Getting There

By plane: Munich International Airport is just under 30km northeast of the city centre. It is connected to the city centre via the S1 and S8 train. The journey takes 40 minutes approximately.

By train: Hauptbahnhof in the city centre is the city's main train hub and where all international trains terminate.

By bus: The majority of long-distance buses terminate at Hauptbahnhof also.

Getting Around

On foot: Using Marienplatz as your focal point, covering Munich's city centre on foot is easily achievable.

By U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Thanks to this integrated underground/suburban rail network, getting around Munich couldn't be easier. A single journey costs €2.20 (same as on all modes of transport).

By bus/tram: As efficient as the U-bahn service is, trains don't cover all parts of the city. Conveniently, trams/buses serve most places that trains don't. Trams in particular are also a good way of seeing the city.

Due to Munich's inland location, it experiences a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. If your visit happens to be in winter make sure to pack your winter woollies as it can get very cold in the Bavarian capital between November and January. February is still quite cold with the average temperature being below O°C. Between April and October are the best months to visit as this is when Munich is at its warmest. Just as in any city, the busier months are between June and August, and then again in October due to Oktoberfest. Due to a phenomenon known as ‘Föhn’, it can be extremely warm in this month.

Embassies / Consulates

USA: +49 (0)89 28 880
UK: +49 (0)89 211 090
Canada: +49 (0)89 2199 5700
Australia: +49 (0)30 880 0880 (Embassy in Berlin)
South Africa: +49 (0)89 231 1630
Ireland: +49 (0)89 2080 5990
Spain: +49 (0)89 998 4790
Italy: +49 (0)89 418 0030
New Zealand: +49 (0)30 206 210 (Embassy in Berlin)
France: +49 (0)89 419 4110

Tizian, Maxburgstrasse 4 Tizian is a quaint Italian café/restaurant which deals in good pasta and better pizzas. During the summer there is a terrace out back where you can sit near a fountain, while on Friday and Saturday nights there is a good atmosphere as a DJ spins tunes. Open Mon-Fri 9am-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-6pm.

Friesiche Teestube, Pündterplatz 2 Friesiche Teestube is the perfect pit-stop for a quick lunch in the afternoon in Munich. Choose a dish from the varied lunch menu or, if you simply need a break from the sightseeing, enjoy a cake with a cup of tea - there are over 150 different flavours to choose from. Open daily from 10am-11pm.

Il Soprano, Kochelseestrasse 8 While it can get very busy in this small Italian restaurant, the food is top notch and the reasonable prices lure people in all day. Along with all the pasta on offer, this restaurant is also renowned for it's fish dishes. Open daily from 10am-10pm.

Viktualienmarkt Founded by the first King of Bavaria back in 1807, Viktualienmarkt is one of Munich's number one attractions. It is also a great place for lunch on the run. All around this colourful market are outlets dealing in fruit and vegetables, but most sell traditional Bavarian fare. A 'leberkassemmel' (bread roll with with liver sausage) washed down with a cool beer in the beer garden will keep you going for hours. Open Mon-Fri from 10am-6pm, Saturday from 10am-3pm.

Zum Dürnbräu, Durnbräugasse 2 Munich is awash with restaurants dealing in typical Bavarian specialities, although all too many are quite commercialised. This one in the city centre is still a favourite among locals and you'll definitely find something on the menu for less than €10. Worth checking out. Open daily from 9am-midnight.

New Munich Pub Crawl If you want to see some of Munich's best known bars and clubs, and want to party well into the night at the same time, embark on this pub crawl. The 'New Munich Pub Crawl' goes every night at 8pm and can booked at www.hostelworld.com/tours.

Augustiner Bräustuben, Landsbergerstrasse 19 The German beer hall is a wonderful thing. The only problem is that every tourist who goes to Munich agrees with me on this. This beer hall just four tram stops from Hauptbahnhof is an authentic beer hall and well worth the three-minute journey. Open daily from 10am-midnight.

Kunstpark OST Ever imagined what it would be like if all the main nightclubs in your town were in the same place? Some Bavarians did, and then made their thoughts a reality and created Kunstpark OST! Some of the venues here are a bit cheesy, but with so many bars and clubs on offer, it's a good place to head for after dark.

Kilian's Irish Pub, Frauenplatz 11 Every city has its token Irish bar and Munich is no different. Located just minutes from Marienplatz, here you'll be treated to live music on most nights while it's also a good place for food. Open daily from 11am-late.

