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City breaks to Munich take a Bavarian theme and run with it – think beer halls, bratwursts and Bauhaus architecture.
Munich’s full-blown Bavarian – and proud. The whole place is drenched in tradition, from its architecture to its grub. You can tuck in to white sausages and wheat beer for brekkie. And if you look around, you’ll clap eyes on centuries-old beer halls, Baroque churches and Gothic structures – a lot of them re-built after World War Two.
Despite being the capital of Bavaria and the region’s biggest city, Munich’s centre’s got a cosy feel about it. One of its nicknames is ‘milliondorf’, which means ‘village of a million’. While some of its German neighbours show off cloud-poking skylines and shiny, modern blocks, Munich’s architecture takes a more traditional turn – think red-roofed houses and low-rise buildings with candy-hued facades. In fact, the 85 metre-high New Town Hall’s one of the loftiest points in town.
Another thing the city’s known for is its green space – there are parks peppered all over, like sprinkles on an ice-cream. The English Garden hogs a lot of the limelight. This massive chunk of grassy space rubs shoulders with the Isar River, so streams and waterways cut through the lawns. The Chinese Garden’s plonked right in the middle of it all – it’s a beer garden with a tree-topping pagoda-style tower as the backdrop.
Beer festivals don’t come bigger, better or boozier than Oktoberfest, and Munich is the home of the OG party. A huge plot of land is kept empty all year in preparation for the event – it’s called the Theresienwiese, and come September it’s smothered in huge tents and rollercoasters. Big-name Bavarian brewers each get their own tent, and they come alive during the festival with live music, lashings of specially brewed beer and plenty of Bavarian grub.
You’re a fair way from the sea in Munich, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your sunbathing days. The city’s got a whole heap of riverside flake-out spots, and they’re super clean and pretty, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out just because of the lack of sand.
The banks of the Isar River are sprinkled with pocket-sized patches of sand – where locals often chuck down a towel and head in for a dip. If you’re after a more sizable spot, toddle over to the English Garden, where you’ve got massive lawns to chill out on.
Starnberger See – a huge lake 40 minutes’ drive from Munich – is geared up for swimmers and sunbathers. Make a beeline straight for Strandbad Feldafing – this section shows off a sandy shoreline stacked with loungers, brollies and a café.
No trip to Germany would be complete without digging in to a sausage – it’s a staple all over the country, and Munich’s no different. Opt for a classic bratwurst or currywurst, or make like the locals and order weisswurst – otherwise known as white sausage. The latter’s a boiled option, made from veal.
Beer and Munich go hand-in-hand – but drinking culture here goes beyond the party vibes of Oktoberfest. The city’s beer gardens are a favourite hangout for revellers and families alike. Most of the big-name brewers have their own bars and beer halls, and they’re some of the best spots to sample some local tipples.
Pretzels in Munich usually come in one size – XXL. They’re often served as an accompaniment to a round of beers, and they’re big enough to share between two or three. And these salty, bready snacks are as moreish as it gets, so you might find yourself ordering another.
If you fancy a quick, hearty lunch, grab a leberkase to go. It’s made from a mixture of ground bacon and pork, baked in a loaf tin until crusty on the outside – a bit like meatloaf. Then, it’s thickly sliced and served inside a floury roll, along with a dollop of mustard or a few pickles.
This melt-in-the-mouth pudding’s essentially a doughy roll baked in a closed pot until the bottom goes crispy, and the top stays squishy and pale. It’ll come served with sweet toppings like custard, jam or slices of fruit.
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