Hostelworld Guide for Munich

Hostelworld Guide for Munich
Customised for Simon Lins
Nobody likes to harp on about the stereotypes attached to a city when describing it, but it's hard not to
when talking about Munich. The Bavarian capital is birthplace of the beer hall where men and women
decked in lederhosen line larger than life beers in front of thirsty tourists to the sound of traditional
oompah bands. But there is a lot more to the city than that. Munich gets increasingly cosmopolitan every
year and it has one of the best selections of museums in Germany. This is why it now rivals Berlin as the
most popular city in Germany with travellers.
In this Guide...
Useful Information
After Dark
Places to Eat
Top Attractions
Budget Tips
Where to Shop
The Essentials Climate
Exchange Rates
Getting There
By plane: Munich International Airport is just under
30km northeast of the city centre. It is connected to
the city centre via the S1 and S8 train. The journey
takes 40 minutes approximately.
By train: Hauptbahnhof in the city centre is the
city's main train hub and where all international
trains terminate.
By bus: The majority of long-distance buses
terminate at Hauptbahnhof also.
Getting Around
On foot: Using Marienplatz as your focal point,
covering Munich's city centre on foot is easily
achievable.
By U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Thanks to this integrated
underground/suburban rail network, getting around
Munich couldn't be easier. A single journey costs
€2.20 (same as on all modes of transport).
By bus/tram: As efficient as the U-bahn service is,
trains don't cover all parts of the city. Conveniently,
trams/buses serve most places that trains don't.
Trams in particular are also a good way of seeing
the city.
Due to Munich's inland location, it experiences a
continental climate with warm summers and cold
winters. If your visit happens to be in winter make
sure to pack your winter woollies as it can get very
cold in the Bavarian capital between November and
January. February is still quite cold with the average
temperature being below O°C. Between April and
October are the best months to visit as this is when
Munich is at its warmest. Just as in any city, the
busier months are between June and August, and
then again in October due to Oktoberfest. Due to a
phenomenon known as Föhn , it can be extremely
warm in this month.
Useful Information
Language: German
Electricity: 220 Volts AC, 50 Hz
Area Code: +49 (Germany) 089 (Munich)
Emergency Codes: Ambulance 112 / Fire 112 /
Police 110
Time Zone: Central European Time (GMT +1)
Central Post Office: Bahnhofplatz 1 (opposite
Hauptbahnhof Station)
Main Tourist Office: There are two -
Bahnhofsplatz 2 (at the train station) and
Marienplatz in the New Town Hall
Embassies / Consulates
USA: +49 (0)89 28 880
UK: +49 (0)89 211 090
Canada: +49 (0)89 2199 5700
Australia: +49 (0)30 880 0880 (Embassy in Berlin)
South Africa: +49 (0)89 231 1630
Ireland: +49 (0)89 2080 5990
Spain: +49 (0)89 998 4790
Italy: +49 (0)89 418 0030
New Zealand: +49 (0)30 206 210 (Embassy in
Berlin)
France: +49 (0)89 419 4110
Hostelworld Guide for Munich www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats After Dark
Tizian, Maxburgstrasse 4 Tizian is a quaint Italian
café/restaurant which deals in good pasta and better
pizzas. During the summer there is a terrace out
back where you can sit near a fountain, while on
Friday and Saturday nights there is a good
atmosphere as a DJ spins tunes. Open Mon-Fri
9am-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-6pm.
Friesiche Teestube, Pündterplatz 2 Friesiche
Teestube is the perfect pit-stop for a quick lunch in
the afternoon in Munich. Choose a dish from the
varied lunch menu or, if you simply need a break
from the sightseeing, enjoy a cake with a cup of tea
- there are over 150 different flavours to choose
from. Open daily from 10am-11pm.
Il Soprano, Kochelseestrasse 8 While it can get
very busy in this small Italian restaurant, the food is
top notch and the reasonable prices lure people in
all day. Along with all the pasta on offer, this
restaurant is also renowned for it's fish dishes. Open
daily from 10am-10pm.
