Munich Favorites
 

Would like to get some feedback on the best of Munich for those who have been there. I appreciate your feedback because I am trying to get a feel for the best things to do. Which ever of these questions you would care to answer will help. Thanks.

1. What is your favorite Munich sight?
2. What is your favorite Munich restaurant?
3. What is your favorite Munich walk area?
4. What is your favorite shop, or store?
5. What is your favorite hotel?

1) the cafeteria in the library opposite the Deutsche Museum, watching tourists. Yet not a single tourist will ever enter this place.
2)one Greek restaurant at Feldmoching station, pubs at Westend.
3)Ostpark and Westpark in summer (Theatron and beer garden)
4)Litec Electronic :-)
5)Don't need a hotel.

Logos999, as a Münchner, is probably going to have a fit...

1. The Cuvillies Theater, a (restored) Baroque jewel in the Residenz.
3. The large pedestrian zone that includes most of the best shopping streets in Munich.
2. and 4. It's been too long; the last time I was in Munich was in 1981.
5. I always stayed with family friends.

1. We enjoyed our afternoon at Schloss Nymphenburg and the adjacent botanical gardens. We also liked the Bavarian National Museum.

2. Liebighof im Lehel http://www.liebighof.com/

3. We enjoyed the variety of sights and things to do in the English Garden. From monuments, to nude sunbathers, to beer gardens, to surfers.

4. We're not shoppers.

5. Not the one we stayed in.

1. It's hard to select just one, but the visit to Schloss Nymphenburg, Frauenkirche and Neue Pinakotek were highlights.

2. Restaurants: We love german/bavarian fare, so found these three restaurants to be terrific: a. Hackerhaus on Sendlingerstrasse, just off Marienplatz--try the Obazter (cheese spread thing with onions and bread) as an appetizer and have the apple strudel for desert.; b)Andechser Am Dom-just off Marienplatz, behind the Frauenkirche. They had the best schnitzel we've ever had and very good beer. c) Donisl--just to the left of the Rathaus with the glockenspiel. They play oompah music at noon and in the evening, traditional german fare at an incredibly low price.

1. Slightly outside Munich: Tegernsee (Lake)

2. Lenbach, Gandl, Last Supper or Oe1 for a nice evening out; Franziskaner, Andechser, Unionsbraeu Haidhausen and Hofbraeu<i>keller</i> (not Hofbraeuhaus) for typical Bavarian; Schwabinger Wassermann for a neighbourhood place; Brenner for lunch.

3. see 1

4. none

5. Dorint Sofitel Bayerpost - hands down and by far

Is the Zam Museum still in business? It's one of the more eccentric museums we've ever seen and is kind of a hoot to visit. It's a collection of several small museums dedicated to odd things--Easter bunnies (some of those early Easter Bunnies are right out of a Tim Burton movie--scary!), pedal cars, toilets, etc (there's also a small section dedicated to Kaiserin Elisabeth, how she got mixed in with the bunnies and pushcars, I don't know).
When we were there, the museum was run very casually. The entrance was unlocked but no one was around to sell or check tickets. We waited about 10 minutes for someone to show up and then just wandered around on our own. Lots of exhibits were just sitting around untended, no security systems of any kind and had we been of a larcenous bent, we could have walked off with entire exhibits.

If you have only a limited time to spend in Munich, it's not on any top 10 lists, but if you want to see something offbeat, it's worth a look.

1) the jewish musuem
2) Trader vic's at the hilton
3) from Alexanderplatz to the Brandenburg gate on christmas day 2005
4)Kaufhous- the largest department store in europe
5)the marriott courtyard, i could not believe it was better than most JW marriotts

bookmarking

off the beaten path:

for sightseeing: Valentin Mus&auml;um
a quite exquisite museum dedicated to Karl Valentin, a popular Bavarian comedian, located in the tower of the Isartor.

for shopping; Hugendubel
quite a large bookstore, nine shops in Munich. one at Marienplatz. Hugendubel am Salvatorplatz (U-Bahn Odeonsplatz) offers Munich´s largest sortiment of English books and also a second hand book and print shop.

bookmarking

Hotel Uhland-- a wonderful B&amp;B in a charming converted mansion, in an upscale and relatively quiet neighborhood with tree-lined streets. Across from the Oktoberfest park, for taking nice walks. Also good restaurants within walking distance. Free bikes to borrow from the hotel, and ride along the river. Also free parking at the hotel. Very nice breakfast room with a full spread of boiled eggs, and all the trimmings. Very well-managed, friendly, sparkling clean, recently renovated. About a ten minute walk to the train station, with buses closer. About a twenty minute walk to the Marianplatz. We loved the Hotel Uhland's family room. Check out their website: http://www.hotel-uhland.de/enwelcome.html

Bookmarking...And adding my 2 cents:

1. the Marienplatz. Everything about it. That area just brings back great memories of the first time I was there, and just feels like home to me.

