Bavaria's proud capital — beer halls, baroque churches, and a surprising counterculture edge.
Munich is Germany's contradiction. It's the home of BMW, Oktoberfest, and conservative Bavarian values — but also of Schwabing's artistic bohemia, world-class museums, and Europe's largest urban park.
Marienplatz, with the Neues Rathaus and its famous Glockenspiel, is the tourist center. But the real Munich is in the Viktualienmarkt's food stalls, the English Garden's nude sunbathing lawns, and the underground venues of the Glockenbachviertel.
For a city that prides itself on Ordnung (order), Munich has a remarkably wild streak. The Eisbach wave — where surfers ride a standing wave in the middle of the city — captures this perfectly.
Quick Facts
48.1372°N, 11.5755°E
~130K
mix
The Eisbach surfers in the English Garden are mesmerizing — locals bring beer and watch for hours. Best at sunset.