NAVIGATE 48 Hours

Strolling through , ’s central city square, on a moonlit night is one of the better ways to enjoy the city’s skyline. The square itself is buzzing with activity, with numerous restaurants, shops, live bands, and the occasional outdoor market. Bavarian Bloom

In the pulsating city of Munich, history and modernity thrive

By Malavika Bhattacharya

avaria’s capital is a particularly vibrant cultural festivals through the year, BMW Welt is a futuristic, double-cone- amorous city. Every now and then, drawing thousands into its open spaces to shaped glass structure housing the you’re reminded that “Munich Loves celebrate with concerts, theatre, open-air company’s latest vehicle models. The BYou”: The city’s tag line is plastered food stalls, and street markets. “gallery” doubles up as a collection centre across numerous walls on little posters, it Dig into Munich’s many layers and for new customers. Visitors can browse stares down at you from shop windows, contrasts. Enjoy a laid-back afternoon at the cool exhibits that include models of and is splattered across memorabilia at a museum and feel the city’s irrepressible the and BMW i series, get up close street stalls. energy as the bars fill up after hours. with the sleek machines, check out their History and modernity collide in this interiors, and take pictures with them. Pick 855-year-old city where Gothic church Day 1 up a souvenir at the BMW Welt Lifestyle & I ndiapicture A lamy/ spires and baroque palaces define the Morning Hot Wheels Accessory Shop (Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), skyline, while hip nightclubs define the Start the morning with an eyeful of grab a quick bite at The Biker’s Lodge “work-hard, play-hard” ethos of its citizens. cutting-edge German engineering at the (daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.), and proceed to the

The city that birthed Oktoberfest hosts headquarters of auto giant BMW. The adjoining BMW Museum. Spread across G mb H / W estend61

44 national Geographic Traveller INDIA | march 2014 NAVIGATE 48 Hours

River surfing, where the surfer rides a static wave created when the water rushes over a rock (top left), originated in Munich in the early ’70s; Not surprisingly, the most popular souvenirs sold in the city that birthed the Oktoberfest are beer steins (top right), traditional ornamental beer mugs with lids; The traditional Auer Dult market (bottom left), which takes place three times a year at Mariahilfplatz city square is considered the largest crockery market in Europe; Fans of the German automaker BMW can visit its museum (bottom right) in Munich to see a wide range of cars on display, often including quirky ones like this model made of plasticine or a current exhibit of lightweight models made from aluminium and carbon fibre, on until 27 July. three levels, vintage automobiles, uber- sushi platter and Ayurvedic thali are hot Rathaus-glockenspiel at Marienplatz, the modern race cars, and slick motorcycles selling items, and well-behaved pets are central square, and shop at the trendy stand testimony to the company’s 90-year- welcome to curl up under tables. Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Strasse. old legacy. Get the audio guide—available The landscaped greens of the expansive Both streets are lined with glittering shop in seven languages—for information and , located in the centre windows and crowded with fashion-forward ir), ve n ir), u backstories on the exhibits. of town, are a popular port of call on a locals enjoying an evening on the town. o (BMW Welt daily 7.30 a.m. to midnight; summer afternoon. Head towards the Skip the tourist-overrun Hofbräuhaus ( s

+49-89-125016001; www.-welt.com; Channel on the southern edge and head to the 130-year-old Löwenbrau orbis C entry free. BMW Museum Tue-Sun to witness . Munich may be Brewery (10 a.m. to midnight; +49-89- 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; entry €9/`760; audio 500 kilometres from the coast, but a large 5472669; www.loewenbraeukeller.com), one guide €2/`170). community of surfing enthusiasts has of six breweries located inside Munich. The teven V idler/ teven

