Covid-19: News and information in English about the situation in Munich and Germany

by Know Before You Go

The Corona pandemic changed the world and travel in particular. It’s not as easy as it was before 2020 to just hop on a plane and sunbathe on sun-kissed beaches or visit the sights of cities. New terminologies and daily routines have entered our lives due to Covid-19. We are dealing with lockdowns, entry restrictions, mandatory tests, quarantine regulations, and the discussion of compulsory vaccinations for travel.
To complicate things further, each country and in Germany sometimes even each municipality has different rules regarding restrictions.

For travelers ( regardless of whether they are traveling for tourism or business) who do not speak German, this creates significant barriers in a jungle of regulations, information, and often daily news updates.

To bring a bit of light into the darkness, I show you where to find the best (and most trustworthy) information and news about Covid-19 related activities in Munich, Bavaria, and Germany.

Munich before Covid-19

Understanding the Situation in Germany

Perhaps you have already noticed it on the sidelines. In Germany, there are no uniform regulations on lockdowns, school closures, and other restrictions on the Corona pandemic.

But why is that?
Simply put, a lot has to do with the federal structure of the Federal Republic. Many competencies have been transferred to the individual states since the founding of the Federal Republic. The federal government is often only able to make recommendations, not regulations. This regularly leads to the fact that there are sometimes significant differences in the fight against the covid virus between the individual federal states. While schools are closed in one federal state, they remain open in another. One state imposes a lockdown, while another relaxes its regulations and reopens stores. Especially during the relaxation phase of the summer of 2020, it was noticed quite quickly that Germany is a patchwork of regulations.

As a traveler who has not usually studied and internalized the structure and historical genesis of this patchwork, this can lead to a great deal of confusion.

Where you can still get good information, even if you do not speak German I show you now.

Information on Covid-19 in Germany

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is the most important German institution concerning the covid pandemic. The institute is the German counterpart to John Hopkins University in the USA.

All information from the RKI is highly official and reliable. Therefore, as a traveler, but also as a person living in Germany who does not speak German (e.g. expatriates), you should check the RKI website frequently, as it also provides the latest information in English.

What can you find on the RKI website?
– Daily reports about the current infection situation
– An interactive dashboard with figures and data history
– Information about the German Covid warning app for mobile phones
– Information about the vaccination strategy
– Studies

Visit the RKI website

The Integration Commissioner’s website provides a variety of information on the Corona pandemic in up to 20 different languages. Of course, also in English.

What can you find on the website?
– Information about the Corona warning app
– Information about vaccination
– FAQ about Covid in Germany
– Information about work and study during Corona
– Basic information for travelers

Visit the website

The website of the Federal Foreign Office provides information in English on entry requirements and travel restrictions.

What can be found on the website?
– Information about entry restrictions
– quarantine regulations
– Travel information regarding entry and transit

Visit the website

Information on Covid-19 in Munich and Bavaria

Travel-related news on Covid-19 for Munich and Bavaria

German news ressources on Covid-19 in English

K800_dall-e_lufthansa_expressbus

Explained: The Lufthansa Express Bus to Munich Airport

by Flight relatedGeneralKnow Before You Go

What is the Lufthansa Express Bus?

Lufthansa Express Bus is a bus shuttle service that connects Munich International Airport – Franz Josef Strauss with the city of Munich (Main Station).
This bus is one of four ways to get from the airport to the city. In this article I would like to show you how to use the Lufthansa Express Bus, how much it costs and if it is a good alternative to the other services.

1. Is the bus for Lufthansa customers only?

Although it may seem so, the bus is available to all travelers, no matter whether they arrived at Munich Airport on a Lufthansa or Star Alliance flight. It is run just by Lufthansa in cooperation with a local bus operator.

The bus is a convenient way to get from the airport to the city

2. How much does the bus cost?

The prices are quite fair and you can purchase a “return ticket”, so you can not only go to Munich but also get back to the airport. The return ticket is “open”, which means you can use the shuttle bus back to the airport when you want, while return tickets of the public transport always have a time limit (e.g. 3 or 4 days).

Here are the prices (including all taxes and fees) as of Jan. 2021:

These are the prices for an online purchase through the official Lufthansa Express Bus website. Of course you can buy tickets from the driver, but the tickets will cost additional 0.50 € (one-way) or 1.00 € (return). So the online purchase is not significantly cheaper than buying your ticket from the driver.

3. Where does the bus stop?

The bus has six stops in total. Two of them are located in the city of Munich. The other four are the different stops at the airport terminals.

