2380 5360; www.pinakothek.de; Barer Strasse 40; adult/child €10/free, Sun €1; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu; gPinakotheken, jPinakotheken)
Germany’s largest modern-art museum unites four significant collections under a single roof: 20th-century art, applied design from the 19th century to today, a graphics collection and an architecture museum. It’s housed in a spectacular building by Stephan Braunfels, whose four-storey interior centres on a vast eye-like dome letting soft natural light filter throughout the blanched-white galleries.
Museum BrandhorstGallery
(map Google map; www.museum-brandhorst.de; Theresienstrasse 35a; adult/concession/child €7/5/free, Sun €1; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu; gMaxvorstadt/Sammlung Brandhorst, jPinakotheken)
A big, bold and aptly abstract building, clad entirely in vividly multihued ceramic tubes, the Brandhorst jostled its way into the Munich Kunstareal in a punk blaze of colour mid-2009. Its walls, its floor and occasionally its ceiling provide space for some of the most challenging art in the city. It includes some instantly recognisable 20th-century images by Andy Warhol, whose work dominates the collection.
Englischer GartenPark
(English Garden; map Google map; bUniversität)
The sprawling English Garden is among Europe’s biggest city parks – it even rivals London’s Hyde Park and New York’s Central Park for size – and is a popular playground for locals and visitors alike. Stretching north from Prinzregentenstrasse for about 5km, it was commissioned by Elector Karl Theodor in 1789 and designed by Benjamin Thompson, an American-born scientist working as an adviser to the Bavarian government.
Neue PinakothekMuseum
(map Google map; %089-2380 5195; www.pinakothek.de; Barer Strasse 29; adult/child €7/free, Sun €1; h10am-6pm Thu-Mon, to 8pm Wed; gPinakotheken, jPinakotheken)
The Neue Pinakothek harbours a well-respected collection of 19th- and early-20th-century paintings and sculpture, from rococo to Jugendstil (art nouveau). All the world-famous household names get wall space here, including crowd-pleasing French impressionists such as Monet, Cézanne and Degas as well as Van Gogh, whose boldly pigmented Sunflowers (1888) radiates cheer.
No Wave Goodbye
Possibly the last sport you might expect to see being practised in Munich is surfing, but go to the southern tip of the Englischer Garten at Prinzregentenstrasse and you’ll see scores of people leaning over a bridge to cheer on wetsuit-clad daredevils as they hang 10 on an artificially created wave in the Eisbach (map; www.eisbachwelle.de; Prinzregentenstrasse; jNationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst). It’s only a single wave, but it’s a damn fine one. A decade ago park authorities attempted to ban this watery entertainment, but a successful campaign by surfers saw plans to turn the wave off shelved.
GlyptothekMuseum
(map Google map; www.antike-am-koenigsplatz.mwn.de; Königsplatz 3; adult/child €6/free, Sun €1; h10am-5pm Fri-Sun, Tue & Wed, to 8pm Thu; gKönigsplatz, bKönigsplatz)
If you’re a fan of classical art or simply enjoy the sight of naked guys without noses (or other pertinent body parts), make a beeline for the Glyptothek. One of Munich’s oldest museums, it’s a feast of art and sculpture from ancient Greece and Rome amassed by Ludwig I between 1806 and 1830, and it opens a surprisingly naughty window onto the ancient world. Tickets for the museum are also valid for the Antikensammlungen (map Google map; Antique Collection; Königsplatz 1; adult/child €6/free, Sun €1; h10am-5pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed).
LenbachhausMuseum
(Municipal Gallery; map Google map; %089-2333 2000; www.lenbachhaus.de; Luisenstrasse 33; adult/child incl audioguide €10/5; h10am-8pm Tue, to 6pm Wed-Sun; gKönigsplatz, bKönigsplatz)
With its fabulous wing added by noted architect Norman Foster, this glorious gallery is the go-to place to admire the vibrant canvases of Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Paul Klee and other members of ground-breaking modernist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), founded in Munich in 1911.
1South of Altstadt
Deutsches Museum – VerkehrszentrumMuseum
(Transport Museum; map Google map; www.deutsches-museum.de/verkehrszentrum; Am Bavariapark 5; adult/child €7/3; h9am-5pm; bTheresienwiese)
An ode to the Bavarian obsession with getting around, the Transport Museum explores the ingenious ways humans have devised to transport things and each other. From the earliest automobiles to famous race cars and high-speed ICE trains, the collection is a virtual trip through transport history.
