Munich is Germany's wealthiest big city and it shows, manicured parks, a spotless historic centre, and a beer culture that isn't a tourist performance but a genuine daily ritual. It's also the easiest gateway to the Bavarian Alps, close enough for a day trip to castles and lakes that feel a world away from the city.
Beer Halls and the English Garden
The Hofbräuhaus is the famous one, but locals are just as likely to be found at the Augustiner-Keller or one of the beer gardens inside the Englischer Garten, a park larger than Central Park with a standing wave for river surfers near its southern entrance. Order a Mass (a full litre) and share a pretzel the size of a dinner plate.
Viktualienmarkt, the daily food market near Marienplatz, is worth a wander even if you're not buying, cheese stalls, a beer garden in the middle, and produce from across Bavaria under century-old stone arches.
Day Trips to the Alps
Neuschwanstein, the fairy-tale castle that inspired Disney's, is a two-hour train ride away and worth the crowds if you book the timed entry ticket in advance, the walk up to the Marienbrücke bridge for the classic photo is steep but short. Combine it with nearby Hohenschwangau castle for a full day.
Closer in, the Zugspitze cable car climbs to Germany's highest peak in under an hour from the base station at Eibsee, a glacial lake worth the trip on its own even without continuing to the summit.
Recommended Stay · Munich · Maximilianstrasse
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski
A 19th-century palace hotel on Munich's grandest shopping street, with a spa and rooftop terrace looking toward the Alps on a clear day.
