Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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ORIENTATION
City Center
The city center is the hub of all tourist activity in Munich. Most of Munich’s historical sights and name-brand stores are jam-packed into the few blocks between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz. Struggle through the throngs of ubiquitous international camera-flashers and get yourself the stereotypical Bavarian experience, complete with a night at the infamous Hofbräuhaus and a stroll through the Residenzmuseum and the adjoining Hofgarten. South of Marienplatz is the neighborhood Isarvorstadt, once home to the city’s underground nightlife scene. Today it’s more a bustling, yuppie neighborhood, but the bars have retained their original bohemian splendor. This neighborhood also houses Munich’s GLBT district. To its west is Isarvorstadt-Ludwigvorstadt, Theresienwiesen, otherwise known as the Oktoberfest field, or what we call the stuff of legend. Immediately north of that is the Hauptbahnhof, Munich’s central train station, where numerous hostels provide an excellent atmosphere for meeting fellow travelers.
University Area
Hear “university area,” think culture and retail. Many of the city’s impressive art museums dot Maxvorstadt, home of the Königsplatz, as well as fancy-pants restaurants, quaint coffee houses, and secondhand shops. Schwabing, to the north, is a student’s dream district; Ludwig-Maximilian Universität erudites keep the area trendy and cozy yet upscale bars and eateries running with their patronage. To the west of Schwabing everything goes greener with the charming Englischer Gartens and Munich’s beloved beer gardens by the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese pagoda).
Olympic Area
The 1972 Olympics was Germany’s chance to prove itself in the international spotlight after the racist diasters that had riled 1936 Berlin Olympics under the Nazi regime. However, its success was largely shadowed by the killing of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists. Now known as the Munich Massacre, it was immortalized through Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film Munich. Today, you can visit the Olympiapark and marvel at the site of the Games. The imposing Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower) is the highest point in all of Munich at 291 meters, and the iconic Olympiastadion’s (Olympic Stadium) curtains of acrylic glass drape over lime green seats. Also on-site is all things BMW, with a museum, factory, and showroom, and the enormous shopping mall, Olympia-Einkaufzentrum, for all your food and fashion needs.
For details on Munich (München) map, click here
Au-Haidhausen
These two neighborhoods across the Isar used to house laborers before WWII bombing nearly demolished Au, though Haidhausen was left surprisingly intact. Today, these regions play a large role in Munich’s cultural scene. Gasteig cultural complex contains Munich Philharmonic, a conservatory, the main branch of the public library, and an experimental theater all in one. On the flip side, staples of Munich nighlife line Westbahnhof station, with enormous clubs dedicated to all things glitter and party. Talk about being on the right side of the tracks.
Neuhausen
Neuhausen remains one of Munich’s hidden gems, relatively undiscovered by tourists, so it still actually has character. Take Tram 17 towards Amalienburgstr. and you’ll find some of Munich’s prettiest landscapes, from the world’s largest beer garden at Hirschgarten to the beautiful and extravagant Schloss Nymphenburg to the tranquil Botanischer Garten. For a more urban feel, head to Rotzkreuzplatz and meander down Nymphenburgstr. for the city’s best cafes and ice cream, then end your night with a rousing chorus at the Lowenbräukeller beer hall.
Thalkirchen
This quiet and relatively unexplored neighborhood is actually the Circle of Life. Well, not really, but Thalkirchen’s Tierpark Hellaburn is the world’s first zoo to put animals in their “native habitats.” Today, the zoo remains a delight for children and wildlife photographer wannabes, while others take in the beauty of the Isar River with extended rafting trips on floating beer gardens and kayaking or rafting along a few legendary whitewater patches.
