I've seen people surf an artificial wave on a cruise ship (YouTube) but seeing folks river surf in…read moreMunchen, was really mind blowing. Eisbach-Welle (ice river waves) had a lot of people queuing on this day and the water is cold and murky - nothing like surfing on Waikiki (I highly recommend this BTW). They looked like they were very disciplined, courteous of one another, and most of all - having a lot of fun. I don't have a thick wet suit and I don't think there is a surf board rental shop here in all of Germany!! So, I think these folks are local and they brought their own surf boards. If there was a rental shop close by, I'd probably give this a try but there are no lifeguards here. Perhaps, they all just look after each other?? FYI, if you haven't surfed, it's like sledding down a hill, it's fun surfing the wave, but to get back out to ride the wave, it's really tiring. But you don't experience that here because it's a standing wave. After a wipe out, the surfers basically went to the bank of the river and back into the queue on either side. After spending some time in Old Town, walk over here and check them out, it's an endless way to check out great form and to dream of being back in Hawaii...

Eisbach-Welle is a popular spot for surfing in the heart of Munich! Located at one end of the…read moreEnglish Garden, surfers surf the waves of the Eisbach river. When I visited in late August, there was a line of surfers on each bank of the river, about 5 surfers deep. Each side took turns surfing the river, 1 surfer at a time. I'd say each surfer spent about a minute surfing before either dropping off or wiping out. There's great views of the surfing from either bank or one could watch on the bridge overhead. At least 100 people were watching when I went. Overall each surfer was considerate of their fellow surfer, in fact you might say they were very mindful and very demure. :P Eisbach-Welle is definitely a fun spot to visit and if you know how to surf, it's definitely worth a try.

Great place to go when it's hot outside. Lots of people there and a great nudist beach also. Very…read morecasual and everyone is chill. There is a small take out restaurant nearby to get some water or beer or some food! Great experience!

One of the best places to spend a full Sunday chilling and grilling. Be sure to be there early if…read morethe weather is good!

I loved this event and, never in my wildest imagination thought, I would. We were invited to go…read morehere to celebrate a birthday and, about 12 of us got together to visit the ball for the first time. The Kocherlball, a.k.a. the Cooks Ball, takes place every year on the third Sunday in July. The location is the Chinese Tower in the English Garden. This is a mix of carnival, party, and traditional costume ball. Over 10,000 usually attend for dancing, drinking, and celebrating. The party starts early though. 5am or even earlier! This is the tradition - the servants from times of old had to celebrate before being due in at work. If you want to come here and find a table, there is no chance if you come after 3-4am. We had some of our party arrive at 4:45am and the tables were gone by then. We were in the kids playground with rugs on the floor. Must plan early for next year and book tables ahead of time or something. It officially finishes at 10am and the biergarten continues for the rest of the day. Loads of people bring their own food and candles and get there really early. There is also the possibility of booking tables at the restaurant and have table service. There is tight security and all drinks bottles are confiscated at the entrance. It is a fabulous event with music, bier and loads of food. Get a Maß of helles or a schorle and join in the celebrations. There is a big dance floor and a live band to entertain you for a few hours. Most people were in traditional clothing and the atmosphere was amazing. Many of them dress up in traditional wear and ballroom outfits from the past and it looks fabulous. There is a sea of men and women in lederhosen and dirndl :-))) I am definitely coming back to this one again. Must plan an all nighter next time around ;-))) It felt more traditional than Oktoberfest for me and it was great fun.

Great bier garden in the English park. I walked here of course and on my path here I found the…read moreMacmillan statue which was very cool. Also there is a river of some sort here that all of the locals come to layout and put their feet in. Then I saw a couple floating no raft needed but wait it gets better at a point in the river there is a type dam that releases water at a fast pace and there are people lined up to reverse surf if that makes since I did it in the river on the Arkansas river on the gorge in Colorado surfing the river. Pretty co watching them. I digress so once I made it to the Chinese turn I believe it's called its great a big selection of German food and bier of course. Nice shade trees and great people watching. The brats and potatoes were phenomenal! This is what I wanted last night. You must stop by the English garden and check it out I mean really you are already in Munich go for it.