3. How long does the bus take to Munich Main Station?

The bus uses the same route as the cars, so you’ll reach Munich downtown in about 40 minutes, depending on traffic.

5. Additional Information

You can find more Information about the Lufthansa Express Bus and purchase tickets online on the official website: https://www.airportbus-muenchen.de/en

5 travel predictions for Munich and Bavaria 2021

by Flight dealsFlight relatedhotel dealsKnow Before You Go

What will happen to tourism in the year 2021 in Munich and Bavaria?

The year 2020 was dominated by the Covid 19 pandemic. The global tourism industry came to an almost complete halt. Starting in the second half of the year, the situation in Europe recovered again, but tourism remained at a much lower level than before Covid. But how will things continue in 2021? How will Munich, Bavaria and Germany continue in terms of tourism? I dare to take a look into the magic crystal sphere and give a few predictions for tourism in 2021 and 2022:

1. Focus on local guests and guests from neighbouring countries

Although travel restrictions will be lifted as the corona pandemic fades away and international travel will increase again, the next years tourists from far away countries like the USA, Australia, India, China or Russia will only play a secondary role. Especially Germans and Europeans (especially from nearby countries such as Austria, France, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia and England) will be the main target group of tourists. The hotel and restaurant industry will probably respond to this. In particular hotels, which have a special target group, e.g. Chinese or Russian guests will have to change their approach if required.

2. More expensive air travel

After international air traffic, and especially air travel, came to a complete standstill, the airlines reacted with drastic measures.

The majority of aircraft fleets were mothballed, sold or even scrapped. If the number of passengers now increases, this initially means a shortage of the available seats. Especially on popular travel routes, such as New York – Munich, Los Angeles – Munich or Bangkok – Munich, this will lead to a much higher demand for seats than available. After all, long-haul flights in particular are likely to be more expensive than short and medium-haul flights. This will have an impact on the number of long-haul travellers (see point 1).

3. expanding loyalty programs

The trend towards the creation of loyalty programs will continue. Something that was previously only operated by very large hotel chains now appears to have also arrived at the medium-sized hotel chains. Everywhere you can see the creation of new loyalty programs and the competition for frequent travelers.

But this development will probably also separate the wheat from the chaff. Because not every loyalty program is worth to be used. The Hotel chains will have to focus on providing members with a real advantage compared to “ regular travelers“, but at the same time not losing any money through free upgrades, and cash benefits.

At the same time, there may be so-called „fare wars“, which means that the hotels outbid each other with (free) additional services or more attractive rates. Travelers will also take a closer look at loyalty programs. Only those programs that really offer a benefit, much lower rates or where the collection of points, miles or nights does not degenerate into a mammoth task, are accepted. Programs that will not offer any value will probably be punished by the customers. Especially the trigger word „according to availability“ will surely play a big role here, because it makes a big difference for travelers whether a late checkout is guaranteed or just possible and in reality hardly ever available.

4. Increase in "couponing"

Flash-sales, discount coupons, black-something-sales will gain in significance. In order to avoid or at least to soften the possible oversupply of hotel accommodation (especially outside of usual vacation and travel periods), there will be special sales with coupons and similar things. Possibly this will also be combined with loyalty programs (see point 3).This will often result in very good prices for travelers. But here, too, the customers will have a close eye and hotels with „fake deals“ will have a hard time.

5. Flexible cancellation regulations

Especially in Germany, the topic of „travel cancellation“ was a huge issue. In 2019, Germans were in third place among the countries whose citizens travelled the most (1st place: USA, 2nd place: China, 4th place: UK). In 2020, the value of the trips booked probably totaled several hundred billion US dollars.

And then came Covid-19. Hotels closed, borders closed, flights were cancelled, and all travelers asked themselves „How do I get my money back?

When the travel market reopened slightly, hotels in particular responded with flexible cancellation options, sometimes until a few hours before arrival. Travellers are getting used to this and I believe the flexible cancellation policy will play a big role in the post-covid travel era.

6 tips to find a perfect hotel in Munich

by Know Before You Go

If you are looking for accommodation in a city, you will certainly check many internet resources. Many online travel agents (OTAs) offer a variety of offers and deals. But especially when it comes to choosing a convenient hotel, the question of whether you have chosen the perfect hotel is often asked.

Here I have picked out 6 tips for you on what to consider when booking your accommodation in Munich.

