Munich (München) has numerous museums and several fine Baroque and Renaissance churches. The Alte Pinakothek has the largest collection of Rubens paintings in the world; the Neue Pinakothek has a collection of modern paintings.
Motoring enthusiasts will find the BMW (Bayerische Motorwerke) Museum dedicated to the famous marque. Other places worth a visit are the Royal Palace and Royal Treasury and the Bavarian National Museum. The Olympia Park stadium (home of Bayern Munich) is now a recreational area. Site of the 1972 Olympic Games, city residents now use its facilities.
Munich hosts the best-known of all German events, the Oktoberfest beer festival. This had its origins in 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The people liked the festival so much that it became a regular feature and now takes place annually for three weeks. Munich's nine breweries all have their own beer tents at the festival, but the city has many famous permanent beer cellars.
The Nymphenburg Palace is home to a portrait gallery and a famous collection of china. The Fasching (carnival) season reaches its peak during February with several balls and other festivities, but the Auer Dult, a funfair and flea market, takes place three times a year.
In a suburb of Munich, Lake Starnberg is extremely popular for recreation, offering a wide range of sporting activities and has boats for hire. For art lovers, it is also home of the Buchheim Museum containing works accumulated by collector Lothar-Günter Buchheim.
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BMW Museum ~ Documenting the history of BMW, this mushroom shaped building is filled with race and prototype cars, along with video presentations. Located next to the Olympic Park.
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Stadt Museum ~ Outstanding displays covering unusual exhibits on just about everything!
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Olympic Stadium ~ The venue for the 1972 Games, the stadium is testament to how spectacular architectural design and function can be successfully combined. Nowadays, as well as sport, the stadium is used for open-air pop concerts!
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Schloss Nymphenburg ~ The Bavarian royal family's impressive baroque summer residence.
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Pinakothek der Moderne ~ This museum brings modern and contemporary painting, sculpture, jewellery, and graphic art together under one roof.
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Revolving restaurant in the Olympic Tower ~ The 182 m. high restaurant takes 49 minutes to rotate on its axis. An excellent view of the city can be seen whilst dining.
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Dachau ~ The first Nazi concentration camp where more than 30,000 were sent to the gas chambers. The visit will include relics, a memorial and a thought-provoking museum.
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Neuschwanstein Castle ~ King Ludwig II was inspired by the music and operatic works of Richard Wagner, and built this castle in the 19th century. This fairytale castle became the model for the palace in the Disney cartoon 'Cinderella', and is considered to be one of Germany's most beautiful and famous castles. The journey takes approximately 1.5 hours from Munich.
