Munich travelers and residents, lend me your ideas

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Wife and I are planning a holiday to Munich for Christmas. Neither of us have been, so we're going in not knowing very much, apart from what Wiki Travel tells us.

Looking for recommendations on places to stay (looking for an apartment, so that we can cook meals if we feel like it), most likely in Schwabing. We do know that the Christmas Market is open in the Marienplatz area, but are open to other sites to see.

We are all ears :)
 
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halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
0
You're going 3 months too late!

Hoffbrau house is right off of Marienplatz, though you'll be missing out on the outdoor seating.
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
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You're going 3 months too late!

Hoffbrau house is right off of Marienplatz, though you'll be missing out on the outdoor seating.

We can still do the Hoffbrau (or any -brauhaus really) bierhall, possibly even the biergartens as it apparently doesn't get *too* cold during Christmas. Also, we'll most likely be leaving sub zero (celcius) temps, so anything above that will feel balmy :D
 

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Are you looking to stay only in Munich or willing to travel around? Pretty much all of Bavaria is a day trip from Munich but I liked staying the night in the surrounding cities. If you do go out, go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. A fantastic Altstadt still lies there. Wuerzburg has a fortress, a Romanesque cathedral that was redone in the Baroque style, a great Residenz, and a local wine industry (I preferred the Moesel valley though myself).

Be sure to at least check out the Residenz in Munich. Another good palace is Schloss Nymphenburg.
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Are you looking to stay only in Munich or willing to travel around? Pretty much all of Bavaria is a day trip from Munich but I liked staying the night in the surrounding cities. If you do go out, go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. A fantastic Altstadt still lies there. Wuerzburg has a fortress, a Romanesque cathedral that was redone in the Baroque style, a great Residenz, and a local wine industry (I preferred the Moesel valley though myself).

Be sure to at least check out the Residenz in Munich. Another good palace is Schloss Nymphenburg.

We're going to stay central Munich, and venture out from there. Vehicle for longer trips is always an option (debating a trip to Alps actually), or touristy setups for day trips.
 
Sep 12, 2004
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I haven't been there since the 80s (lived fairly close by Munich for a few years) but I would recommend:

Garmisch-Partenkirchen - some great skiing there if that's your thing, at the foot of the Austrian Alps. It is picturesque, classic Bavaria.

Oberammergau - a bit touristy but a nice little place

Neuschwanstein Castle - totally tourista but a must see

Rothenburg - Super touristy, but it's a medieval walled city and it's still very cool

Tour of BMW Headquarters/Museum - If you like beamers it's a must see

Drive a ways into the countryside and stop at a random Gasthaus in a podunk town. Chances are good you have some good food and great beer, and might even end up getting drunk with the owner. Germans are generally awesome and know how to party.
 

Colt45

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
19,720
1
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Any particular reason you want to go in winter?

bavaria isn't too cold in late december (by canadian standards at least), but it will be around or below freezing most of the time... which kinda sucks for touristing, imo.

(unless you are going skiing or something)
 

monkeydelmagico

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2011
3,961
145
106
I haven't been there since the 80s (lived fairly close by Munich for a few years) but I would recommend:

Garmisch-Partenkirchen - some great skiing there if that's your thing, at the foot of the Austrian Alps. It is picturesque, classic Bavaria.

Oberammergau - a bit touristy but a nice little place

Neuschwanstein Castle - totally tourista but a must see

Rothenburg - Super touristy, but it's a medieval walled city and it's still very cool

Tour of BMW Headquarters/Museum - If you like beamers it's a must see

Drive a ways into the countryside and stop at a random Gasthaus in a podunk town. Chances are good you have some good food and great beer, and might even end up getting drunk with the owner. Germans are generally awesome and know how to party.

Hell yeah. Was stationed over there for 6 years and agree with everything you just said. I would like to add:

Lowenbrau beer house in Munich. Garmisch and Neuschwanstein are close by. Mercedes museum if your into cars.

Your gonna love the open air markets during christmas. Just head for the Hauptstrasse (walking street?) and all will be revealed.
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Any particular reason you want to go in winter?

bavaria isn't too cold in late december (by canadian standards at least), but it will be around or below freezing most of the time... which kinda sucks for touristing, imo.

(unless you are going skiing or something)

We run a shutdown on both of our businesses during the Christmas/New Years season, so it's really the only time we can get away together for more then a weekend.

Being in 0c or slightly below weather will be fine.. we can dress appropriately, and fortify ourselves with schnitzels, biers and schnapps if need be :D
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Thanks everyone who has contributed.. real life experiences from those who have been make it a little easier to build a trip.
 

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
32
81
I am in Munich a few times every year for work and can answer any questions you have.

You are correct that the main Xmas market is down near Marienplatz. Just remember that the last day of the markets is the 24th around noon. This is when Germans celebrate Christmas (Heiligabend - Holy Evening) and not so much the 25th.