ACCOMMODATIONS
City Center
WOMBATS
Senefelderstr. 1
HOSTEL
089 59 98 91 80 www.wombats-hostels.com/munich
With its bright fluorescent colors and curvy lobby furniture, Wombats caters to hip hostel-hoppers. Redeem the free drink voucher you got at check-in at the bar while you play a few games of pool with some new friends, and relax on a hammock in the sunny winter garden. Many rooms facing the winter garden have poor ventilation, though the noisy fans (provided) offer a little respite. All rooms have private bathrooms, high-tech key-card lockers, and clothing hangers.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S8, U1, U2, U4, or U5: Hauptbahnhof. Across the street from the Hauptbahnhof (south side). Linens included, but you’ll have to make and strip your own bed. Wi-Fi in the lobby (spotty connection in rooms) included. 4- to 10-bed dorm rooms from €12-27; doubles €35-38. Reception 24hr.
EURO YOUTH HOTEL
Senefelderstr. 5
HOSTEL
089 59 90 88 11 www.euro-youth-hotel.de
Cozy rooms, good company, and knowledgable staff define this centrally-located hostel, which also offers complimentary tea and coffee for its guests. The 12-person dorms are a bit cramped, but doors to the outdoor terrace provide excellent (and much-needed) ventilation. An outlet at each bed lets you charge your electronics overnight with ease. With its 360-degree wrap-around bar, the lounge here is a popular hangout and final stop for many beer tours through Munich.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S8, U1, U2, U4, or U5: Hauptbahnhof. Across the street from the Hauptbahnhof. Shared and private bathrooms available. Free Wi-Fi. 12-bed mixed dorms €18.80-22.00; singles €50-52. Doubles, triples, quads, and quints also available. Reception 24hr.
University Area
PENSION AM KAISERPLATZ
Kaiserpl. 12
PENSION
089 34 91 90
Each elegantly decorated room in this 10-room pension has its own unique period style, from Victorian to Baroque, with every detail down to the patterend bedsheets from Italy selected meticulously by the owner herself. The quiet neighborhood is slightly removed from the touristy hubbub of the city center, but only a stone’s throw from the student-infested Schwabing.
U3 or U6: Münchener Freiheit. Walk past Vanilla Lounge down Herzogstr., then turn left onto Viktoriastr.; the pension is on the right at the end of the street. Breakfast (served in-room) included. Rooms fill up quickly, so book in advance. Singles from €31, with shower €47; doubles €49; triples €72; quads €92; quints €110; 6-bed rooms €138. Reception 8am-8pm.
PENSION ISABELLA
Isabellastr. 35
PENSION
089 271 35 03 www.pensionisabella.de
Each room offers plenty of space and seating areas, with unique decor and in-room sink. Bathrooms are shared, but they’re large and clean.
U2: Hohenzollernpl. Walk west on Hohenzollernpl. and turn left onto Isabellastr.; it’s on the right. English-speaking owner. Wi-Fi included. Singles €38-53; doubles €60-80; triples €78-108; quads €88-128. Reception 8am-8pm.
Olympic Area
HAUS INTERNATIONALE
Elizabethstr. 87
HOSTEL
089 12 00 60 www.haus-internationale.de
Clean rooms, an expansive cafeteria, and serene courtyard make this quiet and out-of-the-way hostel a good bet if you’re in the area. A discotheque downstairs, open until 1am, pretty much makes up the local scene since the only thing nearby is a gas station across the street. Haus Internationale has 573 beds, so you’re sure to meet other travelers, though most of them are with large groups.
U2: Hohenzollernpl., then Bus #53 (dir.: Aidenbachstr.) or Tram #12 (dir.: Romanzplatz): Barbarastr. Breakfast, linens, towels, and Wi-Fi included. Single beds in dorms not available, you must book the entire room. Singles €33-49; doubles €58-78; triples to 7-bed rooms €30-26 per person. Packages with lunch and dinner (half and full board) also available. Reception 24hr.; after 11:30pm show room key to security guard for entry.
Au-Hai
dhausen
MOTELONE
Orleansstr. 87
HOTEL
089 59 97 64 90 www.motel-one.de
Turquoise is no longer only Tiffany’s. Indeed, MotelOne has taken over the brand’s signature shade for their interior decor for their mostly business traveler clientele. Despite translucent tables in the lounge or dramatic black-and-white floor-to-ceiling photos of Munich’s greatest sights, the building does not even remotely resemble the famous shop. Cozy rooms are decked out in—you guessed it—turquoise blankets and upholstery.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, or S8: Ostbahnhof. Turn right onto Orleansstr. Free Wi-Fi in lobby, or €5 per room. No phones in rooms. Singles from €59; doubles from €74. Reception 24hr.
