biergarten

My favorite season is here again: biergarten! 

The Muffathalle biergarten has an opening weekend special on March 30th: each Maß is just 4.50€! 

Which biergarten is your favorite? 

Cheapest Oktoberfest Maß

If you're running low on cash or simply want to experience another of Munich's great characteristics head towards Haidhausen and make a stop at the Muffathalle Biergarten (S-bahn Rosenheimerplatz).

It's likely the least expensive Maß of Oktoberfest beer and costs just 4.80€ for one liter (from Hofbräuhaus).

The atmosphere is charming -  right near the Isar River and it's open later than normal biergartens. On weekends they often have live music, too.

The hours are Monday - Thursday (15:00 - open end) + Friday - Sunday (noon - open end).

Maybe I'll see you there!

Paulaner Biergarten Radler Sorbet

In honor of Oktoberfest, and my love for ice cream making, I thought I'd attempt a couple inspired flavors: Radler Sorbet for the end of summer and Beer Ice Cream.

First up is the sorbet...

For this sorbet I created a recipe and illustration inspired by Paulaner's Nockherberg where we often bike for a lazy biergarten afternoon.

A Radler, or 'cyclist', is a biergarten favorite that is a mix of lemon soda and a helles (light) beer. They are refreshing and light.

Here's the recipe I used if you'd like to try it yourself...  

Radler Sorbet:

1 bottle of beer (12 oz.) chilled
2/3 cup lemon-lime soda / sprite
1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp lime juice
lemon zest

Boil the sugar + soda into a simple syrup
Pour the beer into the sugar syrup mix
Add lime juice + zest
Continue boiling for several minutes
Sieve out the zest + chill
Put into the ice cream maker for ~ 30 minutes.

Prost! 

Munich in May

What a busy month this has been.

we toured the Paulaner brewery and learned how to tap a wooden keg

celebrated a certain special someone's birthday

took a trip to Moscow

said hello to sunny days with endless flowers and creative cupcakes

... and goodbye (or at least bis später!) to good friends

We'll be traveling for the entire month of June to some of our favorite places. I can't wait to share more of our travels!

Paulaner Brewery Tour + Free Beer

I've always thought the breweries here should offer tours akin to those offered at the champagne houses in Reims. Last year I read about the sightseeing beer tour, which pays a visit to Spatenbräu.

We're bigger Augustiner and Paulaner consumers, so I filed it away as something that might be fun when we have visitors.

Today I booked a Paulaner tour, which includes a tour of the brewery, beer taping course, tasting of 3 beers, a brotzeit, and a 2 course meal. The discounted offer is good for the next week with random dates from May through October.

Is it sad that I will be proud to hang my beer taping course certificate?

Another date to mark in your calendar, if you're in Munich, is 23 April. This is the day of the Reinheitsgebot anniversary for the purity law that went into effect back in 1516. The city celebrates with 1000 liters (Maß) of beer for free.

To be part of the celebrations make sure you're at the beer fountain at Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 1. It will probably be a little chaotic since it's on a Saturday this year. Prost!

Jakobidult

It's that time of year again. The Au neighborhood of Munich puts on its traditional festival, this one in late summer being the Jakobidult. What makes it special this time around is this is the 700th year.

I'm not entirely certain what is the decisive factor in figuring out what can be sold there, because as always there is a large array of the most bizarre things. Case in point - tiny bits to build your own doll.

We also saw a soap box race before heading up to the nearby Nockherberg biergarten. There were so many interesting cars - including one that was a motorized beer case to with enough power to drag cars back up to the top of the hill.

It really was the perfect Munich Sunday.

99 luft balloons + a few more

The sun is shining again and we're making the most of having the biergartens all around the city to enjoy with friends.

We were thrilled to have some visitors who made their way here from London - complete with a side trip to Northern France and Paris. If that wasn't enough, they brought us some Pierre Hermé macarons + pastries. I definitely can't get enough of those. They are so thoughtful.

We had just seen Rob and Katie a couple weeks ago in London, but it's so much fun to get together. I took them to all of my favorite places around town and I ate as if I was on vacation as well. We checked out a few of the biergartens, ate some Bavarian foods, and had lazy afternoons.