1Olympiapark
Schloss NymphenburgPalace
(map Google map; www.schloss-nymphenburg.de; castle adult/child €6/free, all sites €11.50/free; h9am-6pm Apr–mid-Oct, 10am-4pm mid-Oct–Mar; jSchloss Nymphenburg)
This commanding palace and its lavish gardens sprawl around 5km northwest of the Altstadt. Begun in 1664 as a villa for Electress Adelaide of Savoy, the stately pile was extended over the next century to create the royal family’s summer residence. Franz Duke of Bavaria, head of the once-royal Wittelsbach family, still occupies an apartment here.
BMW WeltNotable Building
(BMW World; map Google map; %089-125 016 001; www.bmw-welt.de; Am Olympiapark 1; tours adult/child €7/5; h7.30am-midnight Mon-Sat, from 9am Sun; bOlympiazentrum) F
Next to the Olympiapark, the glass-and-steel, double-cone tornado spiralling down from a dark cloud the size of an aircraft carrier holds BMW Welt, truly a petrolhead’s dream. Apart from its role as a prestigious car pick-up centre, this king of showrooms acts as a shop window for BMW’s latest models and a show space for the company as a whole.
OlympiaparkSportsground
(Olympic Park; map Google map; www.olympiapark.de; stadium tour adult/concession €8/6; hstadium tours 11am, 1pm & 4pm Apr-Oct; bOlympiazentrum)
The area to the north of the city where soldiers once paraded and the world’s first Zeppelin landed in 1909 found a new role in the 1960s as the Olympiapark. Despite being built for the 1972 Olympic Summer Games, it has quite a small-scale feel.
When the sky is clear you’ll have Munich at your feet against the breathtaking backdrop of the Alps from the top of the 290m Olympiaturm (map Google map; Olympic Tower; adult/child €7/5; h9am-midnight).
BMW MuseumMuseum
(map Google map; www.bmw-welt.de; Am Olympiapark 2; adult/child €10/7; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; bOlympiazentrum)
This silver, bowl-shaped museum comprises seven themed ‘houses’ that examine the development of BMW’s product line and include sections on motorcycles and motor racing. Even if you can’t tell a head gasket from a crankshaft, the interior design – with its curvy retro feel, futuristic bridges, squares and huge backlit wall screens – is reason enough to visit.
2Activities
Walk on the RoofWalking
(map Google map; adult/concessions €43/33; h2.30pm Apr-Oct)
Can’t make it to the Alps for a high-altitude clamber? No matter. Just head to the Olympic Stadium for a walk on the roof. Yup, the roof; that famously contorted steel and Plexiglas confection is ready for its close-up. Just like in the mountains, you’ll be roped and hooked up to a steel cable as you clamber around under the eagle-eyed supervision of an experienced guide showering you with fascinating details about the stadium’s architecture and construction.
Lake Starnberg
Around 25km southwest of Munich, glittering Lake Starnberg (Starnberger See) was once the haunt of Bavaria’s royal family but now provides a bit of easily accessible R&R for anyone looking to escape the hustle of the Bavarian capital.
At the northern end of the lake, the affluent, century-old town of Starnberg is the northern gateway to the lake district but lacks any lasting allure, meaning most visitors head straight on to other towns or sites along the lake’s edge. The train station is just steps from the lakeshore, where you’ll find cruise-boat landing docks, pedal-boat hire and lots of strolling day-trippers. Besides Lake Starnberg, the area comprises the Ammersee and the much smaller Pilsensee, Wörthsee and Wesslinger See. Naturally, the region attracts water-sports enthusiasts, but it also has enough history to satisfy those who enjoy exploring the past.
TTours
BMW Plant ToursTours
(map Google map; %089-125 016 001; www.bmw-welt.com; adult/child €9/6; hin English 11.30am & 2pm Mon-Fri, in German 6pm; bPetuelring)
If you like cars, don’t miss a tour of BMW’s state-of-the-art plant. The tours in English and German last 2½ hours and take in the entire production process. Booking well ahead is essential, especially in summer.
Radius Tours & Bike RentalTours
(map Google map; %089-543 487 7740; www.radiustours.com; Arnulfstrasse 3, Hauptbahnhof; h8.30am-8pm; jHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof)
Entertaining and informative English-language tours include the two-hour Discover Munich walk (€15), the fascinating 2½-hour Third Reich tour (€17.50), and the three-hour Bavarian Beer tour (€36). The company also runs popular excursions to Neuschwanstein, Salzburg and Dachau and has hundreds of bikes for hire (€14.50 per day).
New Europe MunichWalking
(map Google map; www.neweuropetours.eu; htours 10am, 10.45am & 2pm; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Departing from Marienplatz, these free English-language walking tours tick off all Munich’s central landmarks in three hours. Guides are well informed and fun, though they are under pressure at the end of the tour to get as much as they can in tips. The company also runs (paid) tours to Dachau (€24) and Neuschwanstein (€40).