Neuhausen
JUGENDLAGER KAPUZINERHOLZL (THE TENT)
In den Kirschen 30
CAMPGROUND
089 141 43 00 www.the-tent.com
When Munich prepared to host the 1972 summer Olympics, the government kicked out all the hippies camping out at the English Gardens, who then skipped out to the northeast corner of town to set up a permanent camp. There the Tent was born. Sing songs with other campers around the large bonfire before heading to bed in the giant 160-person tent, or get a floor mat (provided) and set yourself up in the unfurnished tent next door. Bathroom facilities are much cleaner and well-maintained than your summer camp ever was, and, true to hippie culture, the cafeteria serves almost exclusively organic foods. A communal kitchen also makes cooking for yourself a breeze.
Tram 17: Botanischer Garten, take a right onto Franz-Schrankstr. and a left at the end of the street. Wi-Fi included. Free street parking available (first-come first-served). Floor €7.50 (including blankets and floor pad), bed €10.50. Camping €5.50 per person with additional charge from €5.50 per tent. Credit card required for advanced reservation, but only cash payments accepted. Reception 24hr except between 10:30-11:30am and 5:30-6:30pm. Quiet hours begin at 1am.
Thalkirchen
JUGENDHERBERGE MÜNCHEN PARK (HI)
Miesingstr. 4
HOSTEL
089 78 57 67 70 www.muenchen-park.jugendherberge.de
This recently renovated hostel is the Hilton of hostels, with brightly-colored, well-designed rooms, each named after a prominent German scientist). Ample shelving and storage make unpacking a real possibility, and glass-enclosed hangout spaces with smart orange sofas encourage relaxation. No bar, but there is a giftshop full of gimmicky jewelry and all sorts of HI memorabilia. A “family room” on the first floor includes a ball pit and slide for youngsters, as well as a spotless kitchen.
U3: Thalkirchen, take the Fraunbergstr. exit and then follow the signs. Breakfast and linens included. Wi-Fi €5 per 24hr. In-room lockers require a €2 deposit. Singles €38-41; doubles €69-74; 4- to 6-bed dorms €24-30. Age 26+ additional €4 per night. Reception 24hr.
SIGHTS
City Center
MARIENPLATZ
Marienpl. 1
SQUARE
Towering spires surround this social nexus, major S- and U-Bahn junction, and pedestrian zone of Munich. The Marlensäule, an ornate 17th-century monument of the Virgin Mary, sits at the center of this large square as a tribute to the city’s near-miraculous survival of both the Swedish invasion and the plaugue. To the north sits the equally ornate Neues Rathaus, the new city hall, built in the early 20th century in a neo-gothic style. Camera-touting tourists can always be found staring at its central tower during the thrice-daily Glockenspiel mechanical chimes display, considered to be one of the most overrated attractions in all of Europe (daily 11am and 12pm, in summers also at 5pm). To the right of the Neues Rathaus is the Altes Rathaus, the old city hall, which now houses a toy and teddy bear museum, Spielzeugmuseum, (open daily 10am-5:30pm, €3, under 15 €1, family €6). A busy open space, Marienplatz is also often used for political demonstrations.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, U3 or U6: Marienplatz. Free. Square open daily.
ALTER PETER
Rindermarkt 1
CHURCH
089 260 48 28
An enormous Gothic-inspired church sitting right in the city center, Alter Peter was severely damaged during WWII. It was meticulously rebuilt with true German precision, down to original cannonballs lodged in the church wall (walk around the outside of the church to the back, take the steps leading up to Cafe Rischart, and look around the top right corner of the window frame). Nowadays a 306-step climb to the top of the 92m tower offers the best birds-eye view of Munich: on clear days, you can see over 70 miles.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, U3 or U6: Marienplatz. Church entry free. Climb to the top €1.50, students and children €1. Tower open M-F 9am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-6:30pm.