Just yesterday there was a gorgeous display of red balloons in front of the Opera House. It was there early in the morning to bring attention to the cause of a children's charity, however it was quickly removed before the early evening.

The sight was impressive none the less. I love balloons. They are so whimsical and fun.

Through the past couple of weeks we visited the Bad Tölz Käsefest (cheese festival). There was a huge variety - including sliced cheeses, cheese pralines, raclette, horse cheese!? and the ever traditional rahmbrot. The little calf was especially sweet, too. The sun was blazing, so we were all worn out when we got back to Munich.

This coming weekend is one of the great city celebrations - Munich's founding birthday.

Unfortunately we won't be able to attend, because we'll actually be heading to a wedding, but if you're in town make your way to the city center for a fantastic afternoon.

Chunnel

Our getaway began early last Wednesday and we got back late last night.

Nearly everything went perfectly.

About that nearly part... well, we got stuck on the Eurostar Chunnel train for over 3 hours. Evidently something was wrong with the CO2 levels and our 1.5 hour trip turned into 6 hours. I over planned and we had to save a few things for our next visit, which we hopefully won't have to wait too long for - especially since we have a free ticket waiting for us due to the hassle.

The good news was that we had booked the earliest train around 7am, so we didn't completely lose out on our short getaway to London.

The bad news was after 6 hours on the train, without a book or magazine, things can get pretty boring, especially after the pastries are gone. It also didn't help that across the aisle was a woman whose mannerisms were annoying me to no end. I've never seen someone so fidgety and abrupt.

Five days away, in 2 of Europe's large metropolitan cities, makes Munich feel very villagey. My feet are still aching from miles and miles of walking. I really should get a pedometer, because I can't imagine how much ground we covered.

I will have plenty to write about in the coming days (as well as tons of photos).

And before I forget, we visited the new Lufthansa biergarten lounge at the Munich airport. The woman checking our tickets asked if we were sure we wanted to go to that lounge, because the other one we have access to is also brand new and more exclusive.

I took photos of two of the three. The biergarten is nice enough, but I'm not convinced it lives up to the hype. In Munich, all of the lounges have beer and pretzels. Not many people were even using the tables and benches. Perhaps that's because it was an early morning on a weekday.

Lufthansa Biergarten

I keep reading about the new biergarten at the Munich airport. It's partnered up with Franziskaner to offer beer and pretzel pre-flight for those traveling business class.

I'll stop by next week and let you know what it's like, because we're going to Paris.

Our home airport was recently even voted the best in Europe and the 4th best world wide. We're very lucky to have it, even if there isn't an express train into the city. I'm glad we live so close to the subway.

A 30€ day in Munich + a giveaway!

The easiest way to save money in Munich is obviously by having a friend or family member living there... Yes, I'm talking to you friends and family who have yet to visit!

For the rest of you I composed a guide to a day in Munich on a budget of 30€.

As a special bonus to readers in Germany, the wonderful folks from gutschein-codes.de are sponsoring a 50€ Amazon.com gift card giveaway.

You can use their site for instant savings on travel or photo prints from your latest trip, as well as everyday shopping.

The contest is open to those with a German mailing address and limited to one entry per person. All you have to do is leave a comment about your favorite money saving travel tip or favorite place to visit in Munich between now and 7 March 2010 at 23:59 (CET). The winner will be chosen using Random.org.

Please make sure I am able to contact you if you win!

Viel Glück!

Below are some of my favorite places in and around the city center to enjoy on a budget. Munich is truly more of a village, so traversing on foot is relatively easy, although we do have a stellar subway system.

Simply click the image to enlarge it or print it out and take it along. There is also a map with the designated places marked below, so you can easily find your way.

Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the contest!

