Sunday, July 27, 2008

GERMANY - Partnach Gorge - Partnachklamm, Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Partnach Gorge - Partnachklamm, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

photo

ABOVE: The Partnachklamm is a whitewater experience that you can enjoy without risking your life in a kayak.

The Partnach Gorge, or Partnachklamm, is a "don't miss" attraction.......

Partnach Gorge - Partnachklamm
Garmisch-Partenkirchen

photo You can return to the entrance of the Partnach Gorge after you've seen the falls, or you can take steps, a bridge, and a path to the top.

How to reach the Partnachklamm

Walk, drive, or take local bus....

COMMENTS:
"The highest point in Germany, at just shy of 3,000 feet, is easily reached in about 75 minutes. At 44 euros for a return ticket the cost is quite high, but I found it worth the money. I know others would disagree, but perhaps I am paid too much or have low standards. This was the highest I've been, though, and my first time up a snow covered mountain in the summertime. The previous highest point I'd managed was about 2,400 meters on Mount Bromo volcano in Indonesia, and I don't believe that has ever seen a snowflake in eternity. You can also walk up the mountain for free, but if you are short on time the train is a convenient, if sometimes confusing, alternative.
It took me a bit longer than 75 minutes to reach the top. I think the announcement system broke down just before the cog wheel train reached the Grainau stop. You see I was supposed to get out there and transfer to another train for Eibsee. As this isn't explained anywhere and only ever announced on the speaker system in the train, if the system fails to work properly, or the announcer speaks during a noisy spot on the journey, you are going to have to wait another hour or so as the train returns to GAP and comes back again.
At Eibsee you have to leave the station and walk through the woods to take the aerial tramway to the top. If you look really really carefully you might catch sight of a small sign pointing you in the right direction. Failing that follow the mob and hope they know where they are going. They didn't when I followed them and I ended up walking the long way around the car park. Once you reach the terminal you can jump into the cabin and rise rapidly and breathtakingly up the steep side of the mountain. Try and get on first, though, as they cram the cabin more tightly than a London tube carriage at rush hour and you may end up with a layer of people between you and the cabin's dirty window panes.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have missed the trip to the Zugspitze for twice the price, but the service leaves a lot to be desired.

Directions:
The Zugspitze station is just behind the hauptbahnhof (hbf). You can reach it by taking a left as you exit the station up Bahnhofstr. towards Garmisch, and then your first left through the big underpass and left again as you exit."
By antistar June 1, 2005 Email Me
See My Garmisch-Partenkirchen Page

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Transportation: MAINZ to MUNICH

Transportation in Germany is not only confusing but difficult to find and understand. Finally found a site but took soooooo much time to figure out. This RAIL site gives ALL transportation (except bus) to any destination you put in. Weird thing is is figuring out what info to put into the boxes. What I've figured out is you can use either the "ROUTE" or "CORE JOURNEY" sections. It doesn't tell you this but just know it. It will give you more stops based on the city you put in. If the stop you want is already selected and it still gives you the prompt "Your input is ambiguous. Please select from the selection list." just hit the "search connection" button again anyway. But before you do be sure you change your date and the time too. For the longest time I assumed there were no other trains for a choice I had entered when I finally discovered the time had chosen something of it own. So be sure to check this first.
A map of Munich is sometimes difficult to read and understand because of the language barrier.


Friday, July 25, 2008

Transportation: Frankfurt - Hahn Airport to MAINZ

Our best option - BUS:
ORN (BOHR): via Mainz
Adults: 11€ Child(6-14): 6,50€ = 45€ ($88USD)
Tickets available ON THE BUS.
LV: Hahn bus stop 1 AV: busstop N Mainz main station
05:00 06:05
08:30 09:35
10:15 11:20
11:00 12:05
Total time one way: 70 min

BUSSES:
Tickets are bought from the driver – only cash in euro accepted.
Mainz central station is the closest train station to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport connecting to the national IC/ICE-railway net. The AirportShuttle bus between Hahn Airport and Mainz is a common buslink of ORN and Bohr Omnibus. The bus travels non-stop between Mainz main station and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. At Mainz connecting to the trains to/from Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, to the national IC/ICE network and also the city services of Mainz (Wiesbaden)
ORN & Bohr Omnibus have at least hourly departures to Hahn from Mainz Hauptbahnhof (Bus Stop N) from 3:45 am to 10:30 pm. Buses return from Hahn to Mainz from 5 am to 0:30 am. Tickets are €11 (€6.50 for children 6 to 14). Traveling time is 70 minutes.
Mainz Hauptbahnhof is easily reached by S-Bahn train from Wiesbaden. It is the closest German Railways (Deutsche Bahn DB) station to Hahn with Inter-City (IC) and Inter-City-Express (ICE) trains. However, for many connections it is better to continue to the station at Frankfurt International Airport.
via Wurzburg: nothing avail except 10a & 1700 @18€ ea
HAHN-EXPRESS: via Heidelberg
MERTH-REISEN: via Darmstadt
Tickets, 12€ ea, are available at the bus.
Busstops central busstation stop 3; Busstops central station Darmstadt, busstop 16
info@merth-reisen.de