Viktualienmarkt
Founded by the first King of Bavaria back in
1807, Viktualienmarkt is one of Munich's number
one attractions. It is also a great place for lunch
on the run. All around this colourful market are
outlets dealing in fruit and vegetables, but most
sell traditional Bavarian fare. A 'leberkassemmel'
(bread roll with with liver sausage) washed down
with a cool beer in the beer garden will keep you
going for hours. Open Mon-Fri from 10am-6pm,
Saturday from 10am-3pm.
Zum Dürnbräu, Durnbräugasse 2 Munich is awash
with restaurants dealing in typical Bavarian
specialities, although all too many are quite
commercialised. This one in the city centre is still a
favourite among locals and you'll definitely find
something on the menu for less than €10. Worth
checking out. Open daily from 9am-midnight.
New Munich Pub Crawl If you want to see some of
Munich's best known bars and clubs, and want to
party well into the night at the same time, embark
on this pub crawl. The 'New Munich Pub Crawl'
goes every night at 8pm and can booked at
www.hostelworld.com/tours.
Augustiner Bräustuben, Landsbergerstrasse 19
The German beer hall is a wonderful thing. The only
problem is that every tourist who goes to Munich
agrees with me on this. This beer hall just four tram
stops from Hauptbahnhof is an authentic beer hall
and well worth the three-minute journey. Open daily
from 10am-midnight.
Gay / Lesbian Munich
While the gay scene in Munich isn't as evident
as in other German cities such as, let's say,
Berlin, there are still more than a handful of gay
clubs and nights in the Bavarian capital.
Carmen's Lounge (Theklastrasse 1) is one of
the city's most popular gay bars, attracting
people from all walks of life. New York
(Sonnenstrasse 25) is another popular
disco-bar, while Ochsengarten (Müllerstrasse
47) is where the leather-fetish hounds go.
Kunstpark OST Ever imagined what it would be
like if all the main nightclubs in your town were in
the same place? Some Bavarians did, and then
made their thoughts a reality and created Kunstpark
OST! Some of the venues here are a bit cheesy,
but with so many bars and clubs on offer, it's a good
place to head for after dark.
Günther Murphy's, Nikolaistrasse 9 This Irish pub
in the Schwabing district draws a bunch of expats
and backpackers who come to enjoy good banter
(chat) and better beer. Open Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am,
Fri 6pm-3am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-1am.
Hofbräuhaus, Platzl 9 The Hofbräuhaus is
somewhere you can't avoid. It is just as much a
tourist attraction as it is a beer hall. You won't meet
any Bavarians here, and there isn't anything
extremely authentic about it, but the beer is good
and the oompah bands that play there create a
jovial atmosphere. Open daily from 9am-midnight.
The Twisted Bavarian, Tengstrasse 20 This pub,
owned by a Bavarian and a Texan, is one of the
newest in Munich and is quickly becoming one of
the most popular. Open daily from 5pm-1am, Fri &
Sat 5pm-3am and Sun 11am-1am.
Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar
Frauenkirche, Frauenplatz 1 Dating back to the
15th century, the Frauenkirche is the Bavarian
capital's most instantly recognisable building thanks
to its onion-domed towers. While much of the church
was destroyed during World War II, thankfully its
towers remained unscathed. Open Mon-Sat from
10am-5pm; admission to towers €3.
Marienplatz The focal point for any traveller who
visits Munich, Marienplatz is the city's main square.
Dominated by the New Town Hall, this
pedestrianised square dates back to the 12th
century and was originally known as
Schrannenmarkt. Today it is where the
'Glockenspiel' takes place daily (see 'Budget Tips').
Munich Residence, Residenzstrasse 1 This
building is one of the most ornate in the whole of
Germany as it was the political and cultural centre of
first the Dukes, then the Electors, and finally the
Kings of Bavaria. Over the centuries the various
rulers furnished the rooms to their personal tastes
and today they can be viewed by the public. Open
daily from 10am-4pm; admission €6.
