Munich, the capital of Barvaia, welcomes visitors with its historic buildings, churches, a lively market and the famous Hofbrauhaus serving regional food and drinks.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the people of Munich must be very time conscious. At Marienplatz, the main square of this delightful, friendly Bavarian capital, you can see seven clocks, five on spectacular church towers, and one modern example that’s at the entrance of the S-bahn.

Glockenspiel

The most famous is on the tower of the Neues Rathaus - new town hall. The carved wooden figures under this timepiece perform a popular glockenspiel at 11, 12 and 5 o’clock daily. This is when the square reverberates with the sounds of bells, chimes and clangs as the various clocks call the hour, and pigeons indignantly flutter from their unsually quiet perches.

Town Hall

Walk through the impressive wooden doors of the town hall, into the courtyard – take the lift up to a panoramic view. Check out the human shaped gargoyles, mouths wide open, one of them clutching his head. There are also plenty of other architectural details - statues, carvings, and arches.

Frauenkirche

The Frauenkirche was the last Gothic style cathedral to be built in Europe, and the first to have onion domes. It's also distinctive for its stained glass windows in a variety of styles. Another church is Alter Peter – Old Peter. Begun in 1050, very little of its past now remains in the rococo interior. There's a jewelled skeleton of a martyr - Saint Munditia - patron saint of lonely women.

Viktualienmarkt

Just behind the church is the Viktualienmarkt, a produce market that also sells flowers and handicrafts. Many shops specialise in snacks, like Münchner WeiBwürst, a thick white sausage commonly served with potato salad, and leberkäse – a type of pressed meat.

If you really want to feel part of the scene, buy either one, or both, grab a stein of beer and munch standing up in the shops, or go to the centre of the markets, where there is seating.

Hofbrauhaus

No trip to Munich would be complete without a visit to the Hofbräuhaus. A good time to visit is at noon, when you can get a vacant table, good service, eat a meal at reasonable prices, and listen to the band playing old German songs. A nice curiosity is a wire rack with locked cradles holding beer mugs. These belong to the locals who frequent the hall for their daily tipple, and have hired these compartments in which to store their own mugs.

Several Distinctive Halls

The building itself it interesting – it dates from 1589. The rather modest exterior gives no clue to the size and exuberance inside. As well as the courtyard, there are several halls, each distinctive in character. If you’d like to learn a little about Bavarians culture you can attend a Bayerischer abend with dancing, singing, music and costume.

Bus Tours

For a good overview of the city, several companies offer bus tours, and day and evening walking tours are also available. You can also tour by bicycle, and, in season, take a horse drawn carriage ride.

Souvenirs

Among the favourite souvenirs are beer steins in various sizes and degrees of decoration – and price. Cuckoo clocks, beautiful glass ornaments, nutcrackers, and marvellous pewter work are also popular.

Tourist Information Offices

Tourist information offices, just outside the train station, and at Marienplatz, are usually busy, but you can get a brochure from the stand by the door. It has a map, a plan of the S-bahn, some history, a suggested walking tour, and all the relevant sights are clearly marked.

Nearby TownsDaytrips from Munich can include visits to Rothenburg, Augsburg, and Regensburg.