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Munich Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Munich
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Munich Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Munich - The Bavarian city of Munich, centre of southern
Germany, is one of the country's favourite tourist destinations,
offering a unique combination of modern flair and traditional
charm, all mixed together with a heavy helping of 'Gemutlichkeit',
the special German term for hearty, happy, healthy
togetherness.
Traditionally the city, famous for
its breweries and beer halls, conjures up images of jolly
red-cheeked, portly men in lederhosen, downing steins of beer.
There is plenty of this fun to be had, but Munich and the Bavarian
region has plenty more to recommend it to visitors. The city has
numerous great museums, art treasures, hi-tech industries and gems
of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It is also the gateway to the
Bavarian Alps, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from near and
far. Munich itself was founded in 1158 on the
River Isar, and acquired its name, Munchen (home of the monks) from
its first monastery. It was the monks that started the beer brewing
tradition for which the city is now world famous, particularly
since it started celebrating an annual beer festival in 1810. Today
close on six million people visit the Oktoberfest every year, and
consume more than five and a half million litres of beer during its
two-week run.
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Munich
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. Hofbrauhaus
Am Platzl 9
www.hofbraeuhaus.de |
What is it? Beer has been swilled at this world-famous
tavern site in the centre of Munich since it became a royal brewery
in 1605. Equally famous is the Bavarian jollity and conviviality,
known as 'gemuchtlikheid', which has emanated directly from the
Hofbrauhaus in Munich along with the beer which flows freely there
each day, served by robust rosy-cheeked young women clad in
Bavarian dress in litre-sized beer steins. The cheerful atmosphere
that reigns constantly in the establishment's different halls is
helped along by the foot-tapping strains of traditional Bavarian
'oom-pah' bands and drinking songs. When the beer becomes too much,
soak it up with a delicious salty pretzel or a German speciality
from the menu, such as liver dumplings, potato soup or a variety of
delicious sausages.
Hours of Operation:
Phone:(089) 2901360 |
2. Marienplatz
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What is it? The Marienplatz is the heart of Munich and
the site of its most important historic buildings. The square is
dominated by the Neo-Gothic Town Hall featuring its famous
Glockenspiel, both built in the 19th century. The Glockenspiel
delights visitors when it chimes the hours every day at 11am, 12pm,
5pm and 9pm with its 43 bells, accompanied by moving clockwork
figures that display vingnettes from Munich's history. The Town
Hall has a tower that can be accessed by a lift. The centre of the
square - which was once a vibrant farmer's market - features a
statue of the Virgin Mary after which Marienplatz was named.
Visitors can also explore a toy museum in the Old Town Hall on the
square, and the Frauenkirche, Munich's cathedral, dating from the
15th century.
Hours of Operation: Town Hall: Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Friday 9am
to 1pm, and weekends 10am to 7pm. Toy Museum: daily 10am to 5.30pm.
Cathedral: daily 10am to 5pm
Phone:New Town Hall: (089) 2331; Toy Museum: 294 001;
Frauenkirche: 290 0820 |
3. Olympia Park
Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21
www.olympiapark-muenchen.de |
What is it? Munich's massive Olympic park complex was
constructed for the 20th Olympic Games in 1972, but remains a
marvel of modern engineering. Its main stadium is a like a massive
tent, which can seat close on 70,000 spectators, topped by the
largest roof in the world, extending for 720,000 square feet
(66,890 sq metres) and made of tinted acrylic glass. The roof
collects rainwater which is used to fill the adjacent Olympic lake.
Tent roof tours (with or without an abseiling option) are on offer.
Visitors to the site can enjoy a spectacular view from the
revolving restaurant and observation terrace which tops the 950ft
(290m) high Olympic Tower. Near the tower is the BMW Museum, which
displays the history of Germany's famous automobile manufacturer.
Far from being a remarkable "white elephant", the park is still in
constant use as a lively leisure and recreational centre for the
city; on more than 200 days of the year it is the venue for rock
and pop concerts, sports events, exhibitions and trade
fairs.
Hours of Operation: The tower is open daily 9am to
midnight
Phone:(089) 30670 |
Munich
holidays - Top Events
1. Munich Oktoberfest (Munich Beer Festival)
From 2007-09-16
To 2007-10-03
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What is it? During the last two weeks in September each
year all roads in Munich lead to the Theresienwiese, a giant grass
meadow about the size of 20 football fields near the centre of the
city. The occasion is the world's biggest party, the Munich
Oktoberfest. The field becomes a beer-drinking city, complete with
its own post office, police force and fire department, and most
importantly numerous huge tents, erected by the various Bavarian
breweries, that serve as massive beer halls. The first keg is
tapped in ceremonial style to open the two-week celebration, which
draws hundreds of thousands of revellers from all around the world.
Apart from the rollicking beer halls where traditional Bavarian
bands belt out their old favourites, the festival offers a host of
carnival games and fun park rides, as well as stalls selling a
range of German delicacies.
Where is it? |
2. Fasching (Carnival)
From 2007-01-06
To 2007-02-21
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What is it? Marking the period before Lent, carnival
season or Fasching in Munich is a time of parades, elaborate
costumes, masked balls and street parties that reaches its peak on
Shrove Tuesday and is when most of the festivities take place,
including the traditional dance of the market women. The streets
are lined with food and drink merchants and the whole city turns up
at Viktualienmarkt in fancy dress costume to eat, drink and dance
the night away. For more information contact Fremdenverkehrsamt
München on (0)89 23 396 500 or email tourismus@muenchen.de
Where is it? Viktualienmarkt |
3. Munich Ballet Week
From 2007-04-30
To 2007-05-05
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What is it? The talents of the internationally recognised
Bavarian State Ballet are exhibited every year during the week-long
Ballet Festival alongside various international guest ensembles of
high acclaim. Of long-standing tradition, the event encompasses
modern and classical dance.
Where is it? Nationaltheater and Prinzregententheater |
4. Munich Opera Festival
From 2007-06-23
To 2007-07-30
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What is it? The Opera Festival is the most important
event on the city's music calendar, held every summer since 1876 in
one of the world's most beautiful opera houses. Enthusiasts from
around the world gather to listen to the renowned Bavarian State
Opera, with a programme of about 70 different performances. Two
free, open-air performances are also held outside the opera house
in the square.
Where is it? Nationaltheater |
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