Munich Hotels: The Eurostars Grand Central 4*

by Hotels

Overview

The Eurostars Grand Central Munich hotel belongs to the Eurostars hotel chain. This chain is especially common for people who travel to Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, Argentina, or Mexico. The company is based in Barcelona, Spain.

There are three Eurostars hotels in Munich, all within walking distance of Munich’s main train station. But it is interesting to note that the hotel called „Grand Central“ is not as close to Munich’s Main Station as the others (Eurostars Book and Hotel Regent). To be more precise, it is located west of the main station near the Hackerbrücke, a bridge that every Munich resident knows well, as it is one of the main pedestrian routes to the Oktoberfest. From here it is just a 15-20 minute walk to the Oktoberfest.

The Eurostars Grand Central is fairly new (built in 2009) and, like all Eurostars hotels in Germany, is ranked in the luxury class. The Eurostars Grand Central offers the amenities of a 4-star hotel.

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General Information

Address

Arnulfstr. 35, 80636 Munich, Germany

Telephone: +49 (0) 89 516 574 0

See the map for Points of Interest around the hotel.

Nearby public transport facilities:

  • Tramway (110 m / 120 yds, approx. 2 minutes by foot)
  • Urban rail station (350 m / 383 yds., approx 5 minutes by foot)
  • Subway station (900 m / 984 yds, approx 15 minutes by foot)
  • Taxi (cab stand directly in front of the hotel)

 Nearby Airports:

  • Munich International (MUC) – 40 km / 25 mi (ca. 30-45 minutes by car, 45-55 minutes by public transport)
  • Memmingen Airport aka Munich West (FMM) – 115 km / 71mi (ca. 1 hour by car, 2 hours by public transport)

Rooms

The Eurostars Grand Central has a total of around 250 rooms, including 214 standard rooms, 15 family or triple rooms and 8 suites. For longer stays, there is also the possibility to stay in one of 10 apartments. All rooms are very modern and elegantly furnished. Especially the en-suite bathrooms are in black and red and offer an amazing look. All rooms are air-conditioned and have a minibar, safe, hairdryer, radio and a flat-screen TV. There are the following room categories: – Double room (approx. 28sqm / 300 sq ft.) – Triple room (double room with extra bed, 28sqm / 300 sq ft.) – Junior suite (approx. 42 sqm / 452 sp ft.) – Presidential suite (approx. 85 sqm / 914 sq ft) – Family Apartment one bedroom (approx. 66 sqm / 710 sq ft) – Family Apartment two bedrooms (approx. 80 sqm / 861 sq ft) Of course, wifi is available free of charge throughout the hotel. Bathroom amenities (miniature bottles) are also provided free of charge. They come from the company „Hierbas de Ibiza“. Here you can obviously see that this is a Spanish hotel chain.

Hotel lobby & Reception

The very spacious 24/7 reception area is also modern and centrally located. To the right of the reception area are the lifts to the rooms and access to the event rooms. To the left of the reception is the access to the lounge/bar and the breakfast room or restaurant

Restaurant/food facilities

Right next to the reception area is the entrance to the lounge with a bar, called „The Corner“. Immediately afterward the restaurant „Red“ opens up, which is also used for breakfast. Here you can also have lunch and dinner. The meals are international with some Spanish options. Breakfast can either be added when booking a room (higher room rate) or can be booked separately at the reception. The price for breakfast is 18.00 EUR per person and day (as of 05/2020) when booked on site. Breakfast times (as of 05/2020): Monday – Friday: 06:30 am – 10:30 am Saturday/Sunday/public holiday: 07:00 am – 11:00 am

The Eurostars Grand Central Munich Hotel lounge - ideal for a snack

Wellness & Spa facilities

The Eurostars Grand Central offers a wellness area with sauna (Finnish dry sauna) and a swimming pool with saltwater. Both facilities are located on the fifth floor (highest floor) but do not feature a rooftop terrace or similar.

Business & Meeting facilities

There are numerous meeting rooms in the hotel in every imaginable size. All of them are located on the ground floor, near the reception. An appropriate catering service is available.

Parking & public transport

Parking:

Parking for cars is available directly in front of the hotel on the street, but only a relatively small number. These are regular street parking lots without special surveillance. Those who want to park their car in a dry place with camera surveillance can use the hotel’s underground car park for a fee of 18.00 EUR per day and vehicle.

Public transportation:

The Eurostars Grand Central hotel is very well connected to the public transport system. A few steps from the hotel entrance you will find the tramway station „Hackerbrücke“. A few steps further, there is the urban rail station „Hackerbrücke“, which offers a fast and direct connection to the city centre (Main Station, Marienplatz).

Directly in front of the hotel is a cab stand, so you can directly hop in a taxi after leaving the hotel. Also, the Central Bus Station (ZOB) is around the corner offering national and international long-distance connections. For all of you who are not afraid of a short walk, you can reach both the main station and the old town on foot. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the main station (north entrance) and about 25 minutes to the old town. From the hotel, it is also possible (and recommended) to reach the Oktoberfest grounds on foot. A short 15-minute walk will bring you there.

