The mere mention of Munich evokes images of the snow-capped Alps, tiny folklore villages and Hollywood movie sets, but for many travelers booking cheap flights to Munich in the fall, one word comes to mind: Oktoberfest. This rowdy festival draws millions of travelers to Munich every year for 16 days of beer, brats and Bavarian culture. It’s no wonder Munich is one of Germany’s most festive cities. Home to more than 1.5 million people and welcoming millions of travelers a year, Munich flights are packed with people looking for a good time.
There’s more to Munich than festivals. Munich boasts an impressive high-tech industry and is Germany’s political center. The city of Munich is bustling with commuters heading to factories, manufacturing plants or satellite offices for international companies. Whether your flight to Munich is for business or beer, this city is bound to leave a lasting impression.
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Summers are warm and with thunderstorms. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures in the 70s (F). Winters are cold with light snowfalls and temperatures dropping to the 20s December through February.Munich’s proximity to the Alps causes some unusual weather fluctuations. Southwesterly winds can bring warm Föhn conditions a few days a year in fall and winter. Conversely, in spring and summer northwesterly winds can bring Alpenstau, causing unseasonably low temperatures, rain and even snow.
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Peak Season:
May through October is the peak tourist season for Munich. Book Munich flights and hotel accommodations at least three months in advance if you plan on visiting for Oktoberfest. The pre-Lenten celebration of Fasching (Carnival) is also very popular.
Off Season:
April through May and September through October are good times to visit, and the weather is pleasant. November to March is cold and overcast, but there are few, if any, tourists in town. This is a good time to find a cheap flight to Munich and take in the cultural activities.
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Frequent commuter trains run by day and most of the night to various Munich stations, including the main stations for connections to major European cities. Taxis are available, as are buses to many regional destinations and the main train station. It takes about 20 minutes by train and about 45 minutes by road to reach the city center.
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Munich is small enough to see on foot and has a central pedestrian zone. When you are ready for a ride, there is an efficient and well-integrated public-transportation system, consisting of the U-Bahn (subway), the S-Bahn (suburban railway), street cars, and buses. The U/S-Bahn network operates from around 5am to 1am. An all-night tram and bus service operates on main routes within the city. Fares are the same for the entire system. As long as you are traveling in the same direction, you can transfer from one mode of transportation to another on the same ticket. There are also strip tickets and the Partner-Tageskarte that provide discounted fares. The Welcome Cards covers transportation within the city and discounts to several attractions.
Taxis are plentiful, and it is cheaper to flag one down than to call one.
Driving is possible but parking is a problem and is expensive. (If you park in a German garage, pay when you return to retrieve your car, not when driving out.)
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- Oktoberfest takes place in late September and early October. There’s more to it than beer and sausage. A costume parade – which started in 1835 with the marriage of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria – processes from Maximilian Street to the Oktoberfest and there is the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries, which is the official start of the celebration.
- Nymphenburg Palace, the summer palace of the Bavarian Elector, is set in formal gardens. Look out for the paintings commissioned by Ludwig I to prove that commoner women were just as attractive as aristocratic ladies.
- The "English Garden" is Munich's largest urban public park and offers a lot of attractions including the beer garden at the "Chinesischer Turm
- Don't miss the jewel-like Amalienburg, a single-story hunting lodge built for Princess Maria Amalia.
- BMW Museum – one for petrolheads. The "time horizons" exhibition takes you from the historic BMW sports car through legendary prototypes, to futuristic automobiles and motorcycles. The museum also explores subjects such as alternative propulsion methods, recycling and traffic management.
- New HerrenchiemseeCastle (Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee) is Ludwig II’s new Versailles. The palace has more than 20 state rooms (the Ambassador's Staircase, the Great Hall of Mirrors and the State Bedchamber). The palace park is also reminiscent of Versailles.
- Konigssee is a six-mile long emerald-green mountain lake, considered the pearl of the Berchtesgadener Land. Some of the best views of Bavaria can be enjoyed here.
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