"Munich" Munich by sarahandgareth

The Bavarian capital is one of the most interesting - and almost certainly the most prosperous - of all German cities, with a rich cultural and architectural heritage, particularly from the 1600s onwards, when the city was one of the centres of all things baroque.

The city has its darker side, too: in the early 20th century, Munich was where the Nazi party first gained traction, and several important local beerhalls were the sites of early Nazi party meetings (a fact that they don't tend to publicize). Because of its historical role, the party named Munich the "capital of the movement"; the city was also heavily bombed by the Allies, especially in the later stages of the war, when longer-range bombing became feasible.

Modern Munich is at the heart of one of Germany's wealthiest areas, something that's easily seen in the profusion of luxurious shops downtown, as well as in the well-dressed crowds on the main thoroughfares, but it's also a great place to relax, with one of the great urban parks of Europe (the Englischer Garten, which has many fascinating corners, including a surfers' paradise!) and, of course, a long history of brewing (that culminates in the Oktoberfest, from late September to early October, though the major beerhalls are of course open year-round).

Munich is a wonderful walking city, too, one of those rare cities that truly seems to have something interesting and unpredictable around each corner: start the day at the wonderful Viktualienmarkt and stock up with picnic fare for exploration!