Approximate time from the hotel (by public transport including walking time):

  • to the city centre (Marienplatz, Town Hall): 10 – 15 minutes
  • to Munich Main Station: 7 minutes (or 15 minutes on foot)
  • to Hofbräuhaus beer hall: 15 – 20 minutes
  • to Oktoberfest (Main entrance): 15 minutes walk
  • to the English Garden: 20 – 25 minutes
  • to the Royal Residence: 15 minutes
  • to the Pinakotheken art galleries: 20 minutes
  • to Nymphenburg Castle & Gardens: 25 minutes
You can reach Munich's Old Town by foot

Good to know

The district around the hotel:

The hotel is located in the Neuhausen district, or rather in the eastern part of Neuhausen district. The city quarter around the hotel is upscale. There are more hotels along the Arnulfstraße. North of the hotel, practically directly opposite, there are tax offices and authorities. Directly south of the hotel there is the city quarter „Arnulfpark“, a quite new, upscale residential area in which also renowned companies like Google or PriceWaterhouseCoopers are located.

Food options:

The Central Bus Station (ZOB) is located near the hotel (about five minutes‘ walk). There you will find fast food options (Mc Donalds, Oliva (Turkish & Doner Kebab), Pommesfreunde (Belgian fries), Kaimug (Asian), Vapiano (Italian)), a German bakery and an Italian café. A bit further up Arnulfstraße, directly opposite the ZOB is the Augustinerkeller. This traditional Bavarian restaurant offers everything the heart desires for fans of Bavarian cuisine. In addition, there is a huge beer garden, which invites you to stop in for a beer with spare ribs or chicken in summer. Those who would like to try different things can explore the area around the hotel. In the Arnulfpark quarter, just behind the hotel, there are a couple of restaurants, but they are more focused on lunch for the surrounding offices. You can also take the tramway to the city centre. Around the historic centre there are countless restaurants.

Supermarkets:

There is a discount supermarket (LIDL) and a drugstore (dm) directly in the ZOB. You will also find a pharmacy there. A little further away, but still within a 10-minute walk, is the Hopfenpost, a former post office building, which now houses a number of doctors, offices, and supermarkets (ALDI, REWE, Denn’s).

Going out:

The club or discotheque „Neuraum“ is located directly in the ZOB. International DJs regularly perform here. Since the club is divided into several areas, several music genres are offered (EDM, RnB, Charts, German Schlager). There are few bars in walking distance around the hotel. Only the Pappasitos, a Mexican restaurant, which also has a fairly large bar area, is worth to be mentioned. More bars can be found either in the city centre or in Neuhausen, around the Rotkreuzplatz. You can walk there within 20 minutes.

Ratings & Opinions

Hotel ratings:

The Eurostars Grand Central has very good ratings throughout the Internet (as of 06/2020):

  • Booking.com: 8.4 (of 10) „very good“
  • tripadvisor: 4.0 (of 5) „very good“
  • Holidaycheck: 5,0 (of 6)
  • Expedia: 4.3 (of 5) „excellent“
  • trivago: 8.5 (of 10) „excellent“
  • Agoda: 8.4 (of 10) „excellent“

Opinions:

When reading through hundreds of reviews on sites like the named above, you can filter out the following things people liked or disliked in this hotel.

What travellers liked:

  • the good connection to public transport
  • the very good and huge breakfast (buffet-style)
  • the good bathroom facilities
  • the close proximity to the Oktoberfest grounds
  • the modern design
  • the value for money

What travellers did not like:

  • the cleaning staff not cleaning properly
  • the rather small wellness area
  • worn-out furniture
  • there were also a few complaints about the friendliness and attitude of the reception staff

Stay healthy: Ticks in Munich and Bavaria

by GeneralKnow Before You Go

Ticks in Bavaria

When you travel abroad, you’ll often have questions concerning security. Questions like “Are there no go areas?” or “Can I drink water from tap?”. Unfortunately these kind of questions are often not mentioned in guide books and you have to search for information. I love to tell you about the city and the culture, but I will also answer these questions, every tourist has. This time, I want to tell you about a little annoying insect.

Every spring, when the snow and ice melts and temperatures rise, the Bavarian nature awakes. Green leaves grow, and all animals come out again. Unfortunately also those little annoying insects, which are in search of blood. Now you’ll surely think about mosquitos. But this time I want to tell you about ticks in Bavaria

Ticks kan hide in underwood and grass

Where do you find ticks?

Ticks exist everywhere in the world. In Bavaria and southern Germany, you’ll find most often “Ixodes ricinus” the so called “castor bean tick” (German: “Gemeiner Holzbock“ or more common „Zecke“). While other ticks are specialized on dogs, hedgehogs or mice, the castor bean tick also likes humans.

  • Below 1.000 metres (ca. 3.300 ft.) above sea level
  • In meadows, especially with tall grass
  • City parks and gardens
  • Hiking trails
  • in the underwood
  • at forest edges with bushes and undergrowth

When are ticks active?

Ticks are less active when it is cold or frosty. However, as soon as the temperature rises above 0° C (32° F) in Bavaria, they become active and begin their search for a blood meal.

In particularly mild winters, they may therefore remain permanently active. Severe cold in winter kills a considerable number of ticks, but this means that a higher number of ticks often survive after mild winters, which increases the risk of tick bites in Bavaria.

Ticks also like it humid, so that their activity increases considerably, for example after a summer rain.

Why ticks can be dangerous for humans in Bavaria and southern Germany

Ticks can transmit bacteria and viruses, especially the “Lyme-borreliosis” (German: Borreliose) and the “tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)” (German: Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis – FSME).

