A few hours in Munich
 

Hello fellow travelers,
I'm on my way to Switzerland and France in a few weeks, and will have a fairly healthy lay over in Munich--we arrive at 8:20 am and our departure flight to Bern leaves at 3:30pm. I really don't want to spend the day in the airport so I"m hoping some of you can suggest something we can do to fill our spare time.

Is there a place or activity that is uniquely Munich that we should not miss? What are your suggestions?

Thanks,
Melissa

Stash your luggage at the airport and jump on the S-Bahn to MarienPlatz. It is about 30 minutes and it is the heart of Munich. Within a few blocks you will find the Hoffbreu Haus, Viktualien Markt, the Residence and lots of window shopping and people watching in the fussganger zone.

Personally, I would not plan to leave the airport, with the uncertainty of schedules, transportation and security protocols. However, a nice alternative to Munich is Landshut, which is about as far north east of the airport as Munich is south. A relatively small city, but well worth a visit.

I've neve been to Landshut so I don't know the attractions there but the MarienPlatz S-Bahn station is right under the Glockenspiel and two blocks from the Frauenkirche, a block the other way to Alte Pater Kirche.

A great place for lunch is the Andechs Am Dom (same people as the Andeches Monestary South of Munich) right beside the Frauenkirche. MMMM

If you're technologically minded, there's a great science museum in Munich, accessible by the u-bahn.

Keep in mind that the S-Bahn will need 43 minutes (one way) from airport towards the main railway station in Munich. You will not have much spare time for sightseeing considering all the required extra time (ticket buying, check-in & checkout at the airport, luggage handling).

Hopefully, your luggage will be checked throuhg all the way to your final destination. If you are unsure, you can check that at the original check-in counter and ask, specifically, if the luggage is checked all the way through (I suspect that it will be).

As someone has said, the S-1 or S-8 lines which both run from the airport to downtown will take about 45 minutes one-way.

If your plane lands at 8:30 and you make the S-Bahn by 9am then add 45 minutes you will be downtown at 9:45.

Assuming you want to be back to the airport with a 2 hour buffer you would need to leave downtown by 12:45.

That gives you three hours to get a glimpse of Munich. I would always opt for more time in Munich but three hours sure beats "no time in Munich" in my book.

Forget about Landshut, too far.

Take the S-Bahn (which becomes an U-Bahn (subway) as it enters the city) from the airporto the Marienplatz.

From there walk east in the Nauhauserstrasse pedestrian zone as far as the Neuhauser Tor (gate). Turn right at the gate. Go to the corner where the streetcar makes a right turn (Pacellistrasse). Go past the hotel Bayerischer Hof (Munich's top hotel). From there you can't miss the cathedral. Visit it. If you are up to it, go to the top of the tower. Then return to the Promenadenplatz (where the hoterl is) and continue west. When you come to the north sout pedestrian zone (Theatinerstrasse), turn left. Walk as far as the start of a wide blvd. (Ludwigstrasse). Turn right, past the Feldherrenhalle (the mosnumemnt to various bavarian fieldmarshalls), and turn right again, on to the Residenzstrasse. ( If you are into history: Right there, on the side of the Feldherrnhalle is where Hitler's putsch ended. After Hitler came to power, Germans, when they passed that spot, had to give the Hitler salute. But right behind the Feldherrnhalle is small parallel east - west alley, people took it when they didn't want to give that salute. It used to be called the 'Drueckeberger Gasse" - shirker's alley). Walk down the Residenstrasse, on your left is the royal palace. You come to the square in front of the opera. Continue on the street. It becomes Dienerstrasse and takes you back to the Marienplatz. This little circle will give some of the highlights of Munich.

While in the Dienerstrasse, don't miss to take a look at the Dahlmeyer food emporium!

If you still feel likele walking, turn at te Marienplatz a bit toward the left and to the market square. There is the Alte Peter church, another of Munich's famous landmarks.

To eat, go down the steps at the right side of the City Hall to the Ratskeller.

Then take your train back to the airport.

Hi,
Thanks for all your good suggestions. I will definately try to see some of Munich--almost a vacation within a vacation!

Melissa

You do NOT have to be at the airport two hours before departure - remember, you'll be flying intra-Europe where security is comparable to pre 9/11 US. So expect the check & passport control (since you're going to Switzerland) to take a whopping 10 minutes max. So most definitely go check out the city.

The airport also has tons of shops & restaurants if you end up with spare time there.

Oh, and if you're looking for something unique - this year Munich is hosting the "Federal Garden Exhibition" on the ground of the old airport. If the weather is nice this should be pretty interesting, with gardens, garden and more gardens and all sorts of exhibits, along with food and drink. The admission price would also include the train transportation to/from the airport, so all in all it's a good deal.
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