Taxi Options:
TAXI: 145 € ($282 or $57ea)
TAXI: 150.60 € or 30.12 € ea person

PRIVATE COACHES:
BOHR Omni: Frankfurt-Hahn Airport: Bus stops directly in front of the terminal building A
Frankfurt Main Train Station: Bus-Stop at Mannheimer Street. Bus-Stop is marked with a "RYANAIR/Bohr" sign. It is located on the south side of the main-train-station.
Fares per person/way: Adults: 12,00 € Children up to 7 years: 6.00 €
Tickets available only from driver on the bus. At Hahn-airport tickets also at the information desk and an the ticket shop in front of terminal A. Reserve to timetable-changes. Timetable subject to change.
SCHERER Shuttle:

Saturday, July 19, 2008

GERMANY - The Zugspitze - via GARMISCH

Getting up and down "The Zugspitze": If you're without a car, you can buy a roundtrip ticket from Garmisch. Take the Zahnradbahn to Eibsee and switch to the Eibsee-Seilbahn cable car. For the return trip, descend via the Gletscherbahn cable car to the cogwheel railroad's mountain station at Zugspitzplatt, where you'll board the train for Garmisch. Zahnradbahn. The meter-gauge rack railway begins in Garmisch, next to the railroad station, and travels along the valley to Grainau and on to Eibsee before ascending the Zugspitze under cogwheel power. At the Zugspitzplatt or Zugspitze Glacier Plateau, 2600 meters up the 2964m mountain, you switch to the Gletscherbahn aerial cablecar for a quick ascent to the summit ridge. Total travel time is 75 minutes from Garmisch, 60 minutes from Grainau, or 35 minutes from Eibsee. For more information on Zugspitze transportation (including wheelchair access), check the summer and winter timetables at Zugspitze.de, which is operated by the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn.

For the weather and live cams click here. The Zugspitze is easily conquered nowadays by rack railway from Garmisch. There's also the option of taking the cable car from Erwald past the imposing West Wall, or the Eibsee cable railway from Grainau at Lake Eibsee.
The Zugspitze region is a pure delight for any nature enthusiast with its four valley landscapes, the Ammergau Alps, the "blue region", the Karwendel Alpine region and the area around the Zugspitze. On Germany's highest mountain - the Zugspitze (2,963 m) - it feels like you could reach out and touch the stars. And right on top of the mountain, you are not only at the highest point in Germany, but also almost on its very edge; the Zugspitze is on the German-Austrian border. But you don't have to be an experienced mountain climber to explore these truly spectacular peaks. There are mountain railways and cable cars to make the ascent a little easier.
The Eibsee-Zugspitze high-wire park has a breathtakingly high course with a number of different climbing activities. The Garmisch-Partenkirchen airfield offers a range of paragliding, tandem flying and thermic flying tours over the mountain peaks. A walk through the wild, romantic Höllental (hell valley) gorge or the impressive Partnach gorge is an experience for all the senses. This is one of the most beautiful gorges in the Alpine region and a fascinating natural attraction at any time of year, but particularly in the winter. A dinghy or kayak tour on the river Loisach also lets you indulge your taste for adventure. The Karwendel Alpine region between Mittenwald, Krün and Wallgau is one of the largest ranges in the Northern Calcareous Alps. With its unspoilt terrain and numerous peaks, it presents a fantastic challenge to any avid mountain climber, while the enchanting elevated valley at the foot of the Karwendel mountain is an ideal destination for action-packed holidays close to nature. The "Via Alpina", a long-distance cross-border footpath with five sections running through the whole of the Alps, also crosses the Karwendel mountains. If you are looking for a blend of tradition and modern-day attractions, sport, fun, zest for life and enchanting Alpine scenery, this is the destination for you.

SummerCamp: A huge halfpipe, perfect deep-snow slopes and a fun park raise the adrenalin levels of snowboarders and free-skiers at Gap 1328 SummerCamp. Another highlight is Germany's biggest open-air jacuzzi on Zugspitze mountain, the perfect place to chill out and relax. The SummerCamp parties are also legendary.

