Munich

By Alana Coates

Cuckoo clocks and lederhosen unite with high fashion and elegance to make Munich both a beer-lover's paradise and a sophisticated urban retreat. When it comes to festivals, the capital of Bavaria has more to offer than just Oktoberfest. February in Munich is the time to shake off the winter blues and celebrate the carnival season of Fasching with costumes and revelry.

The German Mardi Gras

Munich's carnival season officially began this year on January 7 and peaks in the last three days of February. During this time, hundreds of public and private costume balls and formal galas are held throughout the city. Most of the city's residents will leave work early on February 28 to get dolled up and head down to big outdoor parties at Munich's main square, Marienplatz, and the outdoor Viktualienmarkt (food market). This is also the day the Viktualienmarkt's female food vendors will swirl around the marketplace in silly costumes and outrageous makeup, a tradition that is one of the highlights of the Fasching season.

The world capital of beer

Beer is the liquid of choice when it comes to washing down Bavarian sausages and dumplings. There is no better city than Munich to sample locally made beers in outrageously huge mugs. There are over 700 breweries in southern Germany alone, serving close to 2.7 billion litres of beer a year. Though the city's notorious outdoor Biergartens close for the winter, there is no better place to warm up with a giant Bierstein in hand than in one of Munich's cavernous beer halls. Hofbräuhaus is perhaps the most renowned, dating back to 1589. The less-touristy Augustiner Keller is another great choice, serving beer brewed right next door.

Hofbräuhaus: Platzl 9, 49-89-29-01-36-10

Augustiner Keller: Arnulfstrasse 52, 49-89-59-43-93

Dining

Munich's diverse array of international, upscale restaurants can please any sophisticated palate, but a taste of traditional Bavarian food is a must for any newcomer. In other words, leave your diet at home: Bavarian food is hearty, meaty and delicious. The family-run Käfer-Schänke serves haute cuisine with a regional touch, such as roasted pheasant with champagne-marinated sauerkraut.

February is the time of year when bakeries and street stalls overflow with Krapfen, the traditional Fasching doughnuts. These doughnuts are commonly filled with cream, chocolate or marmalade. Bodo's Konditorei-Café has a large selection of these homemade delights, in every flavour.

Käfer-Schänke: Prinzregentenstrasse 73, 49-89-41-68-247

Bodo's Konditorei-Café: Herzog-Wilhelm-Strasse 29, 49-89-23-66-520

Culture

Munich is rich in history and has a large selection of first-rate museums and striking monuments. For art lovers, Munich's enormous Pinakothek Museum is a real treat. The Pinakothek is actually a complex of three museums dedicated to old, new and modern art. Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso are all here, as well as just about every other artist you can think of. It takes an entire day to properly appreciate it all.

Alte Pinakothek: Barer Strasse 27, 49-89-23-80-52-16

Neue Pinakothek: Barer Strasse 29, 49-89-23-80-51-95

Pinakothek der Moderne: Barer Strasse 40, 49-89-23-80-53-60

Sleep

Munich has no end of luxe hotels to facilitate a weekend of pampering. The Bayerischer Hof is among the most splendid in the city. Dating back to 1841, the hotel has seven bars and 395 rooms, each with a unique décor. Don your tuxedo or evening gown and waltz at the hotel's annual Fasching ball, held this year on February 23. For gloss and glamour, head for a bed in the gorgeously designed Innside Premium Hotel in one of Munich's hippest neighbourhoods, Schwabing.

Bayerischer Hof: Promenadeplatz 2-6, 49-89-21-200

Innside Premium Hotel: Mies-Van-Der-Rohe-Strasse 10, 49-89-35-40-80

(Alana Coates is a Europe-obsessed Montreal writer with an insatiable appetite for sauerkraut.)

Getting There

We offer daily non-stop service between Toronto and Munich and convenient connections to other European destinations with Star Alliance™ member airlines. Book now and discover the city with heart with our great deals on hotel stays and car rentals: Book online and you'll receive additional Aeroplan® Miles!

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