ABD Germany, munich question

[tiggersam00]

Hi there,

DH and I are signed up for August 1, 2014 for the Germany (once Upon a fairy tale) ABD. First off we cannot wait, I was so excited to not have to plan anything... Until we added 2 post trip Munich days lol! We are staying Saturday and Sunday the 9th and 10th leaving in the afternoon on Monday the 11th and I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions of things to do in Munich and the area that weekend.

We are happy to eat, drink and sightsee and I wanted to check with the lovely disers to see if you had some ideas, preferably not things we will cover in the brief Munich tour unless you think we need more time to really enjoy them I know from reading online that most stores are closed on Sundays, so shopping is out on that day (DH won't be too sad about is one!).

Would love to hear some ideas or thoughts from people who have been on this trip or just to Munich and found someone they really enjoyed

Thanks!!

 

[WeLoveABD]

Hi there,

DH and I are signed up for August 1, 2014 for the Germany (once Upon a fairy tale) ABD. First off we cannot wait, I was so excited to not have to plan anything... Until we added 2 post trip Munich days lol! We are staying Saturday and Sunday the 9th and 10th leaving in the afternoon on Monday the 11th and I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions of things to do in Munich and the area that weekend.

We are happy to eat, drink and sightsee and I wanted to check with the lovely disers to see if you had some ideas, preferably not things we will cover in the brief Munich tour unless you think we need more time to really enjoy them I know from reading online that most stores are closed on Sundays, so shopping is out on that day (DH won't be too sad about is one!).

Would love to hear some ideas or thoughts from people who have been on this trip or just to Munich and found someone they really enjoyed

Thanks!!

Sure! A day in Salzburg (easy train trip there and back and Salzburg sites walkable from train station) and a day in the large museum along the river (has restaurant, planetarium and great tech and other exhibits-as I recall it is on an island in the river but could be just alongside it- would have to look at my photo book)

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I totally agree about a day in Salzburg. Well worth a visit. Another day trip alternative is the Eagle's Nest area. It is an easy 45 minute train trip. We left the morning the ABD ended and were there by 10:00.

I found our time in Munich to be very rushed. We practically ran though our tour and although we covered alot of ground, we did not really go inside places. The Residenz Museum is supposed to be very good. There is a very cool outdoor market right near Marienplatz if you are into that sort of thing. Incredible churches like the cathedral and Asamkirche. Dachau concentration camp is also very near.

Laurie

 

[SingingMom]

I totally agree about a day in Salzburg. Well worth a visit. Another day trip alternative is the Eagle's Nest area. It is an easy 45 minute train trip. We left the morning the ABD ended and were there by 10:00. I found our time in Munich to be very rushed. We practically ran though our tour and although we covered alot of ground, we did not really go inside places. The Residenz Museum is supposed to be very good. There is a very cool outdoor market right near Marienplatz if you are into that sort of thing. Incredible churches like the cathedral and Asamkirche. Dachau concentration camp is also very near. Laurie

We called it our Running Tour of Munich! Loved local guide Michael, but it was too rushed. We all were exhausted trying to keep up. Wish we had spent an extra day exploring and DD was disappointed we didn't get to Dachau. I wanted to see Pope Benedict's cathedral and the palace. Just means we must return! Lol

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[papertraveller]

Hi,
We adore Munich, so much that on each of our last two European vacations we parked ourselves there for a week-long stay.
You quite rightly note that much is closed on Sundays, but there is still so much to do!

Check the local calendar -- there are plenty of English language sites with great information. It seems that there are festivals all the time -- on our last trip we took part in the city's birthday celebrations which were unlike anything we've ever experienced here at home.

Visit a Beer Garden -- there are many to choose from, depending on where you are staying. There is the large and popular one in the Englischer Garten. And of course there's the most touristy, but always fun, Hofbrauhaus right downtown.

But I would also recommend Augustiner, on Arnulfstrasse (just a couple of tram stops away from the Hauptbahnhof, the train station). We loved that we could sit and enjoy ourselves at a table while our daughter played at the nearby playground.

And the entire family joins me in recommending Hirschgarten, at the top of hill on the same tramline. Public transit in Munich is excellent. Get off at Kriemhild and you are only a few blocks away. It's reputed to be the largest beer garden in the city, and features acres of parkland as well as the beer garden itself, a table service restaurant (with great food!) and a cafeteria-style food service area as well. There are deer (hence the name, hirsch) and plenty of room to lounge around, or stroll the grounds.

There are plenty of museums to consider as well. In the same area (about two or three tram stops away) is Schloss Nymphenburg, once the "summer" palace for the royals. It's stunning -- beautiful grounds, and so so many buildings to tour, including the main house, the carriage house (with Mad King Ludwig's never-used wedding coach), pottery, hunting lodge, and more. On one trip we stayed just blocks away, and strolled the grounds each evening with our daughter. We brought along a frisbee and ball for catch.

The Deutsches Museum on the other side of town is also worth a trip -- you could spend hours here, however, so it's best to figure out what part might interest you most and just focus on those exhibits. The last time we were there, we spent a lot of time in the aerospace and maritime sections.
And I'd recommend the trio of art galleries -- the Alte, Neue and Moderne Pinakothek. Fabulous art treasures -- and each one is actually easy to do in about 90 minutes if you're strapped for time.

The Residenz museum downtown, just behind the Marienplatz, is also worthwhile.

If you're really stuck for somewhere to eat, we also recommend the train station. There's always food available, and you'll be surprised and how good some of those sandwiches and other delicacies are!

Then for a day when everything is open ... again, so many choices. But one of the things we recommend to anyone who asks is to take Mike's Bike Tours. It's a great way to see the city at a slower pace, take in the highlights (including the Englischer Garten for a beer and even a chance to swim in a fast-running stream).

