Munich

We visited Munich during the New Year period. I do not know how the city is at other times of the year, but at that time of the year I found it really magical. If you read my travel plans, you will notice that usually they are very active and full of things to do and visit every day, while this program is not so … this because I really enjoyed going around the city with calm and relax, often stopping in the many historic breweries to sip a mug of beer, watching the tourists coming and going, without looking at the clock.

1. Listen to the Glockenspiel, the biggest carillon in Germany

If you come to Munich you cannot miss the Glockenspiel, in the real heart of the city, the largest carillon in Germany and the fourth largest in the world.
You should go there at 11:00 or 12:00, when the carillon represents two historical events of Bavaria: a jousting among knights in honor of the marriage of William V of Bavaria with Renata of Lotaringia and the dance of the barrels to celebrate the return to life after the plague epidemic that struck Monaco between 1515 and 1517. As a conclusion the golden cock above the boxes moves the wings and sings 3 times.
The beginning of the show is anticipated by the sound of the tower bells to alert all the spectators that the Glockenspiel is about to start the show.

2. Order a liter of beer in one of the many historical breweries

Monaco is full of historic, typical and crowded breweries. A very important part of the journey, to get into the atmosphere of the city, is spending time relaxing, drinking and eating in one of the many historical breweries. You can order a plate of meat and a liter of the typical beer, talking without looking at your clock and observing the people coming and going in the huge long tables.

3. Admire the futuristic architecture of the BMW museum

The BMW museum is beautiful both inside and outside. 
Inside you can find 5,000 square meters dedicated to the BMW engines lovers. 125 pieces including cars, motorcycles and engines are on display.
But also outside it is a masterpiece of futuristic architecture: round, silvery and without windows. In the cold Munich nights, with fog and dark, it is really impressive the shape of the museum with his lights, that emerge in the night shadows.

4. Take a walk and sit for hours at the Englischer Garten

The Englischer Garten is simply gorgeous in every season.
You can lie down on the lawn sunbathing in the summer, watch the trees in bloom in the spring, admire the leaves that fall from the trees in autumn, or take a walk in the snow in winter. Everything is possible at Englischer Garten: sports, relax, leisure, or simply sit on a bench admiring nature.

5. Look the city from above from the Deutsches Museum

The Deutsches Museum of Munich, founded in 1903 by engineer Oskar von Miller, is located on an island along the river Isar and is a must for visitors to the Bavarian capital: it is in fact the biggest museum dedicated to science and technology of the world and one of the most visited in Germany with 1 million visitors per year.
The theme of the museum is the development of science and technology from its origins to modern times: the museum aims to highlight the most important moments in the field of research, inventions and construction.
The museum also has an upper floor, so it allows you to enjoy the city of Munich from above.

6. Stare at the majesty of the Allianz arena

The Allianz Arena takes its name from the main sponsor who financed the stadium in Monaco, and it is an architecture masterpiece.
The Allianz Arena is very popular both by local people and tourists who are always amazed by its futuristic face. Inside there are restaurants, bars and various shops, you can also take a guided tour to discover many football curiosities. 

7. Go shopping in the roads near Marienplatz

A beautiful activity you can do in Munich is to: do nothing but turn aimlessly in the beautiful streets of the city.
Munich is so typical and particular, with its many typical breweries with an unique style and the emblems of the brands of beer hanging outside, that you will certainly not be bored by spending time simply looking around and observing the charm ofthe city.

8. Walk around at sunset at  Odeonsplatz

The Odeonsplatz is one of the most beautiful squares in Monaco and one of the most Italian corners of the Bavarian capital.
Dominating the square are in fact the seventeenth-century Theatinekirche,  the court church built for the Teatini fathers and the Feldherrnhalle, the nineteenth-century copy of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.
In 1933, when Hitler won the elections and became Chancellor, the Feldherrnhalle became one of the holy places of the Third Reich.
From the Odeonsplatz starts the Ludwigstraße, a monumental street that connects the old town with the University and the Schwabing district.
You can enjoy a sunset walk along this street, and then stop for a hot tea or a cold beer, depending on the season and your preferences!

9. Listen to the band playing at the Hofbräuhaus

The Hofbräuhaus is the most famous brewery in Munich, as well as one of the “Seven Sisters”, the city’s seven historic breweries.
I visited Munich in the Christmas season, and the brewery was always full, with many people drinking, talking and laughing on the long tables of the brewery.
During the Christmas season you can also listen to local bands that entertain with popular or Christmas songs, with everyone singing and dancing to the rhythm of music.
It is an engaging spectacle that brings you into the atmosphere of the city. 

10. Walk the avenue up to the castle of Nymphenburg

The Nymphenburg is much more than a castle. Once the main summer residence of the Wittelsbach, today it welcomes tourists ready to capture with their own cameras the beauties of a fairytale park with its streams, bridges, flower beds and golden fountains.
The magnificent garden is a splendor and inside there is a hunting lodge, a baroque swimming pool and a hermitage.
Surely you can enjoy the castle better during the summer, when you can admire the colorful flowers of the huge garden, but even in winter, when everything is covered with snow, the landscape is fascinating.

When to go?

Winter

The climate is cold, the daytime temperatures are on average a few degrees above zero, nighttime temperatures of a few degrees below.

Spring

The temperature is initially cold, and then gradually becomes milder, but with possible returns to the cold, and with late snowfall and frost even in April.

Summer

It’s pleasantly warm during the day, but when the weather is nice, the nights can stay cool, and sometimes even a bit cold.

Autumn

It is initially pleasant, in the first half of September, and then gradually becomes colder, grey and damp.

I visited Monaco during the Christmas season and it was quite cold, but the atmosphere was beautiful and the city full of life. Anyway the best time to visit Monaco is from mid-May to mid-September, being the mildest. But my advice is to give up the mild climate to enjoy an unforgettable event of this city, the Oktoberfest, the typical beer festival which takes place from the end of September to mid-October.We visited the city in April, during Easter, and the weather was very good and warm. But the best months to visit Lisbon are May, June and September, being generally pleasantly warm and sunny. Even in July and August the temperature is generally acceptable, but there is a slightly higher risk than it is very hot.

three unmissable stops

Best photos spots

I’m a photographer, so I’m always looking for the best corner in the world to make the perfect picture. Often, with great pleasure of my traveling companions, I also spend hours staring at the landscape, waiting for the perfect moment with perfect light. Therefore, when I decided to create my blog, I could not avoid to include a dedicated section to photography enthusiasts like me, always looking for the landscape that leaves you breathless. Hope you will enjoy these places where, in my opinion, you can enjoy wonderful landscapes and take the best pictures.