There’s much more to Munich than the beer!

Think Munich and most European’s will quote their favourite beer (or rather bier) of the moment. This fun city – Germany’s largest – is renowned the world over for its hops-ridden hospitality over two and a half weeks every year. Indeed even on touchdown at Munich Airport you’ll find a year-round beer garden courtesy of Lufthansa (just in case, for a second you landed on Deutsch soil and forgot).

But of course there’s so, so, so much more to Munich than Oktoberfest. For a start there are the museums.

Museums in Munich

The new Zentrum Neue Technologien at The Deutsches Museum will appeal to nano and bio-tech lovers everywhere. There are fabulous flying bombs in the aviation room for a start. And for those who like to be more in control of their exhibits, the latest in touch screen demos.

Kids will love the Children’s World with more than 1001 toys and activities to keep them amused for more than their customary half an hour while transportation fans – especially flying buffs – will practically drool at the sight of the first-ever engine plane produced by the Wright brothers no less.

Art and entertainment

Fancy some light entertainment? And we mean light. The acrobats and trapeze artists at the Variete-Theater on Maximilianstrasse use their surrounds as a vertical playground. It’s breathtaking, funny, fascinating and two hours 30 minutes well spent.

The artistic creations of 20^th and 21^st century masters such as Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol can be found in Munich’s Kunstareal.

Fairytale Castles and more

Stay in a real life fairytale castle with glittering spires and pretty turrets and which, thrillingly, once belonging to German Royalty. Indeed one of King Ludwig II’s castles – Neuschwanstein – was actually used to model the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty’s palace. There are more than 20,000 castles in Germany, most more than a century old.

For auto enthusiasts

For thrills galore head out onto the motorway or Autobahn. Yes, really. Reason is there’s NO SPEEDLIMIT. This seems strange for the European’s and American’s amongst us. But believe it, it’s true. You can go speeds of up to 300mph (and most BMW’s can) without fear of a flashing blue light descending on you.

While we’re on the subject of cars, BMW Welt (translates as ‘BMW World’) is quite simply stunning – for the design of the building alone, never mind the breathtaking exhibits. The massive 800 kilowatt solar roof panel on the huge hall gives the space a bit of an indoors/outdoors surreal experience. There’s all the latest in motor technology displayed within touching distance (indeed for most of them you can touch – even if furtively). Basically it’s a glimpse into automobile perfection.

Of course you have to have money to be able to afford a BMW and Munich is indeed a city of affluence. The envious may even say smugness. But a lot of that is attributed to its football team – the world-class Bayern Munich. I don’t follow football and even I’ve heard of this modern-day Super Team which ruled world football in the mid-1970s after winning the European Cup three times in succession, thanks to former player and footballing legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Glockenspiels and Churches

Almost Grimms fairytale like is the Glockenspiel belonging to the Marienplatz in the Bavarian capital’s New Town Hall. Between March and October the little figures on this huge clock dance their way around their two storey clock theatre three times a day and are well worth a visit.

The catholic Asamkirche – or St John Nepomuk Church – is second only in elaborate architecture (Baroque) to Rome’s Sistine Chapel, no less. No tourist is ever disappointed paying a visit to this spectacle of gilt, exquisite painting and opulence.

And then there’s the beer…

Ok, we can’t talk about Munich without mentioning beer at some point. One all-year-round attraction (and indeed there are many local regulars) is the Hofbrauhaus. This gorgeous, historical hostelry has been in existence from as far back as 1644!

It provides traditional German entertainment in the finest sense. At the Hofbrauhaus you can sip your beer, enjoying live music, while seated at a table which has played host to brewery visitors for more than a century. Not only that but you’re encouraged to carve your initials on the table!

The actual brewery and beer itself was founded by Wilhelm V Duke of Bavaria who didn’t like the stuff on offer at the time. Today’s brewery has a locked glass cabinet on display where locals store their own individual beer glasses (or Stein’s) ready to be used on their next visit.

