Munich

Munich, Germany

In Munich there is so much more than just the Oktoberfest or Lederhosen. The beautiful bavarian capital has much more to offer. A mixture of exclusive shopping, art, culture, indulgence and tradition makes this city unmistakable. Moreover, Germany’s most cheerful residents live here.

Population:

1.5 million

Currency:

1 Euro, € = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

110 Police
112 Fire brigade, Ambulance

Opening Hours:

Department stores and large shops are open from about 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Saturdays from 10am to 6pm (larger ones until 8pm). Grocery shops often open from 7am. The shops are closed on Sundays. A small selection of food is available in garages, at the central station and also at the airport.

Newspapers:

Süddeutsche Zeitung
Münchner Merkur
Abendzeitung
tz
Bildzeitung/Munich
Prinz (events)
Prinz (events)

The City

In Munich, it’s the mix that makes the message. Old meets new, past meets present and future, the modern blends harmoniously with the traditional, bits and bytes with beer, business and leisure. For the visitor, there is never any shortage of sights to see or activities to engage in.
The Bavarian Metropolis with its 1.5 million inhabitants lies virtually at the centre of Europe.
Munich’s origin goes back to an early settlement of monks from the Tegernsee Monastery which was called “ad Munichen” (the monks’ home).

The situation leading to its later growth was treated by an act of violence of Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria from the House of Guelph. At that time the salt transports coming from Reichenhall and Hallein had to go over a bridge spanning the Isar River at Föhring north of Munich. The bridge passage was accompanied by a toll, and this traffic brought considerable revenue to the Bishop of Freising in whose territory Föhring was located. Henry the Lion had this bridge destroyed forcing the salt transports to use his new bridge a few miles upstream in ducal territory. On June 14, 1158, the new bridge, the market, the customs office and the mint at “Munichen” were approved by imperial decree thus in one fell swoop the monastic settlement assumed a completely different function. The rapidly prospering town was selected by the ruling family of the Wittelsbach in the middle of the 13th century as its Residence due to a territorial split and in 1294 it was granted a new municipal charter. During the reign of Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian – of the Wittelsbach family – the city extended its walls six fold and in 1504 it finally became the capital of the reunited Duchy of Bavaria. Under the 700 years of Wittelsbach reign as dukes, electors and kings Munich attained increasingly the reputation of being a European centre of culture.

Year after year, Munich takes gold in German city rankings. When asked where they would prefer to live, most Germans say Munich. The reason is simple: a magic combination of a vigorous economy and top-notch leisure time activities and outstanding cultural offerings.

Welcome back to Munich! Since Pentecost holidays in Munich are finally possible again:
Hotels and guesthouses can welcome guests again, museums and galleries are open again,
Guided tours are again possible, and the catering trade can again entertain guests inside and outside.
We look forward to seeing you again in Munich!

Please continue to keep a safe distance of at least one and a half metres from other people. In addition, wearing a mouth-and-nose protector on public transport as well as in all shops, museums, galleries, exhibitions, etc. is prohibited. It is also compulsory within the catering trade. Non-observance will be prosecuted under criminal law.

Further information can be found at www.muenchen.de/int/en

Covid-19 Information

Find information about current COVID-19 restrictions and about your visit in munich here:

https://www.munich.travel/en/topics/events-in-munich/covid-current-information-about-your-visit-to-munich

Do & See

Munich has come to be associated with the Oktoberfest, the Hofbräuhaus, the Olympic grounds and the Fasching carnival. However, Munich also has an international reputation as a metropolis of both, art and culture. Its music scene ranges from classical to jazz and pop and the many museums display impressive collections.

Dining

Perhaps most people associate Munich with beer and there certainly are a lot of breweries and beer halls in the city. But don’t miss Munich’s classic high-calorie everyday cooking! Haxe is knuckle of pork and it tastes good together with sauerkraut and “Knoedel“ (dumplings). We also recommend apple strudel and custard or a Dampfnudel (a kind of cream bun with chocolate or vanilla custard) for dessert.