Who doesn't dream of vacations, journeys to distant places and exciting cities? And which city could be more appropriate to make those dreams come true than Munich, a city known throughout the world as the home of Bavarian hospitality.

Over 800 years of eventful history have provided Munich with a rich cultural heritage. Gothic, baroque, art nouveau and neoclassical architecture manifested in magnificent palaces; churches and museums are all prominent features of Munich's cityscape. It was here that major painters, writers and composers such as Wassily Kandinsky, Thomas Mann and Richard Strauss created their works. They were charmed by Munich's almost Mediterranean atmosphere, its museums and churches, orchestras and theaters, its palaces, squares and beer gardens, as you will be today.

Munich is one of Germany’s major cultural centers, with innumerable monuments, museums and collections. The city’s most important museum, the Alte Pinakothek, features nearly 900 paintings by the greatest European artists. The Neue Pinakothek surveys 18th- and 19th-century art from neo-classicism to Art Nouveau. And at the Pinakothek der Moderne, modern, graphic, and applied arts and architecture are brought together. The Lenbachhaus, the former residence of 19th-century painter Franz von Lenbach, now houses Munich’s Municipal Art Gallery with fine examples of 19th- and 20th-century painting, among them examples of the Blue Rider school.

Over 74,000 acres of parks and gardens make Munich a truly green city. Green is also the color of the emerald waters of the river Isar, which originates in the mountains and runs right through the city. Come to the lakes and hills of the surrounding countryside and pack your skis; the Alps are just around the corner, as are romantic villages, impressive monasteries, baroque churches and the fairy-tale palaces of the Bavarian dukes and kings.

The Oktoberfest, the Hofbräuhaus, brass bands and Bavarian "Gemütlichkeit" are special Munich highlights every visitor enjoys.

Its accessibility also adds to Munich's attraction. Munich's International Airport is only 35 minutes from the city center. High-speed ICE-train connections to all major German cities provide comfortable travel to and from Munich. The extensive Munich public transportation system is comfortable, environmentally friendly and it takes you virtually everywhere.

For more information, please visit www.muenchen-tourist.de

Local Events

• January/February: Carnival
• July: Munich Opera Festival
• September/October: Oktoberfest
• November/December: Christmas Market

More Information

Munich Tourist Office
Sendlinger Str. 1
D-80331 Munich
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)89 - 233 96 555 
www.muenchen-tourist.de
tourismus@muenchen.de

National Contacts

German National Tourist Office
122 East 42nd Street, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10168
Phone: (212) 661 7200
Fax: (212) 661 7174
www.cometogermany.com
germanyinfo@d-z-t.com