Vespa MunichTours
(map Google map; %0151-517 251 69; www.vespamunich.com; Dom-Pedro-Strasse 26; full-day tour €59; hoffice 10am-2pm daily, pick-ups 9am-6pm; jLeonrodplatz)
Book in advance, pick up your Vespa and spend the day bombing around Munich guided by the GPS unit provided. It’s the latest fun way to see the city, but good luck on those freeways!
City Bus 100Bus
(map Google map; www.mvv-muenchen.de)
Ordinary city bus that runs from the Hauptbahnhof to the Ostbahnhof via 21 sights, including the Residenz and the Pinakothek museums.
7Shopping
Munich ReaderyBooks
(map Google map; www.readery.de; Augustenstrasse 104; h11am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat; bTheresienstrasse)
With Germany’s biggest collection of secondhand English-language titles, the Readery is the place to go in Bavaria for holiday reading matter. In fact we think this might be the only such secondhand bookshop between Paris and Prague. The shop holds events such as author readings, and there’s a monthly book club. See the website for details.
HolareidulijöClothing
(map Google map; www.holareidulijoe.com; Schellingstrasse 81; hnoon-6.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat May-Sep, 2-6pm Thu & Fri, 11am-1pm Sat Oct-Apr; jSchellingstrasse)
This rare secondhand traditional-clothing store (the name is a phonetic yodel) is worth a look. Apparently, wearing hand-me-down Lederhosen greatly reduces the risk of chafing.
Porzellan Manufaktur NymphenburgCeramics
(map Google map; %089-1791 970; www.nymphenburg.com; Nördliches Schlossrondell 8; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri; jSchloss Nymphenburg)
Traditional and contemporary porcelain masterpieces by the royal manufacturer. Prices are high.
Flohmarkt im OlympiaparkMarket
(map Google map; Olympiapark; h7am-4pm Fri & Sat; jOlympiapark West)
Large flea market held outside the Olympiastadion most Fridays and Saturdays.
ManufactumHomewares
(map Google map; www.manufactum.de; Dienerstrasse 12; h9.30am-7pm Mon-Sat; bMarienplatz, 
dMarienplatz)
Anyone with an admiration for top-quality design from Germany and further afield should make a beeline for this store. Last-a-lifetime household items compete for shelf space with retro toys, Bauhaus lamps and times-gone-by stationery. The stock changes according to the season.
Munich for Children
(Tiny) hands down, Munich has plenty of activities to please little ones.
Deutsches Museum (map Google map; %089-217 9333; www.deutsches-museum.de; Museumsinsel 1; adult/child €12/4; h9am-5pm; jDeutsches Museum) The highly interactive ‘Kinderreich’ is ideal for kids aged three to eight.
Tierpark Hellabrunn (Hellabrunn Zoo; %089-625 080; www.tierpark-hellabrunn.de; Tierparkstrasse 30; adult/child €15/6; h9am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar; g52 from Marienplatz, jTiroler Platz, bThalkirchen) Petting baby goats should make for some unforgettable memories.
SeaLife (map Google map; www.visitsealife.com; Willi-Daume-Platz 1; adult/child gate prices €17.95/14.50; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun; bOlympiazentrum) For a fishy immersion, head to this new attraction in the Olympiapark.
Paläontologisches Museum (Palaeontological Museum; map Google map; www.palmuc.de; Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10; h8am-4pm Mon-Thu, to 2pm Fri; gKönigsplatz, bKönigsplatz) F Dino fans will gravitate here.
Museum Mensch und Natur (Museum of Humankind & Nature; map Google map; www.mmn-muenchen.de; Schloss Nymphenburg; adult/child €3.50/2.50; h9am-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 8pm Thu, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun; jSchloss Nymphenburg) Budding scientists will find plenty to marvel at.
Spielzeugmuseum (Toy Museum; map Google map; www.toymuseum.de; Marienplatz 15; adult/child €4/1; h10am-5.30pm; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz) It’s a bit look-but-don’t-touch here, but kids should still get a kick out of it.
Münchner Marionettentheater (map Google map; %089-265 712; www.muema-theater.de; Blumenstrasse 32; h3pm Mon, Wed & Fri, 8pm Sat; jMüllerstrasse) The adorable marionettes performing here have enthralled generations of wee ones.
5Eating
Munich has southern Germany’s most exciting restaurant scene. In Munich’s kitchens the best dishes make use of fresh regional, seasonal and organic ingredients. The Bavarian capital is also the best place between Vienna and Paris for internationally flavoured dining, especially for Italian, Afghan, Vietnamese and Turkish food, and even vegetarians can look forward to something other than noodles and salads.