Deutsches Museum
Deutsches Museum, Museumsinsel 1 Science
freaks will love this huge museum which is one
of the largest science and technology museums
in the world. Exhibits here explain everything
from how glass is recycled to how paper is made
to how we use water. Visit this museum and you
will undoubtedly leave a more knowledgeable
human being. Open daily from 9am-5pm;
admission €8.50.
Englischer Garten During the summer months
there is nowhere better to chill out for a few hours in
Munich than in the English Gardens, the largest
urban park in Germany. Covering 3.73 kilometres, it
has its own beer garden, and even its own waterfall.
January - FIS Snowboarding World Cup Thanks
to the help of some artificial snow, a mountain
perfect for snowboarding is created out in Munich's
Olympic Park for this annual competition.
February/March - Strong Beer Season As the rest
of the world gives up things every Lent, Bavarians
go to various breweries around the city to enjoy
Starkbier, the strongest beer there is!
April - Frühlingsfest Munich's annual Spring
Festival sees a fairground and numerous beer tents
take over Theresienwiese.
May - Theatron Pentecost Festival Music fans will
love this 3-day event which is held in the Olympic
Park. Also a free event, it showcases the best up
and coming bands in the area.
June/July - Summer Tollwood Festival Since it
began back in 1987, this annual event is now one of
the most popular summer festivals in Munich. Rock,
jazz, and pop artists entertain thousands, while
plays staged attract theatre buffs.
July - Christopher Street Day This annual event is
Munich's annual Gay Pride Festival and is one of
the biggest in Germany. Over 50,000 pour on to the
streets and the highlight is an outlandish parade.
August - Isarlust Summer Festival Staged
towards the end of August each year, the free
Isarlust Summer Festival sees an extravaganza of
music and entertainment attract thousands.
September/October - Oktoberfest Beginning in
the second last week in September and ending on
the first Sunday in October, Oktoberfest is the
biggest public festival in the world. Each year 6
million people consume over 5 million litres of beer!
October - Long Night of Museums For one night
only every October over 70 museums in the
Bavarian capital stay open until 2am. Visitors can
buy one ticket costing €15 which gives them access
to all participating museums for the day.
November/December - Winter Tollowood
Festival Once again Theresienwiese is the location
for Tollwood's winter festival, and once again beer
tents attract thousands.
December - Christkindlmarkt Germany is famous
for its Christmas markets and Marienplatz is where
Munich's main market is every Christmas.
Hostelworld Guide for Munich www.hostelworld.com

Get Connected Retail Therapy
easyInternetcafé, Bahnhofplatz 1 Located across
the road from Hauptbahnhof, this was
easyInternetcafé's 1st store to open in Germany.
With over 430 PCs to choose from you'll never have
trouble finding a free terminal. Open 24 hours daily;
€2 per hour, minimum purchase 80c.
Munich Internet Service Center, Tal 31 MISC
offers 100 workstations with speedy internet access
in the city centre. Along with the facility to log on to
the web, this cybercafé is also a call centre offering
cheap phone calls overseas. Open 24 hours; €1 for
30 minutes, €2 per hour.
Times Square, Bayerstrasse 10a This internet
café not far from the train station has a nice
atmosphere as it is doubles up as a bar/restaurant.
There's usually nice tunes in the background so
even if it's empty you'll enjoy checking your mail.
Open daily from 7.30am-1am; €6 per hour.
Internet Café, Altheimer Eck 12 There are around
a dozen terminals to choose from in this internet
café which doubles up as an Italian restaurant
making it a good place for lunch also. Open daily
from 11am-1am; €6 per hour.
Cyberice-C@fé, Feilitzschstrasse 15 In this
internet café in Munich's Schwabing district you can
enjoy soups, sandwiches and salads as you surf
the internet or send mails home. They also do a
good selection of coffees. Open daily from
10am-1am; €5 per hour.
www.
www.muenchen.de
www.toytownmunich.com
www.oktoberfest.de
www.deutsches-museum
Kaufingerstrasse This wide, pedestrianised
boulevard between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz is
one of Europe's premier shopping streets and has
been since the 1970s. Each side of this 'golden mile'
has shops dealing in clothes, music and more.
