MEMBERS OF TEN CHOOSE MUNICH TO:
- Sample the beer and mayhem at Oktoberfest
- Take their family on a safe and relaxing city break
- Attend business conferences and trade exhibitions
Members of all ages love Munich, from football fans going to watch Bayern Munich, to architecture buffs visiting the BMW Tower and Olympic stadium. Although Munich is traditional, with Bavarian locals incredibly proud of their heritage, it's also a modern, cosmopolitan and exceptionally clean city. One member told Ten that ‘even the traditionally seedy bits of a city look classy in Munich.' Ten's travel expert Ana Costello says:
OKTOBERFEST & BEER
Oktoberfest, which actually takes place in September, is a 16-day beer festival that attracts six million people. Sharing freshly brewed ale with thousands of beer fans in a marquee qualifies as a ‘once-in-lifetime experience' according to members; although some enjoy it so much they do it twice.
There are 14 tents at Oktoberfest, and we can advise on which ones to go to if you don't want to rollick around in the biggest (Hofbrauzelt) with 10,000 other young things or in any way slum it with the rest of the 'saupreusses' (‘dumb tourists'). Talk to the entertainment team for guidance on the best days to attend, the ‘must-try' beers and exclusive garden parties we can get members access to.
Beer, though, can be enjoyed any day of the year in the 100 or so beer gardens around Munich open from May - the Königliche Hirschgarten near Nyphenburg Castle being the largest, with 8,000 seats and a deer enclosure.(‘You don't get that in Wetherspoons,' observed one Guardian writer).
Some members have done Oktoberfest in a half-in, half-out way, with Ten arranging accommodation in a country hotel or a hired house just outside the city, and a chauffeur to get members to and from the festival.
STOLLEN & SAUSAGES
Food lovers are in their element, savouring lebkuchen, stollen, Bavarian sausages, dumplings, knuckle of pork, sauerkraut and apple strudel. Vegetarians struggle here, but the fresh, local produce and traditional beer is in a league of its own. Whether you want to fine dine or eat U-shaped sausages, talk to the restaurant team for recommendations.
SHOPPING
Ten can organise a day with a personal shopping assistant for members. Munich offers a mix of international names and traditional Bavarian crafts. The city is rich in shops, from department stores in the Neuhauserstrasse and Kaufingerstrasse regions, to smaller, more exclusive boutiques found around the elegant Maximilianstrasse and Theatinerstrasse.
CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND
If you're visiting Munich in early December the Christmas fair (or Christkindlmarkt) in the Marienplatz is a family friendly Bavarian wonderland. It's held in a neo-Gothic town hall, with traditional Bavarian gifts, Bavarian Christmas cakes, Christmas tree ornaments and handmade wooden toys.
Medieval games take place in an arena, while shoppers eat Bavarian beef or sausage sandwiches and drink hot gluhwein, a clove and cinnamon-spiced red wine, and rum punch.
HOTELS
Standards of accommodation are high, with a two star in Munich equivalent to a three or four star in the UK. Funky boutique hotels are thin on the ground, but the new Charles Hotel is a Rocco Forte boutique hotel with rooms looking out over the Old Botanic Gardens.
The five-star Charles has spa, pool and events spaces, and members report nice personal touches to the service - when one was driving to the countryside for the day they gave him fresh fruit and bottles of water along with directions. The Platzl Hotel, minutes away from Maximilianstrasse, is loyal to Bavarian style with modern amenities and a wellness centre spa, included in the room rate along with breakfast.
Hotels get booked-up during major events such as Oktoberfest and summer's Munich Opera Festival, so talk to us early about booking. We can also talk to families in the city who rent out rooms and houses at reasonable prices.
FOOTBALL
Bayern Munich are one of the best football teams around, so many members ask us to get tickets to watch them play on a weekend away. Ask Ten for details.
GETTING THERE
Travel is straightforward, with direct flights from most major airlines into the modern Franz-Josef-Strauss airport, 28km northeast of Munich. It's a short, easy drive into the city centre and the public travel system includes an efficiently run underground network (U-Bahn). Or ask us to make the journey even shorter and easier by organising a car or limousine with chauffeur.