View from the top of GermanyZugspitze -- the highest point in Germany. Standing on this 9,700-foot peak, you can't help but marvel at the thought that you are above everyone else in the entire country -- No. 1 out of 82 million. From here, facing south, I feel like a maestro conducting a symphony of snow-capped peaks, as the mighty Alps stretch seemingly forever to the right and left. The Zugspitze also marks the border between Germany and Austria. Before Europe united, you had to show your passport just to walk across the mountaintop. Lifts from both countries meet at the top. As if waging an epic battle of alpine engineering, just a few years after the Austrians built a cable car to their Zugspitze station, the Germans drilled through the mountain in 1931 so that a cogwheel train could deposit nature lovers on a glacier just below their side of the summit. Today, whether you ascend from the Austrian or German side, you can straddle the border between two great nations while enjoying an incredible view. Restaurants, shops and telescopes await you at the summit. There are two separate terraces -- Bavarian and Tirolian -- connected by a narrow walk, which was the border station. Crossing used to be a big deal -- you'd get your passport stamped at the little blue house and shift your currency from shillings to marks. While the border formalities are long gone, regional pride still shines here. You'll notice no German or Austrian banners -- "Freistaat Bayern" and "Land Tirol" -- only regional ones. The views are equally breathtaking on either side of the border. On the German side, the Zugspitzplatt Glacier stretches before you. Ski lifts fan out as if reaching for the ridge that defines the border between Germany and Austria. Each summer, workers spread out a 10,500-square-foot reflector over the glacier to try to slow its shrinking due to global warming. Since metal ski lift towers absorb heat, they too are wrapped in reflective material to try to save the ice. Below you in the snow stands the "Hochzeitskapelle" wedding chapel, which was consecrated in 1981 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the present Pope Benedict XVI). The German side has the oldest building up here -- the rustic, tin-and-wood weather tower, erected by the Deutscher Wetterdienst (German weather service) in 1900. The first mountaineers' hut was built in 1897 but didn't last. The existing one -- entwined with mighty cables that cinch it down -- dates from 1914. In 1985, observers clocked 200 mph winds up here -- those cables were necessary. Step inside the German restaurant to enjoy museum-like photos and paintings on the walls -- including a look at the priest and his friends who, in 1851, hiked up with a golden cross and planted it on the summit. The German side still features a golden cross that marks the highest point in the country, but the historic original was shot up by Americans soldiers who used it for target practice in the late 1940s. What you see today is a modern replacement. World War II left its mark on the summit as well. The Austrian side was higher until the Germans blew its top off during the war to make a flak tower that targeted Allied airplanes. Both Germany and Austria use this rocky pinnacle for communication purposes. The square box on the Tirolean Terrace provides data for Innsbruck airport's air traffic control system. A tower nearby is for the Katastrophenfunk (civil defense network), harkening back to the stressful years of the Cold War. The Austrian station (which is much more visitor-friendly than the German one) has a fine little museum that tells the story of how the Zugspitze was first climbed in 1820. The museum also includes three interesting videos: a six-minute, 3-D mountain show; a 30-minute, making-of-the-lift show; and a 45-minute look at nature, sport and culture of the region. Looking down the valley from the Tirolean Terrace, you can see the Austrian towns of Erwald and Lermoos in the distance and the valley that leads to Reutte. In the summer, it's easy to actually "summit" the Zugspitze as there are steps and handholds all they way to the cross. Or you can just feed the birds from the lounge chairs of "the highest beer garden in Germany." The yellow-beak ravens -- who get chummy with anyone who shares some pretzels -- seem to enjoy the views here as much as the humans. While the Germans glory in the Zugspitze, their nation's highest point, their neighbors are less impressed. There are many higher mountains in Austria.

A golden cross marks the top of the Zugspitze -- the highest point in Germany.

A golden cross marks the top of the Zugspitze -- the highest point in Germany.

Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. E-mail him at rick@ricksteves.com, or write to him c/o P.O. Box 2009, Edmonds, Wash. 98020.

Copyright 2007 RICK STEVES, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

13 days and counting

Friday, July 18, 2008

GERMANY - Music-Festivals 2008

Hot summer in Germany: Music-Festivals 2008


Be a part of Germany's music festivals. This is a selection of the most popular music events. From rock, pop and techno to hip hop, reggae and jazz, you'll find information on all the current big music festivals in Germany. If you want to let it all hang out and see international stars perform, don't miss out on these ultimate highlights. Come to Germany to enjoy an unforgettable musical experience!

Theatron MusikSummer - The longest open-air festival in the world - according to The Guinness Book of Records - has had to scale back. Nevertheless, the program still boasts 24 days of free musical entertainment under the open skies in the Olympia park amphitheater. The concerts range from rock and pop to classical music. www.theatron.de

Wolfgang Ambros all in one:
when: Thursday, 14.08.08
Doors open at 6.30 pm concert begins at 7.30 pm
where: >Olympic Stadium
organizer: Olympiapark München GmbH
phone: 3067-0 mail: infoolympiapark-muenchen.de

Open Air Festival Date
Africa Festival May 22nd - 25th 2008
area4 Festival August 29th - 31st 2008
Bochum Total June 3rd - 6th 2008
Chiemsee Reggae Summer August 22nd - 24th 2008
DAS FEST Karlsruhe July 18th - 20th 2008
Essen Original August 22nd - 24th 2008
Hurricane June 20th - 22nd 2008
Love Parade July 19th 2008
Mayday April 30th 2008
Melt!Festival July 18th - 20th 2008
Moers Festival May 9th - 12th 2008
Nature One August 1st - 3rd 2008
Open Flair August 8th - 10th 2008
Rock am See Konstance August 30th 2008
Rock am Ring June 6th - 8th 2008
Rock im Park June 6th - 8th 2008
Ruhr in Love June 28th 2008
Schlossgrabenfest May 29th - June 1st 2008
Sonne Mond Sterne August 08th - 10th 2008
S.O.M.A July 11th - 13th 2008
Southside Festival June 20th - 22nd 2008
Splash July 11th - 13th 2008
Summerjam July 4th - 6th 2008
Taubertal Open Air August 8th -10th 2008
Wacken Open Air July 31st - August 2nd 2008

GERMANY - Munich

MUNICH (MUNCHEN)

"Munchen im Februar", "Munchen im Marz" and so on, is a free monthly paper with complete listings for museums, galleries, concerts, theatres and cinemas. The free fortnightly "In Munchen" provides similar information. Both are in German only, but it's relatively easy to figure out what's what, and both are available in bars, restaurants and similar venues. Listings information in English can be found in "New in the City Today", which is a free paper, and the more useful monthly magazine "Munich Found", which costs 3 Euros. The latter contains restaurant reviews and other articles in addition to detailed listings.