1. Is a centrally located hotel really central?

I often read, especially on websites that offer travel deals, headings like „Stay in a central hotel Munich during Oktoberfest for just XX USD“. But how central is actually central?
Many cities in the world are so enormously large that the central city centre extends over several kilometres. Therefore, the term „central“ becomes relativ. Munich is not a metropolis like New York, Tokyo, Paris or London, that’s clear. But also in Munich, the term „city centre“ has a relatively large extension.
In Munich, everything that is located within the ring shaped city expressway „Mittlerer Ring“ is called city centre. But from this expressway to the city centre (Marienplatz) it can take up to 30 minutes by car or public transport. On foot, it normally takes almost exactly one hour. Many hotels that are quite far away from Munich’s Old Town still say they’re „centrally located“ as they refer to a subway or tramway station nearby which will shorten the time to reach the city centre.

The best way to find a really centrally located hotel is to specify your search.

Most OTAs offer to do a perimeter search around a specific location. But for this, you have to know where the locations are. So if you want to find a really central hotel in Munich, I recommend using the following search parameters

Expedia:
The website of the worldwide known OTA Expedia offers the filter option „Area“ or „Popular locations“ in the hotel search on the left side. Here you should select one of the following options for very central hotels:


Area Filter
– Munich City Centre
– Munich Central Station (located about 1,000 meters west of the city center)
– Altstadt-Lehel (This district is the most central and consists of the Old Town and Lehel (directly east of the Old Town)
– Maxvorstadt (still very centrally located west and northwest of the old town)

Popular Locations Filter
– Marienplatz
– Hofbrauhaus
– Viktualienmarkt
– English Garden
– Residenz
– Odeonsplatz
– Sendlinger Tor
– Ludwigs-Maximilians-University of Munich

Trivago:
The website of the OTA, or rather OTA search engine, which also operates worldwide, is structured differently. Below the search mask, there is an option „Hotel location“. In the window that opens, you can determine the proximity of the hotel to „popular sights“. You can also specify how far away the hotel should be from this sight. Choose the following „popular sights“ for a really central hotel and add a maximum of 1 mile (1.6 kilometres):

– City Center

You will get the same results (possibly shifted by less than 100 m) for:
– Old Town Hall
– Bavarian State Opera
– Dallmayr
– Cathedral of Our Lady
– Hofbräuhaus
– Court Garden
– Marienplatz
– New Town Hall
– Residence
– Viktualienmarkt

2. Is "near" Munich really "near" Munich?

Hotels located in the suburbs outside the city limits are often described as „near Munich“. And if you look at a map, in most cases this is correct. But also the term „near Munich“ is relative, because even if there is a hotel near Munich, this does not mean that you have a good and comfortable connection to the city or that you are rapidly in the city centre.
If you are looking for a hotel in the suburbs, always check first if there is an S-Bahn station in the immediate vicinity. If you have a (rental) car, this is, of course, less important.
However, before you book, you should check with a route planner how long it will take you to get to the city centre. Especially if you only have a few days or even hours in Munich.

3. Make a bucket list first

In big cities, unfortunately, one gets nearly knocked out by hotel offers. This leads to the effect that one is always on the search for a perhaps even better, cheaper, or more central hotel. One spends hours or days searching for the perfect hotel (which may not even exist, because the desired hotel is too expensive, too far away, or something similar).
Some of you may enjoy this long day-long search. But those who have to or want to quickly find a good hotel are soon annoyed. And that spoils the expectation or can even change your attitude towards Munich, Bavaria or Germany – although it’s not the country or city’s fault that you spend a long time looking for hotels.

So, if you have chosen a city district, a place of interest or something similar, in which area the hotel should be, then take a short look at all hotels in this area (maybe filter out hotels that are too expensive or offer too few amenities). It is only necessary to look at the pictures and read a few opinions to get a first impression. Of course, you should also define things that are absolutely important for you, such as included breakfast or a wellness area, in the filters of the website.

Based on these hotels, you will then generate a bucket list of potential hotels for you to choose from. And exactly these hotels you then look at in detail and finally decide which one you book.

4. Don't stick to the well known hotel chains

If you are not from Europe, when looking for a hotel, you will probably turn to a well-known chain that you liked in your home country or other countries you have already visited.
Examples of these chains are (alphabetically): Accor, IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, or Mariott.

But in Munich, there are also hotels or even hotel chains apart from the big chains and their brands that offer an equal or even better product or price-performance ratio.