Hofbräuhaus, Platzl 9 The Hofbräuhaus is somewhere you can't avoid. It is just as much a tourist attraction as it is a beer hall. You won't meet any Bavarians here, and there isn't anything extremely authentic about it, but the beer is good and the oompah bands that play there create a jovial atmosphere. Open daily from 9am-midnight.

The Twisted Bavarian, Tengstrasse 20 This pub, owned by a Bavarian and a Texan, is one of the newest in Munich and is quickly becoming one of the most popular. Open daily from 5pm-1am, Fri & Sat 5pm-3am and Sun 11am-1am.

Frauenkirche, Frauenplatz 1 Dating back to the 15th century, the Frauenkirche is the Bavarian capital's most instantly recognisable building thanks to its onion-domed towers. While much of the church was destroyed during World War II, thankfully its towers remained unscathed. Open 7am-6pm/7pm/8.30pm; admission to towers €3.

Marienplatz The focal point for any traveller who visits Munich, Marienplatz is the city's main square. Dominated by the New Town Hall, this pedestrianised square dates back to the 12th century and was originally known as Schrannenmarkt. Today it is where the 'Glockenspiel' takes place daily (see 'Budget Tips').

Munich Residence, Residenzstrasse 1 This building is one of the most ornate in the whole of Germany as it was the political and cultural centre of first the Dukes, then the Electors, and finally the Kings of Bavaria. Over the centuries the various rulers furnished the rooms to their personal tastes and today they can be viewed by the public. Open daily from 9am-6pm (summer), 10am-5pm (winter) ; admission €6 (residence or treasury).

Deutsches Museum Deutsches Museum, Museumsinsel 1 Science freaks will love this huge museum which is one of the largest science and technology museums in the world. Exhibits here explain everything from how glass is recycled to how paper is made to how we use water. Visit this museum and you will undoubtedly leave a more knowledgeable human being. Open daily from 9am-5pm; admission €8.50.

Englischer Garten During the summer months there is nowhere better to chill out for a few hours in Munich than in the English Gardens, the largest urban park in Germany. Covering 3.73 kilometres, it has its own beer garden, and even its own waterfall.

January - FIS Snowboarding World Cup Thanks to the help of some artificial snow, a mountain perfect for snowboarding is created out in Munich's Olympic Park for this annual competition.

February/March - Strong Beer Season As the rest of the world gives up things every Lent, Bavarians go to various breweries around the city to enjoy Starkbier, the strongest beer there is!

April - Frühlingsfest Munich's annual Spring Festival sees a fairground and numerous beer tents take over Theresienwiese.

May - Theatron Pentecost Festival Music fans will love this 3-day event which is held in the Olympic Park. Also a free event, it showcases the best up and coming bands in the area.

June/July - Summer Tollwood Festival Since it began back in 1987, this annual event is now one of the most popular summer festivals in Munich. Rock, jazz, and pop artists entertain thousands, while plays staged attract theatre buffs.

July - Christopher Street Day This annual event is Munich's annual Gay Pride Festival and is one of the biggest in Germany. Over 50,000 pour on to the streets and the highlight is an outlandish parade.

August - Isarlust Summer Festival Staged towards the end of August each year, the free Isarlust Summer Festival sees an extravaganza of music and entertainment attract thousands.

September/October - Oktoberfest Beginning in the second last week in September and ending on the first Sunday in October, Oktoberfest is the biggest public festival in the world. Each year 6 million people consume over 5 million litres of beer!

October - Long Night of Museums For one night only every October over 70 museums in the Bavarian capital stay open until 2am. Visitors can buy one ticket costing €15 which gives them access to all participating museums for the day.

November/December - Winter Tollowood Festival Once again Theresienwiese is the location for Tollwood's winter festival, and once again beer tents attract thousands.

December - Christkindlmarkt Germany is famous for its Christmas markets and Marienplatz is where Munich's main market is every Christmas.

easyInternetcafé, Bahnhofplatz 1 Located across the road from Hauptbahnhof, this was easyInternetcafé's 1st store to open in Germany. With over 430 PCs to choose from you'll never have trouble finding a free terminal. Open 24 hours daily; €2 per hour, minimum purchase 80c.

Munich Internet Service Center, Tal 31 MISC offers 100 workstations with speedy internet access in the city centre. Along with the facility to log on to the web, this cybercafé is also a call centre offering cheap phone calls overseas. Open 24 hours; €1 for 30 minutes, €2 per hour.

Times Square, Bayerstrasse 10a This internet café not far from the train station has a nice atmosphere as it is doubles up as a bar/restaurant. There's usually nice tunes in the background so even if it's empty you'll enjoy checking your mail. Open daily from 7.30am-1am; €6 per hour.