While the Lyme-borreliosis (bacteria) can be cured with antibiotics (when there is an early reaction), the TBE (virus) can’t. But you can have a vaccination against TBE.

 

Unfortunately, Bavaria is a so called “high risk area” where ticks can transfer TBE and Lyme-borreliosis. But “high risk area” doesn’t mean that you’ll find ticks in every bush and on every leaf. “High Risk Area” is defined since 2007 as a region that has a significant higher number of illness cases than predicted. Usually the predicted rate of TBE-cases is 1,3:100.000.

Especially in woods and meadows you can find ticks. If you’re not vaccinated and you want to have a picnic on a meadow in a rural Bavarian area, maybe you should rethink your plans. Even the risk in “high risk area” is quite low, you always should be aware of the possible threat

What you shuld do as a traveler coming to Munich and Bavaria

Let me get this straight: The risk of being bitten by a tick is manageable, although almost all of Bavaria is a high-risk area. So the thought of a tick bite should not make you cancel your trip to Munich, Bavaria or Southern Germany.
Especially if you only plan a city tour the risk is quite low.
But if you plan to explore the woods around Munich, lie in one of the many city parks or at a lake in the meadow and sunbathe, or go for a hike in the Alps, your risk will obviously increase.

The Bavarian and German health authorities recommend tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccination for all persons in high-risk-areas, regardless of age.

As a traveller, you should therefore think about what you are going to do during your trip to Bavaria and its neighbouring states.


If you are planning a very nature-loving trip where you will be out in nature, you should talk to your doctor about a vaccination against TBE, even if ticks or TBE are not present in your home country.
Usually a TBE vaccination is given in three steps to ensure complete protection. You will need to take this into consideration when planning your trip.

Regardless of being vaccinated or not, you should take the following precautions when you are out in the nature. When you’re hiking, camping or doing sports in woods and meadows or doing other activities, where you often have body-contact to your surrounding nature, at least try to do the following:

  • In woods/forests: Better use regular paths/dirtroads; don’t bushwhack through the forest (which is usually also forbidden).
  • Wear (bright coloured) clothes. On dark colours you’ll have problems to see ticks
  • „Close“ your clothes (for example tuck the pant legs into your socks)
  • Use repellents (not really effective, but better than using nothing)
  • Inspect your body regularly (while doing your activities) and at home. Especially areas where ticks can hide from the body movement (behind ears, armpits, hairline, hair, private parts, back of the knee, bellybutton, folds in the belly, etc.)
Consider a vaccination

Further information for travellers

Now you know the main facts about ticks in Bavaria and Southern Germany.

You can get more and detailed information about ticks, the transmitted diseases and vaccination on the website www.zecken.de. The website is also available in English, Russian, Turkish and Polish

Covid19-Crisis: German borders to be opened on june 15th.

by General

The Super 8 Munich West (by Wyndham)

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Adress: Landsberger Str. 270, 80687 Munich, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0) 89 558 983 70

Nearby Airports:

  • Munich International (MUC) – 40 km / 25 mi (ca. 30-45 min by car, 45-55 min by public transport)
  • Memmingen Airport (FMM) (aka Munich West) – 108 km / 67 mi (ca. 1 hour by car, 2 hrs. by public transport)

The Super 8 Munich West (by Wyndham) is one of two Super 8 hotels in Munich. The hotel is not located in the inner city, but has  a very good connection to the city centre as well as to Munich International airport, as the urban rail station is around the corner. The hotel has double rooms, a rather small lounge with a coffeshop and a quite huge breakfast room. The Super 8 is located in Munich’s west, a mostly residential district. It’s clear this hotel is made for business travellers and travellers on a budget.

There are only double rooms available, which can be also used for single occupancy. The hotel is mid sized compared to the number of rooms. All rooms feature en suite baths with a shower, a hairdryer, and bath amenities (bulk).

The Super 8 Munich West Hotel doesn’t feature a full restaurant, but there is a small coffeeshop in the lobby, where you can order a beverage and a snack. Ideal for business travellers to meet after a day full of work and have a drink before going to bed.

 

The Super 8 Munich West is a well rated business/mid-range hotel. It gets good ratings in the different portals:

  • Trivago: 8.3 out of 10.0 (Very Good)
  • Tripadvisor: 4.0 out of 5.0 (Very Good)
  • Hotelscombined: 7.8 out of 10.0 (Good)

What people like:

  • The close proximity to the urban rail station Laim (good connections to the city centre and Munich International Airport)
  • The breakfast
  • The cleanliness of the rooms and the good work of the housekeeping staff

What people dislike:

  • the loud and sometimes crowded breakfast room
  • visitors sometimes indicate that the reception staff is not always 100% polite and courteous
  • The lack of parking possibilities (on-street metered parking; too few parking spots available)

What to know:

  • The Super 8 Munich West doesn’t have a full restaurant. But you can order drinks and snacks at the lobby coffeeshop/bar.
  • The district around the hotel is a residential district so there are not as many possibilities to go out dining around the hotel as you would get at a more centrally located hotel.
  • Bar/coffeeshop
  • Restaurant
  • 24/7 reception
  • Free WiFi in rooms and lobby
  • Breakfast available (ca. 9 EUR / 10 USD per person and day)
  • Bath amenities
  • Iron/Board
  • In-room safe
  • Free coffee/tea
  • Air conditioning & heating
  • Cable/Satellite TV

Laim district:

Laim is located in the western part of the city and mainly a residential district. Additionally there are some industrial/commercial areas (mainly car garages, car dealers) along Landsberger Street. This street (also named Bundesstraße 2 – Federal Road No. 2) is a major road for commuters. So expect lot’s of rush hour traffic during weekdays.