This post is courtesy of Holiday Inn Meetings. Find the perfect conference rooms (Konferenzräume) in Munich with Holiday Inn Meetings – we’ve thought of every little thing.

More fun in Munich

The latest dirndl fashions in Munich
Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets – podcast
Empty splendour in the Residenz palace in Munich

Photo credits:  Deutsches Museum by Alf Igel, Neuschwanstin Castle by mwacker69, BMW Welt by To Uncertainty And Beyond, New Town Hall by Mr G’s Travels, Macabre at Asamkirche by theqspeaks, and Hofbrauhaus by cmozz

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

Seek out the Hidden Hot Spots of Berlin

If you want recommendations for lesser known places to see in Berlin, this article from Yuli Linssen Kaminitz will send you to seek out an artist’s warehouse, an abandoned theme park, an inexpensive bus tour to see the sights, not to mention unusual places to stay or find live music and nightlife.

Ever since the famous Berlin wall collapsed, the city has been reborn and changed completely from what it used to be. From a dark, sleepy and unknown destination, Berlin today is one of the trendiest places to visit. The relatively cheap prices, alternative vibe, historical landmarks and the amazing people, all contribute to the immense popularity of Berlin.

Because the city is rather big there are so many things to see and do. Everybody knows that the places where the local go to are the best ones and also the most unknown for tourists. We managed to get some inside tips on the top hidden hot spots:

Kunsthaus Tacheles

It might be very hard to believe, but this super unconventional spot used to be a luxury department store in the past. The place transformed itself a few years ago to an underground display area which showcase art works of very talented and upcoming artists. Local Berliners love to go there and meet the new “starts” in town. The general atmosphere there is relaxed and natural, even if you are not an art lover you can still go there and no one will grudge your lack of knowledge; here everyone is welcome. Visit the Kunsthaus Tacheles website here.

Address: Oranienburger Str. 53 10117

Spreepark

This next hidden hot spot is not only unfamiliar to tourists and some locals; it also has a unique history to it. The “Spreepark” used to be an entertainment park with many visitors during the years, nearly two millions per year, to be exact. Unfortunately, the park’s theme was changed and with that the visits from the general public dropped off. After few years of decline, the park finally got closed. Even though the park was no longer open, the attractions that so many people loved remain there. The place became sort of an urban myth and people from all over the world travelled there in order to see what it was all about. Although the park is closed to visitors, you may be able to get access to look around and there are sometimes guided tours, check out the website for more information.

Address: Kiehnwerderallee 1-3 D-12437

Propeller Island City Lodge

Bizarre, amazing, shocking and funny will be your first thoughts when you arrive to this mind blowing hotel. After one look, you will quickly understand this is not just a simple hotel; this is a piece of art! Created and designed by extraordinary artist, Lars Stroschen this location is worth a visit even if you didn’t plan to stay overnight. Each room here has a different vision to it: some rooms embody a far away reality or a fantasy of the designer, some look like they were taken from a scene in a horror film and some are just so crazy that you will never understand how a person can think of such an insane idea. “Mirrors room”, “Flying bed room” and “Upside down room” are just some of the available themes. Check out their website here.

Address: Albrecht-Achilles-Strabe 58 10709

Number 100 public bus line

This might not be a hidden attraction, but you can be certain it’s a top tip! Instead of exploring the city like the rest of the tourists, (usually using the expensive tourist buses) why not taking advantage of the extremely organized German public transport? Bus line 100 will take you on the complete route through the most important landmarks in Berlin. This bus is normally used by locals but it happens to be also a very useful and cheap solution for visitors. In order to learn more about the bus route, please click here.

Cassiopeia club

This night club is highly recommended by locals. Aside from good music, (every night different tunes) friendly people, welcoming atmosphere and relatively cheap beverages, there are some extra factors that make this place stand out in the vibrant Berlin’s nightlife: a climbing wall in the backyard, (don’t try it if your drunk!) a small movie theatre for those who tire of dancing, crazy theme parties and many more treats. For more info, visit their official website.

