Munchen

Munich (München) is the capital of Bavaria and Germany's third-largest city, founded by Henry the Lion in 1158 on the river Isar. It combines a historic core around Marienplatz — dominated by the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus and its daily Glockenspiel show, a carillon of 43 bells and 16 figures performing since 1908 — with a strong museum quarter (the Alte and Neue Pinakothek galleries), major automotive heritage (BMW's headquarters and museum), and the vast Englischer Garten, one of the largest urban parks in the world. Munich is world-famous as the home of Oktoberfest, held on the Theresienwiese since 1810, when the festivities began as a celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig's wedding.

Munich Airport (MUC) is one of Germany's two main international hubs (alongside Frankfurt), served by direct long-haul flights from across the world, and is connected to the city centre by the S-Bahn (S1 and S8 lines) in around 40–45 minutes. Munich's Hauptbahnhof is a major hub for ICE high-speed trains, with direct connections to most large German cities as well as Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. The A8, A9, A92, A94, A95, and A96 autobahns converge on Munich from all directions.

Central Munich is served by an extensive U-Bahn (subway) and S-Bahn (suburban rail) network, plus trams and buses, all under the MVV fare system. The Altstadt around Marienplatz is compact and walkable once you're in it, but greater Munich's sights (the Olympic Park, Nymphenburg Palace, BMW Welt) are spread out and best reached by public transport.

Marienplatz is the historic heart of the city, watched over by the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) and its Glockenspiel, which chimes and re-enacts historical scenes daily at 11:00 and 12:00 (and 17:00 in summer). Nearby, the twin onion-domed towers of the Frauenkirche are a city landmark. The Residenz, former palace of the Bavarian royal family, and Nymphenburg Palace, the Wittelsbachs' summer residence with its extensive gardens, are among Munich's grandest historic buildings. The Alte and Neue Pinakothek, along with the Pinakothek der Moderne, form one of Germany's most important gallery quarters.

Oktoberfest, held on the Theresienwiese in the two and a half weeks running up to the first Sunday in October, is the world's largest beer festival and Munich's best-known event, drawing millions of visitors to its beer tents each year. The Englischer Garten, one of the world's largest urban parks, is popular for walking, picnicking, and watching river surfers ride the standing wave on the Eisbach stream near its southern entrance. The city's beer gardens (Biergärten), a Munich institution, are found throughout the city, from the central Viktualienmarkt to larger gardens like the Chinesischer Turm in the Englischer Garten.

Bavarian cuisine — Weisswurst, pretzels, Schweinshaxe, and Leberkäse — is widely available across the city, especially in traditional beer halls such as the Hofbräuhaus near Marienplatz, one of Munich's oldest and most famous beer halls.

Munich's beer gardens and beer halls, serving beer from the city's traditional breweries (Augustiner, Paulaner, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Spaten, and Hacker-Pschorr — the six breweries permitted to serve at Oktoberfest), are the defining drinking experience.

Munich has accommodation across all budgets, concentrated around the Hauptbahnhof, the Altstadt, and the areas near the trade fair grounds.

The Viktualienmarkt, just south of Marienplatz, is Munich's famous daily food market, selling produce, flowers, and Bavarian specialities, with its own beer garden at the centre. The pedestrianized shopping streets around Kaufingerstraße and Neuhauser Straße run from Marienplatz to Karlsplatz (Stachus) and are the main retail core of the Altstadt.

• Dachau — site of the Dachau concentration camp memorial, a short S-Bahn ride away
• Nuremberg — Franconia's largest city, reachable by ICE train
• Salzburg (Austria) — reachable by regional or ICE train
• Fussen — gateway to Neuschwanstein Castle, reachable by regional train
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen — Alpine resort town, reachable by regional train