Dining out:

restaurants and bars are available but limited. Most of the restaurants and bars can be found in Fürstenrieder Street.

The best options for dining out in walking distance to the Super 8 Munich West are a steakhouse (Asado), an Italian restaurant (Il Cortile), a Greek restaurant (Tou Bakali), and a Chinese restaurant (Hakeyo House).
Fast food options are also avilable. Within walking distance you will find Mc Donalds, Döner Kebab (Beste Döner) and a bit further a Subway.
Coffeshops: There is a coffeeshop (San Francisco Coffee Company – SFCC) ca. 350 metres / 380 yards from the hotel.

Supermarkets:

There are supermarkets within walking distance. You will find a REWE (normal supermarket) and an ALDI (discount supermarket) ca. 700 metres / 770 yards from the hotel near the commuter station.

Is the area safe?

Yes, the area and quarter around the Super 8 Munich West is generally a safe area. Yet its is not a prosperous quarter with wealthy inhabitants. Further uptown Landsberger Street (approx. 700 metres / 770 yards) there is a brothel and a nightclub/table dance club. This area might not be suitable for children and families during the nighttime.

The Super 8 Munich West (by Wyndham) is a good business/mid-range hotel. As it is located in Munich’s Laim district you can expect lower prices than for hotels in the inner city of Munich. Prices per double room start at ca. 55 USD per night in the low season and can reach approx. 150 USD in the high season. Of course there are some dates thoughout the year where Munich hotels are nearly fully booked (e.g. trade fairs). Prices can then rise to ca. 220 USD per room and night for the Super 8, too.

You can book directly via the official website:

Getting to the Super 8 Munich West is really easy. You can get there

  • By public transport
    The urban rail (S-Bahn) station „Laim“ is literally just around the corner. From there you have direct connections to the Main Station and City Centre (Lines S1, S2, S4, S6, S7 and S8) and Munich International Airport (Lines S1 and S8)
  • By taxi/limousine service
    Choose your favourite transport service and the driver will bring you to the hotel.
  • By (rental) car
    The hotel is quite easy to reach. Be aware that the parking situation is quite bad. Only on-street-parking (metered), but often you won’t find any free space.

I had the opportunity to fully test a standard double room with breakfast. To see if I would recommend this hotel read my full review about the Super 8 Munich West (by Wyndham).

The Best time to visit Munich – May?

by with No Comment Know Before You Go

When is the best time to visit Munich? Whenever you go to a destination abroad where you’ve never been to before, you will ask yourself: When should I go there? Are there “good” or “bad” months? Of course, every city looks far better on a nice sunny day than in heavy rain. There are only a few places in the world where it doesn’t matter when to go, as the weather conditions are always perfect. Unfortunately, Munich is not such a place. Also, hotel prices vary throughout the seasons. Here I will tell you about the best months of the year when you should visit Munich, and of course when you should avoid visiting Munich. This time I will tell you about the things you can expect throughout May in Munich

May in Munich

May is usually the first month of the year where it is possible to do all kinds of outdoor activities without limitation. Often the weather conditions are good and temperatures are perfect. In the last years, we could also see the first heatwave in May bringing the temperatures up to 25°C/77°F. Unfortunately, these heat waves come and go quickly, which stresses your body. It’s normal during such a period that the temperature may rise from around 10°C/50°F to 25°C/77°F. This is an increase of 15°C/27°F sometimes within 24 hours!

The good side is the clear sky, and the summer feeling. May can, therefore, feel (at least during a heatwave) like summer but with lower hotel prices.

During May many flowers are in full bloom, so you won’t get disappointed when taking photos.

Weather in Munich – May

May often brings summerlike temperatures. Already at the beginning of the month, it can be pretty warm and beautiful.
As already mentioned, May often brings the first heatwave. Sometimes the 30C/86F level is reached already, at least for a few days. In May there is often stable, beautiful weather.

For all those travelers who are sensitive to high temperatures, May is a highly recommended month to see Munich. In the morning it is not ice-cold and in the afternoon you can expect an average of 15 to 20 C (59 – 68 F), especially when the weather is fine.

How is May in Munich?

National Holidays and festivities during May in Munich

Learn about the National Holidays during this month as well as other festivities you will encounter when travelling to Munich in May

Labour Day (German: Tag der Arbeit)

As in many other countries, the first of May is a public holiday in Germany. Labour Day or May Day is traditionally the day on which there are labor union rallies, sometimes with smaller celebrations. In some cities in Northern Germany (usually Berlin and Hamburg) the rallies, unfortunately, become sometimes violent by extreme left-wing groups who are looking for a confrontation with the police. In Munich, however, this has never occurred so far. In contrast, there are often more traditional celebrations, since in many villages or city districts the maypole is erected (see below).
Since Labour Day is a public holiday, all shops and malls are closed.

