New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus)
Built 1867 - 1909 in Flanders Gothic style; its facade, over 300 feet in length, features strikingly elaborate stone ornamentation. Its 260-foot tower with carillon is, with St. Peter's Church and the twin towers of the Cathedral, one of the most distinctive features of the city's skyline. The town hall’s tower harbours the world famous carillon, which has existed since 1908. The figures of the carillon show parts of Munich’s history.
Cathedral Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche)
The Frauenkirche is the largest church in Munich. Located in the city centre at Frauenplatz 1, the Catholic cathedral is a major landmark and a popular tourist attraction. Today, the cathedral and the New Town Hall dominate the city centre, and its towers can be seen from all directions. The southern tower can be ascended and offers a wide view of the city and the Alps.
Castle Nymphenburg and Château Park
The baroque palace in the west part of Munich was the summer residence of the Bavarian monarchs. Five generations of Wittelsbach rulers were involved in the construction of this monumental ensemble, which houses several outstanding collections. With its lavishly decorated interior and the famous "Gallery of Beauties" commissioned by Ludwig I, the palace is one of Munich's favourite attractions. Among the highlights are the former bedroom of King Ludwig II and the impressive banquet hall with fine ceiling frescoes by Johann Baptist Zimmermann.
While you're there, be sure not to miss the Marstallmuseum and the Porcelain Museum, the Museum Mensch und Natur and the Botanical Garden.
English Garden
Munich´s famous 900-acre park has shaded paths, brooks, ponds and swans and is best known for its four beer gardens and nude sunbathers. The park stretches from the center of the city (near Odeonsplatz) to the northern city border. The best way to reach it is the bus No. 54 from "Münchner Freiheit" underground station (exit at stop "Chinesischer Turm")
Hofbräuhaus
This lovely beer hall has existed since 1644 and lives up to its reputation: beer, food, tourists, oom-pah music, drunken revelry and Lederhosen. Check out the wall of beer steins, personalized and locked away for their owners. Please note: Tables labelled with "Stammtisch" are reserved for regulars (this is true for all Bavarian restaurants).
Viktualienmarkt
The Victuals Market, only a few steps from the Marienplatz, is Munich's most popular open air market. A walk across the "Victuals Market" can be a sensual revelation. Stalls not only offer the freshest fruits and vegetables in Munich, but traditional Bavarian Schweinshax'n and Speck, sea food, delicious cheeses from all over Europe, herbs, honey products, sushi and hand-made straw puppets are also for sale. However, although this is its main purpose, the Victuals Market is not only a place for buying and selling: the market also hosts a number of traditional and folkloric events, such as the colorful Fasching festivities and the masked dance of the market women on Shrove Tuesday.
Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays till 8p.m.
Olympic Park
Site of the 1972 Olympics, this landscaped park contains sport facilities, lakes, bicycle paths, concert venues, restaurants and a football stadium, as well as its landmark "tent-style" roofs. Don´t miss the fascinating BMW Museum across the street, right next to the company’s headquarters - which was constructed in the shape of a four-cylinder engine.
Access: via underground, station "Olympiazentrum" Olympiapark München
Surroundings of Munich
Starnberger See
Located only 27 km south of the inner city, Starnberger See is Munich's closest neighbouring lake. With a maximum depth of 127 metres, covering 57 squared km, and offering a view of the Alps, this lake is quite a sight to behold. Apart from swimming, you can rent a boat and explore the lake with friends. There is also a guided boat tour offered for those who would like to just sit back and relax.
Starnberger See can be reached by car from the A95 Munich-Garmisch, exit at Starnberg. It is also possible to get there by train with the S6 towards Tutzing. Starnberg is a quaint and upmarket Bavarian town with lots of shops, selling traditional Bavarian clothing, also many cafés and restaurants. The forest around Possenhofen is perfect for a romantic walk.
Königssee
The Königssee is a 10 km long emerald-green mountain lake, known as the pearl of the Berchtesgadener Land. Some of the most magnificent panorama views across all of Bavaria can be found here. To preserve the purity and tranquillity of the water only electrically-powered boats have been allowed on the lake since 1909.
By car, take the motorway Munich-Salzburg to Berchtesgaden. By train, get off at Berchtesgaden Station.
Palace Neuschwanstein
Seven weeks after the death of King Ludwig II in 1886, Neuschwanstein was opened to the public. The shy king had built the castle in order to withdraw from public life – now vast numbers of people came to view his private refuge. Today Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular of all the palaces and castles in Europe. Every year 1.3 million people visit "the castle of the fairy-tale king". In the summer around 6,000 visitors a day wander through the rooms that were intended for a single inhabitant. The setting of Neuschwanstein could not be more idyllic. King Ludwig II was a great nature-lover and his greatest concern was not to disturb the beauty of the surroundings by building Neuschwanstein Castle. As you approach the castle, it is obvious just how well he succeeded. The view of Neuschwanstein Castle from the bridge behind it is particularly impressive and the views from the castle's many windows are like framed landscape paintings.
www.neuschwanstein.de