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As a holiday destination, Germany has a lot going for it – fashionable and dynamic big cities, quaint towns straight out of the Brothers Grimm, deep forests, fairy-tale castles, and to top it all off, an unequaled range of beers.
Climate
Located at the heart of Europe, Germany has a temperate climate with regional variations. The best weather is from May to October. Winter is freezing and wet.
Berlin:finally in from the cold
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 ushered in a new era for this city, long cloak and dagger capital of the cold war. The Berlin of today is a dynamic and creative city with abundant theatre and music with imposing public buildings, splendid museums, sophisticated restaurants, and a host of pubs and clubs.
Transport:getting there and getting around
Berlin is not well served with direct flights. Connections are usually made through hubs like Frankfurt or Amsterdam. You can reach Berlin by bus from most European cities and German trains run like clockwork.
Berlin is walker and cyclist friendly and its underground system, the U/S Bahn is efficient. There’s a new tram system in the eastern parts of the city.
Climate
Rain is possible in any month. The winter months from November to early March, tend to be gloomy with temperatures often dropping below freezing.
Accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts
Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Berlin hotels
Events:what’s on and what’s hot
Berlin’s calendar is loaded with annual fairs, festivals, concerts and parties.
*The Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival), the world’s second largest, is held in February.
*April sees Festage (Festival Days) a host of gala concerts and operas held over 10 days.
*Christopher Street Day in June is Berlin’s big gay event.
*August features JazzFest Berlin.
*In November Christmas markets are held throughout the city.
Munich: Bavarian good living
Capital of the
Shopping In Germany
Germany has a reputation for craftsmanship and this is reflected in the quality of locally-made goods. Traditional German buys include porcelain, handicrafts, toys, timepieces, beer steins, nutcrackers and cutlery, not to mention Mercedes and BMW cars.
Shopping In Berlin
Berlin has cast off its image as a drab center of intrigue to emerge as a shopping centre for fashion, antiques, furniture and home accessories. The most august shopping locale is Kurfurstendamm (Ku’damm). Most of the city’s premier clothes shops, boutiques and department stores are located on this famous thoroughfare.
A parvenu to the upmarket Berlin shopping scene is the new Friedrichstrasse. It’s a mile long thoroughfare which features a lot of design shops, car shops, coffeehouses (with the inevitable Starbucks) and the Galleries Lafayette. The nearby Unter den Linden features several boutiques, located mainly between Friedrichstrasse and the Brandenburg Gate.
A must-see is a legend from the cold war days, the Kaufhof on Alexander Platz. Once the haunt of communist bigwigs from Moscow and other soviet bloc countries, nowadays it’s just a big old department store.
Kreuzberg with its many shops and flea market is the place to browse junk items, second-hand books, and second-hand clothes. For more offbeat items, the second-hand stores and art boutiques around Hackescher Market are the places to go.
Shopping In Munich
The shopping scene in Munich has revamped recently. Modern Munich is a place where you’ll find celebrated brand names and designer goods alongside traditional Bavarian crafts such as beer steins and Tyrolean hats. Hyper modern shopping malls such as the Fünf Höfe have given the city an edgy modern glitter. However the old die hards such as Beck and delicatessen Dallmayr and Kafer still attract legions of faithful customers.
Munich downtown’s pedestrian zones are the best places for a shopping adventure. The major one is the Kaufingerstrasse, a two-kilometer pedestrian zone running from the railway station to Marienplatz and north to Odeonsplatz. All the chain stores are located here. For a more interesting shopping experience, the streets around the Marienplatz offer some small stores, while the pedestrian zone between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz offer the famous brand name clothing and shoe outlets. For international luxury items, head for Maximilianstrasse. Celebrated local fashion designer Rudolph Moshammer also showcases his creations here.
If you want to escape the Bavarian chill, head for the Olympia Shopping Center in the Northwest of Munich close to the Olympic Stadium. This is Munich’s biggest mall and it features lots of clothes stores, shoe stores, general department stores, drug stores, music shops and food courts.
