The Bavarian capital, home of Oktoberfest and BMW — all this is Munich, a colorful and visually appealing city in southern Germany. There, you can find solitude in one of the many parks, blend in with nature and meditate, or literally be deafened by the noise of tourists on the central streets on a hot day.
I recommend combining a visit to the city with a trip to the nearby castles, but there are also many wonderful places in Munich itself, which I will tell you about. Even if you have already been to the city, you will still be drawn back to the center of Munich time and time again.
Marienplatz
The central square is luxurious and majestic, and it is also the liveliest part of the city. It was named after the Virgin Mary, whose gilded statue stands on an 11-meter column. Since the city was founded by Benedictine monks in the 12th century, Marienplatz has been a venue for fairs, tournaments, and even public executions. Today, things are a little more peaceful, although there are occasional clashes between soccer fans. The square often hosts celebrations and festivals. The Old and New Town Halls are also located here, with the latter now serving as the seat of the city council.
The square attracts crowds of tourists because every day (at 12:00 sharp) a theatrical knight show is performed on the clock tower of one of the towers. Be sure to check it out! At the top of the tower is an observation deck, one of the best in the city, but you can't see the whole of Marienplatz from it. It's like climbing the Eiffel Tower. The view is beautiful, but something significant is missing.
St. Peter's Church
Munich's oldest basilica, 12th century. Interestingly, until the mid-20th century, its bell tower (91 m) served as a fire observation point, and now it is home to the best viewing platform in the city. Be sure to climb up there. You will have to climb 304 steps, but your efforts will be well rewarded.
Frauenkirche
Another landmark of the city is the church with two bell towers, the tallest building in Munich — the height of the Frauenkirche cathedral is 99 meters. Incidentally, the city administration does not allow buildings taller than 100 meters to be built in the center of Munich. Therefore, nothing obscures the towers of the Frauenkirche; they are visible from afar and define the panorama of modern Munich — the very view that appears on every other postcard.
Inside, the cathedral looks quite ascetic. Its main decorations are snow-white columns and bright stained glass windows. Members of the Bavarian ruling dynasty, the Wittelsbachs, are buried in the crypt.
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Bronze boar
While walking around the city center, you will most likely come across a wild boar. It "lives" opposite the Museum of Hunting and Fishing, where St. Augustine's Church used to be located. It served an extremely important function—it contributed to the financial well-being of the townspeople. That is why there is now a belief that if you stroke the boar's snout, you can quickly become rich, happy, and return to Munich many times. You must agree that this is a worthy reason to polish the bronze snout.
Beer restaurant “Hofbräuhaus”
Of course, Munich is associated with beer. I'm not a fan of this drink, but I can't ignore tradition. So I recommend visiting the city's first court brewery, which dates back to the 16th century. There you can try different flavors of beer, buy something as a gift, learn about the history and traditions of brewing, and enjoy some classic German cuisine.
BMW Museum
If you are a car enthusiast at heart or just enjoy looking at beautiful cars from time to time, you will definitely enjoy the museum. The exhibition is unique, featuring not only cars but also motorcycles, engines, and propellers from the company's nearly century-long history. In some places, you can even take pictures in the "cars"; the shots will be spectacular, I promise.
Even the architecture of the building is impressive: it is a 22-story building shaped like a 4-cylinder engine. It is a very popular museum, visited by a quarter of a million people every year.
Statue of Bavaria
Not the most popular attraction, in my personal opinion, but I liked it there, so I added it to the selection. It is a monumental bronze statue that symbolizes the glory, strength, and power of the entire region. It is the first statue since ancient times to be made entirely of cast bronze. To some extent, it is a technological masterpiece of its time. Bavaria is about 19 meters high, with a spiral staircase inside and a unique observation deck at the top, as if in the head of the statue.
I can't say that the view from there is incredible, but you will definitely remember climbing the steep stairs. The observation deck is only open during the warm season. Only six people are allowed on the roof at a time.
Hall of Fame
Next to Bavaria is the Hall of Fame, a place where the memory of outstanding people from the region is honored. It is essentially a gallery, but instead of paintings, it features busts of famous Bavarians, such as the artist Albrecht Dürer. The roof of the building is supported by 48 front columns. If you have time, I recommend taking a leisurely stroll there.
Allianz Arena
I admit I went to the famous football stadium just to keep up with the crowd, but surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it there. It was a great tour in English, and I liked the shape of the building, which resembled a white car tire, and its scale.
In the evening, the building is illuminated in different colors, so it can be seen from many viewing platforms, even though it is located far from the center.
There are several restaurants on the stadium grounds. The food there is good, and there is a bookstore and the country's largest museum dedicated to the Bayern Munich football club.
Nymphenburg Palace
Where would we be without palaces? Although in this case, I was more impressed by the park surrounding the castle with its ponds and swans. In summer, you can even take a gondola ride there. The Baroque Munich Palace was built in the 17th century. It is worth setting aside at least three hours to explore the palace, the park area, and the surrounding structures, such as the hunting lodge. It is a great place for walks and picnics.
Munich is an amazing and multifaceted city. You can visit it again and again. Delicious, hearty German cuisine, rivers of beer, endless palaces, cathedrals, parks. One of which, by the way, is larger than the famous Central Park in New York—the Munich English Garden.
I will definitely return there, as I really want to celebrate Oktoberfest there and visit the potato museum (and don't tell me you don't want to go there too!). Seriously though, there is a huge choice of entertainment there. You're sure to find something to your liking, whether it's extreme sports or luxury shopping. Have an adventure-filled time in Munich!