Then after the tour, I'd just walk around the pedestrian zones downtown and get in some shopping -- Kaufhof of course, but also look for discounts at C&A. There are great shoe stores in the area, plus you can slip into Dahlmeyer to see amazing chocolates and foodstuffs and coffee!

I'd sit at one of the tables lining the Marienplatz and enjoy a nice cold beer -- or head just a few blocks to the east to the Viktualienmarkt (food market) to sample some great cheese, seafood, sausages and beer! There are great deals on a variety of European wines, too.

After all the go-go of your ABD trip, you might want to just chill and stay in town. I do hope you have a fabulous vacation. There is just so much to see in Germany -- perhaps it will whet your appetite for a return visit someday!

 

[disneyphx]

We had a few non-ABD days in Munich. The Deutsches Museum is interesting - we spent ages on the airplane section! If you are into cars, the BMW factory tour is pretty cool - not sure what days it is offered. You do need to book it ahead of time as the groups are small.

 

[tiggersam00]

Wow! Thank you all so much for the great tips!

I was thinking about the museums and just having a relaxing day in the English Garden with a nice dinner afterwards. The ABD does seem very quick paced so a day or 2 to slow down sounds great!

I was debating a trip to Salzburg, but may wait until a future trip... Salzburg seems like a city I would want to spend a few days exploring, and few hours doesn't sound like enough for this Sound of Music fan

Dachau is also something we are considering... but I have one question about it... after the ABD, did it seem to really change the tone of your trip overall? I have heard of people who do not like to go right after the ABD for that reason, anyone have thoughts on this. I am just curious to see your thoughts on this sensitive subject... thanks again everyone

 

[carpenta]

Wow! Thank you all so much for the great tips!

I was thinking about the museums and just having a relaxing day in the English Garden with a nice dinner afterwards. The ABD does seem very quick paced so a day or 2 to slow down sounds great!

I was debating a trip to Salzburg, but may wait until a future trip... Salzburg seems like a city I would want to spend a few days exploring, and few hours doesn't sound like enough for this Sound of Music fan

Dachau is also something we are considering... but I have one question about it... after the ABD, did it seem to really change the tone of your trip overall? I have heard of people who do not like to go right after the ABD for that reason, anyone have thoughts on this. I am just curious to see your thoughts on this sensitive subject... thanks again everyone

Salzburg is a beautiful city and you can take a couple days to appreciate all it has to offer. We were at the grounds where they still have the original gazebo from the movie and it takes a half day just to tour the grounds and appreciate all the water " wonders" that the owners have built. May I suggest the Central Europe tour which takes in Budapest Vienna and Prague . So much history and beauty. As far as the tour to Dachau I can appreciate the respect that site deserves and would put a different feeling of a joyous tour. Off to hit the slops.

 

[tiggersam00]

Salzburg is a beautiful city and you can take a couple days to appreciate all it has to offer. We were at the grounds where they still have the original gazebo from the movie and it takes a half day just to tour the grounds and appreciate all the water " wonders" that the owners have built. May I suggest the Central Europe tour which takes in Budapest Vienna and Prague . So much history and beauty. As far as the tour to Dachau I can appreciate the respect that site deserves and would put a different feeling of a joyous tour. Off to hit the slops.

Thanks, I think we may do a trip to Central Europe in 2015 so we can fully devote the time to these beautiful cities! That tour looks pretty amazing too!

 

[distravel]

My husband and I went to Dachau on the last day of our Germany ABD tour. It is a somber experience but did not take away from the joy we had during the rest of the vacation. Dachau is open on Sundays so it could fit in your schedule if you are interested.

 

[tiggersam00]

My husband and I went to Dachau on the last day of our Germany ABD tour. It is a somber experience but did not take away from the joy we had during the rest of the vacation. Dachau is open on Sundays so it could fit in your schedule if you are interested.

I was thinking of this, I want to give a place like that the respect it deserves. It is such an important part of history and to see it would be very moving I am sure.

 

[crisi]

Dachau is .... very well done. It is depressing, the subject is depressing - but it is respectful, somber and important. Dachau was not a huge camp, nor was it a death camp (although certainly people died there, there was not the production line murder). If you do not think you will have another opportunity to visit a concentration camp, take this one. Its something that SHOULD be done, and its easy to say "well next trip" and discover next trip it doesn't feel quite right either. It will never feel "quite right" to visit a concentration camp on vacation. Go in the morning - it doesn't take long, have a somber lunch, take the train back and by the time you get back - you may not be up for partying at the biergarten, but you can see a musuem with to dampen the somber emotions.

You'll have touched on WWII in Munich already, you can't visit Munich without feeling WWII.

 

[SingingMom]

Dachau is .... very well done. It is depressing, the subject is depressing - but it is respectful, somber and important. Dachau was not a huge camp, nor was it a death camp (although certainly people died there, there was not the production line murder). If you do not think you will have another opportunity to visit a concentration camp, take this one. Its something that SHOULD be done, and its easy to say "well next trip" and discover next trip it doesn't feel quite right either. It will never feel "quite right" to visit a concentration camp on vacation. Go in the morning - it doesn't take long, have a somber lunch, take the train back and by the time you get back - you may not be up for partying at the biergarten, but you can see a musuem with to dampen the somber emotions. You'll have touched on WWII in Munich already, you can't visit Munich without feeling WWII.

I regret not going. I was of the mind that I didn't want to leave our Adventure on such a somber note. DD20 was so disappointed with our decision, especially since she ran out of time during her semester in London this fall. She did fulfill her lifetime dream of seeing Anne Frank's "secret annex", but wasn't able to visit a concentration camp.

In retrospect, we would have added two more days in Munich.

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Nina68]

Thanks for sharing.