Hostelworld Guide for Munich

Customised for Elmir Jasic

The Essentials 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.

Climate
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 OC. 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 Fhn , it can be extremely warm in this month.

Getting Around
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. 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.

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

In this Guide...
Useful Information After Dark Places to Eat Top Attractions Budget Tips Where to Shop

Useful phrases
Hello: Hallo Goodbye: Tschss Please: Bitte Thank you: Vielen Dank You're welcome: Gern geschehen Yes: Ja No: Nein Of course: Natrlich Excuse me: Entschuldigung How are you?: Wie geht es dir? Open: Geffnet Closed: Geschlossen What is your name?: Wie heisst du? My name is...: Ich heisse... How much?: Wie teuer ist es? May I have the bill?: MKann ich die rechnung haben?

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 www.hostelworld.com

Hostelworld Guide for Munich

Cheap Eats
Tizian, Maxburgstrasse 4 Tizian is a quaint Italian caf/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, Pndterplatz 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.

After Dark
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 Brustuben, 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.

Don't Miss
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 7am-6pm/7pm/8.30pm; 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 9am-6pm (summer), 10am-5pm (winter) ; admission 6 (residence or treasury).

Mark Your Calendar

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 - Frhlingsfest 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!

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 (Mllerstrasse 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.

Viktualienmarkt

Deutsches Museum

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 Drnbru, Durnbrugasse 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. Hostelworld Guide for Munich

Kilian's Irish Pub, Frauenplatz 11 Every city has its token Irish bar and Munich is no different. Located just minutes from Marienplatz, here you'll be treated to live music on most nights while it's also a good place for food. Open daily from 11am-late. Hofbruhaus, Platzl 9 The Hofbruhaus 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.

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.

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.

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Get Connected
easyInternetcaf, Bahnhofplatz 1 Located across the road from Hauptbahnhof, this was easyInternetcaf'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.

Retail Therapy
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.

Budget Tips
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 Mnchner Stadtmuseum (Municipal Museum) which offers an insight into the city's history and the daily lives of its people.

A Day in Munich...
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 Leberkssemme, 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.

Little amuses the innocent

Munich's markets

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 cybercaf 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 caf 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 Caf, Altheimer Eck 12 There are around a dozen terminals to choose from in this internet caf 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@f, Feilitzschstrasse 15 In this internet caf 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. 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.

Most of Munich's markets are held on weekends. Fussgngerflohmarkt (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.

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 Brustuben, a proper beer hall located on Landsbergerstrasse. It does great food also. Get a train from nearby Hackerbrcke train station to Ostbahnhof, just five minutes from Kunstpark OST. Finish off the night in one of the complex's bars or clubs! www.hostelworld.com

www.
www.muenchen.de www.toytownmunich.com www.oktoberfest.de www.deutsches-museum

Hostelworld Guide for Munich

Wombats City Hostel, Munich

Senefelderstrasse 1,

Map & Directions

The wombat's CITY HOSTEL is located in a side street next to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station).

Your Booking Details

First of all: get off the train. Then, with the platforms in the back, take the right exit out of the building onto Bayerstrae. Cross the road, turn left, and turn into the first street on the right SENEFELDER STRASSE. The second house on the left side is wombats.

Booking Ref. 8249-25480952

Confirmed: FRI 13 APR 2012 10:20 FAX+49 89 599891810 PH +49 89 59989180 EMAIL office@wombats-munich.de

From Airport Take S-Bahn lines S1 or S8 to the main railway station Hauptbahnhof (approx. 45 minutes), where you will find yourself in a maze of underground passages. Look for the exit to Bayerstrae Ost . After you came up the escalator, make a U-turn, walk up Bayerstrae and turn into the first street on the left (Senefelder Strae). Wombats is the second house on the left.

You have paid US$10.21 as part of your deposit. Upon arrival at the hostel the BALANCE OF EUR 66.60 IS PAYABLE

About Wombats City Hostel

Wombats City Hostels were voted as BEST HOSTEL CHAIN WORLDWIDE IN 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 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 you?ll 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. We?re just a stone?s 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 we?re 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. We?re 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 3.70. You don?t 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. 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. You?ll 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 wouldn?t let us to have one to avoid the fire hazard. Again sorry, there?s no point to complain about that - there just won?t be a kitchen... :-(

Hostelworld Guide for Munich

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