Munich is prosperous, orderly and quietly spectacular — a city of broad boulevards, palatial museums and beer halls that have been serving Augustiner and Weihenstephan since the Middle Ages. The Marienplatz and its Neo-Gothic Rathaus anchor the old town, while the English Garden — larger than Central Park — gives the city a leisurely, tree-lined heart where locals surf a standing wave on the Eisbach year-round. The Deutsches Museum is the world's largest science museum; the Pinakothek trilogy holds one of Europe's finest collections from Rubens to Beuys. Oktoberfest draws five million visitors each September, but Munich's food scene rewards those who stay longer: Tantris and Atelier hold multiple Michelin stars, while the Viktualienmarkt has sold Bavarian produce since 1807.
- Suggested duration: 3–4 days
- Best time to visit: May to June for beer gardens in bloom; September for Oktoberfest; December for the Christmas markets.