RESIDENZ AND HOFGARTEN
Residenzstr. 1
MUSEUM
89 26 06 71 www.residenz-muenchen.de
Once the quarters of the Wittelsbach dynasty, the Residenz is now a museum aptly called the Residenzmuseum displaying all its lavish treasures. Get ready for blinding gold leaf gilded rooms decked out in the Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. Highlights include the Rococo Ahnenglerie, hung with over 100 family portraits tracing the royal lineage, the spectacular Renaissance Antiquarium, the oldest room in the palace, replete with stunning frescoes, and large and in charge Chinese and Japanese porcelain. On the same property is the Treasury, which houses royal crowns and jewels, and the Cuvilliés Theatre, the stunning royal theater that saw the premiere of several Mozart operas. Treasury and theater require a separate ticket for entry. Directly behind the museum is the Hofgarten, popular for post-dinner strolls and ballroom dancing under the central pavilion on weekend evenings.
U3, U4, U5, or U6: Odeonsplatz. Free audio tours available in German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Many of the rooms, including those in the Königsbau (King’s Tract), will be under renovation for another few years. Residenz and Treasury each €6, seniors €5, free for students and children; Residenz and treasury ticket €9/€8/free; Theater €3/€2/free. combination of all three €11/€9/free. Residenz and treasury open daily Apr-mid-Oct 9am-6pm, mid-Oct to Mar 10am-5pm. Theater hours vary based on season schedule; check the website for details. Last entry 1hr. before close.
University Area
The Kunstareal (www.pinakothek.de) is a museum district near the edge of Maxvorstadt that comprises the overwhelming majority of Munich’s art museums, making it home to a veritable buffet of art. Like all buffets, you can get too much of a good thing and be left feeling nauseated, so try to take in a few each day to truly appreciate the offerings. Most of these museums are free (all state-run Pinakotheks and the Museum Brandhorst €1) or reduced price on Sundays (though you will also have to pay for the audio tour, which is usually free every other day), while on other days combination tickets can gain you entry for a discount. A ticket (€12) will get you into the three Pinakotheks, the Museum Brandhorst, and the Sammlung Schack for a day, while €29 will get you into them for 5 days, allowing you to time digest between courses.
KÖNIGSPLATZ
SQUARE
Literally “The King’s Square,” Konigsplatz was comissioned by King Ludwig I to be Munich’s cultural center. What resulted is a field with three enormous Greek buildings: the Propyläen, an ornate gateway, the Glyptothek, houses the king’s collection of Greek and Roman statues, and the Antikensammlung, housing royal antiques. While World War II transformed this “German Acropolis” into a center for Nazi rallies and offices, the entire area was restored back to its original splendor in 1988, and you can now visit both the Glyptothek (089 28 61 00) and the Staatliche Antikensammlung (089 59 98 88 30 www.antike-am-koenigsplatz.mwn.de ) for their incredible works of ancient art.
U2 or Bus #100: Königsplatz. Each museum (Glyptothek and Antikensammlung) €3.50, students €2.50. Museums open Tu-W and F-Su 10am-5pm, Th 10am-8pm.
ENGLISCHER GARTEN
GARDEN
Stretching majestically along the city’s eastern
border, the Englischer Garten (English Garden) is one of the largest metropolitan public parks in the world, dwarfing both New York’s Central Park and London’s Hyde Park. The possibilities of activities here are numerous, from nude sunbathing (areas are designated FKK, Frei Körper Kultur, or Free Body Culture, on signs and maps) and bustling beer gardens to pick-up soccer games and shaded bike paths. On sunny days, all of Munich turns out to fly kites, ride horses, and walk their beloved dogs. The main park ends with the Kleinhesseloher See, a large aritifical lake, but the park extends much further and becomes ever more wild, although the fiercest thing you might get is a roaming flock of sheep. Several beer gardens on the grounds as well as a Japanese tea house offer respite, while the Chinese pagoda and Greek temple make the park an international cultural festival. Need some American spirit? Don’t miss the surfers illegally riding the white-water waves of the Eisbach, the artificial river that flows through the park (near the Haus der Kunst, on the southwest corner of the park).