5. Find information about the district first

As a traveler, you should always research a little about the district in which the desired hotel is located, especially if the city is unknown. Particularly women who are travelling alone should do a little more research in this field.

Munich is a very, very safe city and even districts that are not considered to be very good are far from being a no-go area as you might know it from other countries or cities.
Nonetheless, you should know a little bit about the social milieu of the district in which you reside.

But be careful if you search the internet for the terms „no go area Munich“. First of all, there is no such thing in Munich and secondly, you can quickly find websites that are solely for political purposes and possibly spread fake news.

For Munich, I will soon create a neighborhood guide, so that you can check the districts and quarters in detail and see what to expect.

But to avoid the corners that don’t feel so nice, I have made a map for you:

[AcuGIS mapid=“6″]

6. Don't rush for rooms

Travel websites try to convince you that you should quickly book the desired hotel or flights at the offered price. Some psychological tricks are used for this. A rather well-known trick is the (artificial) shortage.
You have probably seen travel websites where pop-ups or similar hints appear like „only 1 room left“ or „55 people are watching this“.
This will psychologically put you into stress, as the room you might want to have could be booked by someone else at any moment. So you may tend to accept a higher price just to be first to book.

Don’t be fooled by these tricks. Even if there is only one room available, it is unlikely that anyone will book the room you are looking at right now.

Stay calm and focused and just ignore the appearing pop-ups and hints about a shortage. 

The Best time to visit Munich – June?

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 June in Munich

June in Munich

June is a true summer month in Munich. The temperatures are usually pleasant around 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 – 77° F). Nature stands in lush green and Munich’s residents enjoy their leisure time at the many lakes for swimming, on the banks of river Isar, in the bars and coffeehouses and last but not least in the beer gardens.
In June there can be a heat wave and the 30°C barrier (86°F) is passed. But this can also be followed by sometimes quite strong summer thunderstorms, which come in the late afternoon hours. Here, however, it depends on the so-called macro weather situation. It can also be pleasantly warm and sunny for several days without a rain cloud appearing.
Especially on weekends, when the weather is fine, Munich’s residents get on their bikes and go on tours with the family, stop off in pleasant beer gardens or go straight to the Alps by train or car to go mountain hiking.

But June is also the month in which you can really notice that a large number of tourists come to the city. As usually in June there are also the Pentecost holidays in Germany and neighboring countries, mostly German and European tourists come to Munich. In June you will hear a lot of Spanish, Italian but also Russian and Chinese in the streets of Munich.
The hotel prices usually increase significantly and you realize that the high season has begun in Munich.

Weather in Munich – June

As previously mentioned, June is a summer month. The temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius (77°F) and the sun is already pretty strong. So if the weather is fine with bright sunshine, don’t forget to pack and use your sunscreen.
Depending on the macro weather, there may be a long dry period with summerlike weather and lots of sunshine. However, there may also be a rather humid period, during which it is nice but there are often rain showers or thunderstorms at the end of the day. This unstable weather can even last for several days until there is real summer weather again.
At night it can still get chilly and the temperature can drop below 15°C (59°F). So don’t forget to bring a jacket for your beer garden visit in the evening.

How is June in Munich?

National Holidays and festivities during June in Munich

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

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.

Feast of Corpus Christi (German: Fronleichnam)

Corpus Christi is a high church holiday and at the same time a public holiday in Catholic Bavaria. Like Pentecost, Corpus Christi Day is a movable holiday that is based on the church calendar and is not fixed to a specific date. However, Corpus Christi Day is always the first Thursday after Pentecost.

On Corpus Christi, especially in Bavaria, there are often processions in which worshippers parade through the streets of the town in a procession with prayers and chanting together.

Strawberry season

Depending on the weather conditions, the strawberry season in Bavaria begins from mid to late May and lasts until July. 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 June?

I would definitely recommend you to come to Munich during June.

The weather is pleasant and it feels like summer. 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. During june, the tourism high season has finally arrived in Munich and you will find many tourists in the streets, especially during Pentecost holidays. The hotel prices reach their first high durign the Pentecost holidays, so prepare for higher room rates in Munich.

Travel weather Munich in June?

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.

How not to embarass yourself when using a German Sauna

by Know Before You Go

A few decades ago, visiting a sauna or a wellness area was only something for luxury travelers who could afford hotels with corresponding facilities. In the meantime, a large number of hotels have saunas and wellness areas. This has even developed into a separate sector of tourism and some regions of the world specialise specifically in wellness and relaxation. A visit to a sauna is an essential part of cleaning and relaxing your body. But also here, different rules apply from country to country. Particularly in German-speaking countries, it can happen to tourists from other countries that they step in faux pas during their visit to the sauna. So to avoid being one of those travellers, read the following article and you will be perfectly prepared for a sauna visit in Germany, Austria, and (most parts of) Switzerland.

