Ten reasons to enjoy Munich 

Boutiques in the university area, century-old street markets, second-hand bookshops or the glamour of international haute couture in Munich's central shopping areas Maximilianstraße or Theatinerstraße: the various shopping areas offer something for everybody's taste and budget. And being a big city and capital, Munich has more than just one shopping area!

Within Munich's City Centre you have a wide choice of shops, boutiques and department stores. Find out which shopping area suits you best.

Maximilianstraße
One of the representative boulevards planned by King Ludwig I, Maximilianstraße is one of the most exclusive addresses in Munich. Sauntering between the Bavarian Parliament, Maximilianeum, and the Nationaltheater, the Bavarian State Opera, you can enjoy the flair of one of the boulevards that have rendered Munich the nickname "Italy's most northern city". Along rows of classicist buildings you will find internationally renowned luxury shops as well as a haute-couture phenomenon "Mooshammer", which can only be found in Munich.

Theatinerstraße and Fünf Höfe
This street connecting the central square Marienplatz with Odeonsplatz and Ludwigstraße is a primary address for luxurious shopping. It is also the home of traditional cafés and restaurants, in addition to an arts cinema showing original international films with subtitles. The entrance to one of the largest art exhibition areas, the Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, leads into Munich's latest shopping centre, called Fünf Höfe or Five Courts. Exclusive shops, bistros and cafés are located in this fascinating ensemble of modern art and architecture.

Kaufinger Straße
The boulevard between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz/Stachus, with the medieval city gate Karlstor, has been  a pedestrian zone and Munich's busiest shopping area since the 1970s. Half way between Marienplatz and Stachus you can turn left into "Arkaden", a roofed alley which is home to more individual shops and cafés.

Sendlinger Straße
Clearly one of the most typical shopping districts of Munich: the small street leading from Marienplatz to the medieval city gate Sendlinger Tor in the south of the old town is home to many family-run retailing shops. It is the ideal place to go if you are looking for arts and crafts, unusual gift shops or arty posters. After shopping, there are plenty of little cafés and restaurants where you can sit down, relax, and enjoy the evening.

Munich is top among German cities for food and drink, with the city's reputation as a beer-drinkers' paradise rapidly being matched by its passion for fine food. Visitors can chow down on a wide range of traditional Bavarian dishes, while the cosmopolitan nature of the city also means that there are a large number of international restaurants for when they get bored of sausages.

The stereotypes about Bavarian cuisine are true and visitors should expect to see menus dominated with wurst, wurst and more wurst. Weisswurst, or white sausages, are a local speciality, which is traditionally eaten in the morning and served with sweet mustard and pretzels. Throughout the day Munich munches on bratwurst, a simple fried sausage served in a bun. Sausage salad, Munchner Wurstsalat, is also extremely popular, being made up of thinly sliced sausages, oil and vinegar, lettuce and sliced Swiss cheese. Another local speciality is Leberkas, again featuring sausages, which are this time grilled and formed into a loaf, served alongside potato salad.

Mark's Top class comfort restaurant - Neuturmstr. 1 D - 80331 MÜNCHEN
Classical Mediterranean cuisine served in the gallery at Mark's.

Schuhbeck's in den Südtiroler Stuben - Platzl 6 D - 80331 MÜNCHEN
A combination of the elegant and rustic. Fine regional cuisine. Alfons Schuhbeck's gastronomic empire now includes a wine bistro.

Dallmayr - Dienerstr. 14 (1. Etage) D - 80331 MÜNCHEN
Modern, elegant restaurant on the first floor of this lovely, renowned gourmet food store in the heart of Munich. Excellent service and classical cuisine.

Galleria - Sparkassenstr. 11 D - 80331 MÜNCHEN
A small, cosy restaurant in the inner city with Italian cuisine. Temporary art displays in the dining area.

Winter Sports - The Bavarian Alps offer winter sports to suit all tastes and abilities. Skiing, snowboarding and sledging are widely available as well as cross country skiing and ice skating – either in purpose built centres or more romantically on real lakes.

Water Sports and Activities - Whether rafting on the Loisach or sailing, rowing or windsurfing on the lakes of Riessersee, Pflegersee or Eibsee, or taking a warming dip in the wave pool at Alpspitzbad, Garmisch Partenkirchen, just south of Munich has water activities to suit even the faint-hearted!

Cycling - The area of Garmisch Partenkirchen near Munich has cycle paths to suit all tastes – whether a challenging alpine route, or enjoying the flora and fauna of the lush meadows. The fantastic mountain scenary is enhanced with an excellent network of food and rest places for the cyclist to take a well earned break.