19 great reasons to visit Munich, Bavaria

Munich, Germany, ranks among Europe’s top destinations for overseas travellers. And it’s justified. Here are just 19 reasons why…

Englischer Garten: World class urban paradise

An arguably unbeatable contender for the title of the world’s greatest urban green space, Munich’s primary natural lung is way bigger than Central Park in New York City. The name comes from its English designer, Sir Benjamin Thompson.

It feels like the sort of place where royals should be wandering around on horseback, shooting deer. Walking, cycling and riding trails are part of the mix, as are the riverside stretches of pebbly ‘beach’.

There’s also an impressive Chinese-style tower with a giant beer garden next to it. But the real quirk is that nude sunbathing is permitted in some parts of the park.

That peaceful stroll can lead to unexpected eyefuls…

River surfing: Munich’s unique water sport

At the south-eastern tip of the Englischer Garten, a fast-flowing channel branching from the Isar river creates a series of rapids and one constant wave. Even in winter, you’ll find wetsuit-clad surfers tackling the Eisbach Wave.

They’re even campaigning to have river surfing made into an Olympic sport. You’ll have to bring your own board if you want a go — and it’s for experienced danger-baiters only.

But it’s a tremendous oddity to watch.

The Residenz: Bavaria’s royal palace

The official home of Bavaria’s kings, dukes and electors for hundreds of years struts supreme in the city centre. Just about every room in the Residenz offers OTT bedazzlement, but there are two clear highlights.

The Antiquarium is the largest renaissance hall north of the Alps, with hundreds of classical statues set to an extraordinary symphony of frescos. These take up every smidgeon of wall and ceiling space.

The Ancestral hall is a long corridor of Wittelsbach family portraits, but it’s the blizzard of gilding across the walls and ceiling that make it an in-your-face Rococo masterpiece.

Schloss Nymphenburg: Summer palace splendour

It’s the summer palace that’s the most famous, however. The rooms inside Schloss Nymphenburg seem relatively toned down when compared to those at the Residenz.

Although the Great Hall is, nonetheless, quite the showpiece. What really makes Schloss Nymphenburg awe-inspiring are the gardens surrounding it.

The canal running up to it and beyond, and the sheer domineering sprawl of the land afforded to it create an impressive sight. Everything is designed to make the average house look pitifully, whimperingly insignificant.

Historical tours: Understanding Munich’s dark past

It may seem thoroughly macabre, but Munich Walk Tours offers the chance to get to know the sites linked to the rise of the Nazi party in Munich. It’s made by the combination of obvious — Nazi HQ and the route of the failed Beer Hall Putsch.

And personal — the spots Hitler painted as a struggling artist and the photographer’s studio where he met Eva Braun. The tour is rich in context, and attempts to explain how one of the darkest periods in human history came to be.

Take the five hour monster version if you can. It’s gripping throughout and includes more of the smaller detail that shows why it happened in Munich rather than elsewhere.

Dachau Concentration Camp memorial

Munich was where National Socialism took off, and nearby Dachau was turned into the first Nazi concentration camp. Most of the camp was destroyed following the Second World War.

But a walk round the museum built on the site remains an utterly chilling experience. Over 40,000 people died here.

The photographs of those detained are agonisingly sobering, whilst the execution yards and torture bunkers still hold a chilling power.

Alois Dallmyer: Munich’s premier delicatessen

This daddy of all delis has loyal customers from all over the continent. Alois Dallmyer ranks up there with Fortnum and Mason in London.

For the casually peckish, there are:

• Venison goulashes
• Exquisite salads
• Daintily-presented cakes to tuck into

Just an amble round should make you very hungry indeed. The fine dining restaurant upstairs is widely regarded as the best in Munich.

The Deutsches Museum: Science paradise

Every major city seems to have its own interactive science museum these days, but the young interlopers elsewhere have nothing on this behemoth. The Deutsches Museum is giant geek paradise of miniature gas refineries.

Offshore oil platform dioramas, refractor telescopes and electricity-generating bikes fill the space. It has a fusty 1980s school science TV programme feel in places.

But as it sprawls for 47,000 square metres this is forgivable. It’s great for a rainy week, let alone a rainy day.

• Get your Deutsches Museum tickets here.

The Alte Pinakothek: European art treasure

Unquestionably one of Europe’s great art museums, the Alte Pinakothek is jammed full of the big names. Rembrandt, Leonardo, Raphael, Titian and El Greco all feature.

But the huge Rubens collection is the highlight. His Last Judgement is over six metres tall and is one of the largest paintings ever committed to canvas.

The museum was designed around it. It’s next to Lion Hunt, an absolute masterpiece of action scene painting.

