Munich - a Great Bavarian Destination!
Written: Apr 14 '03 (Updated Nov 05 '06)
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Pros: Excellent transportation, good food, interesting architecture, loads to do, friendly people
Cons: Pricey lodging, cigarette smoke in restaurants, very cold weather for much of the year
The Bottom Line: Definitely worth a several-day visit.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Munich |
My recent trip to Munich was my second visit to the Bavarian region of Germany in less than six months. Munich is the capital city of this southern region that comprises about one quarter of the total area of the country. My impression of Munich as a whole is highly favorable, despite the very cold weather that attended my visit. As I walked the streets of the city with gritted teeth and warm layers I thought to myself that Munich must specialize in raw weather and icy winds that blow directly into the face no matter which way I seemed to turn.
Yet Munich has many graces and attractions to compensate the intrepid off-season visitor. It's a clean and well-ordered city. The residents clearly take pride in appearances - there are planters with pansies and other flowers in many public places, very little graffiti and noticeably fewer dog turds than in many other European cities of similar or larger size. The Isar river flows through the city, and there is a pretty foot- and bike-path along much of it, with large old trees planted on the banks.
Transportation
The public transportation situation in Munich is excellent. There are two interconnecting systems: the S-bahn and the U-bahn. The U-bahn seems to concentrate on inner-city connections, while the S-bahn connects the center city with suburban points including the airport. Each system has several different lines, and many stations within the city allow access to both the S-bahn and the U-bahn. Beyond the two subway systems, there are trams and buses to cover just about every corner of the city.
The two overlapping systems at first appeared a little confusing and intimidating. But even I, with my poor navigational skills, got the hang of it pretty quickly. Weekday trains are very frequent, especially in the center city, where many different lines overlap for the main corridors. I ended up waiting a bit longer on the weekend, but never more than 10 minutes for any tram, train or bus. Note that on the S-bahn and trams, the next stop is either announced or displayed on an LCD, but not on the U-bahn. You'll have to be on your toes on that system.
I highly recommend buying a multi-day pass that allows unlimited use of all these systems. They come in several varieties, including three and five-day passes. I bought a five-day pass for €17. It definitely saved me time if not money, and I didn't have to worry about buying tickets repeatedly or having correct change.
Aside from the excellent public transportation, it's very easy to get around on foot in the old city of Munich. Pedestrian traffic is heavy and many streets are closed to motor vehicles. But be sure to watch for bicycle traffic. Bicyclists have their own designated paths next to sidewalks as in many European cities. Don't walk in these paths and treat them like roads when crossing them - look in both directions for bike traffic as they have the right of way. The city is quite flat, so walking is fairly easy.
Attractions
One of Munich's most iconic attractions is the Frauenkirche, located in the heart of the old city. This church is unusual for its twin towers flanking the front of the church. It sort of reminded me of a mosque. The interior is nothing very special and I can't recommend visiting unless you're really into churches. But it will be well worth your time to go up in the right-hand tower for a panoramic view of the city. Access to the tower will cost €3 and unless there's a line you'll only need 20-30 minutes to complete your visit. And no, you don't have to climb all the way up. After the first story or so, there's an elevator to take you the rest of the way up. There's also a nice place to sit outside in front of the church on a nice day.
The Bayerisches National Museum houses a nice, modestly sized collection of folkloric and historic pieces from Bavaria from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Though not enormous, this high-quality collection kept me interested and entertained for a couple hours. I was able to pick up a brochure in English that gave brief descriptions of the objects in each room. The plan of the museum allows visitors to view the collection in any order and the interconnecting rooms allow easy access to a specific display. I found the armor room, the Medieval clothing room, the Guildmaster's quarters and the antique chess and backgammon sets the most interesting. There really were some remarkable pieces there. Admission cost just €3 and there was a free coat check. The gift shop is worth checking out as well. The Bayerisches deserves at least a couple hours to do right. The museum is closed on Mondays and admission is free on Sundays.
In the northeast corner of central Munich lies the enormous English Garden. By report, this public park is larger than either Central Park in New York City or Hyde Park in London. It resembles a partly cleared forest more than a formal garden, with its many footpaths, streams, ponds and footbridges. There are also a few buildings in the park including a Japanese teahouse and the "Chinese Tower," actually a biergarten. Another structure here is the "Monopteros." No, that's not a septaplegic octopus. It's a simple round pavilion built on top of a small hill and heavily graffiti-ed by the local miscreants, or perhaps tourist miscreants. You can enjoy the view from up there, but there's not much else to it.
