Things to Do in Bavaria

Schwabing, as Munich’s traditionally bohemian neighborhood, is quite different from what is otherwise a rather glitzy, snob city. It bred a generation of counter‐culture German litterateurs and painters like Ludwig Ganghofer and Oskar Maria Graf and attracted household names like Kandinsky and Lenin in the 19th century – and although it is not so alternative anymore, it still has an  “outsider” atmosphere not unlike Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg or London’s Shoreditch that is undeniably attractive. Sprawling from the English Garden on  its southern end to the Allianz Arena far up north,  and through Germany’s largest university, this little quirky slice of Munich is now the cosmopolitan stomping grounds of art students and fashion bloggers. It is bursting at the seams with gentrified shops and condos, hip boutiques, and pop‐up restaurants that the cool kids all lust after, although it does retain a charming je‐ne‐sais‐quoi with its colorful facades and historic thoroughfares.

Sea Life Munich is Germany’s largest Sea Life center, taking visitors on an underwater journey through local rivers and tropical seas, from the comfort of its 2,200 square meter Olympic Park building. With over 8,000 weird and wonderful sea creatures swimming in over 700,000 liters of water, and 33 climate-controlled aquariums, the facts speak for themselves, and there’s no better place to stand face-to-face with the creatures of the deep.

The center’s star attraction is its 400,000-liter ocean aquarium, equipped with a 10-meter long glass-walled foot tunnel that burrows through the tank, beneath prowling sharks, sea turtles, slimy octopus and hundreds of colorful fish. Featuring interactive exhibits that are as entertaining as they are educational, the aquarium’s focus is on recreating and preserving the world’s natural habitats and themed tanks represent the natural ecosystems of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Danube and the local River Isar, among others. An added twist is that many of the most famous Sea Life center inhabitants have names and biographies, so children can meet Gonzales the sea turtle and Nemo the Clownfish, as well as watching the daily feeding of the fish.  A small rock pool allows further interaction, where it’s possible to touch or hold small sea creatures like starfish, anemone and crabs.

Where can you find the best gourmet Bavarian delights? Munich's Victuals Market, Viktualienmarkt in German, is the place to find exotic fruits, fresh vegetables, artisan cheeses, delicious hams, honey, and truffles.

Many of the market stalls in the Viktualienmarkt have been family-run for generations, and although the gourmet food featured here also means gourmet prices, you would be hard pressed to find better quality culinary delicacies. While in Munich, the Viktualienmarkt is the best place to shop for delicious Bavarian food to make for a picnic lunch at a nearby park.

The oldest church in Munich, St. Peter's Church, or Peterskirche, is a Roman Catholic establishment built in the 12th century in the Bavarian Romanesque style. The interior of the church features the magnificent Mariahilf-Altar, Gothic paintings & sculptures, and a ceiling fresco. But even these beautiful works of art can't top the bizarre gem-studded skeleton of St. Mundita, who stares at visitors with false eyes and jeweled teeth.

From the spire of "Old Peter", as the church is known to the locals, are spectacular views of the oldest part of Munich. Remember to check the colored rings at the bottom, a white ring means the Alps are visible, making the hike to the top even more worthwhile. Although the spire was almost completely destroyed during World War II, it was fully restored with the traditional architechture.

Enclosing Munich's central square Marienplatz, the Old Town Hall, Altes Rathaus in German, serves as the center for city council activity for the historic city. The Old Town Hall is also known for its architechture style change from Baroque to Gothic after the structure was bombed during World War II.

The interior is a masterpiece of medieval design with golden stairs, decorated beams, and a frieze of Munich's multiple coats of arms. The Grand Hall is decorated with the figures of Erasmus Grasser's Marisco Dancers. The tower of the Old Town Hall is now home to the Toy museum, a childhood collection by Ivan Steiger.

The former royal palace of the Bavarian monarch, the Munich Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany and is open to visitors to see its spectacularly adorned rooms and royal collections. The complex of buildings in the Munich Residenz contains 10 courtyards and the museum displays 130 rooms. The three main parts of the Residenz are the Königsbau, the Alte Residenz, and the Festsaalbau, which is also home to the Cuvillies Theatre.

Get a feel for palace life in the Residenz museum which features the collections of porcelain, silver, paintings, and classical antiquities amassed by the Wittelsbach monarchs. The Antiquarium's Renaissance collections is especially breath-taking. Step outside the elaborately decorated rooms to the beautiful Court Garden or check out the Treasury (Schatzkammer) for a display of the royal jewels, gold objects, and ivory.

Amalienburg is Emperor Charles VII's most precious legacy and the beautiful park gardens and fountains have become one of Munich's most scenic locations. A former hunting lodge on the grounds of the Nymphenburg Palace Park, the Amalienburg palace is considered one of the finest examples of European Rococo style. The ornate decorations of every room reflect a French-inspired refinement, especially the breathtaking Large Salon, also called the Hall of Mirrors. This circular room alternates windows, mirrors, and doors creating the illusion of an open pavillion through the real and reflected light.

Each room has a unique artistic feature that make the Amalienburg palace a main attraction of the Nymphenburg park. The wood carvings in the Bedroom, the Rococo paintings in the Hunting Room, the Chinese wallpaper and pheasant motif of the Indian Cabinet, and the Dutch tiles of the Kitchen all create an exotic air in the style of the palace.

Movie buffs and film fanatics will be in their element at Bavaria Filmstadt, a theme park set within one of Europe's largest and most renowned film studios. Founded in 1919, the Bavarian film studio has provided the backdrop to films like The Never Ending Story and Asterix and Obelix vs. Cesar, and remains a working studio today.

With parts of the studio open to visitors, movie fans can go behind-the-scenes and discover the original sets and props from hit films and TV shows like Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot, the highest grossing German film of all time, or beloved German soap opera Marienhof. Touring the studio offers fans the chance to unveil the secrets of movie making, learning about the film production process while wandering through the famous sets. Take a ride on the dragon Falkor from the Never Ending Story; explore the submarine from Das Boot; or check out the Viking Ship from the film "˜Vicky the Viking'. There's even the opportunity to make your own mini-film, enjoy a thrilling 4D cinema experience and watch a hair-raising live stunt show performed by the studio's top stuntmen.