Car Hire Munich

Mini guide to Munich

Munich is one of Germany's most popular tourist havens, with a vibrant urban culture in the midst of Gothic buildings, parks and museums. The annual tourist drawcard is the Oktoberfest when the city is mobbed by local and foreign hops-worshippers.

Exploring Munich is relatively easy once you've found your bearings. The Isar river bisects the city centre, and you'll find most of Munich's sights on the left bank of the river. From the Hauptbahnhof to the Altstadt (old city) is a pleasant 15-minute walk west through Karlsplatz along the Kaufingerstrasse. At the heart of the Altstadt lies the Marienplatz, a lively square where you can relax in a sidewalk cafe or explore some of the nearby chuches. One of the main attractions is the 19th-century neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus, an extravagant building on the northern side of the square. The English Garden (Europe's largest park) is in Schwabing, and provides scenic walking, boating, and even nude sunbathing.

Southwest from Hauptbahnhof you'll pass the Westend and get to Theresienwiese, home of the infamous Oktoberfest. This is one of the best suburbs for well-priced cafes and restaurants with a good street vibe.

Maximilianstrasse, east of Marienplatz, is excellent for window-shopping, and also has trendy bars and nightclubs. Another curious draw card are all the nude sunbathers in summer that make the English gardens popular, but there’s much more to see there than naturists.

By car around the city you can visit Schloss Nymphenburg (10km northwest of the centre), Residenzmuseum, Viktualienmarkt (famous food market), Deutches Museum (world's largest technology museum) and the Royal Palace.