Internet Café, Altheimer Eck 12 There are around a dozen terminals to choose from in this internet café which doubles up as an Italian restaurant making it a good place for lunch also. Open daily from 11am-1am; €6 per hour.

Cyberice-C@fé, Feilitzschstrasse 15 In this internet café in Munich's Schwabing district you can enjoy soups, sandwiches and salads as you surf the internet or send mails home. They also do a good selection of coffees. Open daily from 10am-1am; €5 per hour.

Kaufingerstrasse This wide, pedestrianised boulevard between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz is one of Europe's premier shopping streets and has been since the 1970s. Each side of this 'golden mile' has shops dealing in clothes, music and more.

Galeria Kaufhof, Kaufingerstrasse 1-5 Galeria Kaufhof have four department stores in various locations around the Bavarian capital, but this one just minutes from Marienplatz is the most central. Inside you can find pretty much anything you want with departments for food, jewellery, homeware, clothes and more. Open Mon-Sat 9am-8pm.

Munich's markets Most of Munich's markets are held on weekends. Fussgängerflohmarkt (Leonrodstr. 19) is held on the second Saturday of every month, Optimolwerke flea market (Friedenstr. 10) is on more regularly, open every Thurs-Sun, while Elisabethmarkt in Schwabinger is the district's answer to Viktualienmarkt.

Schwabing District While tourists and people with a lot of money to burn inflict damage to their credit cards on Kaufingerstrasse, students go shopping for cooler gear in this district just north of the city centre. This is where you will find second-hand shops, quirky jewellery stores and more.

Sendlingerstrasse If you want to try some family-run shops in hope of finding cheaper prices, you should try this street which stems from Marienplatz. This is also where you will discover the more unusual type of gift shop.

OEZ, Hanauerstrasse 68 Located on the outskirts of the city, the Olympia Einkaufszentrum (the Olympic Shopping Centre) covers an area of 47,000 square meters, has 110 shops and two department stores. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm.

Visit a museum for free Most museums in Munich impose an admssion fee, but those owned by the city of Munich are free every Sunday. This includes the Glyptothek with its collections of Greek and Roman Antiquities and the Münchner Stadtmuseum (Municipal Museum) which offers an insight into the city's history and the daily lives of its people.

Little amuses the innocent Every day at 11am and 12 noon hundreds gather in Munich's illustrious Marienplatz and gaze at the New Town Hall to catch the 'Glockenspiel', a 15 minute show where 32 life-sized figures perform the traditional 'Cooper's Dance'. After five minutes you'll wonder what all the fuss is about, but it's nice to catch it if you're in the vicinity at the time.

Save money on transport If you're travelling in a group of 5, don't pay for single journeys separately. Instead buy a 'partnerticket'. Costing €8, they are valid for the day and by using them you'll save a lot of money.

Visit the Old Town's churches Some of Munich city centre's most beautiful buildings are its churches. This includes Peterskirche, the oldest parish church in Munich and with an interior dripping with gold, Michaelskirche where you'll find the world's second largest barrel-vaulted roof, and Theatinerkirche, one of the city's Baroque churches.

Check out the Olympic Village In 1996 the International Olympic Committee decided that Munich was to hold the 1972 Olympic Games. As a result, Olympic Park was built. It costs money to visit the main stadium and other attractions, but to walk around the grounds is totally free.

Start the day the same way typical Bavarians do with a Weisswurst, a white veal sausage served in a roll with mustard.

Make Marienplatz your first port of call for the day. Damaged badly in WW2, it has been restored to its former glory and is the jewel in Munich's old town.

Catch the 'Glockenspiel' at the Rathaus (New Town Hall) in Marienplatz. Afterwards spend the rest of the morning checking out the Old Town's churches.

Go to Viktualienmarkt. Get yourself a Leberkässemme, a spicey meatloaf served in thick slabs.

After lunch, visit the Residence Museum, a building inseparable from that of Bavaria's ruling dynasty.

Just ten minutes walk from the Residence are the English Gardens. This is the largest urban park in Germany and a great place to chill out for a few hours.

Making your way back towards Marienplatz, visit Hofbrahaus, Bavaria's most famous beer hall. There's nothing particularly authentic about it, but it's still worth a visit.

Get tram #18 or 19 from Hauptbahnhof and get off at the 4th stop. Go to Augustiner Bräustuben, a proper beer hall located on Landsbergerstrasse. It does great food also.

Get a train from nearby Hackerbrücke train station to Ostbahnhof, just five minutes from Kunstpark OST. Finish off the night in one of the complex's bars or clubs!