BratwurstherzlFranconian€
(map Google map; Dreifaltigkeitsplatz 1; mains €7-12; h10am-11pm Mon-Sat; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Cosy panelling and an ancient vaulted brick ceiling set the tone of this Old Munich tavern with a Franconian focus. Homemade organic sausages are grilled to perfection on an open beechwood fire and served on heart-shaped pewter plates. They’re best enjoyed with a cold one from the Hacker-Pschorr brewery.
Eiscafé SarclettiGelato€
(map Google map; www.sarcletti.de; Nymphenburger Strasse 155; h9am-11.30pm May-Aug, shorter hours Sep-Apr; bRotkreuzplatz)
Ice-cream addicts have been getting their gelato fix at this Munich institution since 1879. Choose from more than 50 mouth-watering flavours, from not-so-plain vanilla to buttermilk and mango.
FraunhoferBavarian€€
(map Google map; %089-266 460; www.fraunhofertheater.de; Fraunhoferstrasse 9; mains €5-20; h4.30pm-1am; 
v; jMüllerstrasse)
With its screechy parquet floors, stuccoed ceilings, wood panelling and virtually no trace that the last century even happened, this wonderfully characterful inn is perfect for exploring the region with a fork. The menu is a seasonally adapted checklist of southern German favourites but also features at least a dozen vegetarian dishes and the odd exotic ingredient. Cash only.
Prinz MyshkinVegetarian€€
(map Google map; %089-265 596; www.prinzmyshkin.com; Hackenstrasse 2; mains €9-20; h11am-12.30am; v; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
This place is proof, if any were needed, that the vegetarian experience has well and truly left the sandals, beards and lentils era. Ensconced in a former brewery, Munich’s premier meat-free dining spot occupies a gleamingly whitewashed, vaulted space where health-conscious eaters come to savour imaginative dishes such as curry-orange-carrot soup, unexpectedly good curries and ‘wellness desserts’.
Weisses BrauhausBavarian€€
(map Google map; %089-290 1380; www.weisses-brauhaus.de; Tal 7; mains €7-20; h8am-12.30am; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
One of Munich’s classic beer halls, this place is charged in the evenings with red-faced, ale-infused hilarity, with Alpine whoops accompanying the rabble-rousing oompah band. The Weisswurst (veal sausage) here sets the standard for the rest to aspire to; sluice down a pair with the unsurpassed Schneider Weissbier, but only before noon. Understandably very popular and reservations are recommended after 7pm.
CochinchinaAsian€€
(map Google map; %089-3898 9577; www.cochinchina.de; Kaiserstrasse 28; mains around €20; h11.30am-2.30pm & 6pm-midnight; W; bMünchner Freiheit)
Bearing an old name for southern Vietnam, this cosmopolitan Asian fusion restaurant is Munich’s top place for Vietnamese and Chinese concoctions. The food is consumed in a dark, dramatically exotic space devoted to the firefly and splashed with colour in the shape of Chinese vases and lamps. The traditional pho soup is southern Germany’s best.
KönigsquelleEuropean€€
(map Google map; %089-220 071; www.koenigsquelle.com; Baaderplatz 2; mains €10-27; h5pm-1am Sun-Fri, from 7pm Sat; jIsartor, dIsartor, bIsartor)
This wood-panelled Munich institution is well loved for its attentive service, expertly prepared food and dark, well-stocked hardwood bar. It contains what must be the Bavarian capital’s best selection of malt whiskies, stacked high behind the bar. The only-just decipherable handwritten menu hovers somewhere mid-Alps, with anything from schnitzel to linguine and goat’s cheese to cannelloni to choose from.
VegelangeloVegetarian€€
(map Google map; %089-2880 6836; www.vegelangelo.de; Thomas-Wimmer-Ring 16; mains €13-19, set menu €22-34; hnoon-2pm Tue-Thu, 6pm-late Mon-Sat; v; jIsartor, bIsartor)
Reservations are compulsory at this petite veggie spot, where Indian odds and ends, a piano and a small Victorian fireplace distract little from the superb meat-free cooking, all of which can be converted to suit vegans. There’s a set-menu-only policy Friday and Saturday. No prams allowed and no tap water served, but it does accept Bitcoin.
BamyanAfghan€€
(map Google map; www.bamyan.de; Hans-Sachs-Strasse 3; mains €9.50-20; h5pm-1am Sun-Fri, from 11.30am Sat; jMüllerstrasse)
The terms ‘happy hour’, ‘cocktail’ and ‘chilled vibe’ don’t normally go together with the word ‘Afghan’, but that’s exactly the combination you get at this exotic hang-out, named after the Buddha statues infamously destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The gastro-award-winning Central Asian soups, kebabs, rice and lamb dishes, and big salads are eaten at handmade tables inlaid with ornate metalwork.
