MUNICH | GERMANY
SPRECHEN SIE DEUTSCHE? the city’s original name was ‘München’ while in Austro-Bavarian slang it’s dubbed ‘Minga’. CLOSING TIME: Museum hopping? Don’t be caught out; many museums close on Mondays but, unlike the rest of Europe, are open to visitors on sundays from 10am. which to grab a bite. The not so peckish, meanwhile, can visit the maypole in the market’s centre, where figurines depict the history of the area’s trade. Music-lovers should make for the Musikinstrumenten-Museum (5), home to over 2,000 instruments which date back to the 1500s. Saturday mornings are the best time to go, when museum guides play unusual pieces, like the ‘hammerflugel’. Der Englische Garten (6) is one of the largest parks in the Europe – and perhaps one of the most unusual. For while you can rent a paddle boat and meander groomed gardens, you can also partake in activities you wouldn’t expect from a park in landlocked southern Germany: visiting a Chinese tower, Japanese teahouse or go surfing (yes, really). Surfers flock here to ride the River Eisbach which has enough ebb and flow to create a continuous wave.
Images: Shutterstock; Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
WHERE TO STAY Mandarin Oriental (7) 1 Neuturmstrasse mandarinoriental.com Each of this grand colonial building’s 73 rooms come decked out in opulent, neorenaissance style. Outside you’ll find a rooftop infinity pool complete with spectacular city vistas while, inside, it’s home to the Bavarian-themed (and Michelin-starred) Mark’s Restaurant – a must-try for foodies. From $606. The Charles Hotel (8) Sophienstrasse 28
Opposite page: Munich’s National Theatre. This page, from top: The Charles Hotel; Ocktoberfest.
thecharleshotel.com Situated in the centre of town, with glorious views over the Old Botanical Gardens, rooms here offer a contemporary classic style set within the grandest architecture. Guests can take a dip in its 15 metre swimming pool by day, while evenings are best spent dining at the hotel’s excellent Italian restaurant DAVVERO. If the weather permits, take a seat on the terrace and delve into a beautifully creamy lobster risotto. From $376.
WHERE TO EAT Tantris (9) 7 Johann-Fichte-Strasse tantris.de This two Michelin-starred restaurant never fails to impress: its garden salon bestows an Art Deco window with verdant lawn views, while its main room boasts a modern, funky interior. Whichever area you choose to dine in, it makes a compelling spot in which to savour eight gourmet courses or an à la carte menu of Spanish-inspired dishes – we love the beef cheeks with leek purée. From $70. Zerwirk (10) 3 Ledererstrasse, zerwirk.de This vegan-friendly restaurant sits in Munich’s second oldest building (built in 1264, it was once a butchers, then a falconry) and now boasts modern interiors with shiny green benches. Seasonal menus change daily, but you’ll see a regular crowd enjoying the best on offer. From $10.
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September 2011 Kanoo World Traveller 69