Here are a few of my tips:
- stay above ground so you can see more and make up for all of the walking with delicious foods
- stop by an apple store to check your emails for free
- many restaurants have lunch specials - eat a large lunch so you have energy to burn and because it's much less expensive.
- if you want to make your own 'bierprobe' purchase beer at the grocery where bottles are very inexpensive
- find groceries in the basements of many department stores and purchase drinks there


View 30€ day in Munich in a larger map

Other free activities to consider:
Gärtnerplatz - beautiful flowers and a great place to people watch
Olympic Park - this was the stage of the 1972 olympics, and if Munich has it's way, in 2018 it will be the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympics.
BMW Museum - the tours are not free, however going inside the museum and looking around is.
'Free City Tour' - guides work off of tips

Check back March 8th to see who won, and if you're in Germany visit gutschein-codes.de for more money saving opportunities!

The giveaway is over - congratulations to the winner: Andi!

Summer in Munich

Here are a few of little details I've appreciated over the past couple weeks.

I cannot believe it's already August.

We have plenty to do this month:
- finish getting visas
- our final round of vaccinations (The tetanus shot sure did our arms in)
- figure out a packing list
- book hotels
- celebrate 3 years of wedded bliss! (I'm definitely looking forward to that one)

But in the meantime, I love reading a good book at the park and stopping at the biergarten or for some gelato on the way home.

Oktoberfest Tips

Since I live in Munich, Oktoberfest is a common topic and a large reason people visit. Suddenly our delightful and efficient subway system swells to maximum capacity and renders anything in the vicinity of Theresenwiese useless for the few weeks that Oktoberfest lasts.

When + Why? 
First things first - Oktoberfest begins in September.
2010: September 18 - October 4 (this is the 200th anniversary!)
2011: September 17 - October 3
2012: September 22 - October 7

It's the celebration of what must have been an elaborate wedding reception that was so amazing it continues on today. People here often refer to it as 'Wies'n'. It's sensory overload and what many Americans would consider a glorified fair.

Go super early if you want a chance at getting a table. Even then many are reserved, so you will have to squeeze in or find one that's open. You have to be seated at a table to be served, so that can also be an issue.

From what I understand the best time to get a table is on Monday after the first weekend, when everyone is partied out. This is according to the cab drivers, who I assume have a slump on the first Monday. Even though many tables are reserved they are open through the early part of the day and free for the taking, so go early!

Cost

Oktoberfest is free to roam through, however beer prices climb each year...

Here are the prices from the past couple years:
2009 = 8.10-8.60€ / liter
2010 = 8.40-8.90€ / liter.

It's easy to drop a lot of cash, although it tends to be a wonderful time. 

As a side note, many of the biergartens offer their special Oktoberfest brews for a bit less. Yes, you'll miss out on some of the camaraderie, but I doubt you'll want to spend a week straight guzzling beers - especially at such steep prices and the biergartens are something not to be missed. 

How can you reserve a table?
Well you're going to need a lot of friends and a fair amount of money. Reservations are done many months in advance towards the beginning of the year and it certainly helps to know people. If you're a tourist you can pretty much bank on not getting a reservation, but it doesn't mean you're out on the fun.

The reason it's a fair amount of money is because you receive vouchers towards food and drink purchases, so you're essentially paying for things up front so the tent owners get their money. 

You can read more information on the Official Oktoberfest site. 

Tents
The tents are all very different (here are photos of the interiors + exteriors). It's worth trying to walk around and walk in, even if there are no seats in the place. If there are seats you will probably want to grab them while you can. When choosing tents it's best to pick by the beer selection... avoid drinking logos with animals or tools.

You're in luck if you're a group of ladies, however you might get harassed a bit. Last year we had offers for golf lessons, free tickets to a Beatles Experience show, and my friend even had a marriage proposal from a Norweigen guy. 1. Hippodrom - smallest of the tents and a bit of 'see and be seen' atmosphere. It seems the TV stations are always there... as are those who want to mingle 

2. Armbrustschützen-Festhalle - 'crossbow shooting tent' - this is ultra traditional with the oompah music and all.

3. Hofbräu-Festzelt - The place to go if you want to hang out with Americans or Australians. It's a frat party atmosphere. This tent was also clearly the smelliest after the smoking ban.

4. Hacker-Festzelt - This tent is very beautiful and it appears as though you're sitting under the sky.

5. Schottenhamel - This is the tent that starts it all at noon on the first day. The Mayor taps the kegs here before the others can begin. It tends to be very traditional and cosy since they have unique square tables and a favorite among all.

