Our Fares and Ticketing Operations Manager, Sam, recently travelled to Munich courtesy of Lufthansa and Jewels of Romantic Europe. With a very impressive, award-winning airport, Munich is traditionally seen as a transit zone to other destinations within Europe. However, there is far more to Munich and nearby Salzburg and it’s well worth breaking your journey for a few days in this vibrant area. Find out what Sam discovered:
Immersive Walking Tours:
We started our exploration of Munich with two walking tours with a local guide. Our guide was incredibly informative with many interesting stories which made the experience all the more enjoyable. The first tour was a tasting tour in the Viktualienmarkt, which is in the Old Town and close to our hotel. The Viktualienmarkt has been around since 1807 and is currently most well-known for its delicious delicacies both from the local area but also wider Europe. We had a great time tasting everything from French cheese to bratwurst with mustards, fresh juice and wine.
After we finished in the Viktualienmarkt, we commenced a Local Love tour through the arts district. While the tour doesn’t include any theatres or galleries, we got a real sense of Munich’s ‘live and let live’ philosophy and the vibrant music and arts scene. The Old Town is a low-rise city so it maintains a real ‘old’ feel.
Our second tour concluded at a traditional Bavarian beer hall which was a real highlight. The food was fantastic – I enjoyed an ox steak with mustard and potatoes and of course, local beer! German beer is stored in wooden kegs and is really simple and delicious – they only use spring water, hops and yeast with no preservatives or sugar. The Beer Hall is filled with lots of traditional German symbols, the staff wear traditional dress, musicians play folk music and there’s even yodeling! It was a great way to finish our day exploring – although I don’t recommend doing two back-to-back walking tours, particularly after a long flight!
Seehaus at Englischen Garten:
After a quick stop back at the hotel, we headed off for dinner at the Seehaus, set on the edge of a picturesque
lake in the Englischen Garten. The restaurant and setting were just spectacular – it was silver service, there were musicians and a grand piano and while the food wasn’t traditionally German, it was delicious. They also have a beer garden, which would be a fantastic place to watch the world go by over a delicious beverage or two!
The Englischen Garten is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world. There is plenty to do here – from walking, jogging or cycling the 78kms of paths, taking a pedal boat out on the lake or try surfing at the Eisbach wave! You can also visit the Japanese Tea House and take in the unique views at the Greek style Monopteros ornamental temple. If you’re there in December, you can also pick up some lovely gifts at the Christkindlmarkt – and also ice skate on the lake or go cross-country skiing!
Berchtesgaden Salt Mine:
The next day, we set off for Salzburg, which is roughly 1.5 hours drive away from Munich. On the way, we stopped at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine which has been in operation since 1517. I’m happily surprised to say that this was the highlight of my trip – I thought it would be a quite dry tour but it was extremely interesting. Our guide was again, fantastic. The mine is still operational but the tour takes place in the older areas that are not being mined.
We took a train into the mine with the guide explaining the history of the area including about the royal family of Austria. There was a nod to German engineering – our guide explained that the mine previously used brass pumps that were in operation for 110 years without breaking and only changed over to electric ones because they were cheaper to run!
Once we arrived in the mining area, we discovered that the miners used to slide down wooden slides to get to the next level down. Naturally, we had to give that a go – it was very steep and fast! But there are stairs if you prefer. The boat ride across the mine’s lake came with a light show which was a great experience.
The mines are well-lit and quite cavernous so I didn’t feel claustrophobic at all. It is a lot of walking though and while there is a lift, it’s only to take you back up to the top, you can’t go down into the mines via a lift. And of course, there’s a gift shop on the way out!
Mozart Dinner Concert - Salzburg:
We were taken to a pretty unique experience for dinner – going back to Mozart’s time! The themed dinner is held in the Baroque Hall of the Benedictine monastery St Peter, complete with candlelight. Here we experienced a 3-part concert which is held in between each course. Each part is dedicated to a Mozart opera including The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro and A Little Night Music. The performers – and all the staff – are dressed in authentic costumes of the era.
It’s the oldest restaurant in Europe, with its first mention dating back to 803. Dinner is inspired by historical recipes from Mozart’s time. While there wasn’t any actual capon, we enjoyed soup, chicken and vegetables and for dessert, a Salzburger Nockerl which was like a cross between a souffle and a meringue with berries.