Maibaumaufstellen (Maypole set-up)

The maypole is a tall, decorated, and sometimes painted wooden trunk that is traditionally positioned in the town square or village square around the first of May.
This is a tradition that can be found in many European, especially Germanic cultures. Particularly in German-speaking countries and in the Alpine region, maypoles are often found in towns and villages. If you as a visitor are lucky enough to be in Munich and the greater Munich area around the first of May, you can watch a maypole being put up. The placing of the maypole is usually accompanied by a festival. Traditionally, the respective Burschenverein puts up the maypole without technical aids, such as a crane. In Munich, there are many maypoles, mostly in the different quarters of the city or on central places of the respective districts.
But if you would like to experience this tradition as a tourist, you must know that a new maypole is not put up every year. The maypoles usually remain in place for several years until they have to be replaced due to the influence of the weather. But no worries, there are approximately 40 to 50 of such festivities in and around Munich every year. You will find the exact dates on a special page around the maypole.

Pentecost (German: Pfingsten)

Besides Christmas and Easter, Pentecost is one of the most important Christian festivals, especially in Catholic Bavaria. Fifty days after Easter, Christians celebrate the appearance of the Holy Spirit announced by Jesus Christ. The celebrations last two days. These days are Whit Sunday (German: Pfingstsonntag) and Whit Monday (German: Pfingstmontag). Whit Monday is a public holiday in Germany. All shops and malls are therefore closed.
In Bavaria, Whit Monday is followed by two weeks of school holidays, so you can see a significant increase in tourism in Munich. The Whit Monday holidays are traditionally the first holidays in Southern Germany when many local people also travel abroad.

Strawberry season

Depending on the weather conditions, the strawberry season in Bavaria begins from mid to late May. Strawberries can be bought everywhere and there are also some strawberry fields in Munich and the region around the city, where you can pick strawberries yourself directly from the field for a fee.
When the weather is fine, especially families with small children go on an excursion to pick fresh strawberries. In the restaurants and especially in the cafes you can find all kinds of strawberry cakes or pastries with strawberries. A dream for all travellers who love strawberries.

Would I recommend travelling to Munich in May?

I would definitely recommend you to come to Munich in May.

The weather is usually pleasant. It can also be nice and warm already. As a tourist, you can also enjoy all the outdoor activities. The beer gardens are open and there are several festivals.
However, I recommend coming outside the German Pentecost holidays. Here it can already get a bit crowded in the city. The hotel prices increase slightly but are not yet as high as in the high season.

Travel weather Munich in May?

When I plan to travel abroad, I always check the average weather conditions for my desired travel time. Everything is better when the weather is right, especially when travelling. Sometimes even a week back or forth can statistically show significantly different weather. Therefore I also would recommend you to check the temperature and sunshine of the last three years to get an idea of how the weather is statistically looking like at your destination. Of course, statistics don’t give you a 100 percent certainty that the weather will be the same again, but the probability is higher.

4 Things that will dissapoint you when coming to Munich

by with No Comment Know Before You Go

Munich is one of the most popular travel destinations in Germany. Millions of tourists visit the city every year. And maybe you have already planned to book a trip to Munich or you’re thinking about it. Surely you have already found some information and many good things about Munich while searching the Internet. But every destination has a few things that are not necessarily great or wonderful. Be it a weather-related limited travel time, environmental factors or simply completely crowded streets and squares. For this reason you should also learn a little bit about annoying things about Munich. I think this is part of a complete travel.

Annoying Thing #1: Everything feels packed during the high season

Especially during the summer months, when the weather conditions allow outdoor activities, you will definitely feel that everything is packed, full and dense in Munich.

Try to get a seat in a Café in the inner city – I wish you good luck. Also shopping in Munich’s main shopping streets (Neuhauser St., Sendlinger St.) on a Saturday in the summer feels like training for Oktoberfest as all shopping streets and shops are overcrowded and you can’t even take your time to do window-shopping.

And don’t think you can flee into a calm beer garden and have some „Gemütlichkeit“ as the well known beer gardens will be packed and crowded as well on nice summer days which will give you a hard time finding an empty seat.

You might think you just have to flee the city and do a day trip in your rental car. The rural part of Bavaria will be calm. You’re right, but the interesting spots for tourists like the towns of Garmisch, Füssen, Tegernsee, etc. will also be crowded and if you don’t start your trip early, you will find yourself in a heavy traffic jam on the motorway to the south. Well, at least it is a traffic jam in a nice and beautiful region and sometimes you get really great views of the Alps and the Alpine Foreland

Annoying thing #2: Bavarian culture is nearly extinct in Munich

When you search the web about traveling to Munich and Bavaria, you will find lots of articles, pictures, and videos praising the Bavarian culture, the traditional clothes, and the beer and roast pork impregnated air in the beer halls and restaurants where brass bands always perform.
Unfortunately, the truth looks completely different. In Munich, there is hardly a living Bavarian culture anymore. What you will experience as a tourist is actually almost completely organized just for you. Some restaurants will even exaggerate so much and thus exclusively serve existing stereotypes about Bavarian culture.
This sometimes goes so far that you might speak a few words of German and want to order from the waitress in lederhosen or dirndl and she will tell you that she has a hard time understanding German because she herself comes from Russia or Bulgaria and you may prefer to order in English.

It is also a fact that the Bavarian dialect, which was spoken by 60-70% of all inhabitants in the 1950s and 1960s has decreased. Today only 0.9% of the inhabitants of Munich speak Bavarian. Therefore, the dialect can be found on the UNESCO list of dying languages since 2009.