Munich is the capital of Bavaria, a region in southern Germany where the landscape, architecture and dress define what visitors consider to be quintessentially German. It's a celebratory and social place. People live life to the fullest there, and that atmosphere exists year-round. Whether you visit during Oktoberfest or not, Munich is a great city to experience.

Munich's ultimate highlight is, of course, the Oktoberfest! However, this charming city has plenty more in store for its visitors. Discover the city centre at your leisure, take in some of the famous museums or visit the Olympic park, then relax in one of the many cafés and beer gardens, or in the English Garden.


Weather averages for Munich
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 2 (36) 3 (38) 8 (48) 11 (53) 17 (63) 20 (68) 22 (72) 22 (73) 18 (66) 12 (55) 6 (44) 3 (38) 12 (55)
Average low °C (°F) -4 (24) -3 (25) 0 (32) 2 (36) 6 (44) 10 (50) 12 (54) 12 (54) 8 (48) 4 (40) 0 (32) -2 (27) 3 (39)
Precipitation cm (inches) 4 (1.9) 4 (1.7) 5 (2.1) 7 (2.8) 10 (4.0) 12 (4.9) 12 (5.0) 11 (4.4) 8 (3.3) 6 (2.4) 5 (2.1) 5 (2.0) 92 (36.5)
Source: Weatherbase[5] Feb 2007
Munich has a continental climate, strongly modified by the proximity of the Alps. The city's altitude and proximity to the northern edge of the Alps mean that precipitation is rather high. Rain storms often come violently and unexpectedly. The range of temperature between day and night or summer and winter can be extreme. A warm downwind from the Alps (a föhn wind) can change the temperatures completely within a few hours, even in the winter.
Winters last from December to March. Munich experiences rather cold winters, but heavy rainfall is rarely seen in the winter. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of −2 °C (30 °F). Snow cover is seen for at least a couple of weeks during winter. Summers in Munich city are fairly warm with average temperature of 19 °C (70 °F) in the hottest month of July. The summers last from May until September.
-- RAIL MAP of Munich
* For its population, Munich has one of the most comprehensive systems in the world, incorporating the Munich U-Bahn (underground railway), the Munich S-Bahn (suburban trains), trams and buses. The system is supervised by the Munich Transport and Tariff Association (Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund GmbH).
- The main railway station is Munich Hauptbahnhof (Hbf), in the city center, and there are two smaller main line stations at Pasing, in the west of the city, and Munich Ostbahnhof (Ost) in the east. All three are connected to the public transport system and serve as transportation hubs.
We've been toying with how to get around in Germany. Do we: rent a car, ride the bus, ride the rain or walk? Planning and getting around has been and is still my greatest fear in the fact that getting lost is easier done than said. So one of the biggest questions I have had is whether or not just one simple purchase of a rail ticket will be good on any of the different trains (i.e. IC, ICE, S-bahn, U-bahn, trams and busses). I don't want to buy the wrong one. I hope to answer that very same question here for you now in my investigation into the planning to get around in Germany.
HISTORY:

In 1923 Hitler and his supporters, who at that time were concentrated in Munich, staged the Beer Hall Putsch, an attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic and seize power. The revolt failed, resulting in Hitler's arrest and the temporary crippling of the Nazi Party, which was virtually unknown outside Munich. The city would once again become a Nazi stronghold when the National Socialists took power in Germany in 1933. The National Socialist Workers Party created the first concentration camp at Dachau, 10 miles (16 km) north-west of the city. The city is known as the site of the culmination of the policy of appeasement employed by Britain and France leading up to World War II. It was in Munich that British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain assented to the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland region into Greater Germany in the hopes of sating the desires of Hitler's Third Reich. The city was very heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II - the city was hit by 71 air raids over a period of six years. After American occupation in 1945, Munich was completely rebuilt following a meticulous and - by comparison to other war-ravaged West German cities - rather conservative plan which preserved its pre-war street grid. In 1957 Munich's population passed the 1 million mark. Munich was the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics, during which Israeli athletes were assassinated by Palestinian in the Munich massacre, when gunmen from the Palestinian "Black September" group took hostage members of the Israeli Olympic team. The majority of residents of Munich enjoy a high quality of life. Mercer HR Consulting consistently rates the city among the top 10 cities with highest quality of life worldwide - a 2007 survey ranked Munich as 8th. The same company also ranks Munich as the world's 39th most expensive city to live in and the most expensive major city in Germany. Munich enjoys a thriving economy, driven by the information technology, biotechnology, and publishing sectors. Environmental pollution is comparatively low. Today, the crime rate is very low compared to other large German cities, such as Hamburg or Berlin.

