"A Munich postcard" a Munich Travel Page by 68_snow_man

Munich! When I got here, the surprise was complete. I was moving to live in another country for two years and, besides the clichés from the American movies, there wasn't much I knew about Germany. I arrived it was September and the Oktoberfest (the famous Munich's beer fest) was about to begin. Still the so different architecture from my home town (Lisboa, Portugal) was marvelling me when suddenly two weeks of "folia" just fell down on me. The music, every just meet person transformed in an old friend, singing, jumping... The Oktoberfest it's absolutely a must. But be sure to start with a Maß, the one litter mug and only beer size sold there. Otherwise, most likely all the fun just will pass by you without stopping ;-)

But Munich it's not only the Oktoberfest! You can plan your trip according to what you would like to see:

- Winter:You'll find the Christmas Markets and the Toolwood festival at December, some snow from January to March and a nice white landscape at the country side.

- Spring: The long night of music gives you about 400 concerts at one night. The Biergartens (beer gardens) start to open, being the Summer however their high season. If you come in March, pay a visit to the Starkbierfest, the strong beer fest. It's strong, not because of the alcohol but because of the nutritive capabilities. You'll find it similar to the Oktoberfest, with less confusion, less fun but a more dangerous beer. Indeed, don't be surprise to get drunk very easily with these special Maß beers!

- Summer: The lakes and all the places with green and water are a great attraction. The Englischer Garten (German link) it's very pleasant place, with its small river and huge green area. If you're a naturist, you'll be glad to find many nudist corners. For an open fair, take a look at the Tollwood Summer Festival.

- Fall: Besides the Oktoberfest, you can expect to find colourful landscapes, which will offer you the best walks through the Bavarian Alps.

Transportation
You'll learn that the public transport system it's very good, taking you to any place in town and to almost all the places in the periphery. Plan your trip here: Mvv link. The U-Bahn it's the underground (lines U1-U8) and the the S-Bahn the regional train (lines S1-S8). If you arrive to Munich by plane, then you need to the S8 or the S1 to come to the centre. Instead of buying a single ticket, consider buying:
- partner day ticket: a one day 5 persons group ticket;
- single day ticket;
- weekly ticket;
- a 3 day ticket.

Useful links
Munich Tourist Office - Events, tourism, recommendations, restaurants ...
More touristic information
Transportation
The city insider's lifestyle guide to Munich, Germany
Thematic parks (German)