Annoying thing #3: There is a lot of road rage on the streets

In countries like the USA, driving a car is (in my opinion) much more pleasant and less stressful than in Germany. In my opinion, this is certainly due to the fact that there is much more space available, for example on the motorways. But I firmly believe that there is also a certain driver mentality – and this mentality is quite aggressive in Germany.
As a driver of a rental car, you should therefore always be prepared for the fact that many German drivers will have no patience at all. They will honk at you aggressively when you start a millisecond late at the green traffic light. They will curse, gesticulate wildly and flash their lights when you turn too slow or too fast or drive strangely in their eyes.

Annoying thing #4: Citizens of Munich always seem to be stressed

I don’t know what the reason is, but in Munich and actually in all other German cities it feels as if all inhabitants are stressed. This leads to increased aggression and stupid, sometimes insulting comments when you „interact“ with the locals like standing in their way, bumping into them accidentally, or not doing something that fits into their worldview or moral image, which is very different from person to person.

This factor is also linked to #1 on this list. The more crowded the city is, the more unfriendly and rude the people are. Therefore in articles about the different months to visit Munich (for example „The best time to visit Munich – April?„) I added a „stress-o-meter“ so you can check the average patience of the citizens.

The Best time to visit Munich – April?

by with No Comment Know Before You Go

When is the best time to visit Munich? Whenever you go to a destination abroad where you’ve never been to before, you will ask yourself: When should I go there? Are there “good” or “bad” months? Of course, every city looks far better on a nice sunny day than in heavy rain. There are only a few places in the world where it doesn’t matter when to go, as the weather conditions are always perfect. Unfortunately, Munich is not such a place. Also, hotel prices vary throughout the seasons. Here I will tell you about the best months of the year when you should visit Munich, and of course when you should avoid visiting Munich. This time I will tell you about the things you can expect throughout April in Munich

April in Munich

April is the month where spring finally arrives in Munich. People go out and enjoy the long missed warmer temperatures. Usually during April you will also find the Easter celebrations in Munich, especially the Easter weekend (Good Friday until Easter Sunday).

The weather can change quickly in April and there may be days where you have rain, sun, snow and wind during 24 hours. Often there are also the first warmer periods with nice spring weather. The Easter Holidays are the first peak of tourism in Munich, with lot’s of tourists from Germany and its neighbouring countries.

My recommendation: April is an ideal month for a trip to Munich. The weather conditions are better than in march, but try to avoid the week before and after Easter. As many parts of Europe and especially Germany and its neighbouring countries will have school holidays here, Munich sees significantly more tourists. Also the hotel prices start rising and are higher during the two weeks of the Easter Holidays

Weather in Munich – April

In April the weather is generally unstable and can change quickly. However, this depends on the general meteorological situation over Europe. If you’re lucky, April is already warm and spring-like with temperatures that invite you to sit in one of the many beer gardens. But sometimes it has been snowing around Easter. The nights get noticeably warmer and the thermometer less and less often drops below the freezing point.

At the end of April there is also a chance to enjoy summer-like temperatures around 20-25°C (68-77° F)

How is April in Munich?

National Holidays and festivities during April in Munich

Learn about the National Holidays during this month as well as other festivities you will encounter when travelling to Munich in April.

Easter (German: Ostern)

Easter is a Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Besides Christmas, it is the most important religious festival in particularly Catholic Christian countries. The religious Easter holidays begin on Holy Thursday (German: Gründonnerstag) and end on Easter Monday (German: Ostermontag). While Holy Thursday is not a public holiday in Bavaria, Good Friday (German: Karfreitag) and Easter Monday are public holidays. In the week before and after Easter there are school holidays in Bavaria.

The Easter holidays are so-called moveable feasts, which are not based on the regular calendar, but on the lunisolar calendar. This means that Easter can be anywhere between 22 March and 25 April, depending on the particular year. If you like to find out when Easter in Bavaria is celebrated this year, you can find the dates on this specific wikipedia-website

Asparagus Season

The foodies love April as it is also the beginning of the asparagus season in Bavaria. In case you didn’t know, Bavaria is famous for its white asparagus and every year the same hype sets off. You’ll hardly find restaurants in Munich not offering asparagus (soup, plain, salad, and every meal you can imagine). It’s like the pumpkin hype in the USA. Fortunately I did not see an aspargus-flavoured coffee yet, but who knows what will come in the future. If you love white asparagus, then Munich and the greater Munich area is the place to be in late April

Would I recommend travelling to Munich in April?

I would definitely recommend you to come to Munich in April.

But maybe you should avoid the week before and after Easter, because prices for flights and hotels will be above average during that time and there will be many day trippers in the city, especially when the weather is fine. I would therefore rather recommend you to come at the end of April. The temperatures will rise significantly and if you are lucky you will experience some summer moments. Nature is also in full bloom and you can enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. The first of April is also the date when most beer gardens officially open. Before that, the beer gardens are only open when it is really warm. So if you want to visit Munich and you have a beer garden on your to-do list, you should come not earlier than April.

Travel weather Munich in April?

When I plan to travel abroad, I always check the average weather conditions for my desired travel time. Everything is better when the weather is right, especially when travelling. Sometimes even a week back or forth can statistically show significantly different weather. Therefore I also would recommend you to check the temperature and sunshine of the last three years to get an idea of how the weather is statistically looking like at your destination. Of course, statistics don’t give you a 100 percent certainty that the weather will be the same again, but the probability is higher.

