GUIDE TO MUNICH (PART 3)

Munich is famous for its Christmas Market, and with really good reason.   I've been to European Christmas markets before, in Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Italy but none of them comes close to the one in Munich. You can just tell that THIS is where Christmas markets were born.

Spend all day winding between the thousands of stalls, smelling baked apple strudel and cinnamon, mulled wine served in a kitschy red boot, german chocolate in any form you can dream of.   All the people working the stalls spoke perfect English, which was good for me since my German is limited to the five words or so I remember from high school. 

Even though we were there a few weeks before Christmas, it wasn't that busy and we could stroll at a leisurely pace to each stall. European Christmas markets are an absolute gold mine if you are in need of Christmas gifts.  There is truly something for everyone on your list, and since most things are handmade and the makers are right there, the prices are just right. After our wonderful stay in Munich, we had a gorgeous sunny day to drive home to Como.

FIN! 

GUIDE TO MUNICH (PART 2)

While we were in Munich it snowed... ALOT. Sometimes (like when I took this picture) we were thrilled it was snowing because it made it all seem so magical and christmasy.  This is the Marienplatz which is right in the social heart of Munich.  There is a U-bahn station that lets you out right here and it is the perfect place to start exploring the city, especially since when you exit the U-bahn station it is the first sight that greets you and it's pretty spectacular! We were staying in the Holiday Inn in Unterhaching, which was about a 15 minute train ride away from the center, but that we got on Hotwire for only 50 Euros a night- and it was a really nice Holiday Inn.  

And now for something more interesting- the FOOD! 

I don't drink beer, but my boyfriend enjoyed a pint or 10.

These potato pancakes were fried in PURE BUTTER. Disgusting? Probably. Delicious? Certainly.

I also don't eat meat, but everywhere we looked people were downing these 2 euro massive sausage sandwiches. 

And now for my favorite meal of the trip. Creamy potato soup (are we sensing a potato theme here?) topped with crispy onions, chives and toasted croutons. It was some of the best soup I've ever had. We had originally intended to go to the Hofbrauhaus which is really famous, but we saw this cute little place called Wirsthaus right across the lane that looked really cozy and inviting. We drank 3 massive pints, 2 huge pretzels, 2 jugs of wine and my above mentioned soup and it was only 22 euros! In Italy that would be well over 60 euros. Hello, Munich, I love you!  I'll go on next about the Christmas market.

GUIDE TO MUNICH GERMANY (PART ONE)

In the second week in December my boyfriend and I drove the 4 and a half hours from Como to Munich. I had never been to Germany before so I was EXTRA excited for this trip. Even though we were only there for two days and it snowed/sleeted/rained/wintry mixed the entire time we were there we absolutely loved it. The Christmas market was on, which was truly magical. If you have never been to a European Christmas market before I can't recommend them enough. 

There are thousands and thousands or market stalls set up right in the heart of Munich selling everything you can dream of from handmade ornaments, music boxes, german chocolates, hot mulled wine called "gluwein," toys, big hand knit wooly sweaters and on and on!  

We had a great weekend wandering around in the freezing weather, drinking a gluwein every hour to keep warm, eating more potato products than I've ever had in my life, and enjoying the general extreme Christmasyness of Bavaria! Next up I'll post the places I think are must see in Munich.