Wirtshaus in der AuBavarian€€
(map Google map; %089-448 1400; www.wirtshausinderau.de; Lilienstrasse 51; mains €10-22; h5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; jDeutsches Museum)
This Bavarian tavern’s simple slogan is ‘Beer and dumplings since 1901’, and it’s this time-honoured staple – dumplings – that’s the speciality here. (The tavern even runs a dumpling-making course in English.) Once a brewery, the space-rich dining area has chunky tiled floors, a lofty ceiling and a crackling fireplace in winter. When spring springs, the beer garden fills.
TantrisInternational€€€
(map Google map; %089-361 9590; www.tantris.de; Johann-Fichte-Strasse 7; menu from €100; hnoon-3pm & 6.30pm-1am Tue-Sat Oct-Dec, closed Tue Jan-Sep; W; bDietlindenstrasse)
Tantris means ‘the search for perfection’ and here, at one of Germany’s most famous restaurants, it’s not far off it. The interior design is full-bodied ’70s – all postbox reds, truffle blacks and illuminated yellows. The food is sublime and the service is sometimes as unobtrusive as it is efficient. The wine cellar is probably Germany’s best. Reservations essential.
EsszimmerMediterranean€€€
(map Google map; %089-358 991 814; www.bmw-welt.com; BMW Welt, Am Olympiapark 1; 4/5 courses €130/145; hfrom 7pm Tue-Sat; 
aW; bOlympiazentrum)
It took Bobby Bräuer, head chef at the gourmet restaurant at BMW World, just two years to gain his first Michelin star. Munich’s top dining spot is the place to sample high-octane French and Mediterranean morsels, served in a trendy dark and veneered dining room above the i8s and 7 Series.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Munich is a great place for boozers with scores of raucous beer halls, snazzy hotel lounges and chestnut-canopied beer gardens. Likewise, the city’s club scene is jumping, second only to Berlin. Whether your musical tastes run to disco or dance hall, house or punk, techno or punk-folk, you’ll find a place to throw some shapes. Doormen tend be strict and cover charges can hover around €15 at bigger venues. If you look under 30, bring ID. Don’t expect much action before 1am.
Top 10 Munich Beer Halls & Gardens
Augustiner Bräustuben Sample Augustiner at the source in the brewery’s own pub.
Augustiner-Grossgaststätte (map Google map; %089-2318 3257; www.augustiner-restaurant.com; Neuhauser Strasse 27; h9am-11.30pm) A traditional beer hall.
Hofbräuhaus Arguably the world’s best-known beer hall.
Hofbräukeller (map Google map; %089-459 9250; www.hofbraeukeller.de; Wiener Platz; h10am-midnight; jWiener Platz) A less touristy option.
Braunauer Hof (map Google map; www.wirtshaus-im-braunauer-hof.de; Frauenstrasse 42; h10am-midnight Mon-Sat, to 10pm Sun; jIsartor, bIsartor) On the edge of the Altstadt, this beer temple has a quirky beer garden out back.
Hirschau (map Google map; www.hirschau-muenchen.de; Gysslingstrasse 15; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, from 11am Sat & Sun; bDiet lindenstrasse) Huge beer garden in the Englischer Garten.
Hirschgarten (map Google map; www.hirschgarten.de; Hirschgarten 1; h11.30am-1am; jKriemhildenstrasse, bLaim) Join an incredible 8000 drinkers!
Chinesischer Turm Enjoy some Munich lager in the shadow of a faux Chinese pagoda.
Park-Cafe (map Google map; www.parkcafe089.de; Sophienstrasse 7; h11am-11pm; jLenbachplatz) Less touristy beer garden in the Old Botanical Gardens.
Viktualienmarkt (map Google map; Viktualien-markt 6; h9am-10pm; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz) Popular outdoor spot surrounded by market stalls.
Waldwirtschaft Grosshesselohe (%089-7499 4030; www.waldwirtschaft.de; Georg-Kalb-Strasse 3; h10am-10.30pm; 
c; dGrosshesselohe/Isartalbahnhof.) Rural bliss and superb beer on Munich’s outskirts.
HofbräuhausBeer Hall
(map Google map; %089-2901 36100; www.hofbraeuhaus.de; Am Platzl 9; h9am-midnight; jKammerspiele, bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz)
Even if you don’t like beer, every visitor to Munich should make a pilgrimage to the mothership of all beer halls, if only once. Within this major tourist attraction, you’ll discover a range of spaces in which to do your Mass lifting: the horse chestnut–shaded garden, the main hall next to the oompah band, tables opposite the industrial-scale kitchen and quieter corners.