COVID-19: Germany, Bavaria, Munich shutdown beginning March 17th 2020

by with No Comment DealsGeneralGetting AroundKnow Before You Go

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The public life in Munich and Germany in general is shutting down from March 17th 2020 due tom COVID-19

public life as we know it as travellers will change drastically from today, March 17th 2020.
Germany, and with it Munich, will severely restrict public life due to the growing spread of COVID-19. What this means for citizens but also for travellers, I have summarised for you in the following article.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_single_image image=“1466″ img_size=“500×500″ alignment=“center“ style=“vc_box_circle_2″][vc_empty_space height=“50″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What does a shutdown in Germany and Munich mean?

On Sunday evening, March 15, 2020, the Bavarian Minister President announced that Bavaria, and thus also Munich, is declaring a state of emergency (in German: Katastrophenfall, literally „catastrophe case“ K-case).
The Federal Government followed this decision and decided to implement a complete shutdown for all of Germany.

If a disaster is declared, the government is authorized to restrict public life. In the present case, this has an impact on schools, restaurants, museums, leisure activities, but also on public transport and cross-border traffic.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_single_image image=“656″ img_size=“500×500″ alignment=“center“ style=“vc_box_circle_2″][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_column_text]

What will change in Munich?

Below you can see the effects in Munich and Bavaria that the shutdown will have:

Educational institutions:

  • Schools and daycare centers are closed. Emergency care is guaranteed.
  • Universities and libraries are closed

Stores and Shops:

  • All shops are closed. Exceptions are: grocery stores, drugstores and supermarkets, beverage shops, banks, post offices, pharmacies and medical supply stores, opticians, pet shops, DIY- and hardware stores, gas stations, dry cleaners and of course online shops. Shopping malls are allowed to open shops mentioned above.

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In order to ensure the supply, the shop opening hours were adjusted and extended. The shop opening hours in Bavaria and Munich are as follows with immediate effect up to and including March 30th 2020:

weekdays: 6.00 AM to 10.00 PM
Sundays and public holidays: 12.00 AM to 6.00 PM

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_column_text]Restaurants, bars and similar establishments:

May open, but only between 6 AM and 3 PM and only if it is ensured that a maximum of 30 people are in a room and that they are at least 1.5 metres (60 in.) apart.

Delivery services, takeaways and drive-in counters may remain open after 3 pm.

Hotel restaurants may continue to open, but only for the exclusive purpose of serving their own guests.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Leisure facilities:

All leisure facilities in Bavaria are closed until April 19. These are swimming pools, saunas, thermal baths, cinemas, conference and event rooms, clubs, bars and discotheques, gaming and gambling halls, theatres, museums, libraries, club rooms, brothels, sports halls, fitness studios, zoos, music and adult education centres and youth centres, sports- and playgrounds.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Restaurants, bars and similar establishments:

May open, but only between 6 AM and 3 PM and only if it is ensured that a maximum of 30 people are in a room and that they are at least 1.5 metres (60 in.) apart.

Delivery services, takeaways and drive-in counters may remain open after 3 pm.

Hotel restaurants may continue to open, but only for the exclusive purpose of serving their own guests.

Service companies and handicraft enterprises:
Can continue working as usual. This applies to craftsmen such as plumbers, and car repair shops, but also hairdressers/barber shops. Nevertheless, these businesses can open at their own discretion. Many of these businesses will not open to protect their own employees.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_single_image image=“1469″ img_size=“500×500″ alignment=“center“ style=“vc_box_circle_2″][vc_empty_space height=“50″][vc_column_text]

Changes at national borders

The borders to the following countries are basically closed:

  • Denmark
  • France
  • Luxembourg
  • Switzerland
  • Austria

Still allowed to cross the border are vehicles/persons transporting goods, especially food, commuters and Germans returning home from abroad.

All other travellers, regardless of their nationality, who have no valid reason to enter Germany will be turned away at the border.

What are „valid reasons“?
Valid reasons include for example medical treatment, funeral of a family member, a required professional activity in Germany (e.g. commuters, seasonal workers, diplomats, etc.) or the delivery of goods.
The valid reason must be proven to the border officials by carrying suitable documents (employment contract, employer’s certificate, order documents, cross-border commuter card or similar).

Is transit through Germany permitted?
Persons who live in a third-party country and only travel through Germany for transit purposes (e.g. from Italy to the Netherlands) are generally allowed to pass through.

Each individual border official is responsible for deciding on entry. He or she decides at his or her dutiful discretion.

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Changes in flight and ship traffic

The German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community created a specific website for all such travel related questions. Information in English can be found under the following link:

https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/civil-protection/coronavirus/travel-restrictions-border-control/travel-restrictions-boarder-control-list.html[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Natural hazards you can encounter in Munich and southern Bavaria

by with No Comment Know Before You Go

Every place you travel to has specific natural hazards you can encounter during your visit. Some places on earth are safer than others and some natural hazards can really be a pain as they occur often. Here you will find out what to expect in Munich and southern Bavaria and what to do if you’re affected during your stay. But don’t worry. Munich and southern Bavaria are very safe regions concerning natural hazards like floodings, thunderstorms, and severe downpours.