6. Winzerer Fähndl - Cosy Paulaner tent with the enormous beer on top.

7. Schützen-Festzelt - Löwenbräu tent right under the Lady Bavaria statue.

8. Käfer's Wies'n-Schänke - A posh tent with higher end food, due to being owned by one of the gourmet groceries in town.

9. Weinzelt - wine tent with an older clientele and late hours.

10. Löwenbräu-Festhalle - least popular among locals (or maybe that's just my opinion). You're probably going to regret sitting outside and hearing the Lion rawr 'Löwenbräu' every few minutes.

11. Bräurosl -  traditional and untraditional Hacker Pschorr tent. This tent is popular for gay men, especially on the first Sunday of the fest.

12. Augustiner-Festhalle - very popular with the locals. This is Munich's beer - yes, they all technically are, but this is a favorite.  
13. Spatenbräu-Festhalle (Ochsenbraterei) - Ox specialities. Each ox has a name and you can read who is being served up daily, when it was born, and how much it weighed.

14. Fischer-Vroni - catering to fish specialities and even sushi. 

More information on the tents and Oktoberfest can be found here.

Food

As with all of the food here - it is very meat heavy. If you are a meat eater or lover, you will probably find things you'd enjoy. 

As a vegetarian you can enjoy pretzels, obatzda (a delicacy that is a mixture of cheeses, (primarily camembert), onions, spices, and butter), or spätzle. 

There are also plenty of places to buy spiced nuts and those gingerbread hearts you will see everywhere, although I'm told while the gingerbread is completely edible you're not supposed to eat it (probably because it doesn't taste that great). 

If you get tired of Bavarian food or want to eat where locals eat look at the Munich Visitor's Guide.

Clothing

Tracht (lederhosen + dirndl) is the traditional attire for the Oktoberfest. It's fun to dress like the locals and there are a variety of places to purchase inexpensive tracht (especially along 'Tal' between Marienplatz and Isartor), however there are quite a few rules to making it work and not looking like you're in a Halloween costume. Funky tights and shoes being one of the worst fashion faux pas. 

Tracht can be seen as Bavarian formal wear - remember this is for Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen's ongoing wedding reception. Some ultra traditional wedding parties still wear this when they are getting married, so gym shoes etc. look really ridiculous. 

There's even a particular way to tie your apron ladies, to denote if you are a virgin (middle), single (left), married / taken (right), or widow / waitress (back). I don't know who wants to advertise being a virgin at the Oktoberfest, but that's local lore and I've never seen it - you can take that for what it's worth. 

Hotels
For a hotel I would get something close to one of the S-bahn lines or near the U4/ U5 if possible. Also close by is the U3 /U6. 

 Those are the lines to get to the Oktoberfest, although there are plenty of others with the tram as well. You're probably going to need to get on that pronto, because hotels get super expensive and book out very fast.

Even better is figuring out the walking route from your hotel to the Wies'n. 

If you have a super tight budget you can try to book online with Wombats once they open their online reservations June 1 at Noon (Central European Time). 

They do have several double rooms if you're not wanting to sleep in a room with drunken strangers, but you really have to be quick. I'm also not certain what the alternative is, because not having a hotel or place to stay in June leaves slim pickings. 

Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day rolls around I always think 'what would my Mom enjoy today?' Last year we went to the biergarten to enjoy the beautiful day in her honor and decided to do the same this year. She does love a good beer from time to time and once again it was a great day to enjoy outside.

We started the day with breakfast on our balcony. I defrosted my very last Naga cookie from Vosges. My mom and I share a love for these and unfortunately they are out of stock on their website, so I wasn't able to send any her way.

Another thing that I am immensely proud of, that always reminds me of my Mom, is my basil plant. I cannot believe I have my very own - and it's growing! Just last weekend I was talking to Stefan's Mom about it and she said, 'these aren't meant to last, you just throw it away when it's done.' My Mom grows the most insane bushels of organic basil.

