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Neues Rathaus: The Gothic revival Neues Rathaus - the New Town Hall, with its blackened façade decorated with sculptural elements, stands in the heart of the city's historic centre, at the famous Marienplatz. The most famous element of the building is the Glockenspiel musical clock, with its bells and figurines of brewers that come alive three times a day.
Marienplatz 8, 80331 Munich

Residenz: Built in 1385, this opulent royal palace was once the residence of Bavarian monarchs and the home of the Wittelsbach dynasty until 1918. The complex with seven courtyards now houses impressive museums such as the Residenz Museum and the Schatzkammer (Treasury).
Residenzstraße 1, 80333 Munich, www.residenz-muenchen.de

Pinakotheken Museums: In the world-class Museum Quarter, you will find three of the most important galleries in the world, just a few steps from one another. The Alte Pinakothek (1836) houses more than 700 priceless masterpieces of art by classical European painters from the 14th to the 18th century, such as Peter Paul Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, including Botticelli's "Pietà". The collection of the Neue Pinakothek (1853) includes 4,500 paintings and 300 sculptures from the 18th and 19th centuries, from the Rococo and classic periods to the art nouveau period. Here, you have an opportunity to view works by Caspar David Friedrich, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Walter Crane and others. The Pinakothek der Moderne (2002) is the home of contemporary work from the 20th and 21st centuries. The impressive collection of modern art includes painting, graphic arts, installations and new media work architecture and design.
Barerstrasse 27/29/40, 80333 Munich, www.pinakothek.de


BMW Welt & Museum: Built in 1973 and recently renovated, the famous museum of this historic Bavarian automotive manufacturer presents the history of the firm through impressive exhibits. They include 125 of the most elegant and milestone BMW models, motorcycles, aeroplanes, prototypes, simulators and displays of interactive technology comprise a unique experience for visitors.
Am Olympiapark 1-2, 80809 Munich, www.bmw-welt.com

Allianz Arena: An excellent example of futuristic architecture, the stadium designed by Herzog & de Meuron was built to house Munich's two leading football clubs, FC Bayern and TSV 1860. Also based here is FC Bayern Erlebniswelt, the largest football museum in Germany, along with numerous restaurants.
Werner-Heisenberg-Allee 25, 80939 Munich, www.allianz-arena.de

Frauenkirche: Built in the 15th century, the cathedral of Munich with the twin domed towers is the largest Gothic-style church in Southern Germany and the symbol of the city. The view from the top of the south tower is heart-stopping.
Frauenplatz 1, www.muenchner-dom.de

Englischer Garten: The largest urban park in Germany has been a popular place for relaxation and recreation for the people of Munich for more than 200 years. It is an impressive conglomeration of fields, artificial lakes, outdoor beer gardens and lovely monuments and is ideal for boating, cycling, jogging or even surfing the chilly waters of the Isar.

Deutsches Museum: On a beautiful small island in the middle of the clear blue Isar River stands the famous Deutsches Museum. This impressive house of culture is the largest technology and natural science museum in the world. Prepare for a tour de force through the world of astronomy, aeronautics, metallurgy, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and telecommunications.
Museumsinsel 1, Haidhausen, www.deutsches-museum.de

Schloss Nymphenburg: The summertime residence (1675) of Bavaria's monarchs is a Baroque-Rococo masterpiece that defies imagination. The stately French-style gardens, impressive network of lakes, a scattering of gazebos and fountains, its museums and galleries all make a stroll here a unique experience.

Olympiapark: Built on the site of an old airport for the 1972 Olympic Games, the Olympic Park is one of the most popular sights in the city. The impressive complex includes artificial hills, an artificial lake, the Olympic Tower and a massive Olympic stadium whose trademark is the elegant translucent roof considered to be a masterpiece of modern architecture.
Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21, 80809 Munich, www.olympiapark.de

Museum Brandhorst: The latest addition to the impressive collection of museums in Munich, this is an impressive work of modern architecture with 36,000 differently coloured ceramic rods attached to the façade. The facility houses exhibits of German and international modern art with works by such artists as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Gerhard Richter, Georg Baselitz and Cy Twombly.
Theresienstraße 35a, 80333 Munich, www.museum-brandhorst.de

