While it is definitely sophisticated, Munich also has an air of provincialism that delights the typical visitor. Locals seem to have a “live and let live” attitude, and they readily agree that their major metropolis is really a world village in disguise. Perhaps this is the reason that people from around the world flock there year after year to participate in the city’s Oktoberfest.

Munich is also a place of pleasant contradictions where age-age old traditions and folklore are blended with high-powered industry, modern boutiques, and shiny BMWs. Since it is a relatively small city area-wise and has an excellent transportation system, most sights that attract visitors are inside the blue inner zone or Innenraum.

While in Munich, you will want to visit the Marienplatz, the city’s center, to see the famous mechanical clock (known as the Glockenspiel) at the New City Hall and the Church of Our Lady. Then you can visit the vast open-air market (Viktualienmarkt), for a quick lunch. For relaxation, try the Englischer Garten, a tremendous, beautiful park that is sure to remind visitors from the United States of New York’s fabled Central Park.

Many of the city’s main museums are located in the center, and both the Munich Municipal Museum and the Jewish Museum of Munich are a short distance from the Marienplatz. Munich’s oldest parish church, Alte Peter, is an interesting example, internally and externally, of mixed Gothic, Romantic, Rococo and Early Baroque architectural styles. The double-onion domes of Frauenkirche, which is nearby, is a visual landmark that can be viewed across the city, and Michaelskirche is a prime example of Renaissance architecture.

You can also take the UBahn to the Art Quarter (Kunstareal), an area covering four square blocks that is filled with historic museums—including the Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek, the Pinakothek der Moderne, the Glyptothek, and the brand-new Brandhorst Museum, which opened earlier this year. In addition, its well-known Deutsches Museum of science and technology is only a 20-minute walk from the Marienplatz.

An abundance of shopping that includes international retailers, German department stores, and local shops selling Bavarian goods and Munich souvenirs, surrounds the Marienplatz. Slightly to the north, Maximilianstrasse is home to the city’s high-end shopping district, which includes international boutiques ranging from Rolex to Armani. Here, it can also be fun to drop into a local café and do some “people watching.”

Hofbrauhaus, one of Munich’s most popular tourist attractions, is home to traditional food, beer, and music that capture the Oktoberfest spirit all through the year, including the noise and the crowds. For a quieter setting, you can visit the Lowenbraukeller near Stiglmaierplatz by taking a short UBahn ride, and their cozy beer garden, which is open during the summer, is a nice place to have lunch or dinner.

If you are a sports enthusiast, Mike’s Bike Tours can also be an interesting way to see the city. Besides being knowledgeable, the guides are also fun to be with, and the tours are an unforgettable experience. Lasting four hours, these non-strenuous tours are conducted on beach-cruiser bikes, and they include an unforgettable visit to the Englischer Garten.

Images courtesy of johannesmeyer, yellowcloud, johannesmeyer, digital-cat (1 + 2 + 3 + 4), johannesmayer, jabbarman, roblisameehan

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