I'll admit that I don't really have a green thumb, despite the fact my grandparents owned a green house, which is why I usually stick to fresh cut flowers. Stefan even surprised me with a beautiful bouquet for completing my 'Zertifikat Deutsch' (German language test). How sweet is he?

What's funny is virtually any time my mother in law comes to visit, she brings a plant. Stefan received an early birthday gift - a hanging plant for our balcony, yet I was the one given directions on how to care for it and this time - fertilizer. I don't take it as insult, but more of a personal challenge to actually keep it alive. So far, so good.

Our visit to the biergarten this afternoon was wonderful, except we had to celebrate with a sign instead of a real Mom like the neighboring tables. We packed our brotzeit and shared my favorite spätzel at Nockherberg, as the sun shined through the beautiful canopy.

Hope you have as beautiful of a day Mom!

Visitor's Guide to Munich

I have previously written about my favorite things in Munich, which you can get to by clicking the link. Other posts about Munich can be found here.

If you're visiting Munich on a budget, you can see my favorite things to do while spending only 30€ a day here.

...and if you are looking for information about Oktoberfest click here.

If you are an expat or new to Munich also check out Internations, which is a networking resource to get out and meet other expats in your new city.

Obviously the list will continue to grow and I will do my best to update it when I stumble upon great things.

These are some of the restaurants + stores that I enjoy and hopefully some helpful info for tourists. Please let me know if you have questions or are planning a trip by commenting on any post. I'll do what I can to help!

Some of my favorite restaurants - addresses and locations can be found on the respective websites. I've marked my favorites with a star.★

Inexpensive

• Vapiano - open kitchen Italian. German chain that is opening in the US.
• Gast - open kitchen pizzas, pastas, salads, + rice dishes
• Ocui - open kitchen pizzas, pastas, salads, + rice dishes [review]
• Kaimug - Thai
• ★ Taco Libre - Chipotle-esque tacos, quesadillas, and burritos [review]
• Dean + David - fresh salads, wraps, and specialty dishes
• Schnelle Liebe - pastas, salads, + focaccias
• ★ Stachaus Passagen - lots of inexpensive food options in a beautiful space
• ★ Le Buffet - top floor of Oberpollinger department store (right near Karlsplatz). Upscale cafeteria with great food, a beautiful roof top dining area, and huge portions. The stir fry is my favorite.
• Pasta e Basta - Italian. I've never been, but I always hear it's very inexpensive with large portions. Many dishes are less than 6€.
• If you are looking for a grocery in the city, they are located in the basement of many of the department stores.

Beer gardens + Bavarian food

• You may want to sample various beers from different companies, or if you are partial to one you can visit their specific biergarten.
• A word to the wise - if you go to Hofbräuhaus you will be amongst tourists. You can walk through without eating there. The food is better elsewhere.
• Stammtisch - this is the table designated for the regulars, it typically has a table cloth and sign. Don't sit there.
• You can bring your own food into the biergartens, although not the outdoor restaurant area that is served. Bringing your own beer is 'verboten'.
• Michaelibad - a bit off the beaten track, located in the multi cultural Ostpark. Scenic with a nice pond.
• ★ Paulaner am Nockherberg- sit down restaurant + beer garden. My favorite place for Bavarian food. Mostly locals.
• ★ Wirtshaus in der Au - knödel dumplings and great Bavarian food in a quiet neighborhood. 
• Hofbräukeller + Biergarten at Wienerplatz - a nice neighborhood biergarten in Haidhausen with many trees. [it's beautiful, but a bit trendy and can be difficult to find a place to sit]
• ★ Augustiner Keller - Home to Munich's beloved beer with a great beer hall atmosphere and affordable food.
• Hirschgarten - large park + biergarten complete with 'hirsch' (deer).
• ★ Chinesischer Turm - Chinese tower located in the Englischer Garten. Live music and a mix of tourists and locals.