Schwabing, north of the university is the place to peruse Bavarian antiques. The small shops around the Viktualienmarkt and at Türkenstrasse, Theresienstrasse, and Barerstrasse are very interesting and you may get lucky.
The Sunday flea market at Kunstpark Ost is a great place for second hand bargains.
Most stores in Munich are open from 08:00 – 18:30 from Monday to Friday and from 07:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays.
There is a wide variation of hotels in Germany . Check out the internet for cheap hotels in Berlin or hotels in Munich .
With one foot in the Alps and one foot in Germany, Munich’s wonderful location makes it a fantastic place to rent a car. The following is a guide to the best places to visit while on tour in Munich.
Munich Airport Mini Guide:
Munich International Airport is to be found 29km from the centre of the city of Munich. Munich International Airport can be reached by exiting off the A92 between Munich and Deggendorf.
The award-winning airport has a range of facilities including: 24 hour internet access, wireless Internet access, a 24-hour medical emergency centre and bureau de change for last-minute euros. Information desks can be found in the arrival and departure areas of level 4 and in the main hall of level 3.
Things To See/Do in Munich:
It’s easy to see why Munich is such a popular destination for city breaks. Not only does the city boast impressive cultural attractions and a lively nightlife, the surrounding countryside offers an exciting car hire touring experience.
Munich is the capital of the Bavarian region of southwest Germany. Bordered by the Alps, the city has its own unique culture. Marienplatz, the main town square is a great place to start sightseeing. The square is characterised by its four impressive cathedrals. The oldest parish church, Peterskirche (Alter Peter) offers visitors a stunning view over the city from its viewing platform at 300ft.
A short car hire trip outside of the city will take you to other historic attractions including Nymphenburg Palace, The English Garden or the Allianz Arena, which hosted crucial matches in 2006’s FIFA World Cup.
Karlstor, just off the Karlsplatz Square is the gateway to Munich’s fabulous shopping scene. Passing through the historic arch, shoppers enter a wonderland of thrifty high-street fashion stores and elegant boutiques which encompasses Neuhauser Strasse, Kaufinger Strasse and Marienplatz. Here you’ll find all the cheap European chain stores such as Zara, H&M, Mango and C&A, as well as chic department stores such as Karstadt and Galeria Kaufhof. The whole area is pedestrianised, punctuated only by brightly coloured fruit and flower stalls.
Eating Out/Nightlife/Accommodation in Munich:
If beer is Munich’s number one obsession, food comes in at a close second. From cheap quick snacks sold on street kiosks like donuts, hot-dogs, roasted nuts and Turkish kebabs to traditional and international cuisine, the city has it covered. Munich’s traditional fare may not be the most attractive of cuisines, but it’s hearty fuel for a day’s shopping and sightseeing all the same. Local specialities include Haxe, grilled knuckle of pork or veal, Knoedel which is bread or potato dumpling and Weisswurst, a white veal sausage which is boiled and served in its own special earthenware cauldron. Grilled fish with thinly sliced fried potato is another popular low cost dish. In general, prices for eating out are cheap and portion sizes are generous. Munich is famous for its beer and its breweries, so it’s not surprising that a guided tour of the of the city’s breweries tops the to-do list of most visitors to Munich. However, the sheer number of beer gardens and historic beer halls located around the city makes it possible to sample the breweries’ delights in your own time. Beer is big business in Munich. Each year, over six million tourists visit the annual Oktoberfest in September and October.
In terms of accommodation, Munich offers something for everyone. Those on a thrifty budget will find cheap lodgings at hotels such as Hotel Jedermann and Intercity Munchen, close to the main railway station on Bayerstrasse. Meanwhile, those looking to splash out will find themselves in the lap of luxury at establishments like The Mandarin Oriental.
Munich is the third largest city in Germany. But just because it does not have as many people as other cities does not mean that it does no good. Even though Munich may only be the third biggest city in Germany, it still has approximately 1.3 million people. This is enough to ensure that Munich is one of the most financially profitable cities in the country. Munich is also the capital of the state of Bavaria.
