Located within eyeshot of the snow capped Alps, Munich is a sophisticated and elegant city, a thriving media and high-tech metropolis, but with a small-town flair and endearing rustic charm. Munich is not only well known for the largest festival in the world- Oktoberfest, but as Germany’s number one place for art, with exhibits such as the Alte Pinakothek and Neue Pinakothek. The city also boasts numerous churches, the distinctive twin-towered Frauenkirche, and the futuristically designed football stadium, Allianz-Arena. You will always find something to do in this multi-faceted city, whether it be satisfying a keen interest in history, architecture or art; strolling through parks or taking a trip to the Bavaria film studios.

Schubecks in den Südtiroler Stuben
Schubecks in den Südtiroler Stuben is the gastronomic temple of Bavarian celebrity chef Alfons Schuhbeck, and one of the finest restaurants in Bavaria. Situated on a picturesque square in the city centre, with an elegant, rustic atmosphere, its refined Alpine cuisine has earned it one of Munich's very few Michelin stars.

Tantris
Despite the surprisingly garish, oriental-style decor of this unlikely looking restaurant in Schwabing, Tantris serves the most mouth-watering Mediterranean nouvelle cuisine. Often with an adventurous, exotic twist, dishes are cooked by one of the city's finest chefs, Austrian Hans Haas and are a treat for the eye as well as the palate.

ACQUARELLO
Acquarello, in the fashionable suburb of Bogenhausen, is one of Germany's best Italian restaurants. It serves light, imaginative dishes created by owner-chef Mario Gamba in a sophisticated, modern, candlelit setting with fresh flowers and fine wines. The good-value, three-course lunch menu is especially popular with professionals. 

Ksar-Barclub
The Ksar-Barclub is located near trendy Gärtnerplatz. Its comfortable leather chairs and resident DJs playing a wide assortment of music attract a sophisticated crowd for mellow early-evening drinks, and a livelier party crowd as the evening progresses.

Schumann's
Small, chic and expensive, Schumann's is reputedly Germany's number one bar, opulently decorated with green marble and wood panelling. Located on the fringe of the Hofgarten, it's the place to rub shoulders with the rich and beautiful people of Munich.

P1
The exclusive P1 club in the basement of the Haus der Kunst exhibition space in the city centre famously draws the most stylish and fashionable people in town. The door policy is strict, the dress-code chic and the music mainstream.

Parkcafé
Lively Parkcafé has an unlikely setting of a rococo-style mansion (and former Nazi hangout) in the Maxvorstadt district. Its five elegant bars and beer garden attract a chic crowd for chilled sounds like jazz, funk, soul and swing.

Jazzclub Unterfahr
Jazzclub Unterfahrt, in the city centre, is rated among Europe's ten best jazz clubs, according to leading European music magazine, Wire. Enjoy traditional and modern jazz by international artistes in an intimate, candlelit setting.

Ludwig Beck
Ludwig Beck in the Altstadt is Munich's most stylish department store. It is especially strong on ladies' fashions, accessories, kitchenware, classical music and unusual gift ideas. At Christmas, the top floor becomes a treasure trove of decorations and German handicrafts.

Frauenkirche
The lofty, late-gothic brick Frauenkirche (Church of Our Blessed Lady) in the city centre is Munich's cathedral and a city symbol with its two distinctive green onion domes. The interior is equally imposing, and includes the legendary 'Devil's Footstep'.

Nymphenburg Palace
Nymphenburg Palace was for centuries the summer residence of the great Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty, set in magnificent parkland in the Nymphenburg suburb. Admire the lavish rococo interiors and family collections, then join Münchners strolling amid eccentric follies in the gardens.

Königsplatz
Three immense neoclassical temples flanking Königsplatz come as a surprise in the heart of Munich and have earned this spacious square in Maxvorstadt the nickname Athens-on-the-Isar. One temple building contains a Sculpture Museum and another the State Collection of Antiquities.

Pinakothek der Moderne
Pinakothek der Moderne in Maxvorstadt contains one of the world's greatest collections of 20th- and 21st-century art, with four major museums (art, graphics, architecture and design) under one roof. Highlights include works by Magritte, Dalí, Warhol and Beuys.

Alte Pinakothek
The Alte Pinakothek in Maxvorstadt is among the world's oldest and most important art galleries, with nearly 900 paintings from the 14th to the 18th century (including works by Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian) housed in a vast neoclassical building.