Nicer dinners

• Tramin - reputed to be the best restaurant in the city with an inventive menu
• Cocoon - mixed menu with interesting combinations
• ★ zum Goldenen Kalb - the best steak house in the city
• Brenner Grill - pastas and Italian foods
• Hippocampus - mixed menu with a large variety of fish - beautiful courtyard

Unique / Specialty

• ★ Nero - exquisite wood fired pizzas with terrific value. One of my favorites.
• Bernard + Bernard - crepes. Located at Innerer-Wiener-Str. 32 (Haidhausen) - small restaurant with delicious variety.
• ★ Ganesha - Indian. My heart swells for this food + it's the best I've found in the city. 
• ★ Pavesi Picnic - modern Indian inspired dishes in a beautiful atmosphere. 
• Welser - Kuche - medieval dinner complete with ancient recipes (located under the Feldhernnhalle at Odeonsplatz)
• ★ The Burger House - the very best burgers in all of Munich, even for an American. 
• Blind Angel - dinner in the dark
• Pommes Boutique - french fries with 20 sauces
• Condesa - Tacos, burritos, and quesadillas 
• ★ Fei Scho - dim sum with Bavarian influences [review]
• Cosmo Grill - gourmet burgers
• ★ LaBaracca - Italian style tapas with a self serve wine bar
• ★ Milagros - charming + authentic Mexican food
• ★ Nomiya - Bavarian meets Japanese 
• ★ Sababa - awesome and inexpensive falafels at Viktualienmarkt 
• Emiko - small portion Japanese inside the Louis Hotel.
• Sasou - quick asian dishes (mainly Japanese) with a beautiful interior
• Sushi + soul - sushi
• Mao - chinese
• ★ Cyclo - vietnamese 
• Schneewittchen - a beautiful little café with coffee + pastries
• Theresa - great atmosphere with a wide array of grilled foods
• UniLounge - lounge bar with a beautiful interior. Many young people + students.
• Lorenzo Corno gelato (Hohenzollernstraße 44) - my favorite taste of Italian gelato in Munich.
• ★ Ballabeni gelato (Theresienstraße 46) - serves the same gelato as Lorenzo Corno's, but closer to the city center. You'll be dreaming of this for a long time!
• Schubeck's ice cream - specialty flavors
• Sarcletti's ice cream - specialty flavors
• Der verrückte eis macher - really off beat ice cream, weißwurst, sweet mustard, Augustiner...
• Gesellschaftsraum - an interesting fusion menu with very unusual parings [review]
• ★ Negroni - the best cocktail bar in the city
• ★ Maelu - incredible pastries 

Shopping

• ★ Stancsics - specialty truffles + chocolates (try the salt chocolate!)
• Stolberg- high end chocolates
• ★ Schrannenhalle - Indoor market with individual stalls. It's lovely. 
• Dallmayr - Munich's high end grocery. You can get lunch to go, or specialty items to take home
• Käfer - another upscale grocery with a large selection
• Tea House - an enormous assortment of loose tea, candy with tea, tea pots... everything tea related
• Angermaier - nice 'tracht' (dirndls + lederhosen)
• Fünf Höfe - architecturally stunning shopping mall in the city center. Great place for inexpensive meals.
• Muji - Japanese 'no brand' store
• Alessi - design store inside Fünf Höfe
• Obacht' - modern Bavarian souvenirs
• ★ servus heimat - another great shop for modern Bavarian / Munich items
• Hugendubel English - Book store with English books + magazines
• Literatur Moths - an interesting book shop with a modern selection - the children's books are particularly nice.
• Kleidermarkt - vintage, thrift, and new clothing... always something new. 
• ★ Bears + Friends - exotic gummy candies - if you like spicy things try the chili peppers. I love them. The tea leaves are delicious, too. 
• ★ COS - collection of style... my favorite clothing store
• ★ Globetrotter - impressive outdoor / travel store with many interesting elements
• ★ Kokolores - a great stationery/curiosities shop in a great neighborhood
• Magazin - design store inside Fünf Höfe with many Scandinavian designers represented
• Kokon - home wares
• Kare - home wares + unique furniture
• Kochgut - anything you'd want for a well designed kitchen
• Butlers - entertaining + kitchen accessories with unique table settings
• Das Depot - modern homewares and inexpensive seasonally themed gifts
• 1260 Grad - handmade dishwear by Petra Fischer
• Janik + Janik - a tiny, but beautiful stationery and gift shop
• Carta Pura - unique and specialty papers
• Semicolon - another paper shop with a decent selection
• Engel + Bengel - design oriented gifts for little ones and moms to be

*my favorite gifts to take home are : exotic honey, jams, teas, chocolates, curry ketchup, gummy candies, creamy balsamics, and mustards. They have an enormous variety for each of these.

