For the bewildered tourist (Munich)

Member Name: Katz1

Product:	Munich
Date:	10/07/01 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots to do, great beer

Disadvantages: Not great in rain

If you are going on a holiday or short break to Munich and don’t know where to start, a good place is Munich tourist information. They provide information in English as well as German on pretty much anywhere you may wish to go in the area (both accommodation and sight-seeing information). If you go on their internet site and follow their links, however, be warned that some of the sites linked to (especially youth hostel sites), are not in English.

Munich is a lively city but does not seem to have a great night life. There are however plenty of beer halls in the centre that open quite late. They do tend to get very busy though so get there early. The beer in Munich is definitely worth sampling and even though I am generally not a beer drinker, the Paulaner Hefeweizen (wheat beer) is a must. Munich also does a great line in local restaurants – if you don’t try the Käse Spätzle (cheese noodle type dish) then you’ll miss out. I couldn’t bring myself to sample the white sausages, but if you’re brave, why not give them a go too.

Munich is not bad for shopaholics either – especially if you like buying clothes. The shops are close together and it is difficult to get lost. There is a great GAP store and if you aren’t short of a penny and fancy chatting up someone with a Porsche, there is one street in Munich that has all the high class stores such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton etc. Customer service, however, does not form part of the German vocabulary, so whether you go to a restaurant or a shoe shop, don’t expect to be greeted with a smile. Waiting to pay is something, I’m afraid, that you have to become accustomed to...

If you’d like to see Munich from a different angle, you could take a bike tour of the city, or go up to the top of the Frauenkirche (the large church with the twin spires). Bikes can be hired for group tours from various companies at no great cost and the cost to go up t
he church is also minimal. The view is worth it (weather permitting).

There are also various city festivals throughout the year where there are market stalls with various souvenirs and musical shows – check with the tourist information for more information.

If you’d like to see something a bit different, you could go on the Bavarian film studio tour. It is not directly in the centre (a twenty minute tram ride away) and is a bit like the Granada studio tour but in German. You get to see a stunt show that is very impressive, go on a cinematic ride, and are shown the sets of a German soap opera, Neverending Story, and can go through the submarine set from the film “Das Boot” (I was impressed anyway). As far as I am aware, they do not offer the tour in English, so if you do not speak German I would not recommend it. I also do not recommend going in bad weather, as a lot of the tour is outdoors and you end up looking like a drowned rat (this is the voice of experience...).

Where accommodation is concerned, Munich has a large variety and caters for every budget, although if you are on a lower budget, you have to be prepared to stay a bit further out from the city centre. If you want some adventure, for example, and do not need home comforts, you could stay at “The Tent”. This is a campsite just outside of the city centre (a thirteen minute tram ride away from the train station), where individuals or groups of backpackers can rent or bring their own tents and stay very cheaply. Costs range from 15DM to 40DM per person per night including breakfast and foam mat. They also provide information on City Tours, what to do in the area, and even have some computer terminals where you can check your email.

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