SITES:
MARIENPLATZ - Platz means square or plaza in German, and the Marienplatz (Mary's Square) is the heart of Munich, where everyone meets and visits, and there's definitely a lively atmosphere that tourists, of course, love. It's also the site of a number of historic attractions. On one side is the new city hall, which is magnificent in its medieval-style architecture. If you're wondering what the old city hall is like, just look right across the street. The old city hall actually looks newer than the new city hall, which was built in the 19th century using neogothic designs. The MARIENPLATZ - a large open square named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column in its center - with the Old and the New Town Hall. Its tower contains the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. Three gates of the demolished medieval fortification have survived to this day - the Isartor in the east, the Sendlinger Tor in the south and the Karlstor in the west of the inner city. The Karlstor (destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards) leads up to the Stachus, a grand square dominated by the Justizpalast (Palace of Justice) and a fountain. It's also the site of a number of historic attractions. For a small fee, you can take the elevator in the new city hall to the top of the tower for a great view of Munich.
OR
Go to
St. Peter's Church. For FREE you can climb to the top of its tower, built in A.D. 11, and it's the oldest parish church in Munich. If you climb to the top of its tower, you'll get one heck of a view of the city. Unlike the new city hall, however, the church has no elevator, and there are over 300 steps. When you get to the top, you'll be looking down on what is known as the Old City of Munich. You would never know that a lot of the architecture you see is rebuilt. After World War II, much of Munich was destroyed. The people of Munich faced a choice, "Do we plow everything over and build a modern metropolis, or do we save the past?" Of course, they went with the past, but surprisingly, the vote was narrow. Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
TRANSPORTATION: U-Bahn -> S-Bahn: Marienplatz
-
Odeonsplatz: One thing about Munich - there are lots and lots of platzes. However, the Odeonsplatz is formed by some extremely distinctive architecture. The church, the Theatinerkirche, has an unconventional, mustard yellow finish. You can't miss it. Then, there's a monument flanked by two lions and a set of very unassuming steps. It was on those steps that Hitler first clashed with police in 1923; he was then put in prison, where he began writing Mein Kampf.
- RESIDENZ - This building was once the private home of the Wittelsbach family. They ruled Bavaria for four centuries, living in this home for over 400 years. Today, it's a museum, so you can actually see how they lived. There are so many rooms that half are open in the morning, and the other half are open in the afternoon. But don't worry -- the really important rooms are open all day. The large RESIDENZ palace complex (begun in 1385) on the edge of Munich's Old Town ranks among Europe's most significant museums of interior decoration. Having undergone several extensions, it contains also the treasury and the splendid rococo Cuvilliés Theatre. Next door to the Residenz the neo-classical opera, the National Theatre was erected.
TRANSPORTATION: S-Bahn: Odeonsplatz
-Four grand royal avenues of the 19th century with magnificent official buildings connect Munich's inner city with the suburbs:
* The neoclassical Briennerstraße, starting at Odeonsplatz on the northern fringe of the Old Town close to the Residenz, runs from east to west and opens into the impressive Königsplatz, designed with the "Doric" Propyläen, the "Ionic" Glyptothek and the "Corinthian" State Museum of Classical Art, on its back side St. Boniface's Abbey was erected. The area around Königsplatz is home to the Kunstareal, Munich's gallery and museum quarter.
* Ludwigstraße also begins at Odeonsplatz and runs from south to north, skirting the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, the St. Louis church, the Bavarian State Library and numerous state ministries and palaces. The southern part of the avenue was constructed in Italian renaissance style while the north is strongly influenced by Italian Romanesque architecture.
* The neo-Gothic Maximilianstraße starts at Max-Joseph-Platz, where the Residenz and the National Theatre are situated, and runs from west to east. The avenue is framed by neo-Gothic buildings which house, among others, the Schauspielhaus and the building of the district government of Upper Bavaria and the Museum of Ethnology. After crossing the river Isar, the avenue circles the Maximilianeum, home of the state parliament. The western portion of Maximilianstrasse is known for its designer shops, luxury boutiques, jewellery stores, and one of Munich's foremost five-star hotels, the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
* Prinzregentenstraße runs parallel to Maximilianstraße and begins at Prinz-Carl-Palais. Many museums can be found along the avenue, such as the Haus der Kunst, the Bavarian National Museum and the Schackgalerie. The avenue crosses the Isar and circles the Friedensengel monument passing the Villa Stuck and Hitler's old apartment. The Prinzregententheater is at Prinzregentenplatz further to the east.
- Two large baroque palaces in Nymphenburg and Oberschleißheim are reminders of Bavaria's royal past. Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace), some 6 km north west of the city centre, is surrounded by an impressive park and is considered to be one of Europe's most beautiful royal residences. 2 km north west of Nymphenburg Palace is Schloss BlutenburgBlutenburg Castle), an old ducal country seat with a late-Gothic palace church. Schloss Fürstenried (Fürstenried Palace), a baroque palace of similar structure to Nymphenburg but of much smaller size, was erected around the same time in the south west of Munich. The second large baroque residence is Schloss Schleißheim (Schleissheim Palace), located in the suburb of Oberschleissheim, a palace complex encompassing three separate residences: Altes Schloss Schleißheim (the old palace), Neues Schloss Schleißheim (the new palace) and Schloss LustheimDeutsches Museum's Flugwerft Schleißheim flight exhibition centre is located nearby, on the Schleißheim Special Landing Field.
- the BMW Headquarters next to the Olympic Park
- A landmark of modern Munich is also the architecture of the sport stadiums
(Lustheim Palace). Most parts of the palace complex serve as museums and art galleries.
PARKS:
- English Garden: - Munich is a green city with numerous parks. The Englischer Garten, close to the city centre and covering an area of 3.7 km² (larger than Central Park in New York), is one of the world's largest urban public parks, and contains a nudist area, jogging tracks and bridle-paths. It was devised and laid out by Benjamin Thompson, Count of Rumford, an American, for both pleasure and as work area for the city's vagrants and homeless. Nowadays it is entirely a park with a Biergarten at the Chinese Pagoda. You can also surf. Yes, that's right, you can surf in landlocked Munich. There's a perpetual swell at a point in the Isar River.