There are also a large assortment of Birkenstock sandals, which are one of the few things that seem to be cheaper here than in other countries. (My favorites are the Madrid style).

Tourist information offices

• Pick up brochures and other information about Munich and surrounding cities. Locations at the Hauptbahnhof (near Busbahnhof) and in Marienplatz.
• A helpful pdf file can be downloaded here (in English): Young and about in Munich
• Prepare for your trip while looking at Munich Daily Photo

Subways + Public Transport

• Public transport here is safe, affordable, efficient, and widely used.
• Coming from the airport you will need to purchase a ticket. While the transport is based on the honor system, being fined 40€+ per person won't leave you happy. For additional information about traveling to and from the airport click here.
• Group tickets are good for up to 5 people and are good for the entire day.
• Maps and bus plans can be obtained free of charge at tourist information or at the Marienplatz underground MVV office.
• Buying a weekly ticket is sometimes the best option. Depending on how far you want to travel (how many rings). They offer unlimited travel within the number of selected rings. Be aware this will not work to get you to the airport, unless you purchase the more expensive ticket, which defeats the purpose.
• Tickets can be used on straßenbahns, Ubahns, Sbahns, and buses. The same ticket is valid on all modes of public transport.
• Validate your ticket in the blue box - the only needs to be done once at the start of your journey. Weekly tickets do not need to be validated, nor do those with the date pre-stamped.
• Subway doors do not open automatically - you will need to push the button or pull the handle.
• Use the MVV route planner (also in English) - it can tell you the fastest routes and you will see more of the city if you're not always taking the subway.
• Straßenbahn 17 is known as the sightseeing line - take a ride and hop off when you see something interesting.

Best City Views

• Alte Peter - not for the faint of heart. It's a climb, but the views are worth it. My favorite time is at dusk to watch the sunset. I also like having Frauenkirche in the view (I took the above photo there)
• Frauenkirche - elevator ride to see Munich from above. 3€.
• Olympiadorf - this is student housing, however there's a great view on the 15th floor roof terrace. On a good day you can see the Alps.
• Olympia tower - large panorama of the city
• Olympiaberg - for those less inclined to heights, is a large hill made entirely out of trash from WWII that also provides great views of the city + Olympic park
• Olympic tent climbing - walk along the tent tops from the 1972 Olympics

Popular things to do in and around Munich

• Free city tour - This 3 hour walking tour meets daily at 10:45am + 11:45am in Marienplatz in front of Mary's Column (the golden statue). Workers get paid by tips. Very informative and a nice inner city tour.
• If you come with children have them look for the 'Münchener Kind' or lions (the symbols of Munich)... they are everywhere.
• Visit one of the parks - Englischer Garten + Ostpark are large and distinctly different. Munich is very much a city that loves it's 'green lung'.
• Check out the Eisbach surfers - Yes, in the middle of the city.
• Look at Munich Tourist info's suggested itinerary based on the number of days for your visit.
• Nymphenburg Palace + Gardens - Baroque summer palace built in the late 1600s.
• Deutsches Museum - the world's largest technology + science museum.
• Glyptotech - Greek and Roman antiquities
• Alte Pinokothek - Middle age through Rococo European paintings
• Neue Pinokotek - Late 18th to early 20th century art
• Pinokotek der Modern - modern works in various media
• Brandhorst - the city's newest museum featuring an impressive contemporary collection
• Lenbachhaus - 'Blauer Reiter' (blue rider) and 'Munich School' works featuring Klee + Kandinsky
• Haus der Kunst - temporary art exhibits
• Kunst Halle fünf höfe - changing exhibits in a beautiful exhibition space
• Allianz arena tour - English tours of Bayern Munich stadium at 1:30pm daily. Approx. 10€
• Andechs - brewery run by Monks in suburbia Munich.
• Neuschwanstein - King Ludwig II's castle that inspired the Disney castles.
• Dachau - Former concentration camp. Educational and informative, although depressing and prepare for voyeurs. This is a memorial - dress appropriately. Closed Mondays.
• Salzburg - beautiful Baroque city in Austria. 2 hours by train.
• Regensburg - medieval city that survived most WWII damage. Approx. 2 hour train ride.
• Nürnberg - famed for their 'lebkuchen' (christmas cookies) that can be bought year round. Approx. 2 hour train ride.
• Augsburg - once a major trade city during Roman times. Now a college town. The Romantische Straße scenic drive goes through this city.
• Chiemsee - uncompleted replica of Versailles with small islands featuring a nunnery and monastery
• Bier + Oktoberfest Museum - includes the history of beer + purity laws
• Paulaner Brewery Tour - visit one of Munich's beloved breweries for a behind the scenes look + some sampling.
• BMW Welt - where you can watch people pick up their cars direct from the factory. The architecture is worth walking through, which is free.
• Bavaria Film Studios - large film studio where 'The Never Ending Story' was filmed.
• list of more obscure museums (hunting, potatoes, etc.)

