Much to do From Munich Hotels

Munich is a fine example of the old and new coexisting side by side and time spent in Munich hotels allows you to experience this beautiful contradiction.
Since the unification of Germany, Berlin has been the county's capital, but Munich maintains a particular appeal both for Germans and tourists alike. Although the incredible baroque architecture suffered vast amounts of damage during World War II, most has been rebuilt and restored.

While these buildings point to the traditions of Munich, in terms of its food, festivals and artistic culture, they also belie the innovation and foresight that the city has generated. Festivals than span centuries go hand in hand with interactive museums displaying Munich's pivotal role in engineering and design.

Munich's main attraction is Oktoberfest. The world's most renowned beer festival is an annual event that welcomes visitors to revel in the merriment of the Bavarian beer tents. The festival started in 1810 to celebrate the marriage between Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen, but was quite different to the festival that exists today. The traditional focus of horse racing and agriculture has been replaced by a celebration of beer. It wasn't until 1896 that breweries set up their tents; however since then it has been the drinking that has taken centre stage.

Visitors should be aware that tents fill up quickly and without a seat you are unlikely to be served the enormous litre-sized mugs. More often than not, it pays to get into the tents early and stay there, should you leave with the intention of coming back, security on the doors of the tent can potentially point you elsewhere once they reach capacity. It is possible to drink in the gardens outside, but some of the atmosphere may be lost. That said the best of the beer gardens is the one at SchlossNymphenburg which seats 8,000 people.

With drink must come food, and as would befit Munich's culinary heritage, this involves a hefty portion of meat; for example, Weißurst a breakfast sausage served with grey, mild mustard. If the thought of a hefty Bavarian sausage isn't your idea of a great start to the day, then stay away from the white, wheat beer that often accompanies it, and is rarely served after noon.

The meat then continues into the rest of the day with roasted pork and roasted pig's knuckle among the most popular dishes. Leberkase are the ideal snacks for the busy tourist. These sandwiches are filled with pork, veal, lemon zest and spices; a very tasty filling.

The city centre around Marienplatz Square is full of good cafes and butchers that will sell this hearty snack and this area is also the focal point for clothes shopping and many other high street stores.

Package holiday deals can get a visitor well and truly immersed in Bavarian life. Once full up on the food it may be worth heading for any number of Munich's fantastic museums. The Deutsches and BMW Museums highlight the new technological side of Munich, while the City Museum of Munich and the National Bavarian Museum host exhibitions, artefacts and displays from the Middle Ages right up to the 20th century.

Germany has more registered footballers than any other country in Europe and the game is the national sport. Two main teams are based in Munich: 1860 Munich and FC Bayern. The latter is the most successful club in Germany, and widely recognised on the world stage.

FC Bayern have always been at the forefront of German footballing development. They played in the Olympic Stadium from the mid 1970s until 2006 when they moved to the Allianz Arena, built specifically for the World Cup that Germany hosted in the same year.

The club have won their national league 22 times, and been European champions four times, including three successive titles from 1974-76. Their director, Franz Beckenbauer, is the figure head of German football, the first player to win the World Cup as both a player and coach, and is one of the finest players to ever play the game. A trip to the northern edge of the city to watch a FC Bayern game is strongly advised.

Despite the damage it has suffered, Munich remains an incredibly beautiful city. Visitors should arrive with an open mind and embrace all things Bavarian; this means enjoying the rich food, strong beer and taking in the history of what is one of Europe's most important cities.