Rent a boat on the lake, relax at the Chinese Tower beer garden or enjoy a respite in the Japanese Tea House. Walk up to the Monopterus Pavilion for a spectacular view of Munich.

- Other large green spaces are the modern Olympiapark and Westpark as well as the parks of Nymphenburg Palace (with the Botanical Garden to the north), and Schleissheim Palace. The city's oldest park is the Hofgarten, near the Residenz, and dating back to the 16th century. Most known for the largest beergarden in the town is the former royal Hirschgarten, founded in 1780 for deer which still live there.
- The city's zoo is the Tierpark Hellabrunn near the Flaucher Island in the Isar in the south of the city. Another notable park is Ostpark, located in Perlach-Ramersdorf area which houses the swimming area, Michaelibad, one of the largest in Munich.

SPORTS:
- Munich is home to several professional football teams, including 1860 Munich and Germany's most popular and successful club, FC Bayern Munich. The Munich area currently has two teams in the Bundesliga system, which comprises the two top divisions of German football. The city's hockey club is EHC Munich.
- Munich has also hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics and was one of the host cities for the 2006 Football World Cup which was not held in Munich's Olympic Stadium but in a new football specific stadium, the Allianz Arena.

MUSEUMS:
Munich has 46 of them to visit.
- The Deutsches Museum or German Museum, located on an island in the River Isar, is one of the oldest and largest science museums in the world. Three redundant exhibition buildings which are under a protection order were converted to house the Verkehrsmuseum, which houses the land transport collections of the Deutsches Museum. Deutsches Museum's Flugwerft Schleißheim flight exhibition centre is located nearby, on the Schleißheim Special Landing Field. Several non-centralised museums (many of those are public collections at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität) show the expanded state collections of palaeontology, geology, mineralogy,
zoology, botany and anthropology.
- The former Dachau concentration camp is 16 kilometres outside the city.
- Munich is a major European cultural centre and the domain of many prominent composers including Orlando di Lasso, W.A. Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Max Reger and Carl Orff. With the Biennale, founded by Hans Werner Henze the city still contributes to modern music theatre.
- Next to the Bavarian Staatsschauspiel in the Residenz Theatre (Residenztheater), the Munich Kammerspiele in the Schauspielhaus is one of the most important German language theatres in the world. Since Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's premieres in 1775 many important writers have staged their plays in Munich such as Christian Friedrich Hebbel, Henrik Ibsen and Hugo von Hofmannsthal.

Hofbräuhaus and Oktoberfest:
- The Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, arguably the most famous beer hall worldwide, is located in the city centre. When you have a beer in Munich, you want to do it right. You want to have the whole experience, and to get that, you need to go to the Hofbräuhaus. Everything you've read about this place is true -- the waitresses wear brindles, and there's a live oompapa band. You just walk in, sit down and start making friends. The feeling of gastfreundlichkei (hospitality) is immediately overwhelming. It's perfect. It also operates the second largest tent at the Oktoberfest, one of Munich's most famous attractions. Where: Am Platzl 9 U-bahn and S-bahn: Marienpl Hours: Daily 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
OKTOBERFEST: For two weeks, the Oktoberfest, attracts millions of people visiting its beer tents ("Bierzelte") and fairground attractions. The Oktoberfest was first held on
12 October1810 in honour of the marriage of crown prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities were closed with a horse race and in the following years the horse races were continued and later developed into what is now known as the Oktoberfest. Despite its name, most of Oktoberfest occurs in September. It always finishes on the first Sunday in October unless the German national holiday on 3 October ("Tag der deutschen Einheit" - Day of German Unity) is a Monday or Tuesday - then the Oktoberfest remains open for these days.
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Beer: Munich is a great place to become acquainted with German beer. Don't forget you have to have the pretzels with your beer. Drinking beer and relaxing with friends in a good beer garden is a way of life in Munich. As a visitor here, you don't want to miss it. Munich is famous for its breweries. Radler, a lemonade beer mix and the Weißbier (or Weizenbier, wheat beer)(white beer, which is fruity and light and has a lot of carbonation) is a speciality from Bavaria. Helles (light in terms of taste) with its translucent gold colour is the most popular Munich beer today, although it’s not very old (only introduced in 1895). Helles and Pils have almost ousted the Munich Dark Beer (Dunkles), which gets its dark colour from burnt malt, the most popular beer in Munich within the 19th century. Starkbier is the strongest Munich beer, containing 6–9 percent alcohol. It is dark amber and has a heavy malty taste. It is available and popular during the Lenten Starkbierzeit (strong beer season), which begins on or before St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th). There are around 20 major beer gardens, with four of the most famous and popular being located in the Englischer Garten and the largest one in the Hirschgarten.
FOOD:
- The Weißwürste ('white sausages') are a Munich speciality. Traditionally eaten only before 12:00, (a tradition dating to a time before refrigerators,) these morsels are often served with sweet mustard and freshly baked pretzels. Leberkäs, Bavarian baked sausage loaf often served with potato salad, are another delicacy of the region.
- The most famous soup might be the Leberknödel Soup. Leberknödel is a bread dumpling seasoned with liver and onions.
- Schweinebraten (pot roasted pork) with Knödel (dumplings made from potatoes and/or white bread) and Kraut (cabbage) or a Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) are served as lunch or dinner. Beuscherl, a plate of lung, heart and spleen is also served with dumplings.
- Popular as dessert is the Apfelstrudel apple strudel with vanilla sauce, the Millirahmstrudel a cream cheese strudel, Dampfnudeln (yeast dumplings served with custard) or Auszogene, a fried pastry shaped like a large donut but without a hole. Not forgetting the famous Prinzregententorte created in honour of the prince regent Luitpold.
- Some specialities are typical cold dishes served in beergardens: Obatzda is a Bavarian cheese delicacy, a savoury blend of smashed mellow camembert prepared with cream cheese, cut onions and spicy paprika (and sometimes some butter). It's often served in the beergardens as well as Radi (radish), white radish cut in thin slices and salted, and Münchner Wurstsalat, Munich's famous sausage salad with thinly sliced Knackwurst marinated in vinegar and oil with onions on a bed of lettuce. Popular grilled meals include Steckerlfisch is a local fish, such as trout or whitefish, speared on a wooden stick, grilled and smoked on charcoal - the typical feature is the crispy skin. Another classic is A hoibs Hendl (half a grilled chicken). A Maß (die Maß) is a litre of beer, a Radler consists of half beer and half lemonade.

