Munich Tourist Attractions

As the capital of Bavaria, the city of Munich receives an enormous number of tourists every year.

The city has excellent transport links by air, train and road, not to mention the Isar River, which traverses Munich. There are amazing museums and art collections, palaces and historic monuments, a world-class zoo, stunning architecture, beautiful parks and, let's not forget about two of the main Munich tourist attractions: the Oktoberfest beer festival and the Münchner Hofbräuhaus, a beer hall, one of the city's most popular tourist traps, where local beer is served by ladies in traditional costume and the famous Sauerkraut and Weißwurst (sauerkraut and fried sausages) are never far away.

The largely 18th and 19th century city center is dominated by the Frauenkirche, the Isartor, the Marienplatz and the Stachus, as the Karlsplatz is affectionately known locally. The New City Hall with its famous Glockenspiel and the Residenz Palast, the former seat of the Bavarian kings are also among the most popular Munich tourist attractions.

For visitors interested in science and technology there are few places in Germany that have more to offer. There are two research universities as well as world-famous technology and science museums such as the Deutsches Museum, Siemens Forum and the BMW Museum, perhaps only rivaled by the Mercedes Benz and Porsche Museums in Stuttgart - a city which, incidentally, is located just a 2 hour train journey from Munich.

The city has a plethora of beautiful churches to offer, apart from the aforementioned Frauenkirche. There are also the Peterskirche, the Asamkirche and the Theatinerkirche, all of which are open to the general public. Just to the north of the city center lies the wonderful Englischer Garten, an enormous park in the English landscape style that offers the typical Bavarian creature comforts of relaxing benches, cafes, beer gardens and plenty of sunshine.

Another gem among Munich tourist attraction is the Nymphenburg Park with its beautiful lakes and the pleasure palace of Schloss Nymphenburg, which may have been regarded as a smaller and cosy residence by its former royal occupants, but it is actually Germany's largest Baroque palace still in existence. Visitors to the palace must pay an entrance fee, but visiting the gardens is free of charge, except for a few smaller buildings that are part of the palace complex. There visitors must pay a small charge, if they wish to enter.

The Museum Mensch und Natur, or the museum of Humans and Nature, is also located in the park. Covering topics such as Earth and Life in general and the diversity of life, the exhibits are suitable for all ages and educational levels. It's a great place for kids, but the museum is quite small, so it's best visited as part of a trip to Schloss Nymphenburg and gardens rather than for its own sake.

Also located in Nymphenburg is an early 18th century porcelain factory that was commissioned to create many wonderful pieces for the royal palace.

Outside of Munich there are many tourist attractions that can be reached either by renting a car and taking to the excellent motorways or by boarding a coach tour. Berchtesgaden and Salzburg are all easily accessible by coach.

For more information about Munich tourist attractions, please visit the official city website at www.muenchen.de.