If you have a car:

• Hallein Salt mines - learn about the history of salt + visit the mines that made Salzburg wealthy.
• Affenberg Salem - if you want to feed monkeys this is your place.
• Zugspitze - Germany's tallest mountain. The Frillensee at the foothill of the mountain is just spectacular.
• Walchensee - a beautiful lake tucked between the mountains - great for hiking, wind surfing and other outdoor activities. (read about our trip)

[last updated: April 2013]

balcony biergarten

While I was at class today and Stefan was procrastinating, he decided to get our biergarten ready for the summer season. I almost had to put one of my dirndl's on to celebrate... almost.

Not only did he surprise me with that - he also went to get Indian food at Ganesha for lunch. I love surprises like that!

We enjoyed breaking in the biergarten for the 2008 season and sharing radlers as we discussed how much we love how quiet things are, despite living so close to the city center. Evenings like this make me really appreciate our little home and cosy balcony.

Our biergarten has a fair amount of history - the table and benches were bought right after the world cup for 30€ total and our custom made bronze sign was a bridal shower gift from my parents. We even have our own half litre mugs bought at the lovely Tourist Information office at the Hauptbahnhof. I wish I had bought one from Oktoberfest 2006. I still have to look near the tourist alley by Hofbräuhaus and hope I find one.

The table set came from Fünf Höfe and I decided we had to have it. It was a smaller set so it would fit nicely on our balcony without taking up all of the space. Unfortunately it was a Saturday and Sunday the stores would be closed.

We went to another store on the outskirts of town to see if they had one that we could easily transport. I'm not sure what persuaded Stefan, but I'm guessing it was a combination of promises of beers and cookouts with Bavarian flair. He may have also added a little something about not wanting to hear me whine all of Sunday. They didn't have it and I was devastated. Sunday he probably heard about my disappointment some more and then we went as soon as the store opened the next day. (Yes, I know this is a very American thing of me to do).

The only problem was he believed taking our car was not an option, since there wouldn't be anywhere to park. We decided if they had it we would have to carry it on the UBahn. While moving things on the public transport is frowned upon, we didn't have a choice - this table had to come to our balcony.

I was impressed that Stefan honestly believed a small little lady like myself would be able to carry this thing even with his assistance. However, that was short lived - it continued to get heavier and heavier and he continued to offer more support about my great strength. Suddenly my hands were feeling the pain. As soon as we reached our subway stop we caught glares from people as we navigated the escalator. I was happy that we were almost home. That's when my strength stopped and I requested he go get the car. And there I sat with our table and benches waiting for him to come back.

Now the rest is history and we can enjoy our very own 'Stammtisch'. The biergarten sign is much nicer than it looks... I covered up our last name so we wouldn't have stragglers inviting themselves over. Hopefully I will get more pictures up once it's complete and filled with friends!

Aren't summer evenings with loved ones wonderful?