MARKETS:
- The Viktualienmarkt is Munich's most popular market for fresh food and delicatessen. A very old feature of Munich's Fasching (carnival) is the dance of the Marktfrauen (market women) of the Viktualienmarkt in comical costumes. The Viktualienmarkt has been Munich's main food market was founded in 1807 as a small herb market. Today it sells fruit, vegetables, cheeses, meats and all sorts of foodstuffs. It's also a great place to practice asking for things in German! TRANSPORTATION: U-Bahn -> S-Bahn: Marienplatz
- The Auer Dult is held three times a year on the square around Mariahilf church and is one of Munich's oldest markets, well known for its jumble sale and antiques.
- Three weeks before Christmas the Christkindlmarkt opens at Marienplatz and other squares in the city, selling Christmas goods.

NIGHTLIFE:
Nightlife in Munich is thriving with over 6,000 licensed establishments in the city, especially in Schwabing, which is still the main quarter for students and artists. Some notable establishments are: the touristy Hofbräuhaus, one of the oldest breweries in Munich, located in the city centre near Tal; Kultfabrik and Optimolwerke, former industrial areas converted to host many different discos and pubs; Munich's gay quarter is in Isarvorstadt, surrounding the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, also known as the Glockenbachviertel.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
- For its population, Munich has one of the most comprehensive systems in the world, incorporating the Munich U-Bahn (underground railway), the Munich S-Bahn (suburban trains), trams and buses. The system is supervised by the Munich Transport and Tariff Association (Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund GmbH).
- The main railway station is Munich Hauptbahnhof, in the city centre, and there are two smaller main line stations at Pasing, in the west of the city, and Munich Ostbahnhof in the east. All three are connected to the public transport system and serve as transportation hubs.
- ICE highspeed trains stop at Munich-Pasing and Munich-Hauptbahnhof only. InterCity and EuroCity trains with destinations East of Munich also stop at Munich East. Since 28 May 2006Nuremberg via Ingolstadt by a 300 km/h (186 mph) ICE high speed railway line.
- Cycling is recognised as a good alternative to motorised transport and the growing number of bicycle lanes are widely used throughout the year. A modern bike hire system is available in the central area of Munich that is surrounded by the beltway.

GERMANY - Sports Activities

Sports are fun!

Sports are fun. Whether on your own, with a friend or in a group, you can try cycling, canoeing, snowboarding, pony riding, or a climbing wall or high ropes course. Germany has something for absolutely everyone.

Natural Landscapes

Germany's natural landscapes offer a wealth of options for an unforgettable holiday: long sandy beaches on the coasts and lake shores, enchanting lowland plains, extensive ranges of hills and the high peaks of the Alps. Whether you choose leisurely exploration, a spa or wellness break, or a sports activity on land, on water or in the air, you'll be amazed at what Germany has to offer.
Winter Sports
German winter sports areas have a lot to offer: alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, toboggans, curling, tours on the sledge, hiking etc. Thanks to the good infrastructure, the winter sports areas are easy to reach. The excellent local services make the winter sports areas very accessible. Germany has over 300 winter sports towns and a few among them are internationally well-known. Beautiful chalets, lovely evenings at the fire, delightful moments with the family or folk dancing. Cities and villages put on their winter coats and the Christmas lights make them more colourful than ever. Indoor ski halls - winter fun regardless of the weather:
A good way to prepare for the winter world of the mountains is a short trip to Germany's indoor ski halls with a 100-percent snow guarantee. Skiers can enjoy a real ski-holiday atmosphere with snowball fights and ski-hut parties. During a ski course, participants learn tricks and ruses according to their skills so they can cut a better figure on the slopes. The sports offers of the winter leisure paradise are rounded out by a world of gastronomic experience with bars, restaurants and après-ski huts radiating Alpine flair. Between Heaven and Earth!
Looking for that really special adventure? Then you'll need plenty of courage, will power and concentration. Germany has a number of exceptional high ropes courses and climbing centres where thrills come as standard! Water Sports
Water can be gently murmuring and glittering with silver, or wild and torrid, capped with frothy white spray. Water can be powerful and gentle, babbling merrily or unfathomably deep. Discover the many aspects of this intensely refreshing holiday element.
Caves
Created by nature over the course of thousands of years, Germany's caves will simply knock you out. Discover the mysterious world of Germany's show caves on a guided tour or at one of the speleology museums. Biking
Millions of visitors to Germany have already discovered that exploring the country by bike can be both relaxing and exciting. Here, you can find a selection of the most beautiful long-distance bicycle routes and regions including route descriptions, maps, sightseeing attractions and tips. Therefore, the federal states of Germany present themselves by means of their long-distance bicycle routes.