Address: Revaler Strasse 99, Tor II, 10245

Thanks for this sponsored post to EasyToBook.com and to guest writer Yuli Linssen Kaminitz for an inside track on some of the lesser known things to see and do in Berlin.  To get the best prices and book your  hotel in Berlin visit EasyToBook.com today!

Photo credits: Kusthaus Tacheles by Heatheronhertravels, Spreepark by Ani!, Flying Bed from Propeller Island Website, Cassiopeia Club by Landii

More cool things to see in Berlin

Inspired by the Anne Frank Museum in Berlin
White Trash Fast Food and meeting the bloggers in Berlin
A Cool street-art hang-out at Kunsthaus Tacheles

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

Where Heather travelled in 2010

As one year ends and another begins, I review my travelling year at Heather on her travels and highlight the places I’ve visited and things I’ve enjoyed. What’s on my New Year list? Seeing some more of Scandanavia, back to visit my sister on Zakynthos, some explorations of northern Egypt with a friend who’s in Alexandria (avoiding pyramids at all costs), hunting out more hidden corners of England and any other interesting opportunities that come my way. Here’s what I enjoyed in 2010;

January brings a stay at the Mandarin Oriental and tea at Kensington Palace

January and February are the dreary months weatherwise in England but there’s still plenty to enjoy in London, where many museums and galleries are free and indoor attractions come into their own. I was brought up in London often popping back to visit my parents, and I spent a delightful weekend with my daughter at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hyde Park, where we were treated like princesses, ate Princess Diana’s favourite crab cakes and went shopping at Top Shop on Oxford street, that favourite of teenagers. A little later in the month and I was back in London to meet a friend, when we spent the day at Kensington Palace, admiring Princess Diana’s frocks, encountering a former palace resident, the Countess of Marlbrough and treating ourselves to afternoon tea at the Orangery.

Read the articles
To Kensington Palace and tea at the Orangery
A suite for a princess at the Mandarin Oriental – video
Affordable Luxuries at the Mandarin Oriental
Weekend at the Mandarin Oriental – podcast

February – and we’re nearly snowed in at our Welsh country cottage in the Brecon Beacons

In a contrast to city life we got a breath of fresh air in February in the half term holidays when we found a cosy Welsh cottage in the Brecon Beacons. My thoughts of spring sunshine and daffodils were lost in a fall of snow that almost threatened to maroon us half way up the mountain, even though the fields around Crickhowell at the bottom of the valley were still grassy green. The children loved our snowy break with walks along the quarry tracks on the slopes above our cottage, making snow angels and sliding in the snow down the steep hillside.

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A snowy break at Laswern Fawr holiday in the Brecon Beacons, Wales

March – and we take a creative break in Manchester

You may think that Manchester is all about nightlife, football and shopping, but I discovered Manchester’s arty side on a weekend break hosted by Creative Tourist, staying at the stylish, modern MacDonald Hotel, Manchester. We observed Manchester’s industrial past proudly on display and buzzed around on the new Metrolink that took us out to Salford Quay to seek out the pictures of LS Lowry, Manchester’s favourite son and the moving Don McCullin Images of War exhibition at the Imperial War museum just opposite. We completed our whistlestop exploration of Manchester’s museum scene with a close up of the Mona Lisa, naked as you’ve never seen her before (well without her varnish anyway). Before we left we just managed to fit in a Sunday morning stroll around the Northern Quarter, all vintage and street-art. I’m looking forward to being back in Manchester in March for Travel Bloggers Unite.

