Munich

Munich or Muenchen is often symbolized by onion-shaped domes of 15th century, Gothic Church of our Lady, but perhaps the beerstein could substitute, as bier permeates Munich’s culture.

The Beer and Oktoberfest Museum traces beer and Oktoberfest history. Now, the biggest beer festival anywhere, Oktoberfest, runs late September to early October.

Bustling with oom-pah music, most first-timers down a liter at Hofbräuhaus beer hall, contributing to 10,000 served daily. Erdinger Weissbräu offers brewery tours explaining raw ingredients to finished elixir.

Prepare for several relaxed hours when you visit Munich’s 180 biergartens like Augustiner, Aumeister and Hirschgarten. Beware the minimum serving is a litre! Radler, lager beer and lemonade, is an alternative. Bavarian custom encourages sitting with strangers, though tables labeled Stammtisch are for regulars.

BMW Museum exhibits everything ever produced, Formula 1, motorcycles,engines, even movie vehicles. Bavaria Filmstadt tours highlight the Bavarian Stunt Show, 4D movies and behind the scenes insights.

Munich’s castles abound, like the 130+ room Residenz Palace, Linderhof, Nymphenburg palace and Hofgarten Palace’s Renaissance Garden. Neuschwanstein Castle, Disney’s Cinderella Palace model, blends French landscape with gorgeous grounds that inspired Swan Lake.

Try Maximilianstrasse for luxe shopping and Viktualienmarkt for vegetables, cheeses, sausage and fish.

December’s Christkindlmarkt offers Christmas music, shopping and traditional edibles including gingerbread, fruitcake, roasted almonds and sausages. Great souvenirs include ornaments, angels and nutcrackers

Bavarians offer few bilingual menus. Helpful translations: Weißwurst: veal-herb breakfast sausage; Breze, soft pretzel; Schweinsbraten: pork roast; Krautwickerl: meat-stuffed cabbage; Knödel dumplings; Glühwein: mulled wine; Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte:Black Forest Cake. Guten Appetit!