Munich

Germany·Europe

Currency

EUR

Language

German

Timezone

Berlin

Continent

Europe

Our guide

Discover Munich

Munich stands on Marienplatz, the central square framed by the neo-Gothic New Town Hall — whose carillon sends out its figures daily — and the older, quieter Old Town Hall. The Frauenkirche and its two onion domes hold the skyline, and no building is allowed to rise above them. Nymphenburg Palace spreads its gardens to the west, the Wittelsbachs' summer residence for two centuries. Among the museums, the Alte Pinakothek holds the old masters, the Glyptothek the Greek and Roman sculpture, and the German Museum is the largest museum of science and technology in the world.

When to go

May to September, when the beer gardens open and the city lives outdoors. Oktoberfest takes two weeks across late September and early October: the city fills, prices triple, and you have to want it. December brings the Christmas markets. Winter is cold and grey but clear, and the Alps are an hour away by train, which changes the calculation.

Getting around

The U-Bahn and S-Bahn cover everything, on one ticket valid for metro, tram and bus. The historic centre is pedestrian and crosses in twenty minutes. Cycling is excellent: Munich is flat with wide lanes, and locals use them in any weather. Nymphenburg is reached by tram.

Where to eat

Weisswurst, the white veal sausage, is traditionally eaten before noon and never after — the rule is old and still kept. Pretzels, roast pork and braised cabbage fill out the Bavarian table. Beer is drunk in a beer garden, where you are entitled to bring your own food, a custom protected in law. Twenty-five halal addresses are listed, the highest count of our German destinations.

Good to know

The euro is the currency, but cash is used more than elsewhere in Europe — many small establishments still refuse cards. On Sundays almost everything closes, supermarkets included, so plan ahead. Beer gardens are outdoors and shut in bad weather. And nobody crosses on a red light, even with no car coming: it is frowned on and occasionally fined.

Smart Planning