This isn't the sort of park with lots of swing sets and other stuff for kids. It's a vast expanse of mostly open space that is well suited for burning off some of that hearty Bavarian food and beer you've been indulging in. And yes, you can sunbathe nude here if you're in the mood and the right part of the park.
Munich's Residenz Museum was once the dwelling of the Dukes of Bavaria and subsequently that of the Electors and finally the Kings of Bavaria, from 1385 until 1918. Having been occupied over several centuries by different families with differing tastes and ambitions, the Museum now showcases fantastic collections of art, furniture and religious objects in a vast interconnecting series of rooms and buildings. The edifice itself is a pastiche of architectural styles surrounding four interior courtyards and it takes up an entire city block. There are three separate sections of the compound, each with a separate admission - the Residenz itself, the Treasury and the Theater. I only had time to visit the largest part, the Residenz. The museum's hundreds of rooms house porcelain collections, ancient reliquaries, hundreds of oil paintings, luxury objects such as jewels and crowns and even some antique trade goods from Asia. Of particular note is the Grottenhof, an artificial grotto that takes up an entire room and is covered with thousands of seashells in elaborate patterns. The Residenz is open daily from 9am to 6pm. Admission is €4 for either the Residenz or the Treasury and €2 for the Theater. A combination ticket for the Residenz and Treasury is available for €7. To see the entire Residenz alone would take the better part of the day, five hours at least. If you have the time to visit on more than one day, you would certainly have plenty to explore here.
At 11am, 12pm and 5pm the tourists congregate in the Marienplatz to see and hear the performance of Munich's famous Glockenspiel. This elaborate clocktower has moving figures that commemorate an ancient dance performed every seven years by the Coopers' Guild so long as the city was spared from the plague. The 12-minute performance is obviously free, but that's about the best thing that can be said for it. The carillon sounds awful - like rusty pipes and kitchen pots being banged together. Having listened countless times to the beautiful tones of UC Berkeley's carillon, it was difficult to endure the flat and atonal noise that issued from this antique tower. I can appreciate its age and the accomplishment it must have represented in its time, but perhaps the city council should consider replacing a few of the damaged bells in the interest of public harmony.
Asamkirche - This amazingly funky little church is definitely worth a visit. Designed by two wealthy brothers in the mid-1700's, it was constructed on the site of two houses that once stood side by side at Sendlingerstrasse 62. Although the dimensions are quite modest, the interior looks like something you'd expect to find at Versailles. Every inch of the walls and ceiling of this rococo confection are covered with painting, plaster relief, imported dark woods, gold leaf, marble inlay or sculpture. It's still a functional church and there were several people who came in to pray during my visit. So give the place the respect you would any other house of worship. 15-20 minutes should satisfy the curiosity of most visitors. Admission is free.
Another (potentially) free activity is a stroll through the Viktualienmarkt, just a bit south of Marienplatz. For the majority of Americans who live without the benefit of an outdoor produce market, the Viktualienmarkt will be a fun and interesting spectacle. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, there are cheese and wine sellers, fresh flower stalls and spice vendors. There's even a British style fish 'n chips place. The market is open daily except Sunday and is a good way to spend a half hour or so in pleasant weather. You could easily find the fixings for a nice picnic here.
Beer Festivals
Quick, name an annual beer festival in Munich. How many of you said "the Oktoberfest?" Probably everyone who had an answer. But there are other beer festivals in Munich as well, observed with just as much enthusiasm, but primarily by locals. The Starkbierzeit is one such event.
For centuries the monks in Munich brewed "strong beer" during the Lenten season to strengthen the body weakened by fasting. Today the festival is observed in much the same way Oktoberfest is, but with less international fanfare. The Nockerberg festival grounds re-opened as the location of the Starkbierzeit this year after being closed for two years because of a fire. Several local breweries served up their versions of high calorie "starkbier" in this huge beer hall complete with an oom-pa-pah band and waitresses in traditional Bavarian skirts, white blouses and bodices. Plenty of celebrants showed up in their lederhosen despite the chilly weather, ready to knock back their liter of beer along with a pretzel the size of a manhole cover. It's fun event, especially if you show up early before the place fills with clouds of cigarette smoke. If you love beer but don't want to fight the crowds or pay the prices associated with Oktoberfest, consider the Starkbierzeit as an alternative.