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Up close with the Mona Lisa at MOSI in Manchester
Getting to know LS Lowry at The Lowry in Manchester
Shaped by war – Don McCullin at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester

April when we stay at a Cotswold Country Inn and take a dip in the Roman Baths

A weekend break in the country drew us out of Bristol again with a promise of picture perfect pale stone Cotswold loveliness. The Kings Head Inn at Bledington, proved charmingly English, set on a village green complete with babbling brook and quacking ducks, with views over the fields from our bedroom window. We tramped across the muddy fields to Stow on the Wold for tea, but returned in time to have supper by the open fire in the bar. Later that month I was in Bath, showing my daughter’s French exchange friend all the tourist sites, including some I’d never seen such as the Roman Baths which are a must see for any visitor. Sometimes you have to be a tourist in your own back yard.

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Cotswold country charm at the Kings Head Inn at Bledington – Video
Fancy a dip at the Roman Baths at Bath?

May – and we seek the sun on the Greek island of Zakynthos

In May I finally got the sunshine I was longing for in our annual visit to my sister who runs the Windmill Studios Hotel and Windmill Bay Hotel in Argassi with her Greek husband Denis. We’d seen plenty of things over the 20 years we’ve been going but still managed to find a few we hadn’t tried yet, like the a visit to the Monastery of St Denis, the island’s patron saint, with a quick stop to photograph the famous Smuggler’s cove at Navagio. We also loved the day we spent on a boat trip around Laganas bay, known for it’s loggerhead turtles. We didn’t spot any turtles this time but we had a great time jumping off the boat and swimming in sea caves in the refreshing turquoise water.

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Visiting St Denis Monastery on Zakynthos – in Greece
13 Zante – my Greek island holiday – podcast
A turtle spotting boat trip on Zante – in Greece

June and we’re going underground into Churchill’s London war-rooms

I was back in London with my son to visit my parents and we spent an afternoon visiting the Churchill war rooms, near Horseguard’s Parade. It was a facinating glimpse of the war operations conducted here by Churchill in his secret underground bunker, with offices and sleeping quarters for Churchill and large numbers of his war staff, and war maps and telephones still laid out, as well as a museum devoted to Churchill’s life. This is a London attraction that deserves to be better known, especially for those interested in history, and could be combined with a visit to nearby Buckingham Palace, St James Park and Horseguards Parade.

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Into Churchill’s underground bunker – Churchill war rooms in London

July – we make a pilgrimage to Altötting and see the passion play at Oberammergau

July was a special month as we took a trip to Bavaria in Southern Germany, to see the famous Passion play at Oberammergau. The Passion Play only takes place every 10 years and has been performed by the residents of the Bavarian Town since 1632, when they made a vow to perform a passion play if the village was spared the plague that was then ravaging Germany. The play is performed in a modern auditorium, with an extremely professional production of choral singing telling the dramatic story of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Afterwards we were also able to wander around the town itself to see the painted houses and wood carvings against the backdrop of stunning Alpine scenery. We also stayed for a couple of days in the pilgrimage town of Altötting, where we saw the small shrine of the Black Madonna in the town square, as well as the many other beautiful churches in the town, and hired bikes to seek out the badesee or local swimming lake.

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12 Oberammergau Passion Play and Altötting in Bavaria – Podcast
A pilgrimage to see the Black Madonna at Altötting in Germany
Painted houses and wood carving at Oberammergau – in Bavaria, Germany

July in Malaga – seafood on the beach on the Costa del Sol

Later in July I flew to the south of Spain to stay with a friend at Benelmadena near Malaga on the Costa Del Sol. This is a region of Spain that’s full of British expats and beloved of the English package holiday makers as well as many Spanish families on holiday, and as a consequence the coastline has been highly developed in recent years. We spent our time eating seafood in the many beach restaurants known as Chiringuitos and escaped for a day into the hills behind Marbella to visit the pretty village of Ojén, one of the many Pueblos Blancos or white hill villages that you can visit in Andalucia.

