Munich in Winter

January 23, 2012 by Andrea 7 Comments

Spring and summer are great times to visit Munich as the warmer and dryer weather means you can enjoy the many beer gardens and parks dotted around the city or even do a little river surfing. September too sees floods of visitors arrive in the city for the annual Oktoberfest but what about in the winter months?

My three days in Munich last month were extremely hectic so the city definitely doesn’t quieten down in the colder months. If anything I’d say December is a very busy time with all the Christmas markets, the Tollwood Festival and everyone out Christmas shopping. It’s a great time to visit because there is no chance you’ll be bored and you can avoid the cooler weather by heading indoors to visit any of the many museums and art galleries.

Tollwood Winter Festival

The Tollwood Winter Festival is more than just a Christmas market. It has more of an international flavour and there is entertainment like circus acts and a special New Year’s celebration. There are themed tents depending on what you want to do and these are the best places to keep warm on a wintry day.

Christmas Markets

The main Christmas market in Marienplatz is a nice place to wander around but you might want to avoid visiting on the weekends when it can get very, very crowded. A better option would be to stick to the smaller markets which still have a lot to offer but you don’t have to worry about pushing your way through the crowds. I particularly liked the small market off Odeonsplatz and the medieval style Christmas market at Wittelsbacherplatz.

From Wittelsbacherplatz you could cross the road to enjoy coffee and cake at the historic Cafe Luitpold.

Museum Quarter

Not far from the main train station you’ll find many of Munich’s most well known museums and art galleries conveniently located within a few minutes walk of each other. For €12 you can get a day pass to the 3 Pinakotheken (Alte, Neue and Moderne) and the Museum Brandhorst.

The Alte Pinakothek (Old Masters Gallery) is particularly well known for it works by Rubens including the The Dying Seneca where philosopher Seneca is forced to commit ‘suicide’.

At the Neue Pinakothek (New Picture Gallery) there are a huge number of popular works by Renoir, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and my favourite that day, Woman in Red Dress by Edvard Munch.

I particularly liked the Pinakothek der Moderne (Modern Art Museum) for its design museum which includes computer design through the decades (Apple is well represented) and a great section on furniture and product design.

Shopping

Munich has always been one of my favourite places to go shopping. You’ve got all the popular chain stores along pedestrian street Kaufinger Straße, more upmarket shops at Theatinerstraße and Fünf Höfe and window shopping only (for me) at Maximilianstraße. Smaller and cheaper shops are found in Sendlinger Straße and Schwabing. One of my favourite shops is Manufactum which has an odd mix of gourmet food, clothing, office and gardening products. I don’t quite get it but it’s fun to walk around.

Eating

Normally I would recommend going to Viktualienmarkt to pick up picnic supplies but obviously that’s not a good idea in the middle of winter. Instead, I’d suggest heading next door to the recently opened Schrannenhalle which is an indoor market where you can pick up gourmet food to go or sit and eat at the informal tables. This has quickly become one of my favourite foodie places in Munich.

Across from Schrannenhalle is one of my favourite cafes of all time, Cafe Frischhut. It’s a Munich institution and not to be missed.

There are a million other places to eat in Munich so I might have to go back just to research the best places to eat. If you’re feeling particularly touristy you could always eat at Hofbrauhaus but once was more than enough for me.

Where to Stay

On this trip to Munich I stayed at the Schiller5 Hotel. The location is perfect as it’s walking distance to the main train station, Marienplatz, the Tollwood Festival and the museum area. The hotel itself is very modern, spotlessly clean and with large apartment rooms (with kitchen) so if you want to shop at Schrannenhalle and eat in your room you can. Read my full review of Schiller5 here.

Munich in Winter

I don’t think there is ever a bad time to visit Munich. It’s a big city where there is always something going on and always something new to see. Hopefully this year will be the year I finally get to go to Oktoberfest but if not I will happily return any time.

Filed Under: Germany Tagged With: bavaria, Germany, Munich

Travel Photo: Munich

January 12, 2012 by Andrea Leave a Comment

Munich’s gothic revival style New Town Hall on Marienplatz.

Filed Under: Travel Photos Tagged With: bavaria, Germany, Munich, photography

Going Solo in Nuremberg

January 10, 2012 by Andrea 6 Comments

All I knew about Nuremberg before heading there is that they have one of the most visited Christmas markets in Europe and of course for the Nuremberg Trials. I’ve already written about their traditional Christmas market as well as the famous Nuremberg bratwurst but the city has much more to offer than that.

I usually travel with my husband but while he was off spending time with his family I decided to make a quick trip to Nuremberg. This was my first solo trip for quite some time so to keep busy I got myself a Nuremberg City Card and set about visiting all the cultural sights.

The most popular attraction in Nuremberg is the Imperial Castle and this is the perfect place to start a visit to the city as you get a great overview of the city from high up on the hill.

You can visit the castle grounds during the day for free and visit the museum to see the medieval armour and weapons. I would only recommend visiting the castle museum if you are interested in weaponry as there isn’t much else to see. There are guided tours of the castle but they are only available in German.

From the castle you can head down to Albrecht Durer’s House. Albrecht Durer was well known around Europe during his lifetime and remains Nuremberg’s most famous artist. His works are on display in many Old Masters galleries around the world. You can visit Durer’s half-timbered house if you’re curious to see how Durer and the upper classes lived in the 16th century. You won’t see any of his famous artwork there though.

Continuing downhill along Albrecht Durer Street you’ll eventually reach Weissgerbergasse where you’ll find adorable narrow timber-framed houses. This was my favourite part of Nuremberg but I feel a bit sorry for the residents who had to deal with the constant stream of tourists photographing their pretty houses.

Crossing over the historic chain bridge (which looks remarkably new) you’ll spot the 15th century Wine Store which is now a student residence. I wonder how they feel to be living in one of the city’s most historic buildings.

I was half-timber housed out at that point so headed back to the main square (Hauptmarkt) to hang out at the Christmas market. It was there I saw the most impressive sight for me in Nuremberg, the very unusual Beautiful Fountain. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a fountain like it. It was quite spooky looking.

I was hoping to visit the new Nuremberg Trials Memorium and the Nazi Party Rally Grounds but with only one full day in Nuremberg I just didn’t have time. I did manage a quick visit to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum to see some of Albrecht Durer’s paintings. I would have liked to have spent more time here but this summer there is going to be a special Durer exhibition so that might be a good time to return.

Where to Eat

I must admit I’m not very good at the solo eating thing. I don’t mind going to cafes alone, I actually quite enjoy that and I go to the movies alone all the time but there is something about eating solo in restaurants that make me feel uncomfortable. I was lucky that I visited Nuremberg while the Christmas markets were on so for the most part I snacked on street food from the markets and picked up sushi takeaway. This was only a short solo trip so that wasn’t much of a problem but if I was travelling for longer periods I would probably have to get up the courage to eat in a restaurant alone.

Where to Stay

On this trip I stayed at the NH Nuremberg City Hotel courtesy of Nuremberg Tourism. This modern hotel is located across from the train station and is a short walk to the Old Town, perfect for visiting the city’s main sights and the Christmas market. Read my full review of NH Nuremberg City here. It’s worth staying here for the breakfast alone.

Even though I was a little nervous about travelling alone, the people in Nuremberg were particularly warm and friendly and I met a number of people as I wandered around the city. There are many events and festivals on during the year but I think December is a great time to visit as they have one of the most unique and traditional Christmas markets in Europe.

Filed Under: Germany Tagged With: bavaria, Germany, nuremberg