Munich

As the prosperous capital of Bavaria, Munich is a vibrant city with an impressive density of museums, theatres, galleries, cathedrals, monuments, castles and exquisite Baroque and Renaissance churches. There is some beautiful architecture to see, from the Palace of the Wittelbachs, the most stunning Renaissance building in Europe, to the Rathaus, a 19^th century neo-Gothic eyesore. In fact, there are enough museums, churches and monuments to keep you busy till the next millennium. The Alte Pinakothek Museum for example contains the largest collection of Rubens paintings in the world whilst the works of Kandinsky, Klee, Marc and Macke can be found at the Lenbachhaus. Other impressive museums and sights to be seen are the Deutches Museum, the gothic tower of Altes Tathaus, the splendid Rocco church, Asamkirches and Staatsgalerie Moderner Kunst, home to some of the 20th century’s best European painting and sculpture. At the very heart of the city is Central Marienplatz, Munich’s famous square. It buzzes with tuneful musicians and street artists in the shadows the New and Old Town Hall and the restored Mariensäule.

To feed your music munchies, there is the opportunity to take in a neo-classical opera at the National Theatre or see one of Munich’s three symphony orchestras. There are also eleven major theatres and numerous fringe theatres plenty to choose from. The district of Schwabing in particular has a number of small theatres and has been Munich’s magnet for artists, actors and writers since the 1920s. It is still famed for its fantastic shopping, cafés and stalls along the Leopoldstrasse.For the less culturally minded, Munich is also home to some of the greatest beerfests on the planet, not least of all the notorious Oktoberfest. For some serious beer swilling try the Hofbräuhaus, Munich’s largest and most famous drinking emporium. Failing that, there is always the ‘English Garden’, Europe’s largest municipal park lying on the banks of the River Isar. It’s perfect for relaxing, drinking, playing or listening to musicians from all around the world. The Park even has it’s own nudist area for those who like to get naked on the weekend or alternatively for those who’ve just had one beer too many.

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