3. Everywhere! (But probably the English Garden)

I don't have any other answers for you. I can't wait to get there!!!!

hhildebrandt: You have my mother's maiden name! What is your ancestry? Sorry, don't mean to hickjack the thread...I'm planning a trip to Germany in the fall and just saw the name and got excited.

Lostmymind,

your post seems to refer to <b>Berlin</b>!!!!!

hello jayne 1973,

the family name Hildebrandt is quite common in Germany. Its origin is the old germanic first name Hildebrand with the meaning of (hilte = fight, brant = burning) one who is eager to fight. at those times an honored attitude, nowadays these people are called hooligans.

My father was born at Hannover in 1902, my grandmother at Breitenworbis (near Worbis in Thuringis) in 1866. Her family´s origin seems to be Heilbad Heiligenstadt in Thuringia (located east, some maybe 25 miles, from G&ouml;ttingen in a region called Eichsfeld). In this region, the family name Hildebrandt is quite usual.

Maybe I can be help you by answering your questions.

OK, I'll try. . .

1. The stream flowing through the Englischer Garten, seen from the bridge.
Also, the &quot;airplane room&quot; at the Deutsches Museum, and the views from the tower of Peterskirche (&quot;Alter Peter&quot;).

2. Don't have one yet!

3. The pedestrian zone up to Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt

4. The Viktualienmarkt!

5. Hotel Uhland

Here are mine:

1. Odeonsplatz. I just love looking at the Theatinerkirche. That mediteranean yellow color is awesome.

2. Hirschgarten in Nymphenburg. An Augustiner or two sitting in that huge park is memorable. Biggest beergarden in Germany. Big isn't always better, but this place is nice. Nice relaxed neighborhood too.

3. Down Theatinerstrasse and Ludwig strasse. So much to see, hear, and feel.

4. Viktualienmarkt. Not really a shop or store but it is my favorite place to hang out, and spend money on great olives, and cheese. You could eat there all year and not have the same thing twice.

5. No real favorite hotel. But, I do prefer to stay out in the burbs like Gern, Nymphenburg, or Freising. Much better prices and with the MVV getting around is so simple.

3.

Like Rufus i love the Englischer Gardens - the Chinese pogoda outdoor beer garden, the vast lush park and, on a nice day, the hundreds of nude sunbathers - not that many were very attractive but it's a novel sight coming from puritanical U.S. - if you're bashful too bad as the nudists are everywhere - walking around, laying right by the main paths, etc.

bookmarking

Good question!

1. Hard to answer as there are so many to choose from but I can say it's not the Olympic park ;-)

2. Trader Vic's-it was wonderful food and the drinks are amazing. Although, Am Dom was very nice as well. I second the post on their schnitzel and beer...oh and the pretzels with the hot mustard...

3.The Marienplatz-great people watching.

4. Don't recall the name but it was a great specialty food store not far (4 blocks maybe) from the Marienplatz. Great upscale store with fun items. My husband loved the shoe stores in town.

5. We stayed at the Hotel Conrad (Cityline). The rooms were nice, the price was good, the location was fab and the breakfast was nice and filling.

Have fun!

Viktualienmarkt for great beers and all kinds of sausages in a great open-air beer hall environment.

Such wonderful suggestions. I'm bookmarking of course!!

booking marking :)

We stayed at the Hotel Opera and were very happy with it. We enjoyed our walk to the Marienplatz along Maximilianstrasse with its array of luxury shops. There is a wonderful restaurant a few doors down from the hotel where we had our best meal in Munich (don't know the name of it, though).

We visited Christmas week, so we loved wandering around the Christmas markets that were in the various squares and pedestrian areas.

Dallmayr is a gourmet food shop near the Marienplatz that is known for its coffee.

Thanks, hhildebrandt. It's really interesting about the name origin. I actually have the name Hildy as my first name because that was my mother's nickname growing up.

The focus of the upcoming trip to Germany is for my husband to see his birthplace just outside of Munich. (His dad was stationed in Furstenfeldbruck, serving in the U.S. Airforce.) Now I'm remembering I have roots there, too!

Thanks for offering to answer my questions. This will be my first trip to Germany and I'm very excited. When in the Munich area, we want to see some of the places his parents went when he was a baby and too young to remember. We've seen home movies of Garmesch, the zoo in Munich, English Garden, Nymphenburg Castle, two Ludwig castles, Berchtesgaden, Eagles Nest, St. Bartholom&auml; church,Chiemsee lake and possibly a castle there, (Herrenchiemsee.) On our way to Munich, we will visit the Rhine/Mosel area, drive the Romantic Road through Rothenburg with a stop at Fussen. We have 10 days total in Germany and had planned to turn in our car when we get to Munich, where we will spend the last two or three days before taking a train to Paris.

Any comments or suggestions would be great, and as plans progress I'll have more questions.

Thanks again!

