A TOUR WALK AROUND MUNICH
From Beer for Breakfast to the Brauhaus after dark
Wherever
you might be staying in Munich, the center of any visit, both actual
and existential, is
the Marienplatz
(pronounced “marineplots”)
where the Neues Rathaus (New City Hall) is perhaps Munich’s most
distinctive feature with the subway stop right underneath.
Built in the late 1880’s
in
frosting-dipped like neo-gothic style complete with grinning gargoyles,
the Rathaus is
most defined by its Glockenspiel
clock, a mechanical wonder of life-sized figures who dance and twirl
when the bells chime. Crowds gather at 11
am for the first major chime sequence and again at noon and 3pm for the
big shows. The clock chimes at other times but three times a day it goes
on for
about 15-20 minutes.
The way to
orient yourself in Munich's center city is the four gates, to the east
is Isartor (Isar-gate)
the gate along the Isar River. To the west is Karlstor closest
to the train station.
To
the south is Sendlingertor (some very popular movie theaters around
Sendlinger) and Seigestor where the Leopold victory arch stradles
Leopold Strass near the Universitat and the general direction toward
the airport. Munich has an excellent and extremely convenient underground
rail (U-bahn)
and above ground tram
system (S-bahn)
and is one of Europe’s best
large cities for wandering around on foot.
Walk
a few steps from the glockenspiel square of Marienplatz you find the
Viktualien Markt a beer garden style
collection of food vendors of German style foods, meats, brats & wursts,
fish and vegetable matter to be eaten at the long benches. In the morning,
you will find locals there before work, having their “mass” of
beer for the day. At lunch is the most crowded time and the market
pretty much shuts down by sunset.
From the Viktualen Markt you
can head east across the Isar river to the Deutsches Museum (see Luftwaffe
Memories)
or west past the Rathaus along
Kaufinger Str. (shopper street) lined with stores. One thing will strike
you if you think about it, one building will be hundreds of years old
and next door less than forty, the everyday reminder of the bombs which
took their toll on the city. Many of the great churches survived. The
Frauenkirch, the city’s most recognized with its two bell towers.
Michaelskirch, with its colorful outside painted wall exterior hiding
a Baroque interior. Continuing further west you reach Karlsplatz, where
the McDonald’s can be found along with huge book emporium and toy
store. Here Kaufinger Strasse intersects with the ring of Sonnen Strasse
which circles around the city.
Munich’s
main train station the Haupt Bahnhof is directly west from Karlplatz,
one U-Bahn stop. But hop on
the tram from Karlsplatz and head north into the Max Vorstadt area. A
few stops will bring you to the Alte and Neu Pinokotek, on Theresien
Str. The alte represents collections of
pre-1800’s
art and the Nue from “pointillism” onward (see Munich's
Famous Art Museums). This area is on
an upward swing in popularity, sandwiched between the Technical College
and Ludwig-Maximillian Universitat and has a number of popular restaurants,
coffee houses and bars.
From the museums walk a few blocks east and north will take you through the University district and into Scwhabing. The main thoroughfare in Munich, Leopold Strasse, runs through the center of Schwabing, lined with about a mile long stretch of sidewalk tables of bars, restaurants, cafes, movie theaters and shopping. A walk east from Schwabing brings you to the Englishcher Garten, Munchen’s answer to New York’s Central Park and London’s Hyde Park (see Gesundheit and Culture). After another beer at the lakeside beer garden watching the ducks and paddle boats, head back to Leopold Str and catch the U-bahn in direction of (richtung) Marienplatz. Get off at Odeansplatz. Here you will find the Residence. Bavaria’s kings central palace was almost completely destroyed by allied bombs in WWII, but has been restored to it’s Maximillian glory. You can see the Bavarian Crown Jewels here, the hall of statues of Roman Emperors, (odd place for them but fascinating) and even dance salsa on Sundays in the Residence formal garden (see The Residenz - Roman Emperors and Crown Jewels).
Here
also is the magnificent Baroque bright yellow Theatinerkirche an
18th century
gilded gift of a church from an Emperor to his wife (see Baroque
Churches of Munich). Walk again south
from Odeonsplatz past the Feldhern Halle, massive edifice open air
theater stand used
for state occasions and outdoor concerts,
guarded by the Munich Lions (Lowen) down Theatiner Str. Here you will
find upscale shopping stores like Munich landmark Loden-Frey exclusive
indoor
shopping
passages.
If you go west from Odeonsplatz, you come to the Bayerisherhof Hotel where if you're not in a beer mood, have an original Mai Tai at Trader Vic's (see Polynesian Munich Trader Vics) and to the east the boutiques of Maximillian Strasse. Continuing south will return full circle back to Marienplatz.
But if you listen closely in the evening air, follow the sound of raucus singing to the east (Orlandoplatz between Maximillian and Kaufinger Str.), will bring you to the Hofbrau Haus the most well-known of Munich's beer hall restaurants (see also Strong Beer of Munich's Fifth Season) where with the singing and pounding the long tables between rounds of helles bier and Schweinhaxe it is Oktoberfest in Munich all year long. © Bargain Travel Europe
Compare best hotel and vacation deals in Munich on TripAdvisor
German High Speed Train ICE
Booking Center
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
SEE ALSO:
OKTOBERFEST
MUNICH
MAD
KING LUDVIG'S PLEASURE PALACE
ART
AND AUGUSTINER
DISCOVER GERMANY IN AUTUMN TOURS