turned to the static wave on the man-made cavernous beer hall is always packed to the car) el, us Afternoon Riding Waves river to practice their sport. Daredevil rafters with locals and travellers enjoying Bratwurst may be the order of the day surfers in neoprene bodysuits manoeuvre its twelve house brews. A warm summer in meat-eating , but in Munich, the fast-paced, metre-high wave on the evening is best spent under chestnut trees rfer), S rfer), orbis ( su vegetarian is now in vogue. With many narrow channel’s icy waters (“Eisbach” in the outdoor garden nursing a refreshing C young people opting for a meat-free lifestyle, translates to “ice creek”). Radler, a mix of beer, lemonade, and soda restaurants catering to this clientele operate pop. Waitresses in typical peasant costumes to a full house. Grab a light, veggie lunch at Evening A Litre of Lager (dirndls), dish out highly recommended the bright Prinz Myshkin (+49-89-265596; Admire the magnificent architecture Bavarian specialities like fillets of char fish F rei/ M arc F ranz ndiapicture (caro I ndiapicture B roker/ I mage prinzmyshkin.com), where the vegetarian of the Old Town Hall and the famous on a bed of spinach.

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Brandhorst Museum houses one of the biggest Andy Warhol collections in Europe (left) and often includes exhibits by controversial artist Damien Hirst; The museum’s facade (right) is made up of 36,000 ceramic sticks in 23 different colours. Day 2 Munich is more than The bi-annual Tollwood festival held Morning Art Beat in summer and winter (June-July and Begin the morning with coffee and just Oktoberfest. The Nov-Dec; www.tollwood.de) is a grand, croissants at the swank Bayerischer multicultural affair where tents lit in Hof Hotel’s Breakfast Room Roofgarden city’s palpable energy psychedelic colours sell everything from (daily 6 a.m.-11 a.m.; +49-89-2120892; is on display at lively, Ethiopian fare to Buddhist thangkas. www.bayerischerhof.de) with a view of With theatre productions and concerts the old city’s spires and rooftops. Michael open-air festivals from around the world, Tollwood defines Jackson often stayed at this hotel, and his Munich’s alternative spirit. popularity in Munich is apparent with the German Christmas is done in style: MJ memorial situated right outside. It’s During the season, head to one of the plastered with photographs, flowers, and 24 Christmas markets in the city for hot handwritten notes, and maintained solely mulled wine (glühwein), roasted sausages, by his fans. and plenty of festive cheer. Among the Munich is a maze of museums and oldest is the vibrant Christkindlmarkt at galleries. The Marienplatz. Sip honeyed wine and people- and are among the watch at the Medieval market as locals in

most popular, but the unique design of flowing robes and capes shop at the rustic, orbis (bicycle) C Brandhorst Museum (Tue-Sun 10 a.m.- wooden stalls. / JAI 6 p.m.; +49-89-238052286; entry €7/`595) makes it a top choice for fans of pop and Evening Party like the Bavarians contemporary art. It houses more than Munich’s nightlife is booming with hip a hundred works by iconic artist Andy pockets and cool clubs. Fraunhofer Warhol, and with a multicoloured facade of (+49-89-266460) is an authentic Bavarian P ereyra/ anchez 36,000 glazed ceramic sticks, the building restaurant with a quaint theatre in the arlos S arlos looks like a work of modern art itself. backyard where musicians, actors, and C

comedians have been performing for over are), u q Afternoon Festival Express four decades. With a peeling stucco s Munich is more than just beer and ceiling and wooden tables piled with

Oktoberfest. The city’s palpable energy is potato salad and sausages, head to this n tow u m, on display through the year at lively, tavern for the organic meat, Spaten beer, open-air festivals. The Munich Spring and distinctly local vibe. End your night Festival held in April each year has a at the popular Milch Bar (daily 11 p.m.-7 fairground atmosphere with rides and a.m.; +49-89-45028818; milchundbar.de; beer tents. Auer Dult market and fair, held Marienplatz is named after the Marian entry €6/`510), where a young, enthusiastic column, a religious monument dedicated three times a year, channels the same to the Virgin Mary, erected at the city’s crowd is on the dance floor until the wee vibe, and is a shopper’s delight. centre in 1638. hours of the morning. n e (m us I ndiapicture B roker/

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