MUNICH: Chic, cosmopolitan, carefree and kitschy: Bavaria’s capital and one of Germany’s biggest cities has more than an ample offering of great museums, architectural treasures, historic sites and world-class hotels, restaurants and shops. Add in its abundance of lederhosen and oompah bands and the overall feeling of Gemutlichkeit, or conviviality, and you see what makes Munich special. A few particularly good tourist destinations are:
BMW Museum This museum is an extremely attractive building. It is shaped like a futuristic silver bowl and the "Time Horizons" exhibit takes you on a journey through technical feats of pioneering, from the historic BMW sports car, (including legendary prototypes), right up to the futuristic study of automobiles and motorcycles. Other exhibits include alternative propulsion methods, recycling and cooperative traffic management. Headsets and museum guides in six languages are available.
Englischer Garten (English Garden) One of Munich’s large, most beautiful parks, it is home to many paths, brooks, ponds, a river, swans, beer gardens, and the Chinese Tower. It is most well know for its four beer gardens and nude sunbathers. This large park stretches all the way from the center of the city to the northern city border.
Museum Villa Stuck showcases the works of painter Franz Von Stuck and exhibitions of art nouveau, classical modern, applied art and contemporary art.
Museumlinie (Bus Museum): the place to catch a scenic tour bus which shows you a lot of museums and other attractions; also a good way to get oriented to Munich.
Deutsches Jagd und Fischerei Museum (Hunting & Fishing Museum) This museum is housed in the former church of an old Augustinian Monastery and is packed with many stuffed animal heads from the 17th and 18th centuries. There is also a huge collection of fish hooks, the largest in the world, and there are hands-on exhibits. You may also see a prime example of the legendary zoological curiosity, the Wolpertinger.
Octoberfest Mid-September thru October, is the place to be when in Munich. This world-famous annual festival is one of the biggest on the globe and includes beer tents, shows, booths, rides, contests, Bavarian costumes and more. The Theresienwiese is also called the Wies’n and is a huge place, where all the Oktoberfest activities take place. The 2004 Octoberfest was the 171st time for this massive celebration. Around 5 million liters of beer were consumed and over 200,000 pairs of pork sausages eaten by around 6 million visitors. At the foot of the Bavaria statue, the huge venue provides carousels, roller coasters and all sorts of fair-related activities and entertainment. There is a well planned program of events, including the Grand Entry of the Oktoberfest, Landlords and Breweries, the Costume and Riflemen’s Procession and a concert involving all the brass bands represented at the Wies’n! Go to: http://www.muenchen.de to find out anything you need to know about Munich and about the upcoming Octoberfest and other festivals and activities.
So you see, you can jump the train a few times, spend a few days here and there, all through Germany. With the various train passes offered, you have lots of flexibility and room for last minute changes. Travel to the Black Forest, the Rhine Valley, the castles of Bavaria and Germany. Let your imagination and travel desires be your guide.