Galeria Kaufhof, Kaufingerstrasse 1-5 Galeria
Kaufhof have four department stores in various
locations around the Bavarian capital, but this one
just minutes from Marienplatz is the most central.
Inside you can find pretty much anything you want
with departments for food, jewellery, homeware,
clothes and more. Open Mon-Sat 9am-8pm.
Munich's markets
Most of Munich's markets are held on weekends.
Fussgängerflohmarkt (Leonrodstr. 19) is held
on the second Saturday of every month,
Optimolwerke flea market (Friedenstr. 10) is on
more regularly, open every Thurs-Sun, while
Elisabethmarkt in Schwabinger is the district's
answer to Viktualienmarkt.
Schwabing District While tourists and people with a
lot of money to burn inflict damage to their credit
cards on Kaufingerstrasse, students go shopping for
cooler gear in this district just north of the city centre.
This is where you will find second-hand shops,
quirky jewellery stores and more.
Sendlingerstrasse If you want to try some
family-run shops in hope of finding cheaper prices,
you should try this street which stems from
Marienplatz. This is also where you will discover the
more unusual type of gift shop.
OEZ, Hanauerstrasse 68 Located on the outskirts
of the city, the Olympia Einkaufszentrum (the
Olympic Shopping Centre) covers an area of 47,000
square meters, has 110 shops and two department
stores. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm.
Budget Tips A Day in Munich...
Visit a museum for free Most museums in Munich
impose an admssion fee, but those owned by the
city of Munich are free every Sunday. This includes
the Glyptothek with its collections of Greek and
Roman Antiquities and the Münchner Stadtmuseum
(Municipal Museum) which offers an insight into the
city's history and the daily lives of its people.
Little amuses the innocent
Every day at 11am and 12 noon hundreds
gather in Munich's illustrious Marienplatz and
gaze at the New Town Hall to catch the
'Glockenspiel', a 15 minute show where 32
life-sized figures perform the traditional
'Cooper's Dance'. After five minutes you'll
wonder what all the fuss is about, but it's nice to
catch it if you're in the vicinity at the time.
Save money on transport If you're travelling in a
group of 5, don't pay for single journeys separately.
Instead buy a 'partnerticket'. Costing €8, they are
valid for the day and by using them you'll save a lot
of money.
Visit the Old Town's churches Some of Munich
city centre's most beautiful buildings are its
churches. This includes Peterskirche, the oldest
parish church in Munich and with an interior dripping
with gold, Michaelskirche where you'll find the
world's second largest barrel-vaulted roof, and
Theatinerkirche, one of the city's Baroque churches.
Check out the Olympic Village In 1996 the
International Olympic Committee decided that
Munich was to hold the 1972 Olympic Games. As a
result, Olympic Park was built. It costs money to visit
the main stadium and other attractions, but to walk
around the grounds is totally free.
Start the day the same way typical Bavarians
do with a Weisswurst, a white veal sausage
served in a roll with mustard.
Make Marienplatz your first port of call for the
day. Damaged badly in WW2, it has been
restored to its former glory and is the jewel in
Munich's old town.
Catch the 'Glockenspiel' at the Rathaus
(New Town Hall) in Marienplatz. Afterwards
spend the rest of the morning checking out
the Old Town's churches.
Go to Viktualienmarkt. Get yourself a
Leberkässemme, a spicey meatloaf served
in thick slabs.
After lunch, visit the Residence Museum, a
building inseparable from that of Bavaria's
ruling dynasty.
Just ten minutes walk from the Residence
are the English Gardens. This is the largest
urban park in Germany and a great place to
chill out for a few hours.
Making your way back towards Marienplatz,
visit Hofbrahaus, Bavaria's most famous
beer hall. There's nothing particularly
authentic about it, but it's still worth a visit.
Get tram #18 or 19 from Hauptbahnhof and
get off at the 4th stop. Go to Augustiner
Bräustuben, a proper beer hall located on
Landsbergerstrasse. It does great food also.