Augustiner BräustubenBeer Hall
(map Google map; %089-507 047; www.braeustuben.de; Landsberger Strasse 19; h10am-midnight; jHolzapfelstrasse)
Depending on the wind direction, the bitter-sweet aroma of hops envelops you as you approach this traditional beer hall inside the Augustiner brewery. The Bavarian fare is superb, especially the Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle). Due to the location, the atmosphere in the evenings is slightly more authentic than that of its city-centre cousins, with fewer tourists at the long tables.
Chinesischer TurmBeer Garden
(map Google map; %089-383 8730; www.chinaturm.de; Englischer Garten 3; h10am-11pm late Apr-Oct; gChinesischer Turm, jTivolistrasse)
This one’s hard to ignore because of its English Garden location and pedigree as Munich’s oldest beer garden (open since 1791). Camera-toting tourists and laid-back locals, picnicking families and businessmen sneaking a sly brew, all clomp around the wooden pagoda, showered by the strained sounds of an oompah band.
Schumann’s BarBar
(map Google map; %089-229 060; www.schumanns.de; Odeonsplatz 6-7; h8am-3am Mon-Fri, 6pm-3am Sat & Sun; bOdeonsplatz)
Urbane and sophisticated, Schumann’s shakes up Munich’s nightlife with libational flights of fancy and an impressive range of concoctions. It’s also good for weekday breakfasts. Cash only.
Alter SimplPub
(map Google map; %089-272 3083; www.altersimpl.com; Türkenstrasse 57; h11am-3am Mon-Fri, to 4am Sat & Sun; jSchellingstrasse)
Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse used to knock ’em back at this well-scuffed and wood-panelled thirst parlour. A bookish ambience still pervades, making this an apt spot at which to curl up with a weighty tome over a few Irish ales. The curious name is an abbreviation of the satirical magazine Simplicissimus.
PachaClub
(map Google map; www.pacha-muenchen.de; Maximiliansplatz 5; h7pm-6am Thu, 11pm-6am Fri & Sat; jLenbachplatz)
One of a gaggle of clubs at Maximiliansplatz 5, this nightspot with its cherry logo is one of Munich’s hottest nights out, with the DJs spinning their stuff till well after sunrise.
Harry KleinClub
(map Google map; %089-4028 7400; www.harrykleinclub.de; Sonnenstrasse 8; hfrom 11pm; jKarlsplatz, bKarlsplatz, bKarlsplatz)
Follow the gold-lined passageway off Sonnenstrasse to what some regard as one of the best Elektro-clubs in the world. Nights here are an amazing alchemy of electro sound and visuals, with live video art projected onto the walls Kraftwerk-style and blending to awe-inspiring effect with the music.
MilchundBarClub
(map Google map; www.milchundbar.de; Sonnenstrasse 27; h10pm-7am Mon-Thu, 11pm-9am Fri & Sat; jSendlinger Tor, bSendlinger Tor)
One of the hottest addresses in the city centre for those who like to spend the hours between supper and breakfast boogying to an eclectic mix of nostalgia hits during the week and top DJs at the weekends.
Augustiner KellerBeer Garden
(map Google map; www.augustinerkeller.de; Arnulfstrasse 52; h10am-1am Apr-Oct; c; jHopfenstrasse)
Every year this leafy 5000-seat beer garden, about 500m west of the Hauptbahnhof, buzzes with fairy-lit thirst-quenching activity from the first sign that spring may have gesprungen. The ancient chestnuts are thick enough to seek refuge under when it rains, or else lug your mug to the actual beer cellar. Small playground.
Rote SonneClub
(map Google map; www.rote-sonne.com; Maximiliansplatz 5; hfrom 11pm Thu-Sun; jLenbachplatz)
Named for a 1969 Munich cult movie starring it-girl Uschi Obermaier, the Red Sun is a fiery nirvana for fans of electronic sounds. A global roster of DJs keeps the dance floor packed and sweaty until the sun rises.
Baader CaféCafe
(map Google map; www.baadercafe.de; Baaderstrasse 47; h9.30am-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; W; jFraunhoferstrasse)
Around since the mid-’80s, this literary think-and-drink place lures all sorts, from short skirts to tweed jackets, who linger over daytime coffees and nighttime cocktails. It’s normally packed, even on winter Wednesday mornings, and is popular among Brits who come for the authentic English breakfast.
3Entertainment
As you might expect from a major metro-polis, Munich’s entertainment scene is lively and multifaceted, though not particularly edgy. You can hobnob with high society at the opera, hang with the kids at an indie club, catch a flick alfresco or watch one of Germany’s best soccer teams triumph in a futuristic stadium.