Restaurants
Bavarian food is really good! Based primarily on meat and potatoes, it's definitely not easy on the vegetarians. But it is quite a diverse and satisfying cuisine. And there are some alternatives to the typical brauhäus fare in Munich for those who need a lighter meal now and then.
We greatly enjoyed our meals at two brauhäuses on Tal (street) just off the Marienplatz. Paulaner Im Tal had the better atmosphere and food in our opinion, and on a slow night we once had a waiter who was very friendly and interested in telling us about a special Bavarian dessert they served, called kaiserschmarrn. The beer here is excellent, and there are several Paulaner restaurants around Munich; each with slightly different menus. My husband recommends their Salvator double bock beer. Our ample meals there tallied in at about €40.
Just across the street sits Weisses Brauhäus, an even larger and louder place with traditionally dressed waitress, slinging several liters of beer in each hand as they stride down the aisles. Don't stand in their way - they will literally shove you aside with a beefy forearm. Despite that they are a friendly bunch. My husband preferred their beer even to Paulaner's. He liked the weissbier and was especially impressed with the Aventinus.
A ray of hope for vegetarians comes in the form of a wonderful cafeteria-style restaurant called Buxs, located at Frauenstrasse 9, just near the Viktualienmarkt. Here you can load up your plate with an enormous variety of fresh salads, cold vegetable dishes, as well as a daily soup and a few hot dishes, both mains and sides. Everything is vegetarian, and many dishes are vegan. The restaurant is spotless and the aromas that greet you when you walk in smell delicious. Watch how you pile your plate, because you'll be charged by the weight. You can of course have beer with your meal, but also fresh squeezed fruit and vegetables juices, sparkling water, wine by the glass, or hot beverages ordered from the espresso bar. I liked everything I tried here, especially a shredded broccoli, apple and slivered almond salad.
Finally, I have to highly recommend a fantastic chocolatier/pastry shop/cafe on Residenzstrasse. Confiserie Röttenhoffer produces delicious and beautiful chocolates and pastries. In the morning you can also order a hot breakfast, though I opted for just a slice of their quiche and a pot of tea. The array of pastries on display will stagger the eye and tea lovers will also appreciate the wide variety of teas they serve. In the afternoon an upstairs non-smoking room is opened and fills very quickly. The system here is to place an order for your pastry, cookies or food at the counter. You'll be given a slip to take to your table, if you can find one. The waitress will then come by to take your drink order and pick up your slip. You pay the waitress directly for both food and drink when you're finished. This place is a popular decadent indulgence and not cheap. But it's worth it. You'll find Röttenhoffer at 24-25 Residenzstrasse, near the Odeonplatz.
Free and unusual things to do in Munich
If you're short of cash but still want to get a good feel for Munich, take a self-guided walking tour. If you have a guidebook, such as the Lonely Planet guide to Bavaria, they have an excellent tour outlined for the center of the old town. If you don't have a guidebook, the best place to start is Marienplatz. The tourist information office is there, and you can pick up a map of the city. You'll find that most of the attractions I mentioned are within easy walking distance of the center. Map out a route for what interests you and start walking.
As for free and unusual, you can go surfing! At the southern tip of the English Garden, a pipe has been placed across the Isar river to create a standing wave. Between the Haus der Kunst and the Bayerisches Museum, you can look over the edge of a bridge and see hardy souls braving the chilly water to practice their technique. Join them if you dare!
Final Thoughts
There's much more to Munich than just Oktoberfest. This is a great town that deserves to be explored in depth. My five days there were very enjoyable and even though quite full, were insufficient to see and visit all that this city has to offer. I recommend a visit of at least three days to get a sense of this vibrant and fun Bavarian gem.
Looking for more information on Bavaria and Germany? These reviews may be of use...
• Nuremberg - a more southerly Bavarian town, with a great Christmas market
• Hotel Uhland offers good basic lodging in Munich, not far from the Oktoberfest grounds
• Hilton Munich City is quite a bit more upscale
• Bavarian Cuisine is surprisingly diverse and satisfying
• Aachen is home to a marvelous spa and a World Heritage site
• Dresden - a small Saxon town with a first class collection of museums
Recommended:
Yes
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