GERMANY - Amusement Parks

Amusement Parks

Wherever you are in Germany, you won’t be far from a wonderland for thrill seekers of all ages. You’ll be spoilt for choice: hardly any other country offers such a wide range of theme parks dedicated to different topics. Theme parks in Germany not only have high safety standards but are also a good bargain.
- Near Cologne is Phantasialand, you can raft in the rapids,
- go on a treasure hunt at Ravensburger Spieleland near Lake Constance,
- or ride Germany’s biggest, highest steel roller coaster at Europa-Park in Rust.
Among other great theme parks are:
- VW’s Autostadt complex in Wolfsburg - test your off-road skills, Lamborghini guided tour,
- Belantis Theme Park in Leipzig - Dragons, pyramids and fairytale castles,
- Tripsdrill Amusement Park near Stuttgart, Drivers can steer their own soapbox & race
- Fort Fun and Panorama Park Sauerland near Düsseldorf - The world's one and only Wild Eagle sky glider,
- Hansapark near Lübeck - the world's highest flying carousel,
- Heide Park Soltau near Hamburg - the biggest gyro-drop tower in the world,
- Holiday Park in the Palatine - Speed lovers voted Expedition GeForce the best roller coaster in the world,
- Legoland® Deutschland near Augsburg,
- Playmobil Fun Park near Nuremberg,
- Taunus Wonderland near Frankfurt,
- Universum® Bremen
- Serengeti Park between Bremen and Hanover and
- Tropical Island Resort near Berlin.

Fancy getting to know the tricks of the film trade? Why don’t you visit one of Germany’s film parks:
- Bavaria Filmstadt near Munich - Camera tricks and real film sets,
- Babelsberg Filmpark in Potsdam, moving seats and wind and smell effects create the perfect illusion and
- Movie Park Germany in the Ruhr region are the right place for film buffs.

BAVARIA, GERMANY

Bavaria was its own kingdom, before becoming part of Germany in 1918. If you ask anyone there where they're from, they won't say Germany. They'll say Bavaria. It is Germany's top tourist destination. People go there to experience the region's storybook towns, rich cultural heritage and immense natural beauty.

GERMANY - Other Ideas

Germany:driving p48

From Frankfurt airport drive: S thru Heidelberg thru Nurnberg to Munich
Cologne - Munich on A3

Getting around p46

Hotel: Sinsheim

Tour: Auto & Technik MUSEUM SINSHEIM $
Welcome at the Auto & Technik MUSEUM SINSHEIM
Situated on an area of over 30.000m² indoors, and in open-air grounds comprising in excess of 50.000m², the Auto & Technik MUSEUM SINSHEIM offers you more than 3.000 exhibits. Among them the original Concorde of the AirFrance plus a russian supersonic-jet Tupolev TU-144 and 300 vintage cars, 200 motorbikes, 40 race- and sports cars, 27 locomotives, 50 airplanes, 150 tractors, steam engines and trucks.
A world sensation is the IMAX 3D movie theater, where you can enjoy the experience of three-dimensional movies on a 20x27m screen in the third dimension.
Family orientated features are important to us. In our open air grounds we are offering playgrounds for children and in our restaurants you have the possibility to relive the highlights of your visit. Our new hospitality property, HOTEL SINSHEIM offers all of the luxury and conveniences of a four star hotel.
Admission fees:
Price/EUR Museum IMAX 3D Museum& IMAX 3D
1-14 yrs € 10,50 € 7,00 € 13,00
adults € 12,50 € 9,50 € 17,00

. Visit the Nymphenburg Palace and Gardens

Visit Mad King Ludwig's birthplace, Nymphenburg Palace. Nymphenburg was the summer residence of the Bavarian royalty from 1660 forward and is one of the most beautiful and possibly the largest remaining baroque palaces in Europe. The gardens and lake are a delight, with pavilions, botanical gardens and plenty of sculpture. Buy some handcrafted porcelain at the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory or visit the Marstall Museum to see an impressive collection of royal coaches and sleighs.

. Visit the Munich Frauenkirche

For the best views of the city and the Alps, visit the Frauenkirche church. The interior is such that you do not notice the windows because they are hidden by the many pillars in the cathedral. Check out the devil's footprint which legend has it was created when the devil stamped his foot in glee at the folly of the architect.

Alternatively, visit the city's oldest church, St Peter's just off the Marienplatz. It is a long climb to the top using a small spiral staircase but well worth it.