9 tips to discover Munich from a different perspective
Tankred GugischNovember 13, 2015Discover Munich from different perspectives
Tours guided by night watchmen or chambermaids, in a stretched limousine or by Segway give you different impressions of Munich, a city with many different faces.
Out and about as a night watchman
"A night watchman knows all the alleyways and dark corners of the city," is what the tour operator Weis(s)er Stadtvogel promises. Not for the faint-hearted, this tour allows participants to step into the role of a night watchman and patrol the dark streets of the historic city center. Adding atmosphere to the tour, the guide brings to life old myths, tales and legends.
When chambermaids reveal it all
Chambermaid Marie Louise is anything other than discreet! She will guide you through Nymphenburg Palace or the Munich Residence while the royal members are gone and tell you all about how royalty really lived behind the closed doors of the palace. Intrigues, love affairs, the scandals of state or eating customs - nothing is hidden on this tour of the magnificent buildings of the Bavarian kings.
Up on the roof of the stadium
The stadium roof walk tour is an absolute must for all fans of sports and architecture, as long as they have a head for heights. In good weather, you can admire both the timeless architectural beauty of the Olympic stadium and also the entire city and the Alps. The more adventurous can abseil from the roof down to the stadium lawn.
Stretched limousine or double-decker bus?
Sometimes the mode of transportation determines the view you'll get of a city - and in Munich you are spoilt for choice: There are the classic double-decker bus city tours, elegant horse-drawn coaches or stretched-limousine tours. You can explore the city by underground train or on the over-ground tram line. Just before Christmas, mulled wine is served on historic tram trains.
Keeping your balance on a Segway
Those wishing to combine sightseeing with being active should give the Segway a go - either as part of a guided tour or on your own. For instance, the Englische Garten park is suited for beginners. Here it is worth stopping at the Eisbach, where you can watch surfers braving the waves on the man-made river.
An insider's tip for culinary delights
Food lovers will never want to leave Munich, as the choice here is amazing and varied. Food walking tours take you to the famous Viktualienmarkt, Munich's oldest open-air market, where you can sample Bavarian specialties like the local cheese dish "Brezn mit Obazda" or "Leberkaas," a meat specialty served with white radish salad. You can also enjoy one of the beer gardens behind the market stalls.
Rest in the sun
Despite being known as the city of beer, Munich also has a thriving coffee house culture. Not so much because of the outstanding quality of the brew, but because when the sun is shining, there is no better way to enjoy life than having a coffee while sitting outside. Coffee and its traditions in Munich is the focus of a city tour which begins outside the "Tambosi," the city's oldest café.
Tour the horrors of bygone days
"Hangman, Whores and Witches" or "Plague, Cholera and Syphilis" are the names of two city tours that already let you know that the focus is going to be Munich in the Middle Ages. From the middle of the 14th to the end of the 17th century, Munich clocked up an impressive 25 outbreaks of the plague. On these tours, actors in historic garments take visitors on a trip back to these very dark times.
Putting the story in history
There are city tours for children that focus for example on spoiled princesses like Isabeau de Bavière or power-hungry rulers like Henry the Lion. These tours with fun names like "Well Roared, Lion" or "Princess and the Pea," bring the city's history to life, creating exciting adventures - and not just for children.