Many Americans (and tourists) can be Xmas market junkies. There are thousands of them in Germany and each one is different in its own local way.

The highlight of the Munich market IMO is the giant Xmas tree located in the courtyard behind the Rathaus. Otherwise I was honestly wasn't too impressed with it.

General Munich highlights for me include...

-Olympia Park / BMW Welt (BMW factory tour if you plan ahead.)
-Visiting the brew houses of the six main Munich breweries. I personally avoid the Hofbräuhaus and prefer the locales that serve Augustiner beer.
-Attend the Munich Opera
-Visit the Deutsches Museum (other museums in Munich)
-Walk through the English Gardens
-Visit the Munich city palace of Nymphenburg
-Catch a Bayern München football match if you can afford it
-Eat a real Brez'n (pretzel) and white sausage before noon with sweet mustard (Weisswurst).

I think your idea to use Munich as a base and then radiate out using rental car/train is a great idea. Nearby highlights include...

-Visit the ANDECHS monastery and brewery (Half-day trip)

-Visit the Concentration Camp in Dachau. Obviously this is quite sobering and educational. (Half-day trip)

-Visit the nearby town of Erding. Here you would find a cozier, smaller-town Christmas market. You can also visit the famous indoor waterpark,Therme Erding. You can also do the Erdinger brewery tour with beer drinking. When I did this tour in 2011, it cost me 10 EUR and included a 45-minute tour followed by 3 hours of unlimited beer drinking, pretzels, and white sausage. (Day trip)

-Visit at least one of the famous "fairytale" castles of King Ludwig II. These are Neuschwantein near Füssen, Linderhof near Oberammergau, or Schloss Chiemsee on the Herrenchiemsee island. While Neuschwanstein is the most famous, it was never finished and is the most touristy. Linderhof is the only one he finished and you can combine a visit there with visits to Oberammergau and the Ettal Monastery. The Chiemsee palace is cool because you have to take a boat to the island and the place is an incomplete replica of Versailles; its Hall of Mirrors is even larger than that of what the Sun King enjoyed near Paris. (Each of these is a day trip)

-Visit the Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden. (Day trip)

-Visit the most famous and most touristy of the German Christmas markets in Nürnberg. Eat some of the famous Nürnberger bratwursts. Visit the famous toy museum. (Day trip)

-Visit the oldest (and perhaps most beautiful) German Christmas market in Dresden and visit the famous Frauenkirche (Day trip)

(A lot more information on all German Xmas markets.)

-Visit the town and brewery in Tegernsee.

-Obviously if you want to turn this into some sort of winter sports/ski vacation, it would require a small book of recommendations, so I am assuming this is not your goal.

-I highly recommend using AirBnB to find a place to stay. You might consider looking at areas of Munich that are a little outside of the downtown area. Perhaps the Pasing neighborhood?

-Remember you can also stay at smaller German "Pensions" (Gasthof). These are cozy, small inns, that tend not to have large websites or be affiliated with large hotel booking sites. But they tend to be inexpensive.

-Learn this map.

-Learn how to use this website (even if you buy a Germany Rail Pass)
 
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olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,071
744
126
When I stayed in Munich we went to:
Oktoberfest
Dachau
Neuschwanstein castle
Hohenschwangau castle

We also stayed in Stuttgart and went to the Triberg Waterfalls and an old town that was a museum. All set up like it was in the 1600s or so. Can't recall the name of it.
Wanted to go to Hohenzollern Castle but never made it.
 

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
We're going to stay central Munich, and venture out from there. Vehicle for longer trips is always an option (debating a trip to Alps actually), or touristy setups for day trips.

The train system is also very good there. I do everything by train in Europe. Take a look at the Bahn.de website. You can actually order all your tickets in advance and have them mailed to you in the US or have e-tickets. Either, this can help you preplan your travel arrangements if you do not want to drive everywhere.

A few people have mentioned Garmisch and the Neuschwanstein. Garmisch and Fuessen are not too far apart so if you go to one, be sure to go to the other (spend the night out there). I think in general, Neuschwanstein is a letdown for the uninitiated. The exterior looks fantastic but you only get to see four rooms on the inside (though the Singer's Hall is very nice). However, Hohenschwangau is next door and that is a complete castle built by Mad Ludwig II's father so be sure to go to both.

Honestly, I can only second GTAudiophile's post. Especially eating the Weisswurst with Susssenf (sweet mustard) and a Brezeln. A fantastic breakfast that can be got pretty much anywhere in Munich.

Tripadvisor is a great help for finding good places to stay. They are one of the few places that can give you a lot of reviews of the smaller guesthouses.

