Euro Trip : Day 2 (Germany - Munich)

Ridding ourselves of the little jet lag we had and all excited to soak in the classical Munich experience, Day 2 started with a bang! A beautiful little Café nearby fed us a hearty breakfast. Despite it being core Bavaria, I was surprised by the variety of options available for vegetarians everywhere. The first ‘to-do’ thing was: find a comfortable parking & drop off the car so that we can take a walking tour all by ourselves. We were eager to explore the historic streets and buildings where Hitler gave his speeches and how Hitler and Nazis fought to the way of power in 1920’s and 1930’s.

As we walked to the heart of Munich city, the first place we saw was Karlsplatz Stachus, named after Karl Theodor the 18th century elector of Bavaria. ‘Stachus’ in German means an expansive picturesque square. It was officially named as Karlzplatz in 1797 and it fronts the Munich’s ancient city gates. From beautiful medieval architectures to the large shopping centre beneath it, Karlzplatz has a lot to offer. In winter the whole atmosphere turns into open air skating rink. The two important places to see here are the neo-baroque Justizpalast: the Palace of Justice on west side and the Kaufhof: a departmental store. On the other side you can see the historic gothic gate called Karlstor, the structure with 3 arched doorways. This marks the western edge of the five former city gates (Only 3 of these remain today).

As we moved further towards Marienplatz we saw a busy pedestrianized shopping strip that extends between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz. A lot of people were showcasing their talents. We could see anything from a musician playing a unique instrument to a painter painting on the street. You can also spot historic churches and significant civic buildings while strolling along this strip. Another attraction which captured our eyes as we moved along is Frauenkirche, a late Gothic church. The twin towers approx. 100 m tall resemble the Renaissance domes. An interesting thing about this place is the footprints on the floor, which is told to be left by the devil who visited the place. If you climb up the towers you get to see an amazing view of the Bavarian region.

The walking streets filled with shops would finally take you to Marienplatz. This place represents the neo-gothic style of architecture and is the heart of Munich since 1158. The place takes its name from the pillar built to honor St. Mary in 1638 (Mariensäule: Mary’s Column). It is also a home for New town hall (Neues Rathaus) which is made out of bricks and limestone by Georg von Hauberrisser. This Gothic Revival style which features Wittelsbach rulers is now the seat of Mayor’s office and draws attraction to thousands of tourists every single day. The world famous Glockenspiel in the balcony of Neues Rathaus is definitely eye catching. Rathaus-Glockenspiel’s 43 bells and 32 figures sing and dance to the music. It is a 12 minute show and highlights 2 stories which date back to 16th century (Marriage of local duke to Renata of Lorraine and Coopers Dance). Apart from this, angel of peace also makes an appearance. Undoubtedly the best view is from Cafe Glockenspiel.

Glockenspiel Shows:

11am and 12pm everyday

5pm from March to October

Right next to Marienplatz, there is a huge farmers market called Viktualienmarkt which began in early 19th century. You get to see and buy the best local produce every day, including the seasonal specialties. In the centre of the market you can see the Maypole. It represents the colorful trades and crafts practiced by ancient Müncheners. During the holiday season, one of Munich’s most celebrated Christmas markets is held on the plaza

From here we walked towards the Theresienwiese for the famous Oktoberfest. In Munich, Oktoberfest it is a folk festival which lasts for 15+ days and is the world’s largest Volkfest. Close to 6 million people attend Oktoberfest every year and guzzle down umpteen amounts of beer every day. Finding a parking here almost impossible. The best bet to get here is to ride any of the public transport. Theressienwiese is a huge fairground where a lot of tents, beer halls and carnival rides are set up. Most of the people here were dressed in the traditional Bavarian attire and it amped-up the authenticity of the whole Oktoberfest experience. We did not have any reservations and while it is really tough, it is not impossible to get a seat if you patiently wait for some time. The huge decorated tents, live music and dance fill the air; the festive atmosphere here is an absolute delight. We spent around 3-4 hrs and then walked back to the city centre.

By now it was almost evening and we started walking towards the Isar River for the view of the city at night. As we walked through the city street, we saw Wittelsbacherplatz: an attractive Neo-classical architecture and the monument designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and dedicated to the elector of 1820 Maximilian I. Wittelsbacherplatz is also known for the famous, overcrowded, medieval Christmas market in the winters. Another classical building which stops you on the way is Odeonsplatz. This is the northern boundary of the pedestrian zone and the home to Theatinerkirche: a church in late Baroque style also known as Feldherrnhalle. This work dates back to 1844 which was constructed to honor the Bavarian Army. Another highlight of this place is the Munich Residenz, a house of 10 courtyards and around 130 museum rooms. It is a huge palace and has a huge variety of collections of the royal crowns, jewels, silver paintings, chandeliers, family portraits and most importantly the symbol of Bavarian rulers (Wittelsbachs). This was opened to public only in 1920. Since every king added a different courtyard during their time, you get to see the intricate work of different styles from Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, to Neoclassical. We did not spend too much time here since it was undergoing some construction/repair work.

The Isar riverside was the last place in the list for today. Isar originates in Karwendel (mountain ranges in Northern limestone Alps) and flows Northeast towards Danube river and finally into Black Sea. Long back it was used as a trade route but now after a lot of improvements around it is used by people to surf, fish or just relax. The currents of the river are used by a power plant. There are numerous hiking and biking trails along the river. We went to a traditional German restaurant for dinner and drove back to hotel. An amazing ending for the day!