Storms and severe winds

In Germany can encounter storms with wind speeds up to 64 knots (12 bft, 120 km/h, 75 mph). Fortunately, severe storms only occur every 5-10 years. The last severe storms that hit southern Germany were in 1990 (storms „Vivian“ and „Wiebke“), 1999 (storms „Lothar“ and „Martin“), 2007 (storm „Kyrill“), 2015 (storm „Niklas“), and 2020 (storm „Sabine“)

Different storm-names

Like Hurricanes, the European windstorms get names. The European windstorms usually appear during late winter (January – April) or autumn (September-November). An interesting fact is, that the different European weather services name the same storms differently. So if you travel across Europe and you watch the media in different countries while there is a storm going on, you’ll notice that the name changes from country to country. For example, the 1999 December storm was called „Anatol“ in German-speaking countries, but got the name „Adam“ in Denmark, „Carola“ in Sweden, and „December hurricane“ in Great Britain.

In contrast to Hurricanes in the USA, European windstorms (German: „Orkan“) usually appear without rain or thunderstorms. It is actually just extremely windy. Sometimes there can even be a clear sky. Usually, these storms last for one to four days and therefore not that long.

What to do?

Fortunately, severe European windstorms are rare, but there can still be mediocre storms that affect for example air or rail traffic.

There is actually not much you can do as a tourist when it’s stormy. Try to check the local media before traveling. If possible, try to rebook your flight to another destination near Munich like Milan or Zurich and take the train from there (if these airports are not affected).

When you’re about to travel to Munich or Bavaria or more destinations in Germany and Europe and you’re unsure about severe weather, get as much information as possible.

But how to get detailed information about the weather situation, when you’re not able to speak or read German? Just follow these few steps:

  1. Check Meteoalarm.eu. Meteoalarm is a website run by EUMETNET, a network grouping the different European National Meteorological Services – https://www.meteoalarm.eu/
  2. Check the official German Meteorological Service (DWD) website for severe weather warnings: https://www.dwd.de/EN/
  3. If you’re a weather geek and need some in-depth analysis of European severe weather, navigate to severe-weather.eu, where you can find lots of articles about ongoing and coming weather phenomenons.

Deal: BlaBlaBus cheap bus fares (travel Europe by bus)

by with No Comment cheap bus ticketsDealsGetting Around

Travel Germany and Europe by bus starting at 0,99 EUR oneway [PAUSED DUE COVID-19!]

BlaBlaBus, the Europe-wide operating long-distance bus company and competitor to Flixbus, is currently again offering extremely attractive oneway fares for long-distance bus trips. If you book at least one week in advance, prices are available from 0.99 EUR (approx. 1 USD, 0.85 GBP). And this on long distance routes such as Munich-Berlin or Munich-Cologne. Europe-wide connections are available from 4.99 EUR (approx. 5.50 USD; 4.30 GBP), for example Munich-Paris or Munich-Amsterdam.

What is BlaBlaBus?

BlaBlaBus is a French company providing long distance bus services throughout Europe. The owner is the ridesharing company „BlaBlaCar“, which is well known in Europe.

After the German company Flixbus has gained a large market share in Europe, there is little competition. BlaBlaBus is one of the competitors and offers from time to time very reasonable long distance fares. If you as a traveller through Europe have the time to sit in a long distance bus for several hours, you can travel cheaply by bus throughout Europe. This is ideal for travelers on a tight budget, students or backpackers

How big is the BlaBlaBus network?

From Munich you can reach all major cities in Germany and western Europe such as Berlin, Cologne, Straßbourg, Paris, Amsterdam, Luxembourg or Milan. See the whole BlaBlaBus network.

Cheap fares with BlaBlaBus?

You can find very cheap fares to German cities starting as low as 0.99 EUR oneway.

These are the cheapest routes for 0.99 EUR oneway:

Munich – Berlin

Munich – Ulm

Munich – Nuremberg

Munich – Würzburg

Munich – Frankfurt

Munich – Leipzig

Munich – Cologne

Munich – Mannheim

Other cities in Germany can be reached for 1.98 EUR:

Munich – Stuttgart

Munich – Heidelberg

Munich – Düsseldorf

Munich – Dortmund

Munich – Münster

Munich – Bielefeld

Munich – Osnabrück

Munich – Hannover

Munich – Bremen

Munich – Hamburg

What is included in the cheap fares?

Often such offers are just bait and switch offers or you have to book every little thing extra in the further booking process. But not here!
The following things are included in the special rate:

  • Two pieces of luggage/person (max. 20kg/44lbs per piece; LxHxW = max. 200cm/78.7in)
  • Two pieces of carry-on baggage (must fit in the overhead compartment)
  • Seat reservation
  • Air Conditioned bus
  • In-seat Power-Outlet and USB-Outlet
  • reclining seats
  • free Wi-fi (restricted to network coverage. There may be areas with no mobile signal)

But there has to be a snag to it, does it?

The only thing I found was the fact that the fares couldn’t be booked short-term (tomorrow, day after tomorrow). Also, the fare was linked to a certain connection. Usually one or two early connections (in the morning) and a late connection (in the evening).

How to book?

Go to the BlaBlaBus map. There you can choose your departure and arrival city and filter for prices. BlaBlaBus offers the following payment options:

  • Credit Card
  • PayPal
  • SOFORT (German customers only)