Things to Do in Munich, Munich, Germany

Ernest Hemingway, one of Jonathan’s favourite writers, once said that once you have seen Munich, “everything else in Germany is a waste of time”. Dare I say this, but we kind of agree. Having visited other major German cities such as Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg – Munich is by far our favourite city. Although I have to admit, we did discover many gorgeous Bavarian villages and towns on our river cruise.

Munich or München as it’s called in German is the capital city of Germany’s state of Bavaria. It is located around 30 miles north of the Bavarian Alps and is the third-largest city in Germany. It is currently home to about 1.5 million residents.

The name Munich means “Home of the Monks” as way back in the 8th century there was a Benedictine monastery. In 1158, the Duke of Bavaria, Henry the Lion (what a fabulous name!) permitted the monks to set up a market where the road from Salzburg met with the River Isar.

The following year, a bridge was built across the River Isar, and the marketplace was fortified. Munich was officially declared a city in 1175, and a monk is depicted on the city’s coat of arms. You’ll come across lots of pictures and paintings of monks as you explore the city. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).