The city of Munich is located on the River Isar, and offers breathtaking views to visitors and residents alike. When it comes to the cities in Europe with the best views, Munich is also mentioned near the top of the list. The atmosphere alone draws in thousands of tourists on a yearly basis. The tourism industry is one reason that the city of Munich is so profitable in terms of money.
If you are a tourist the weather in Munich may leave something to be desired. Since it is located near both the Alps and the sea precipitation can be quite heavy regardless of what time of the year it is. For residents, the precipitation is no big deal because they deal with it every day of their lives. But tourists can often times get stuck in bad situations when the weather suddenly changes, and the rain starts to come down in buckets. For this reason it is important for visitors to always be prepared for the worst. During the summer months the average temperature in Munich is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But when the winter months roll around the cold temperatures are close behind. The winter months in Munich see low temperatures in the 30s as well as snow on a regular basis.
The city of Munich is home to several churches that have been standing in the area for quite some time. They are architecturally gorgeous, and are very popular attractions of tourists to the area. Munich is also the home to castles and theaters that also fall into the architecturally beautiful category. The Alte Hof is the most frequently visited castle in the area, and is a treasure to the city of Munich.
The nightlife in Munich is among the best in Europe. The bottom line is that even if you are the biggest partier it will take you quite some time to frequent all of the hot spots in the city. These hot spots include dance clubs, bar, breweries, and restaurants just to name a few.
Servicing Munich through the sky is the Franz Josef Strauss International Airport. This airport has only been around since 1992 making it one of the most modern in all of Europe.
Dont think that just because Munich is not the biggest city in Germany that there is nothing to see. If you get caught up in this trap you will end up missing some of the best attractions in Europe. Even if you only get to spend a day or two in Munich it will be well worth the trip.
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Munich is a great tourist destination for travelers from around the world. The beautiful city is located in the southern portion of Germany in the Bavarian state. There are so many wonderful places to visit in this part of the world that will make any holiday memorable. The best way to enjoy all of the attractions in and around the city is with a Munich car hire. With the ease of car hire Munich you can drive to all the places you want with speed and comfort. Give yourself the holiday of your dreams with a cheap Munich car hire.
You can start your Munich car hire journey by picking up the vehicle at the airport or any other location in the city. Munich has a plethora of wonderful locations that are well worth a visit. The first place you should go is the old town center. The Town Hall in the Marienplats Square has been a meeting location for hundreds of years and will likely remain for centuries to come. Another historic site that is very close to the square is the Frauenkirche. This magnificent cathedral is the main symbol of Munich and a must see for every tourist. The Frauenkirche’s spires reach a height of 99 meters and the interior can seat over 20,000 people. Other historical Munich tourist attractions include the Maximilianeum, the Nymphenburg Palace and Ludwigstrasse.
Although Munich is a city of great history, there are a lot of modern places to explore. With a car hire Munich, it is easy to travel all around the city and enjoy the sites that make it beautiful. Perhaps the most recognizable building in the city is the BMW Headquarters. Dressed in all silver, this futuristic complex, with the world headquarters and the ever popular BMW museum, is a really great place to visit. It is a good idea to use a tour guide for the museum because they are very knowledgeable and passionate about the cars. It is quite a unique experience. Nearby the BMW campus, you can go to the Munich Olympiapark. The site of the 1972 summer games, this is a very special place to spend a the day. There are a lot of sporting events on the grounds today and the 291 meter tall Olympic Tower provides an unbeatable vantage point of the city. There are plenty of other impressive places to enjoy in the city, but you should also think about take a day trip away from the urban area with a Munich car hire.
The best place to drive a Munich car hire is easily the Neuschwanstein Castle. Take the short drive east of Munich and be greeted by the most popular tourist destination in Germany. Although this castle is a magnet for tourists from around the world, you have no choice but to come and see for yourself. If you have ever dreamed of seeing a fairytale castle, Neuschwanstein is the place to be. The castle is perfectly positioned atop of a hill and can be seen from miles away. Drive with a car hire Munich to this remarkable site and transcend yourself into the amazing history of the Neuschwanstein. The best way to travel to all of these great places in southern Germany is with a car hire Munich.
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