Everybody has talked up Augustiner, but my favorite Munich beer is Franziskaner with Erdinger being a suitable replacement. Don't forget to try Radler. It's a shandy of Weissbier and Lemonade (German lemonade is either lemon-lime soda like Sprite or a carbonated lemonade in the French fashion like Lorina). I've gotten Radler in other parts of Germany but it isn't anywhere as good unless they use Weissbier. And the best part about Germany is that in terms of price per volume, bier is generally your cheapest choice! So you're just being a crafty consumer!
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,071
744
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neu.jpg
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Finally had a chance to login and just wanted to say thank you for all of the suggestions and RL experiences.

We're waiting to hear back from a couple of apartment owners; one about 15ish minute walk south of the Sendlinger Tor, and the other a bit further out, in the Freischutzstrafe/Fideliostrafe area (east of the Isar, but only about a 10 minute walk to the bus).

Outside of the Christkindlmarket, we have no concrete plans, so we'll basically be pulling a bunch of everyone's suggestions out of a hat each day :p

Also, I think we'll be taking up running, as we expect we'll be drinking our faces off :D
 

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
32
81
Finally had a chance to login and just wanted to say thank you for all of the suggestions and RL experiences.

We're waiting to hear back from a couple of apartment owners; one about 15ish minute walk south of the Sendlinger Tor, and the other a bit further out, in the Freischutzstrafe/Fideliostrafe area (east of the Isar, but only about a 10 minute walk to the bus).

Outside of the Christkindlmarket, we have no concrete plans, so we'll basically be pulling a bunch of everyone's suggestions out of a hat each day :p

Also, I think we'll be taking up running, as we expect we'll be drinking our faces off :D

Sendlinger Tor is very central and near the English Gardens (Chinese Tower) for running/biking/surfing.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,071
744
126
Also, olds, how much to rent your summer house in the background there :p
:D

I don't remember how much it was to tour. But the line for the English tour was crazy long and the line for the German tour was like 8 people. We took the German tour.
 
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Bacstar

Golden Member
Nov 2, 2006
1,273
30
91
I am in Munich a few times every year for work and can answer any questions you have.


I think your idea to use Munich as a base and then radiate out using rental car/train is a great idea. Nearby highlights include...

-Visit the ANDECHS monastery and brewery (Half-day trip)

-Visit the Concentration Camp in Dachau. Obviously this is quite sobering and educational. (Half-day trip)

-Visit the nearby town of Erding. Here you would find a cozier, smaller-town Christmas market. You can also visit the famous indoor waterpark,Therme Erding. You can also do the Erdinger brewery tour with beer drinking. When I did this tour in 2011, it cost me 10 EUR and included a 45-minute tour followed by 3 hours of unlimited beer drinking, pretzels, and white sausage. (Day trip)

-Visit at least one of the famous "fairytale" castles of King Ludwig II. These are Neuschwantein near Füssen, Linderhof near Oberammergau, or Schloss Chiemsee on the Herrenchiemsee island. While Neuschwanstein is the most famous, it was never finished and is the most touristy. Linderhof is the only one he finished and you can combine a visit there with visits to Oberammergau and the Ettal Monastery. The Chiemsee palace is cool because you have to take a boat to the island and the place is an incomplete replica of Versailles; its Hall of Mirrors is even larger than that of what the Sun King enjoyed near Paris. (Each of these is a day trip)

-Visit the Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden. (Day trip)

-Visit the most famous and most touristy of the German Christmas markets in Nürnberg. Eat some of the famous Nürnberger bratwursts. Visit the famous toy museum. (Day trip)

-Visit the oldest (and perhaps most beautiful) German Christmas market in Dresden and visit the famous Frauenkirche (Day trip)

(A lot more information on all German Xmas markets.)

-Visit the town and brewery in Tegernsee.

-Remember you can also stay at smaller German "Pensions" (Gasthof). These are cozy, small inns, that tend not to have large websites or be affiliated with large hotel booking sites. But they tend to be inexpensive.

-Learn this map.

-Learn how to use this website (even if you buy a Germany Rail Pass)

I did a lot of this last year when I decided to stay an extra week to sight-see during Oktoberfest. Bavaria has some of the most beautiful countryside I've seen in a long time while driving around to the various locations you listed.

We always parked at the station and took the train in and out of Munich and stayed in a couple different Gasthof in or around Aying the two years I've made the trip. Driving in downtown Munich seemed pretty scary.

Still have the business card for one place. Has a great little restaurant and view of the Alps.

www.zur-schoenen-aussicht.com
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
10
0
No Bundesliga play during our stay, as they will be on their Christmas break.

Was hoping for a friendly or two, but nothing local

Too bad

Regardless, get some beer and go visit some castles.....if you are into cars, some Factory tours should be in order as well.
 

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,113
1
81
Too bad

Regardless, get some beer and go visit some castles.....if you are into cars, some Factory tours should be in order as well.

Oh, beer and cars won't be an issue :p Mrs Blakeatwork has been practicing her 1 litre stein-hold technique.