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A visit to Ojén – the Pueblos Blancos of Andalucia
Gaudi glitz at the Puerto Marina – Benalmadena, Spain
Seafood on the beach at the Chiringuito in Spain

August – and we head for Hungary for a family holiday in Budapest and Lake Balaton

For our family holiday we headed for Hungary, spending a couple of days in Budapest before driving to Lake Balaton, a large freshwater lake that’s a very popular holiday destination for Hungarians and Germans. In Budapest we drove out to Memento park to see enormous statues that had been preserved from Budapest’s communist era, climbed up to the Fisherman’s bastion and went for a swim on Margaret Island. On the Southern shores of Lake Balaton, we based ourself at the friendly Hullam Hostel in Révfülöp and visited the castle at Sigliget, the palace at Keszthely and floated among the water lilies in the thermal lake at Heviz, as well as taking a ferry trip across the lake to the busier resorts on the southern shore.

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Thermal springs and rubber rings at Hévíz – in Hungary
The Festetics Palace and the marzipan museum at Keszthely – in Hungary
Memento park – Icons of Budapest’s communist past

September – far a walking break in the French Alps  on the Tour de Mont Blanc

As the summer holidays finished I took an early September break with my friend Julia to walk in the mountains above Chamonix on the Tour de Mont Blanc Trail. This long distance circular path normally takes 12 days to walk through the mountains of Switzerland, France and Italy around the Mont Blanc mountain range, but we did a cut down mini-version in 3 days. We hiked up above the Chamonix valley, staying in basic mountain huts, with amazing views of Mont Blanc on the opposite side of the valley, visiting the glacial Lac Blanc and the ice cave in the Mer de glace at Montenvers. We enjoyed the experience so much that we’re already planning to go back in 2011 to walk another section of the Tour de Mont Blanc trail.

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Inside the glacier – at the Mer de Glace above Chamonix
Video diary – walking the Tour de Mont Blanc path above Chamonix
Day 3 on the Tour de Mont Blanc – Flégère to Lac Blanc

October – family fun in northern France, near Paris

At October half term we took a family break in Northern France with Eurocamp, staying at La Croix du Vieux Pont parc at Berny Riviere. We stayed in a mobile home on this parc that has plenty to keep families busy with an indoor swimming pool, boating and fishing on the lake, cycling and a bar and restaurant on site. We used the parc as a base from which to explore northern France, with a day trip to Paris for the obligitory climb up the Eiffel Tower, a visit to Disneyland Paris and time to explore some of the First World War battlefields such as the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge that mark this region of France.

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Our supercalifragilistic day at the Magical kingdom of Disneyland Paris
The Eiffel Tower – Icon of Paris or tourist trap?
Visiting the Canadian War memorial at Vimy Ridge, France

November and I link up with other travel bloggers at TBEX in Copenhagen

In November I was off to Copenhagen to attend the Travel Blog Exchange or TBEX conference in Copenhagen staying in the cosy Avenue Hotel. The conference was held in the amazing Wallmans Cirkus, an old circus building that now hosts a dinner and caberet show in the evening but was used for the conference activities in the day. I was a speaker at the event on Using images effectively for your blog, and enjoyed other highlights such as the  SEO skit, listening to other speakers, special events such as the tour of the Georg Jensen Silver Workshops and eating in some great restaurants. I didn’t spend as much time as I’d like seeing Copenhagen itself, so I’m hoping to get back again some time in 2011 to explore the city more thoroughly.

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Burning the midnight oil – my TBEX Copenhagen diary
TBEX Copenhagen – what were the highlights for you?
Cosy up in Copenhagen at Avenue Hotel

December – it’s Christmas!

I took a breather from travelling in December and spent the time getting into the Christmas spirit, buying presents, hanging the Christmas decorations from around the world, and generally preparing for our typically British festivities with turkey and all the trimmings. I hope you also had a very happy Christmas and here’s looking forward to more exciting travels for us all in 2011.

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Join me for a traditional English Christmas dinner
A terribly British Christmas
A very Happy Christmas from Heather on her travels

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

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