The event is pretty formal – I wore a suit. I enjoyed the evening and I’d say it’s a must do for Mozart fans or for those that love the history of the Mozart era. If you are just after a nice dinner in Salzburg though, I would choose somewhere else.
The Footsteps of Sound of Music bicycle tour:
Of course, a visit to Salzburg would be incomplete without some reference to The Sound of Music! We joined a bicycle tour, hosted by some young music students. There were two options – a Sound of Music tour or one about the history of Salzburg. I chose the historical tour. Salzburg is a very hilly town so you need to be reasonably fit to take part in the bicycle tour. The tour heads up to the Monastery and we all had to get off our bikes and walk them up as it was very steep. There are times when we rode through traffic and it’s on cobblestones so you need to be quite confident on a bike. We then enjoyed a beer in the garden where The Sound of Music children sang and danced to Do Re Mi.
Herreninsel Island:
After lunch, we took a ferry to Herreninsel Island to see the Royal Palace of Herrinchiemsee. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria and created as a homage to Versailles, which Ludwig greatly admired. The palace was a costly project, he actually went broke building it and unfortunately, he died before the palace could be completed.
The palace is spectacular and while you can explore on your own, I’d recommend taking a guided tour – the guides are very informative and have many interesting stories. Further, you can only visit the state rooms as part of a guided tour. Even unfinished, the palace is extremely opulent and has secret doors, a dining table that descends into the floor to be filled with food before ascending again and a huge hall of mirrors where performances and musical recitals are held.
The formal gardens are amazing and filled with fountains – they are also based on Versailles.
The walk from the ferry to the palace is quite long but there are shuttles available. There are also horse drawn carriages available in the summer. We were lucky with the weather and had a lovely sunny day which really showed the palace and grounds in their best light.
Salettl Am Nockherberg:
We headed back to Munich and enjoyed our final dinner at Salettl. There are several bars and restaurants in this complex and we went to the traditional BBQ venue. The complex is very traditional with folk music and dancing. Each bar has their own beer barrels and at the start of the beer season, the mayor of the town hammers in the first tap – the town’s luck for the year is based on the number of taps required so the mayor needs a strong arm! It’s a down to earth place to be, it isn’t fine dining. The food was delicious and I recommend giving it a go.
Ingolstadt Village:
Our final stop on the way to the airport was some luxury and designer factory outlet shopping at Ingolstadt Village. There are more than 110 boutiques to visit, all in the setting of a traditional Bavarian village. They also offer concierge services, hands-free shopping and personal shopping and there are restaurants and cafes available when you need a break. I picked up some great bargains for my family.
I really enjoyed my time in Munich and Salzburg and didn’t realise there was so much to see and do. I’d love to go back and explore further. It’s definitely worth breaking your journey to spend a few days here.
The details:
Flights:
Lufthansa don’t fly into Australia so we flew with their codeshare partner Singapore Airlines from Melbourne to Singapore and then onto Munich with Lufthansa. The service aboard Lufthansa was amazing and I felt it was above average. We were on one of the older aircraft but were told by the Lufthansa representative that the Singapore to Munich route is soon to receive the new A350 Allegris. The A350 will have a first-class cabin, seven different types of seats within Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy with the option to purchase a Legroom seat or a Free Neighbour Seat.
If you’re flying business class to Europe, Lufthansa are definitely worth looking at as they have fantastic fares. They also have an extensive network within Europe so travellers can fly to more obscure places that other carriers don’t fly to. I’d also recommend looking at Lufthansa if you’re considering a round the world flight.
Where we stayed:
LOUIS Hotel in Munich:
This boutique hotel had lots of character with incredible staff. The hotel is right on the edge of the old markets so it’s in a great location for exploring.
Sheraton Grand in Salzburg:
Like many other hotels, the Sheraton Grand is in the old part of the town and next to the Mirabell Gardens. It’s a very modern hotel with great staff and all the facilities you’d expect from a 5-star hotel.
Rosewood in Munich:
This is a newly opened hotel located in the Old Town and captures the essence of Bavarian culture with its Baroque architecture. It was spectacular with very friendly staff. They also have a great jazz bar which is open to the public, spa treatments, Alpine-inspired cuisine and an indoor pool. Read more about Rosewood here.
To find out more about flying with Lufthansa or experiencing all that Munich and Salzburg have to offer, please contact us.
Sam travelled as a guest of Lufthansa and Jewels of Romantic Europe.