"Munich and Surroundings" a Munich Travel Page by travelfrosch

Back when I lived in Germany, a common destination for me was Munich. It was (and still is) easy to get to, easy to get around via public transportation, and full of sights, museums, and parks. But most of you probably aren't coming to Munich to see the residence of the Bavarian dukes or Germany's answer to the Smithsonian. Not to worry, there's plenty of food, fun, and beer for locals and tourists alike! While any nightlife tips I might've had are probably a few years out of date (OK, more than a few years...), I'll provide you with as many tips as I can remember ;) about how to get there, get around, and where to find places to eat, stay, hang out... and,most importantly, drink delicious beer!

OK, if I can tear you folks away from the Glockenspiel and the Hofbräuhaus for a minute, take the U3 or U6 up to Giselastrasse and follow the signs to the Englischer Garten. It was actually designed by an American-born British Loyalist named Benjamin Thompson, who left his home after it gained its independence from the British. He settled in Munich and was granted the title of Count von Rumford. At the behest of Duke Karl Theodor, he designed a public park along the Isar river. Because of his loyalties, the garden became known as the Englischer Garten. There are numerous trails in the garden for walking, biking, and horseback riding. After wandering through the park on a warm Summer day and enjoying the... um... scenery (you'll understand when you get there), go enjoy one of the four beer gardens within the park!

If it's a nice day, why not make an early start of it and head out of town? There are a number of lakes to visit, including the Starnbergersee, Tegernsee... and, my favorite, the Ammersee. You can take "BOB" (Bayerische Oberland Bahn) to Tegernsee or the S-6 to Starnberg to enjoy the Starnbergersee for lovely views, boat rides, and walks. So why did I prefer to take the S-5 out to Herrsching and the Ammersee? Well, not far from Herrsching is a monastery some of you might have heard of: Kloster Andechs. In addition to being scenically situated on a hill and having an impressive church, it has a "bräustuberl" in which the monks sell their homemade beer!