FC Bayern MünchenFootball
(%089-6993 1333; www.fcbayern.de; Allianz Arena, Werner-Heisenberg-Allee 25, Fröttmaning; bFröttmaning)
Germany’s most successful team both domestically and on a European level plays home games at the impressive Allianz Arena, built for the 2006 World Cup. Tickets can be ordered online.
Bayerische StaatsoperOpera
(Bavarian State Opera; map Google map; %089-2185 1025; www.staatsoper.de; Max-Joseph-Platz 2; jNationaltheater)
One of the world’s best opera companies, the Bavarian State Opera performs to sell-out crowds at the Nationaltheater in the Residenz and puts the emphasis on Mozart, Strauss and Wagner. In summer it hosts the prestigious Opernfestspiele (Opera Festival; www.muenchner-opern-festspiele.de; hJul). The opera’s house band is the Bayerisches Staatsorchester, in business since 1523 and thus Munich’s oldest orchestra.
Münchner PhilharmonikerClassical Music
(map Google map; %089-480 985 500; www.mphil.de; Rosenheimer Strasse 5; hmid-Sep–Jun; jAm Gasteig)
Munich’s premier orchestra regularly performs at the Gasteig Cultural Centre (map; %tickets 089-548 181 81; www.gasteig.de; Rosenheimer Strasse 5; jAm Gasteig). Book tickets early, as performances usually sell out.
Jazzclub Unterfahrt im EinsteinLive Music
(map Google map; %089-448 2794; www.unterfahrt.de; Einsteinstrasse 42; hfrom 9pm; bMax-Weber-Platz)
Join a diverse crowd at this long-established, intimate club for a mixed bag of acts ranging from old bebop to edgy experimental. The Sunday open-jam session is legendary.
LGBTIQ+ Munich
Homosexuality is legal in Bavaria, but the scene, even in Munich, is tiny compared to, say, Berlin or Cologne. Homosexuality is widely accepted, and LGBTIQ+ travellers will experience no hostility in the capital. There are websites aplenty, but most are in German only. Try www.gay-web.de or, for women, www.lesarion.de. The Schwules Kommunikations und Kulturzentrum (map Google map; %089-856 346 400; www.subonline.org; Müllerstrasse 14; h7-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri, 8pm-1am Sat; jMüllerstrasse) in the city centre is a gay information agency. Lesbians can also turn to Le Tra (%089-725 4272; www.letra.de; Angertorstrasse 3; h2.30-5pm Mon & Wed; jMüllerstrasse).
8INFORMATION
Castles & Museums Infopoint (map; %089-2101 4050; www.infopoint-museen-bayern.de; Alter Hof 1; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz) Central information point for museums and palaces throughout Bavaria.
Tourist Office branches include Hauptbahnhof (map; %089-21 800; www.muenchen.de; Bahnhofplatz 2; h9am-8pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun; jHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof) and Marienplatz (map; %089-2339 6500; www.muenchen.de; Marienplatz 2; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat, 10am-2pm Sun; bMarienplatz, bMarienplatz).
CITY TOUR CARD
The Munich City Tour Card (www.citytourcard-muenchen.com; 1/3 days €12.90/24.90) includes all public transport in the Innenraum (Munich city – zones 1 to 4, marked white on transport maps) and discounts of between 10% and 50% for over 80 attractions, tours, eateries and theatres. These include the Residenz, the BMW Museum and the Bier & Oktoberfestmuseum. It’s available at some hotels, tourist offices, Munich public transport authority (MVV) offices and U-Bahn, S-Bahn and DB vending machines.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
AIR
Munich Airport (MUC; %089-975 00; www.munich-airport.de), aka Flughafen Franz-Josef Strauss, is second in importance only to Frankfurt for international and domestic connections. The main carrier is Lufthansa, but over 80 other companies operate from the airport’s two runways, from major carriers such as British Airways and Emirates to minor operations such as Luxair and Air Malta.
Only one major airline from the UK doesn’t use Munich’s main airport – Ryanair flies into Memmingen’s Allgäu Airport (FMM; %08331-984 2000; www.allgaeu-airport.de; Am Flughafen 35, Memmingen), 125km to the west.
BUS
The Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (Central Bus Station, ZOB; map; www.muenchen-zob.de; Arnulfstrasse 21; bHackerbrücke) next to the Hackerbrücke S-Bahn station handles the vast majority of international and domestic coach services. There’s a Eurolines/Touring office, a supermarket and various eateries on the 1st floor; buses depart from ground level.