Get a train from nearby Hackerbrücke train
station to Ostbahnhof, just five minutes from
Kunstpark OST. Finish off the night in one of
the complex's bars or clubs!
Hostelworld Guide for Munich www.hostelworld.com

Your Booking Details
Wombats City Hostel, Munich
Senefelderstrasse 1, 80336 Munich
Booking Ref. 8249-12739285
Confirmed: THU 12 MAR 2009 07:47
PH +49 89 59989180 FAX+49 89 599891810 EMAIL office@wombats-munich.de
DATE BEDS ROOM DETAILS
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
FRI 27 MAR 2009 1 6 Bed, Mixed, Shared Room (Ensuite)
You have paid US$16.03 as part of your deposit.
Upon arrival at the hostel the BALANCE OF EUR 108.00 IS PAYABLE
About Wombats City Hostel
Wombats City Hostels were voted as BEST HOSTEL CHAIN WORLDWIDE IN
2006, 2007 and 2008 by guests who booked through this site.
We kindly thank every single one of them. We promise to keep it up!
'Of all the hostel-hotels popping up in Munich this pert little number does the
best job in combining style with location. Past the glassed-in courtyard youŽll
find a friendly expat staff, pleasant if modular furnishings and private showers
and toilets in every room.' (Lonely Planet)
****************************************************
Welcome to our all mod cons hostel in Munich. WeŽre just a stoneŽs throw
from the main railway station, which also serves as the major public transportation hub. The old town is only
a five minutes walk away and weŽre as well within easy walking distance of the Oktoberfest grounds (if you
still can walk).
We have amply dimensioned dormitories and most doubles even come with their own terrace. WeŽre
especially proud of our air-conditioned, glass-roofed courtyard with real trees, hammocks, beach chairs and
beanbags.
If you travel by car, you can park it in our basement.
****************************************************
PLEASE NOTE: The rates given on this site DO NOT INCLUDE BREAKFAST. An all-you-can-eat
continental buffet brekkie costs EUR 3.50. You donŽt need to 'reserve' breakfast, just come round to the
reception in the morning if you are hungry.
****************************************************
The five reasons why Wombats City Hostels became a destination by their own right:
Best Cleanliness
Unfortunately not something to take for granted in many other hostels, but we do take this seriously: we
have won the Cleanest Hostel Worldwide award. Twice.
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Map & Directions

Most Amenities
We are centrally located and close to the trains and public transport. Maximum security with smartcard
access for the front door, the floors, the rooms and your locker. All our rooms come with comfy wooden
beds, private shower & toilet facilities and lockers for your belongings. YouŽll get a free set of bedlinen, a
free welcome drink, wifi for free use (in the lobby) and our self-made free city map with all essential
information about the goings-on in town.
We offer an all-you-can-eat breakfast, our lively womBAR serves cheap drinks and food, internet terminals,
laundromats, 24 hours reception service and of course no age limit, no curfew, no lockout and no stupid
rules.
The Hostel from travellers for travellers
We have travelled the world ourselves so we know from first hand what you are doing and what you
expect from us. We care for you and we care for your feedback.
Best social Atmosphere
We make sure that you will feel safe and welcome here. When you have been on the road all day long,
seeing sights and walking and walking, it s cool to have a nice scene at the hostel where you can have
some beers, talk and make friends. This will make your stay a memorable one! Many a traveller stayed
quite a bit longer than primarily intended.
Wombats is not dirt cheap
You may find an even cheaper place to crash in town, but none where you get more value for your money.
We are looking forward to welcoming you !
***************************************************
PLEASE NOTE: no check-in before 2pm (we need to clean the rooms first!) You may leave your stuff with
the reception though and come back later.
***************************************************
SORRY, NO KITCHEN
Unlike our hostels in Vienna and Berlin, Wombats Munich does not have a communal kitchen, because
there are crazy laws making that almost impossible... Besides that, our landlord wouldnŽt let us to have one
to avoid the fire hazard.
Again sorry, thereŽs no point to complain about that - there just wonŽt be a kitchen... :-(
Hostelworld Guide for Munich www.hostelworld.com