Munich truly comes alive at different times of the year. It’s particularly busy at Oktoberfest, which celebrates everything beer-related (leave the car back at your hotel for that) and at Christmas, when the lights twinkle across the city and the traditional German markets build excitement and festive cheer. You can find the modern side of the city or travel back to the Medieval period – either way, it’s a city that stays with you.
Marvellous Marienplatz
The old town of Munich – the Aldstadt – is where you can really get a sense of the medieval city. The core is Marienplatz, home of St. Mary’s column for which the square is named. Maximilian I erected it in 1638 and it has since placed an important role in marking the centre of all Bavaria. The area is lined with cafes, which provide lovely spots to watch the world go by while you wait for the next performance of the Glockenspiel, the famous clock on the front of the New Town Hall. The Old Rathaus is here too, as is the church of St. Peter. Interesting fact – the New Town Hall is actually older than the old one. This is because much of the town halls were rebuilt since war damage changed the cityscape in World War Two – including the Fischbrunnen, Fish Fountain, located at the New Town Hall entrance.
Eating and drinking is geared towards tourists here, but, as many of these visitors are German, standards are usually high. Dip into beer halls and cellars for classic local dishes such as sausage paired with sauerkraut. Ratskeller has staff in dirndls and wooden benches for an old-world atmosphere. Just make sure to park up your hire car beforehand to truly sample Germany’s best beers.
Munich’s modern side
This isn’t a city stuck in the past – it’s an industrial powerhouse that is embracing the future too. There’s no finer symbol of that than the impressive Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich. They’re not just one of Germany’s best football teams, but a big player on the Champions League table too. It’s as impressive outside as in, with shifting colours which light up the city’s skyline.
German car manufactures, BMW, have a huge presence in the city and are a major employer. BMW Welt is their landmark HQ, complete with a museum that looks back at the manufacturer’s history but also displays some of their rarest and most valuable cars. It’s a must for petrolheads.
Gardens and museums
It’s easy to enrich your cultural life in Munich, whether it’s at one of the numerous castles, museums or even in the great outdoors. For the latter, stroll the charming Englischer Garten – English Garden – a vast and beautiful park with lakes, a Greek temple (the Monopteros), a Japanese tea house and, of course, a beer garden.
If the weather isn’t so kind, head indoors to the Residenz, once the palace of the Wittelsbach rulers. It’s a lavishly decorated ode to conspicuous consumption. The same goes for Schloss Nymphenburg and the Linderhof Palace – European history brought to life through baroque architecture and decoration.
Hertz car hire gives you access to all the grand sights of Munich and Bavaria.