Local Tips: Munich, Germany

I lived in München, Bayern (Munich, Bavaria) from September 2010 – August 2011. Read on to see what I’ve enjoyed!

Touristy Sites

Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower)
Englisher Garten
Hirschgarten (Deer Park)
Marienplatz
Odeonsplatz
Olympia Park
Rathaus (City Hall)

Activities

Museums
- Bayerisches Nationalmuseum
- BMW Museum
- Münchner Stadtmuseum
- Oktoberfest und Bier Museum
- Residenz
- Schloß Nymphenburg

Winter –
- ice skating – Olympia Park, etc.
- skiing, snowboarding, sledging – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, etc.
Summer – anything!

Events

March – mid-April: Starkbierzeit (strong beer)
April – May: Frühlingsfest (spring festival) – Theresienwiese
April: Riesenflohmarkt (ginormous flea market)
April: Ballet Fest
May: Feuerwerk (fireworks)
June: Munich’s Birthday & “Blue Hour” (dedicated to Ludwig II) – Rindermarktpl.
June – July: Tollwood Summer
June – July: Opera Fest
July: Open Air Klassik – Odeonspl.
July – August: impark Sommerfest – Olympiapark
September – October: Oktoberfest
December: Christkindlsmarkt (Christmas market)

Must Eat

Currywurst
Doner
Gelato – 1€
Weisswurst
Bayerisches Schnitzel- und Hendlhaus – Bavarian restaurant
Bella Italia – Italian restaurant
Joe & Ben – Canadian poutinerie & more

Must Drink

Paulaner
Augustiner
Hofbräu Original
Sips n Dips (?) – between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz, tea/coffee & warm beverages

Pubs, Bars and the like

Kilian’s – Irish pub in the basement, shared w/ Australian pub, Ned Kelly’s
Irish Folk Pub – small charming L-shaped Irish pub
Shamrock – Irish pub
Hofbräuhaus – famous beer house
Hacker Pschorr Bräuhaus – huge, new & characteristic

Clubs

KultFabrik – near Ostbanhof. The biggest clubbing district in Europe apparently.

Further Education

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Technische Universität
Münchner Volkshochschule (diff. locations) – like a community centre / continuing education school. You can take affordable German classes, as well as many others (dance, languages, sewing, etc.)

History

Founded by the monks of the Benedictine order (means “by the monks’ place”) around 1158, Munich became a city in 1175. It eventually became the capital of a reunited Bavaria in 1506, and the capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1806.