Munich

We took the train to Berchtesgaden /Eagles Nest as a long day trip. Or consider a visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

Aside from a visit to Dachau, which is very close to Munich, I made 2 day trips via train that I enjoyed very much: Nuremberg, to tour the Dokumentationzentrum and walk the rally grounds, then to the Altstadt to have lunch and explore the craftsmen's courtyard, tour Albrecht Durer's house and the fascinating toy museum.

The other trip was for a much more specific interest--as a lifelong collector of Steiff toys I had vowed if I ever got to southern Germany I would visit the little town of Giengen an der Brenz where the original factory began in 1880; it is still there, along with a museum devoted to the life of Margarete Steiff and full of wonderful displays. I wandered the charming little town that was having a market day, and had excellent Swabian food for lunch before heading back to Munich.

I recall thinking there were many options for day trips from Munich that would have me there by 9-10 am and back in Munich by dinner, if not sooner.

One day in Munich? I like Rick's take on the city, but there's no way you can see half of all the good stuff in a week. You don't have time for day trips.

One thing you should think about in is the Hunting and Fishing Museum. It’s just inside the city gate closest to the Bahnhof (Train Station) on Neuhauser Strasse (Street) on the way to the Marienplatz (the central square). You can’t miss it; there are a couple huge bronze statues outside of a boar and a catfish. The entrance is on the corner of the building. Most tourists don’t even know it exists, but once you go in you’ll be impressed.

I recommend going to the DeutschesMuseum, over the hunting museum, which is on an island in the river about 10 minutes walk from the Marienplatz. Head southeast and you’ll find it. The Focus is on how things are/were made, not just displays. Great collections of scientific instruments. Not a lot of military stuff, but some of the rarer WWII aircraft.

Munich has two great art museums, the Alte and the Neue Pinokotecks. They have a great collection of old masters, good enough that the Smithsonian borrows from them.

Dachau is a short (40-50 minute) train ride from Munich. If you’re going to want to see a camp this is the one I recommend. It’s a very sobering place. The train lets you off right by the main gate, so don’t drive.

If the weather’s good take a walk up along the river through the English Gardens. If it’s warm everyone will be sunbathing around the Greek temple. At the North end is the American University. It’s a really good place to picnic or just walk. It’s changed a little since you were there last, Rich; they built a huge gov’t office complex that looks like a greenhouse where one of the old wrecked buildings used to be.

A popular destination on the west side of the city is Schloss Nymphenberg. It’s a huge complex of “castles” (actually great houses) where the King of Bavaria used to have all his court. It was where you stayed if you wanted to see the king. You waited there until they gave permission and then you’d travel south to the real residences (Hohenschwangau and Nyphenberg).

I like to just walk around the city; there’s always something going on. If you use the Marienplatz (MP) as the center location everything’s pretty easy to keep track of. Just south is the daily farmers market. I always get stuff there and carry it with me for lunch. I try to eat breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the market, and save the restaurant for the evening meal. Walking around Munich in the evening is really nice. You’ll always find musicians playing in the streets (Munich is famous for its musical education). Look around for Jazz cellars (they play all kinds of music). You won’t notice them during the day, but after 5-6 pm they start setting out the chairs and tables on the sidewalks.

For a really good bakery/coffeshop go north/west (from MP)past the new city hall towards the Frauenkirche. It’s in the plaza between the church and the garden, where all the bikes are parked.

You’ll find a lot of the traditional beerhouses in this area also; Pauliner, Augustiner, Spaaten, etc. I think they’re pretty touristy, but usually good. Look around; there are lots of smaller places where the food is good and less expensive. You know to look at the posted menus before you enter? There’s a really good little beer hall just past the old city hall (at the east end of MP) across the street from McDonalds (Schneiders).

The Residence is near the south end of the English Garden. It the place where they have the Crown Jewels on display.

The BMW Museum is north of the American University.

Neuhauser Strasse is one of the major shopping areas but its walking traffic only. There’s lots of art and other stuff in walking distance, and Frankonia Jagd (the major Bavarian hunting chain) right outside.

Dachau is a short (40-50 minute) train ride from Munich. ... The train
lets you off right by the main gate, so don’t drive.

No, the train doesn't go right by the main gate. The bus from Dachau Bahnhof goes right by the main gate.

The trip from the Hbf is by S-Bahn and bus to the Dachau memorial, which is called KZ-gedenkstätte, Dachau.

The S2 in the direction of Petershausen or Altomünster leaves the Hbf underground S-Bahn station every twenty minutes. The train takes 23 minutes. Normally you'll have 10 minutes to go down to the bus bays in front of the Bahnhof. The bus, number 726, leaves from bus bay 1 every 10 minutes. I can't remember the exact details, but I do remember the bus was very well marked. Even if you don't catch the next one, there's another one leaving in 10 minutes. It's a 7 minute bus trip to the memorial, and they do let you off right by the main gate.

As far as priorities, I would not consider Dachau as a first priority, but then, I was born during the war and grew up in it's shadow. I heard all about the German prison camps. (Actually, Dachau was a work camp. A lot of people there were worked to death, but most people got out alive. It was not a death camp like Auschwitz.)

I would put a higher priority on the Deutsches Museum. Most people go there for the aviation exhibit, with a Fokker Tri-plane (of Red Baron fame), a Messerschmidt, and V1 and V2 rockets, but I found the bridge building and mining displays equally interesting. There's also the Munich City Museum just south of Marienplatz, but the exhibits are in German, so not so easy for English speakers to understand.

Thank you KGC, I was going to say everything you said, so now I don't have to do all that typing.

Well said.

Thank you to everyone!!
It sounds like there is plenty to cover in 2 days, so we will probably just stay put!
You have been very helpful!
Maureen

Thank you to Everyone!
You have been very helpful, we think we will just see more of Munich!
Maureen