Munich is an ancient centre of the arts and science, but is perhaps best known for its Oktoberfest. The beer festival that was first held in 1810 to mark the union of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, is world famous, but there is so much more to Bavaria's capital city than tankards of beer.
Bombed during the Second World War, Munich was rebuilt meticulously. Top tourist sights include the Englischer Garten, one of the world's largest public parks. Marienplatz, in the city centre, with its gilded statue of the Virgin Mary, is dominated by two town halls - old and new. In the tower of the New Town Hall, the Glockenspiel (or carillion) depicts two events from Munich's history (a royal wedding and the Coopers' dance) each day while its 43 bells sound out folk tunes. The birthplace of Ludwig II (1845-1886) is the splendid Nymphenburg Palace, and the grand Ludwigstrasse is one of Munich's four royal avenues.
The city is well-located for German and Austrian ski resorts. Cheap flights to Munich land at Munich Airport, a hub for Lufthansa, Germany's national airline, also served by Air Berlin, a major low-cost airline.
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Summers are warm and with thunderstorms. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures in the 20s (Celsius). Winters are cold with light snowfalls and temperatures dropping below zero December through February.Munich’s proximity to the Alps causes some unusual weather fluctuations. Southwesterly winds can bring warm Föhn conditions a few days a year in autumn and winter. Conversely, in spring and summer northwesterly winds can bring Alpenstau, causing unseasonably low temperatures, rain and even snow.
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Peak Season:
May through September is the peak tourist season for Munich. October picks up again with the Oktoberfest crowds. The pre-Lenten celebration of Fasching (Carnival) is also very popular.
Off Season:
April through May and September through October are good times to visit, and the weather is pleasant.
November to March is cold and overcast, but there are few, if any, tourists in town. This is a good time to seek Munich flights to take in the cultural activities.
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Frequent commuter trains run by day and most of the night to various Munich stations, including the main stations for connections to major European cities. Taxis are available, as are buses to many regional destinations and the main train station. It takes about 20 minutes by train and about 45 minutes by road to reach the city centre.
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Munich is small enough to see on foot and has a central pedestrian zone. When you are ready for a ride, there is an efficient and well-integrated public-transport system, consisting of the U-Bahn (subway), the S-Bahn (suburban railway), street cars, and buses. The U/S-Bahn network operates from around 5am to 1am. An all-night tram and bus service operates on main routes within the city. Fares are the same for the entire system. As long as you are travelling in the same direction, you can transfer from one mode of transport to another on the same ticket. There are also strip tickets and the Partner-Tageskarte that provide discounted fares. The Welcome Cards covers transportation within the city and discounts to several attractions.
Taxis are plentiful, and it is cheaper to flag one down than to call one.
Driving is possible but parking is a problem and is expensive. (If you park in a German garage, pay when you return to retrieve your car, not when driving out.)
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- Oktoberfest takes place in late September and early October. A costume parade – which started with the marriage of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria – processes from Maximilian Street to the Oktoberfest and there is the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries, which is the official start of the celebration.
- Nymphenburg Palace, the summer palace of the Bavarian Elector, is set in formal gardens. Look out for the paintings commissioned by Ludwig I to prove that commoner women were just as attractive as aristocratic ladies.
- The "English Garden" is Munich's largest urban public park and offers a lot of attractions including the beer garden at the "Chinesischer Turm".
- Don't miss the jewel-like Amalienburg, a single-story hunting lodge built for Princess Maria Amalia.
- BMW Museum – one for petrolheads. The "time horizons" exhibition takes you from the historic BMW sports car through legendary prototypes, to futuristic automobiles and motorcycles. The museum also explores subjects such as alternative propulsion methods, recycling and traffic management.
- New Herrenchiemsee Castle (Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee) is Ludwig II’s new Versailles. The palace has more than 20 state rooms (the Ambassador's Staircase, the Great Hall of Mirrors and the State Bedchamber). The palace park is also reminiscent of Versailles.
- Konigssee is a 10km long emerald-green mountain lake, considered the pearl of the Berchtesgadener Land. Some of the best views of Bavaria can be enjoyed here.
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