Well, I just had to chime in on this thread, because my maiden name is Hildebran! I know my ancestors came over from Germany to Pennsylvania, and then spread south (I live in NC). Apparently, the &quot;d&quot; was dropped sometime later. My late great aunt did thorough research into the family line, but I don't know what became of it...
We will be in Munich in June, and I would love some more information about the Hildebran(d)(dt)s.

bookmarking :)

Some hints for travelling in Germany / in Bavaria / in Munich

Decide, what you want to see/to do during your stay. Consider, that you have to do larger distances by train or by car. Both can be expensive.

In my opinion, it is much more rewarding to choose a town as yous base and to discover this area in a relaxed way. I always feel sad, when I read in this forum questions like - can Munich been done in one day? For sure it can be done, but, why should you do so?

So, Munich or, in German, M&uuml;nchen is not bad as a base. It has an international airport, it has an efficient public transport system, it has 1.240.000 inhabitants - so odds are good to find something to please every taste.

Do some research on Fodor´s pages, and, in addition Frommer´s and Rick Stevens.

The official town homepage is
http://www.muenchen.de/home/60093/Homepage.html

For travelling inside and around Munich, the local public transportation MVV (M&uuml;nchener Verkehrs Verbund or Munich Transport and Tariff Association) will bring you everwhere too far for a walk. To use a car inside Munich is not that a great idea, as Munich is known for its traffic jams at rush hours.

But be aware of:
From June 9 to July 9, Germany will host the greatest sporting event of the year: the 2006 FIFA World Cup™.

An event as challenging as interesting, as this will also take place in Munich.

So,jayne 1973, no problem to spend three days there, as it is your intention. In this thread you have some suggestions good for even four days.

HSV you are correct that was berlin! my bad heres Munich
Munich dec 2005

1) the train station - When i came off the overnight train from amsterdam it was such a grand sight!
2) I didnt eat in a restaurant except for pizzahut but i did eat my way throught the christmas market
3)The christmas markets was so warm and friendly it felt like i belong there. 4)I bought i favorite item of the trip, a big brown sherling hat with ear flaps which was the needed item of my journey

Lostmymind,

I agree with the Hauptbahnhof as a neat place. I have always enjoyed the hustle and bustle, and bright lights of that place. Especially when you arrive inside the station instead of out where many of the regionals come in.

I am a train guy, and I love looking at the departures board, and thinking about all those places folks are heading off to, or commig from.

1. For pure gazing I love the Friedensengel.
2. Hofbraukeller on a nice day/evening outdoors under the dense cover of chestnut trees preferably eating kaiserschmarrn. (BTW, I think hsv has great taste in restaurants).
3. Haidhausen, especially far into Preysingstrasse- one of the quaintest streets in Munich with a couple of delightful restaurants with outdoor seating on the cobble stone street.
4. Wies'n Tracht &amp; Mehr for 2nd hand tracht.
5. Adria in Lehel is a great value, very pleasant and in a super neighborhood (close to Hotel Opera but more modest)

babs, you're a local ;-)

Babs, or others who are knowledgeable,

How would you describe the areas of Haidhausen and Bogenhausen? Are they as upscale as Lehel? Are they good alternatives if you don't want to stay in the alstadt? Any real interesting areas or sights other than what you mentioned? Thanks.

Southern Bogenhausen is where the wealthy people live(d) It has many old mansions and is still a more expensive area. Haidhausen, however is a traditional workers quater. I would stay in Sendling, visit the Flaucher (beer garden too) and the Zoo and watch the people barbecue and party. (Maybe join in ;-) The area has many genuine and traditional restaurants.
This IS Munich...

logos999,

Thanks for the reply. I take it you feel Sendling is the place to experience the 'real Munich'.

I noticed on the map there are three or four different sendling areas ie. westpark, mitter, unter etc etc.

Could you describe the area in sendling you like best? Is there a quaint area that would make for nice walks, day outings etc.

I like the thought of spending time in an authentic Munich area, not so touristy etc. Thanks again.

You'll need to enter this in an online translator.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sendling
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaucher
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Flaucher

Try the area north of Thalkirchen U-Bahn station. Close to the river. Then look for some place to stay there or north of it. Westpark is almost/already Laim and more modern.

I happen to like Haidhausen, too, and do not feel that it is very touristy. The area around Preysingstr. mentioned by Babs, is indeed neat.

Bogenhausen to a large extent is indeed upscale, but unless you pick one of the smaller hotels (Hotel Ritzi is a very nice boutique place), you might easily end up at the Holiday Inn, which is quite a bit outside the desirable areas (and bland) or at one of the two ArabelllaSheraton monstrosities (Bogenhausen and Grand) that are in a seventies style bland and generic office park location they call Bogenhausen, but which is indeed in the middle of nowhere. The Grand, although fairly highly rated by others has some other faults, too, but I won't go into them here...

We will be there in October, after Octoberfest. I think we'll be coming into town from Garmesch, and we'll turn in the car when we get to Munich. I thought it would be nice if we could get rid of it before having to drive into town. I'm wondering where would be a good place to turn it in? Maybe someplace where we can catch some public transportation into town?

Jayne, the Hotel Uhland has free parking, in case that would help you when you arrive in Munich. (See my post above.)