1. The different sauna types

Not all saunas are the same. Many tourists who come to Europe and want to go to a sauna think mainly of a hot room with benches and a sauna oven. But in reality, there is a wide variety of different saunas. In each one there are benches or seats and a stove that produces heat.

The Finnish Sauna
The Finnish sauna is probably the quintessence of the sauna and the most common type. As the name suggests, it comes from the birthplace of the sauna – Finland. In the Finnish sauna, you will find a dry heat between 80 and 110 degrees Celsius (176 – 230° F). The vast majority of these saunas are heated to exactly 90° Celsius (194° F). However, the air humidity is only 13% at most. This also has its sense, because at a higher humidity the heat is perceived as unpleasant and burning on the body. Nevertheless, the Finnish sauna is not for everyone. Especially newcomers should (if possible) first try the so-called „Biosauna“

The Biosauna or Sanarium
The Biosauna is ideal for beginners. It is not as hot as the traditional Finnish sauna and yet you can sweat very well here. As a rule, the bio-sauna, which is sometimes also called „Sanarium“, is heated to around 60 to 75 degrees Celsius (140 – 167° F). The humidity can be higher than in the hot Finnish sauna due to the lower heat and is usually around 20 to 30%. Organic saunas, in particular, are used for infusions with a wide variety of fragrances.
Biosaunas often have their own terms, such as „meditation sauna“. These names are given by the company that runs the sauna

A small finnish sauna

The Caldarium
The Caldarium is an invention from ancient Rome. Even the Romans knew that a visit to a hot room has a good effect on health. However, the Caldarium is one of the coldest saunas there is. In total, only around 45-50 degrees Celsius (113 – 122° F) are reached, with a comparatively high humidity up to 100%

The Steam bath
the steam bath is also known as „Hamam“ in many countries, although in the German-speaking world the term „Hamam“ usually refers exclusively to a Turkish steam bath with a corresponding cleaning ceremony and washing. The steam bath, which is also known as „Roman steam bath“ is similar to the Caldarium. The boundaries between the steam bath and Caldarium are fluid. In the steam bath, there is almost 100% humidity with relatively high heat (around 50° C / 122°F). Steam baths are often also used for infusions, which has a positive effect on the respiratory tract. Mostly salt is also evaporated, but other mild fragrances are also used. These special steam baths are then called „salt grotto“, „salt gallery“ „herbal bath“ or similar

The Infrared-sauna or Infrared-cabin
Infrared saunas are a relatively special type of sauna, since infrared lamps do not heat the air in the sauna, but the body itself. Usually, you sit under or next to infrared lamps that are directed at you. These produce a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius (122° F) on the surface of the body, which makes you sweat. Infrared saunas, sometimes also called infrared cabins, are similar to a Biosauna, but in my opinion the gentlest form of sauna, so ideal for sauna novices

2. Who should not got to a sauna?

Even though a visit to the sauna is generally considered to be positive for health, there are certain groups of people who should not go to the sauna.

These include people who suffer from cramp veins in particular. Although it is possible to go to the sauna if you have varicose veins, you should then put your feet up in order to increase blood circulation.
Also, people suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems, or chronic diseases should always consult their doctor before visiting the sauna. Especially high temperatures and the switch between hot and cold can severely interfere with the blood circulation.

Is it ok to go to the sauna with a common cold?

The question of whether a sauna visit with a common cold is possible or not is discussed frequently and in detail. In principle, you should not go to the sauna if you have a cold. On the one hand, you could infect other sauna visitors and on the other hand, you could make your cold even worse, depending on the stage it is in. Basically, doctors say that you can still go to the sauna when a cold starts and possibly even stop it, but if an infection has already broken out, you should not sweat any more in order not to put additional stress on your body. All in all, you should avoid going to the sauna when a cold is on its way.

3. Rules in a German sauna

Nudity

in German-speaking countries, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries it is completely normal to go completely naked into a sauna, even in mixed-gender saunas. In this nudity, there is absolutely nothing sexual to it and those who have been in a German sauna more often will notice that the other sauna visitors are not interested in your body or even staring at you. However, especially for visitors from English-speaking countries (UK, USA, Australia, Canada), undressing completely always requires some effort.
As a tourist, you should nonetheless bite the bullet here, as otherwise, you run the risk of catching attention even more if you are the only person in a bathing suit in the sauna. It can even happen that you’re thrown out by the bath attendant or the „Saunameister“.