Such a fun area to browse, shop, eat and people watch!…read more You can find all the high-end European (and some American) fashion brands here as well as souvenirs, accessories (we bought a rolling piece of luggage for our carry-on home) shoes, etc. There are tons of coffee shops, cafes, and eateries with outdoor dining located here as well and it is central to the S-bahn so you can get around the city easily or get here. Love love love!

All my brands are there. Also one of my favorite restaurants the BRENNERS. They having an open…read moregrill. Try the near and fish. Stay away from pasta. There are better places for in Munich. Enjoying a drink at the bar is recommended on a Thursday and Friday. You will meet nice people at these days. After you go the the opera which is at the end of Maximilianstreet.

I love Munich!!! There is so much to see and do, and it is such a great gateway to other, smaller…read morehistorical areas of Germany, as well as Salzburg, Austria. From Oktoberfest, to the Englischer Garten, the original Hofbrauhaus to the Marienplatz, not to mention the shopping and tons of restaurants featuring cuisine from all over the world, Munich has it all! I love that, for however modern it is, you can still feel the history coming through, whether from the architecture or the traditional Trachten that some wear every day. I've been twice, and I hope to return to explore even more! 36/2021

Munich is referred to by the British locals as "Toy Town" and, by the locals as the "Big Village"…read moreand, they are both correct. Voted as #4 in the world for quality of life by the Mercer Quality of Living survey three years in a row, is well justified, in my opinion. For me Munich is a great city to live in and, not the best tourist town in Germany. Having said that, it does attract a ton of tourists to the world famous Oktoberfest each year. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg and the 12th biggest city of the European Union with a population of above 1.5 million. The Munich Metropolitan Region is home to 5.8 million people. Like many European cities there are quarters, suburbs and areas where there are markets, restaurants, night life, culture, history and so on. Of course most people who come to visit, spend their time in the centre of town around Marienplatz and so on, there are many other interesting areas of town like Haidhausen, Neuhausen, Sendling, Schwabing, Isavorstadt, Gartnerplatz, Glockenbachviertel, Schlacthofviertel, Giesing, Maxvorstadt and on and on the list goes. With over 1400km of bike lanes this is a great city to discover on bike or, buy a day pass and use public transport. MVV has an app for public transport system which is easy to use and, there is also an app with the bike routes around town. From February to beginning of January this city is a host to tons of festivals and markets. Starting with Fasching / Karnivale and the Starkbierfest to the fine Christmas markets and NYE celebrations there is activities for the whole family in plenty. Most of the festivals outside of Oktoberfest are mostly known to the locals and they come out in hoards to enjoy these festivals throughout the year. Of course many of these are bierfest's but there are plenty of others that don't revolve around beer (well they all actually do, some more than others ;-)). Having lived here now for a few years, we have come to love the city. There is always something to do and, many beautiful places and cities are not far away by car or public transport. It is the gateway to Bavaria and hard to believe that, a large part of this city was damaged during the war but, has been meticulously restored over the years. The food scene has changed dramatically over the years and, the international cuisine scene has developed much, over the last few years. There are plenty of options from cheap dining to Michelin starred dining to suit most palettes. There are many culinary delights, also in the countryside. Enjoy the city and explore it by foot, bike or public transport. I hope you like it.

With my sister and nice visiting we thought it would be a good idea to check out the new skywheel…read morenear the Ostbahnhof. And it certainly was!!! No cue , we could step into the gondola right away on a public holiday, the trip was 30 mins with an excellent view to all sides, although the alps were in a bit of a daze. So cool , if you are from Munich and try to find your place. No chance for me, to the east nothing but trees near Daglfing! Prices: Family 2 adults 2 kids between 6-18 is 33€, a mother and daughter is 16,50, which is very reasonable if you have been primed like us on the London Eye. Absolut recommendation!