Munich is a true paradise for quality shopping with a unique style and of course the right budget. The central pedestrian way is in the centre of Old Town and extends along Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Strasse to Karlplatz –Stachus and the area around Marienplatz. Here you will find all of the major European chain stores and numerous department stores. The stylish Theatinerstrasse begins behind Marienplatz and features chic boutiques and luxury stores in an architecturally exquisite setting of historic buildings, galleries, passage ways and enclosed courtyards. The area is dominated by the Funf Hofe, the award-winning urban masterpiece created by architects Herzog & de Meuron with a number of high-end clothing stores, fine furniture stores and art galleries in five enclosed courtyards. The pre-eminent aristocratic destination for exclusive shopping is the dazzling Maximilianstrasse. All of the international fashion houses and haute couture designers are based here under the arched entryways. For fashionable, alternative and more affordable shopping for clothing and accessories, head for the historic centre, and the areas of Gärtnerplatz, Glockenbach Haidhausen or Schwabing. Munich is full of smaller specialised boutiques with locally made handicrafts and souvenirs where you will find everything from Bavarian costumes and famous porcelains to candles, pottery, wooden sculptures and marionettes. You will find a wide variety of antiques, jewellery, housewares, embroideries, leather goods and other items in the stores around Viktualienmarkt, the city's colourful central food market, as well as the famous Auer Dult flea market (May to October).

Synonymous with the art of beer-making, the Bavarian capital offers a vast variety of beer halls, both indoor and outdoor, where the locals enjoy the traditional local cuisine. A visit to a traditional Bierkeller or Biergarten is a must for any visitor where the local gastronomic tradition demands you try some Schweinshaxe (roast ham hock) with sauerkraut and Knoedel (boiled potato and bread dumplings) or a variety of sausages, such as the better-known Weißwurst (white sausage). At the other end of the spectrum in Bavarian gastronomy, the culinary scene in Munich is bursting with restaurants offering international fare, from fusion to Italian and Asian, along with the fashionable temples of fine cuisine for incurable gourmands with expensive taste.

The outdoor beer gardens are a major part of the evening's entertainment in the city, particularly in summer when the gardens fill with live music, from oompah to Dixieland. You will never be bored in night-time Munich. Aside from the traditional beer establishments and pubs, the fashionable and glamorous nightlife includes all types of entertainment, from Irish pubs and stylish cocktail bars to classic discos and noisy techno and rock clubs. Some of the better-known bar and club bands can be found in the Haidhausen district, opposite the river.

• Oktoberfest: The largest beer fest in the world begins 15 days before the first Sunday in October and turns the Theresienwiese area into a huge folk fiesta. The outdoor space under the Bavaria statue is transformed into a small city with kiosks offering beer and local specialities, a fun park, an observation wheel, vendor stalls and entertaining events, attended by more than 7 million visitors each year.
• Tollwood Sommerfestival: An international outdoor cultural festival that takes place for 26 days (25 June-19 July) at the awe-inspiring Olympiapark. The programme includes night-time pop and rock concerts, dance, theatre, cabaret and street performances, food and vendors selling goods from all over the world.
• Opernfestspiele: With a 140-year tradition, the emblematic Munich Opera Festival takes place each July at the historic National Theatre and features some of the world's top opera stars. The climax of the event is the outdoor programme "Opera for All", where 10,000 spectators gather at Max-Joseph-Platz in front of the National Theatre to enjoy live broadcasts of opera performances on the big screen.
• Filmfest Munchen: A 10-day film festival held (since 1983) in late July based at the Gasteig cultural centre and screening the latest international productions. The relaxed atmosphere of the event has earned it a reputation of being a "festival for ordinary people". One of the festival highlights are the outdoor screenings in the afternoon.

Transport from the airport

Aegean Airlines lands at Munich International Airport, located 32 km south-east of Munich, near Freising. Known as Franz Josef Strauss Airport, it was named "Best Airport in Europe" and "3rd Best Airport in the World" for 2014, according to Skytrax. Here you will find many duty-free shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, a casino, banks, ATMs, foreign exchange points, a dry cleaner's, Napcabs, children's play areas, prayer rooms, showers and free Wi-Fi. The selection of more specialised services includes such things as legal advice to full medical services (Airport Clinic M, 24-hour medical emergency service) and pharmacies. The fastest way to get to the city centre is to take the S1 or S8 S-Bahn suburban railway line from Munich Airport to Hauptbahnhof (Munich Central Station). Trains depart every 5-20 minutes and the journey takes about 40 minutes.