Munich: Germany’s Biggest Village

Munich is a city that celebrates its past while looking energetically into the future.
Munich: Germany’s Biggest Village
Munich's bustling main square, Marienplatz, is a lively pedestrian zone of sights, shopping, and restaurants. Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, Rick Steves' Europe
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For a while now, I’ve marveled at how Berlin has eclipsed Munich in urban energy. Bavaria’s capital seems to be comfortable just being itself rather than trying to keep up with Berlin or Hamburg, its big sisters to the north. It’s a city that celebrates its past while looking energetically into the future.

Despite its population of 1.5 million, Munich (or “München,” as it’s called in German) feels small. This big-city elegance is possible because of its determination to be pedestrian—and bike-friendly, and because of a law that allows buildings taller than the cathedral’s towers only in the city’s outskirts. Even Oktoberfest, the world’s biggest beer party, is not corporate run but city run—leaving it free, easygoing, and hell-bent on having fun rather than making money.

Rick Steves
Rick Steves
Author
Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This article was adapted from his new book, For the Love of Europe. You can email Rick at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook. ©2022 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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