Bavaria’s well-dressed state capital has us hooked, thanks to its easy summer living and cultural kudos. Here’s where to head when visiting Munich.
17 August, 2022
The
Bavarian capital may be the grand old duke of Germany’s cities, but don’t let the
lederhosen-wearing gentleman ambling through its streets give you
the wrong impression. There’s much more here than felted hats and
leather shorts. Positioned in the country’s most southern (and
conservative) state, this dynamic destination looks to its alpine
neighbours for inspiration on city living, giving it the well-worn
moniker of “Italy’s most northern city”.
The influence feeds into its character. You might be munching on
traditional wurst for breakfast, but dinner is just as likely to be
coloured by the menus of the Mediterranean. Its breweries and beer
gardens are guidebook 101s, but it’s the city’s cocktail bars and
cafés that entice in the creative crowd. And, while its cavernous,
wood-panelled beer halls might seem set up to please visitors,
you’ll still spot quieter corners with reserved tables for the
local retirees glugging beer over platefuls of venison goulash,
unconcerned about the raucousness all around.
Autumn along the Isar, left, and historic buildings in
Munich’s old town.
This is a university city, with a dynamism bred from the pairing
of typical German efficiency with Deutschland’s ever-punchy
counterculture. Design-led hotels, smart boutiques, a breezy
pavement café culture and a citywide enjoyment of the outdoors
keeps the place from feeling too stuffy – as does a slew of
nocturnal hangouts in its edgier districts.
Like all Alps-neighbouring cities, there are two distinct
seasons: harsh, snow-blanketed winters and renaissance summers. Our
advice? Visit in the warmer months, when residents stream,
bleary-eyed, from hibernation, flooding beer gardens and bringing
bottles to the city parks, or hopping onto well-run train systems
to reach the glistening waters of the lakes that ring the city. Use
our guide as a jumping-off point to discover this energetic German
city for yourself.
hotel
Overlooking the city’s historic food market, this svelte Munich
design hotel offers 72 sleek suites in the heart of the Old Town.
Elegant, precise – and a little bit sexy – rooms are equipped with
mid-century-inspired furnishings made from warm wood, and dressed
in natural, earthy hues with soft kilim rugs underfoot. Book a
market view for a murmurous morning wake-up call from the city’s
Viktualienmarkt stallholders.
hotel
Devised by a trio of friends from Munich’s creative scene, this
Glockenbachviertel hotel reflects the bohemian character of its
neighbourhood, with exposed concrete walls, a reception that
doubles up as an achingly cool cocktail bar (complete with rooftop
terrace) and 11 suites individually designed by DJs, bartenders,
actors and musicians. Stay here if you want to explore the city’s
nocturnal side – you’ll probably meet the DJ from Blitz on the lift
back up to your loft suite come 3am. It’s playful, unpretentious
and a distillation of the city’s counterculture.
hotel
A green-hued, leafy address in the borough of Sendling,
south-west of the city centre, this fresh new opening takes the
modern hospitality found in Locke’s previous European openings and
pairs it with Munich’s design know-how. Clean-cut studios come with
fully equipped kitchens, plus access to a downstairs co-working
space, coffee shop and full suite of wellness facilities. (A swim
in the outdoor heated swimming pool, followed by a gym session and
sauna soak, anyone?) Keep an eye out for the ensemble of dining
options soon to open, too – a wine bar, farm-to-table rooftop spot
and chef’s table-style concept are all in the works.
Main photo credit: Cornfield / Shutterstock.com