Of course, while you are not in the sauna, you do not walk around completely naked but usually put on a bathrobe and slippers that you have with you.
Of course, it is also allowed to walk around naked for a short time, especially if you go straight from the sauna to the shower in order to take a quick shower and rinse off sweat.

No skin on wood

But even if you are completely naked in a German sauna, there is a special rule that everyone observes. A disregard of this rule can lead to harsh comments. So under all circumstances, follow this rule:

No skin on wood!

The benches and walls of a sauna are usually made of wood. Unfortunately, wood has the habit of absorbing moisture like a sponge, especially when it is warm and dry. This also happens with human sweat. Therefore, avoid under all circumstances that your sweaty skin comes into contact with the benches and walls. For this reason, you usually have a pretty large bath towel with you, on which you sit or lie.
Please also note that if you are sitting on the wooden bench, the towel is placed in such a way that your feet are also on it… because you won’t believe how much you will sweat on your feet.

This rule does not apply to steam baths. Here it would make no sense at all to go in with your towel because it would be dripping wet in no time. In steam baths you don’t sit on wooden benches but rather the seatings are usually made of stone or ceramic tiles.

She doesn't obey the "no skin on wood"-rule. Other guests will definitely tell her

Never use a wooden pillow as footrest

Wooden pillows are available in nearly every sauna. They are placed on the benches and are made of (you guessed it already) wood. You might think that this is a footrest, because it looks similar. But this is not the case. So never never never put your feet on it, not even if you put a towel underneath. This would immediately attract looks and comments.

Only use the wooden pillow for your head when you lie down on the bench (if there is enough space) and always put a towel under your head (see ’no skin on wood‘-rule).

Never wear slippers inside the sauna

When you enter the sauna area, you should wear slippers. This not only helps to prevent you from slipping, but also prevents the spread of foot mycosis.

However, when entering the sauna, you should take them off. You will quickly notice this if there are already some slippers in front of the entrance door to a well frequented sauna. Just add them to it too and go barefoot into the sauna.

Pro tip: Keep in mind where you have left your slippers. If you notice that there are a lot of identical slippers and there is a danger of confusion (for example in hotels where every guest gets the same looking slippers), try to mark them beforehand (e.g. with a pen). If it’s already too late to mark, try to place the slippers in a way that you recognize them (e.g. put them in each other, put them on top of each other).

Take a shower before using the sauna

Before you enter the sauna, you should always take a shower. And I don’t mean that you should take a shower at home or in your hotel room, but right before entering the particular sauna cabin. Therefore, there are enough showers in every sauna area, usually only a few steps away from the sauna cabins.
Whether you use shower gel or just clear water is up to you. When using the shower prior to your sauna session, the point is to open the pores of your skin so that you can sweat more easily and more effectively. It also helps to wash off any sweat that may already be present, as this can smell unpleasantly, which would then intensify in the heat of the sauna and quickly scare off the other sauna guests.

Never enter the sauna cabin completely wet

Even if you take a shower directly before using the sauna, you are not allowed to enter the sauna when you are still dripping wet. Dry off first! Of course you don’t have to dry yourself so much that you could slip into clothes, but you should be towel-dried. This is not only true for your body but also for long hair.
If you were to go into a sauna room dripping wet, the sauna guests would most likely immediately ask you (more or less politely) to dry off first.

Try not to talk inside the sauna cabin

The sauna is a place of well-being and relaxation. For this reason it is usually quiet in all saunas. The sauna guests speak as little as possible and concentrate on themselves. In German saunas this rule is strictly observed.

When you visit the sauna with your partner or friends, try not to talk in the cabin or try to talk as little as possible. If you need to talk, use your inside voice, whisper and postpone conversations for a few minutes.

Take a shower after using the sauna

Right after you come out of the sauna cabin, you should take a shower. This will rinse off the sweat and also refresh your body. Whether you take an ice-cold shower or a warm one is up to you. The ice-cold shower, however, stimulates the circulation. In many saunas, cold plunge pools or cold splash showers are available. Use them when you need a boost of refreshment.
After you shower, dry yourself off and rest a little before you take your next sauna session.

The timeline of a sauna session

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

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.