Modern art masterpieces

The Alte Pinakothek concentrates on the classics, but the nearby Pinakhotek der Moderne concentrates on more recent work. Francis Bacon, Magritte, Klee and Picasso are out in strength.

Next to it is the Museum Brandhorst, an artwork in itself. It’s covered thousands of coloured ceramic rods, making it look as though someone has shaken a giant tub of hundreds and thousands over the building.

The Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly collections inside are the stars.

Oktoberfest: The world’s biggest beer festival

For all of the city’s cultural attractions, the first thing that tends to spring to mind when someone says “Munich” is sitting in tents, drinking beer until insensible. Running from late September to early October every year, the event is theoretically commemorating the marriage of Prince Ludwig in 1810.

But it’s realistically a great excuse to sit at wooden tables for 16 days, pouring giant glasses of beer down your neck. The festival is held at the Theresienwiese fairgrounds.

There are bands and rides attempting to distract you from developing an almighty beer gut.

Munich beer halls: Year-round celebration

Whilst the volume of beer consumed during Oktoberfest is phenomenal, it’d be a mistake to think Munich is dry for the rest of the year. And exploring Munich’s beer culture is best done in the beer halls.

All have slight differences, but long communal benches and hearty pig-focused cuisine are the norm. The Hofbrauhaus is the most famous — and touristy — of the beerhalls.

It’s spectacular and has the live oompah bands, but local favourites such as the Paulaner Brauhaus feel more laid-back and authentic.

Weisswurst: Bavaria’s white sausage tradition

In Bavaria, beer goes with weisswurst. These special white sausages are made with veal, seasoning, miscellaneous offal and quite possibly unicorn hooves.

It’s probably best not to question what’s inside this often dubious local delicacy. Just dunk it in the mustard, chomp away and wash it down.

The Donisl beer hall and its takeaway counter make much tastier weisswurst than most.

Olympic Stadium adventures

The stadium built for the 1972 Olympics still stands up as a genuinely striking piece of architecture. The roof — made out of acrylic glass to resemble the Bavarian Alps — is the star, though.

It’s possible to get up on top of it, safely secured in a similar way to the Sydney Bridgeclimb. If the Roofclimb seems a bit tame, it’s possible to up the stakes.

You can fly 200m across the stadium on a flying fox or abseil down from the top.

BMW World: Car nerd paradise

Right next to Olympiapark is BMW’s global headquarters, and car fanboys can get their fix in three forms:

• The architecturally striking BMW Welt showcases cars and technology
• The BMW Museum explores the firm’s history
• Manufacturing plant tours show Beemers in various stages of assembly

Christkindlmarkt: Christmas Market magic

You can find Christmas markets all over Europe, but Munich’s Christkindlmarkt is one of the biggest and most atmospheric. From the end of November to Christmas eve, the stalls sprawl from outside the Town Hall on Marienplatz.

They extend to a number of surrounding streets. It’s as much about the live music, people in costume, wandering Santas and cutely-dressed mangers as it is the shopping.

Throw in a giant Christmas tree lit up by 2,500 candles and any humbuggery doesn’t stand a chance.

Maximilianstrasse: Luxury shopping district

Christkindlmarkt is amateur hour in comparison to Maximilianstrasse. Unquestionably one of the world’s truly prestigious shopping strips, it’s probably quicker to list the top rank designer labels that aren’t there.

But amongst the glimmering price tags of Dior, Gucci, Chanel and Jimmy Choo, there are also a number of excellent private art galleries. Duck down the alleys, into the courtyards and up stairs to find them between credit card raids.

Jugendstil architecture: Art Nouveau heritage

Jugendstil, the German slant on the art nouveau movement, was born in Munich and the Schwabing district still has plenty of fine examples. The side streets off the major Leopoldstrasse thoroughfare between the Munchner Freiheit and Giselastrasse tube stations are a happy hunting ground.

Meanwhile, the Villa Stuck is a museum devoted to the movement.

Neuschwanstein Castle: Fairytale day trip

The most popular day trip from Munich is to the archetypal fairytale castle that allegedly inspired Walt Disney. Built at the behest of ‘Mad’ King Ludwig II, it’s instantly recognisable from the outside.

The interiors were only ever part-finished, but the rooms that were completed are absurdly indulgent. Neuschwanstein is the interior design equivalent of Wagnerian opera at its most overblown.

Tickets have a tendency to sell out. I’ve written a guide to getting into Neuschwanstein Castle when they have.

More Germany travel

Other Germany travel articles on Planet Whitley include:

• A Frankfurt travel guide for first time visitors.
• Taking on Berlin’s Bearpit Karaoke.
• Where to eat, drink, shop and stay in Hamburg.
• Berlin to Dortmund train times and prices.
• A Bonn city guide for first time visitors.