The main operator out of the ZOB is now low-cost coach company Flixbus (map; %030 300 137 300; www.flixbus.com; Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof, Arnulfstrasse 21), which links Munich to countless destinations across Germany and beyond.
A special Deutsche Bahn (DB) express coach leaves for Prague (€70, 4¾ hours, three daily) from the ZOB.
TRAIN
Train connections from Munich to destinations in Bavaria are excellent and there are also numerous services to more distant cities within Germany and around Europe. All services leave from the Hauptbahnhof.
Staffed by native English speakers, EurAide (www.euraide.de; Desk 1, Reisezentrum, Hauptbahnhof; h10am-7pm Mon-Fri Mar-Apr & Aug-Dec, 9.30am-8pm May-Jul; jHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof, bHauptbahnhof) is a friendly agency based at the Hauptbahnhof that sells all DB (Deutsche Bahn) products, makes reservations and creates personalised rail tours of Germany and beyond.
Connections from Munich:
Baden-Baden €80, four hours, hourly (change in Mannheim)
Berlin €150, 5¼ hours, hourly
Cologne €147, 4½ hours, hourly
Nuremberg €40-60, one hour, twice hourly
8GETTING AROUND
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Munich Airport Linked by S-Bahn (S1 and S8) to the Hauptbahnhof. The trip costs €10.80, takes about 40 minutes and runs every 20 minutes almost 24 hours a day. The Lufthansa Airport Bus shuttles at 20-minute intervals between the airport and Arnulfstrasse, next to the Hauptbahnhof, between 5.15am and 7.55pm. The trip takes about 45 minutes and costs €10.50 (return €17). A taxi from Munich Airport to the Altstadt costs €50 to €70.
Allgäu Airport The Allgäu Airport Express also leaves from Arnulfstrasse at the Hauptbahnhof, making the trip up to seven times a day. The journey takes one hour 40 minutes and the fare is €13 (return €19.50).
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Munich’s efficient public-transport system is composed of buses, trams, the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. It’s operated by MVV (www.mvv-muenchen.de), which maintains offices in the U-Bahn stations at Marienplatz, the Hauptbahnhof, Sendlinger Tor, the Ostbahnhof and Poccistrasse. Staff hand out free network maps and timetables, sell tickets and answer questions. Automated trip planning in English is best done online. The U-Bahn and S-Bahn run almost 24 hours a day, with perhaps a short gap between 2am and 4am. Night buses and trams operate in the city centre.
S-Bahn Best for journeys to the outlying areas of the city and for quick dashes along the 11km Stammstrecke (central route served by all lines between Pasing and Ostbahnhof).
U-Bahn Best for middle-distance trips from one part of the city centre to another.
Bus Best for short journeys in the city centre, especially on line 100 between the Ostbahnhof and the Hauptbahnhof.
Tram Best for short trips between various parts of the city centre. Faster than buses.
TICKETS AND FARES
The city-of-Munich region is divided into four zones, with most places of visitor interest (except Dachau and the airport) conveniently clustering within the white Innenraum (inner zone).
Single tickets cost €2.70. Children aged between six and 14 pay a flat €1.40 regardless of the length of the trip. Day passes are €6.70 for individuals and €12.80 for up to five people travelling together; a weekly pass called an IsarCard costs €15.40. Bikes cost €3 to take aboard and may only be taken on U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains, but not during the 6am – 9am and 4pm – 6pm rush hours.
Bus drivers sell single tickets and day passes, but tickets for the U-Bahn and S-Bahn and other passes must be purchased from vending machines at stations or MVV offices. Tram tickets are available from vending machines on board. Most tickets must be stamped (validated) at station platform entrances and on board buses and trams before use. The fine for getting caught without a valid ticket is €40.
iWhere to Stay
Luxury hotels dot the centre, midrange places gather near the Hauptbahnhof. Room rates tend to be high, and they skyrocket during the Oktoberfest. However, midrange accommodation is cheaper here than in other major European cities.
| Neighbourhood | Atmosphere |
|---|---|
| Altstadt & Residenz | Central and near all the sights and best restaurants. No need to use public transport a great deal. Always busy with large groups of tourists and can be expensive. |
| Haidhausen & Lehel | Quiet, tranquil neighbourhood vibe and just a short ride into the Altstadt. Not much choice. |
| Maxvorstadt | Instant access to the Kunstareal and a short ride or walk to the Altstadt. Virtually no places to stay. |
| Nymphenburg, Neuhausen & Olympiapark | Near some of the city’s biggest draws and tend to be cheaper. You will need to use public transport quite heavily. |
| Schwabing & the Englischer Garten | Elegant but buzzing location and just a hop from the tranquillity of Munich’s biggest park. Some areas in the studenty south of the neighbourhood can be noisy night and day. |