Famous for its Oktoberfest parties, distinct beers, and astounding theaters, Munich is a city with more to offer than you could even dare to imagine. This incredible destination is full of gorgeous palaces, stunning public parks, art galleries, and incredible historic sites.

Munich is the perfect destination for anyone looking to explore and understand traditional German customs, rich folklore, and even contemporary life.

When to Visit Munich

Munich, fortunately, has four distinct seasons with typical weather patterns. The winter months are cold and snowy while the summer months are hot. You can visit Munich any time of the year but being able to walk through the gardens on a sunny day and stopping to sip a cold beer under a tree is an experience best had in June, though if you visit during the colder months you’ll have plenty of museums, theater houses, and restaurants to keep you busy as well. The winter months are, for the most part, relatively quiet as most of the tourists tend to visit during the summer.

Busy times in Munich are the weeks before Easter, during Fasching, also known as the German Mardi Gras. The end of September and early October is usually busy as well, during the ever popular Oktoberfest festival.

Transportation throughout Munich

Start your trip through Munich with a Grey Line bus tour of the city. During the summer months this tour departs every hour and from your comfortable bus seat you’ll get an idea of how the city is laid out – and will then be able to determine what modes of transportation you really want to use.

Most of the major tourist sites are within walking distance of the hotels in Munich and if you don’t want to walk, the subway and streetcar systems are relatively simple to navigate. If you visit during the spring or fall months you may want to rent a bicycle. Munich is full of dedicated bicycle trails and riders always have the right of way in traffic.

Health and Safety Considerations in Munich

Munich has an incredibly low crime rate but it is not, of course, completely free of crime. Take caution if you are traveling alone, especially on the public transportation systems, and keep your eyes peeled while you are in crowds (especially drunk crowds near festival times). Racism isn’t especially prevalent but race related crimes are not completely unheard of either.

When walking, you’ll note that the pavement closest to the road is marked for bicyclists. Do not walk on the bicycle paths. Doing so is akin to walking down the middle of a highway and expecting to not be hit. Bicyclists will blow their bike horns to warn you but at the end of the day you simply need to realize you are in the way.

Jay walking is also a serious offense in Munich. In these instances, pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. Do not attempt to cross a road if you have a red light. If you get hit by a car you’ll not only feel pretty stupid but the police will not give you any sympathy, either. As a matter of fact, you’ll be considered at fault and will be asked to pay for damages to the car that hit you.

Finding the Tourist Information Halls in Munich

Before you start exploring, you’ll want to make a short trip to one of the main tourist board halls in Munich. There are three, each of which is located at a different area throughout the city. Each has different hours as well. Keep your eyes peeled for the following:

• Tourist Office at City Hall, Marienplatz 2, 80331 Munchen
• Tourist Office at Main Station, Central Train Station, Bahnhofplatz 2, 80335 Munchen
• Munich Tourist Board, Tourismusamt Munchen, Sendlinger Strasse 1, 80331 Munchen

German Etiquette

In most German restaurants, clubs, and bars you will find that a 15% service charge is automatically added to your bill. It is customary to round the total up to the next full Euro figure. Do not expect to be given a paper check in a German restaurant. Your waiter or waitress will tell you the total and you will then tell him how much you are paying (the total plus your rounding up). You’ll then hand him the money and he’ll bring you back your change. The standard for rounding up, especially if you are paying for multiple people, is anywhere from 3-5% of the bill.

Make sure you carry plenty of cash as you travel through Munich and the rest of Germany. While the Germans are relatively advanced when it comes to technology, most places (restaurants, stores, etc) do not accept credit cards. They prefer to use either cash or the local German debit card system. Most hotels will take credit cards, as will a few upscale restaurants and entertainment venues. Otherwise, you’ll need to have enough Euros to pay in full. You can’t pay by check (that’s almost unheard of) and if you try to pay with a traveler’s check you’ll end up paying a huge service fee for cashing.

Finally, remember that water in Germany is not free. When you enter a restaurant or bar you will not be given water when you sit down and if you ask for it you will be asked if you want still water or carbonated water. (Don’t ask for “tap water” – it’s rude). You will be charged for your glass of water. No matter what you order, expect to pay for every refill.

There is so much to do and see in Munich. Once you visit a tourist center, learn about the area attractions, and figure out what mode of transportation you want to use you’ll be more than prepared to begin exploring. Enjoy!