things to do munich – thefriendlygiraffe

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Englischer Garten – No 1 of Top Ten Things to See and Do – The Best of Munich

July 25, 2012by Arden Jobling-Hey6 Comments

I hope you’ve enjoyed my Top Ten Things to See and Do in Munich.

Remember, this list is a compilation of my personal favourites – there are hundreds of other sights, restaurants, tours and landmarks (like theOlympia park, which was very close to making it’s way onto this list) that you could choose to see.

It’s also important to remember that Munich is a city of festivals and depending on what time of year you come, you may want to check out seasonal festivals like Oktoberfest, or Tollwood, or a visit a Christmas Market if you arrive during the winter season. Munich.de is a great resource to keep you up to date on fun and exciting events and festivals taking place throughout the city all year round.

If, however, you are strapped for time with 1-3 days to spend in this amazing city (and trust the author) then I welcome you to adopt this itinerary and bathe in all wonder, history and tradition that Munich has to offer.

So, here it is! My most favourite thing to do in Munich is:

#1. Take a tour of the Englischer Garten:

The Englischer Garten is an immense park found steps away from the city center (literally, steps). Trails wind their way through various sections of the garden, each informally categorized as the place to grille (BBQ), or tightrope walk, kick the ball around, or lay naked under the summer sun.

Yup! That’s totally legal here.

You’ll find streams, ponds, small waterfalls and even surfers catching the waves at the Eisbach, a man made river that feeds into the Isar.

If you’re in Munich for more than a couple of days, the Englisher Garten is a great place to go jogging, forming a loop that can be followed all the way back to the Lugwigstrasse, so you can turn around at any point without getting too lost.

If you have limited time in Munich, reserve an afternoon (or at least part of it) for a picnic and stroll through the garden. Stop at the Chinesisicher Turm (Chinese Tower) for a beer, a pretzel and some Obatzda, a deliciously creamy, melt-in-your-mouth mixture of cheese, garnished with paprika, salt, pepper etc.

Stay long enough to hear some folk music being played by an Umpapa band dressed in lederhosen and dirndls and then move on to the next attraction.

Read the original post and more travel tips including the entire Best of Munich series, on Travel Dudes!

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Marienplatz – The Rathaus and the Glockenspiel – No 2 of Top Ten Things to See and Do – The Best of Munich

July 24, 2012April 15, 2018by Arden Jobling-HeyLeave a Comment

The countdown continues! Onward from #3 Eat, Drink and Dance at the Hofbrauhaus on our “Best of Munich” series, here’s what’s next!

#2. Marienplatz, the Rathaus and the Glockenspiel:

Marienplatz is the centre of Munich, where all roads collide and from where you can venture outwards onto your next adventure.

In and around the Marienplatz are loads of things to see and do including the Rathaus, the town hall, on which one will find the Glockenspiel.

While it’s completely normal to walk through the Marienplatz, share a coffee with friends somewhere along the Kaufingerstrasse or stare in awe at the gothic style of the Rathaus built in 1908, watching the animation of the Glockenspiel is a pretty touristy thing to do. So, for ten minutes, just come to terms with being a tourist. This is the corniest thing you can possibly do in Munich and I got berated by my husband endlessly because I continued directing people to this little bit of kitsch (a word I learned in Munich which means tacky, tasteless, corny and otherwise passé.)

The Glockenspiel consists of life-sized figures that move in the same direction three times a day, accompanied, naturally, by folk music played by the chimes. The chimes go off at 11am, and then again at 12pm and 5pm during peak holiday season. At these times, the Glockenspiel comes to life, depicting the marriage of a Bavarian duke and a jousting match between Lothringen and Bavaria. Following the jousting match, the figures on the bottom half of the Glockenspiel begin the Schäfflertanz, a dance preformed by coopers during the plague to lift the spirits of residents.

Marienplatz, outside of the Glockenspiel, is a great place to meet up. Whether it’s for dinner at one of the many restaurants nearby like the Bayerischer Donisl or (a personal favourite) Zum Alte Markt, in preparation for a day of visiting nearby churches like the Peterskirche, or simply an emergency meeting point in case someone gets lost, Marienplatz is a great place to gather for any occasion.

Read the original post and enjoy more tips authored by thefriendlygiraffe, featured on Travel Dudes!

giraffe travel, thetravelinggiraffe, top tips from thetravelinggiraffe

Eat, Drink and Dance at the Hofbräuhaus – No 3 of Top Ten Things to See and Do – The Best of Munich

July 19, 2012by Arden Jobling-Hey1 Comment

We’ve skipped around from castles to night clubs to markets and more. You must be thirsty! What a perfect time to…

#3. Eat, Drink and Dance at the Hofbräuhaus

The Hofbräuhaus is Munich’s oldest beer hall (literally the brewery of the royals) and is still the best way to experience the best and worst of Munich, all under one roof.

While you are guaranteed to run into a hoard of screaming tourists half in the bag after downing one too many Weissbier, you will also experience the gemütlichkeit (coziness) of sharing benches with strangers and raising a glass to old friends, new friends and other things you can’t understand but are glad to cheers to anyway.

Beer drinkers can choose from Hofbräu original, dark beer, wheat beer, Radler (beer and lemonade), or Russ’n (wheat beer and lemonade).

If you’re hungry enough at the Hofbräuhaus, try a traditional dish like Weisswurst; white sausages stuffed with veal/pork, served with sweet mustard and generally eaten before 12:00pm. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, try Schweinshaxe, fried pork knuckle or a seasonal favourite among tourists and locals alike, Spargel, white asparagus drenched in hollandaise sauce, butter or served with speck. Most dishes come withSauerkraut, Knudeln (dumplings), or Kartoffeln (potatoes).

Don’t expect a pretty little salad with veggies and calorie free dressing. I made the mistake of ordering salad during my first visit to Munich and all I got was the most confused look followed by a field of lettuce the size of my place mat. Never again.

Read more about what to order and more importantly, what to wear at this legendary beer hall via my newest blog, featured on Travel Dudes!