Today was meant to be a “rest and recovery day”. So of course we walked all over Munich for 6 hours! After a good night’s sleep, we both woke early and refreshed.  It took a while to activate our UK SIM cards – a process that is never as simple as they make it sound – then armed with a picnic lunch and a travel card, we set out to explore the Old Town.

We were last in Munich in 1992, as part of a whirlwind Contiki coach tour of Europe.  Back then, we’d seen France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.  The Munich of our memory was pleasant but not particularly exciting.  We recalled seeing the Marienplatz and Town Hall, the Olympic Stadium and telecom tower, then being left at the beer hall, which we abandoned quickly in favour of a restaurant.  We did not have Munich on our “must go back to one day” list.  This time, it was really just a convenient place to fly into, and stay for a couple of nights, before regrouping and beginning the “real” Bavarian adventure.  We had kept our options open for today, not knowing how jetlagged we’d feel.

So it was a pleasant surprise to find a city that is elegant, without the edginess of Hamburg or Berlin.  Some of the avenues were reminiscent of Hausmann’s Paris; some of the architecture was Italian; Odeonsplatz reminded us of St Petersburg.  Maybe because it was Sunday, it was all very laid back and relaxed.

The walk started with a large bricked gateway “Sendlingertor”, which dates from 1318, and was one of the 8 gated entrances to the old walled city, which was then undergoing rapid expansion.  Regular readers know that I’m a big fan of medieval Germanic brick structures, so already the day was off to a flying start.

Sendlinger Tor – 12th century brickwork makes me happy

We strolled down a pedestrian shopping street; with all shops closed and no traffic, we were free to wander down the centre of the road.  We quickly learned to look up, to see the balconies, windows, signs, rooflines and details.  An eclectic mix of architectural styles sat comfortably side by side.

More balconies

Ornate Asam Haus

Look up! It’s all about the details

Sendlinger Strasse

Old style chronolog and new-fangled thermometer

We wondered where all the tourists were, until we entered Marienplatz, which was seething with them. The midday bells were chiming away, competing with buskers and the general noise of holiday makers who have discovered that the beer hall is just around the corner.  We duly admired statues, columns, steeples and fountains. Marienplatz has been the centre of Munich ever since the city was founded in the 1100s.

Begone foul serpent!

Munich’s famous Rathaus

Rathaus clock

Busker with oversized lute

Yes you really can buy lederhosen!

The sun was beating down by now, and we were ready to find a shady spot for lunch. We wandered through some narrow back streets before finding ourselves at a small memorial to the “Trummerfrauen”, the women who sifted through the bricks and rubble after WW2, to find materials to restore the ruined buildings of their bombed cities and towns.  After a much needed lunch break, we visited the Munich War Memorial, with a tomb housing a “typical” soldier from WW1, and inscriptions commemorating the deaths of thousands of people from Munich, in both wars.

Chancellry building, with soldier’s tomb in foreground

Wandering across the picturesque Hofgarten (Royal Court, and the first public garden in Munich), we came out on Odeonsplatz with its grand palaces, cathedrals and monuments.  This was the site of the first Nazi “battle”, the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, when the party was trying to establish a power base in Bavaria, and in which Hitler took part.  We felt it was probably more like a drunken brawl, although 16 people were killed, which gave Hitler a chance to glorify them as fallen heroes, at the Feldherrnhalle. The German declaration of war in 1814 was also made from here.

Really Big Lions – the scene of the first Nazi “battle”

Odeonsplatz was a bit like St Petersburg

Leaving history behind, we headed to the English Garden, where seemingly all of Munich was spending the afternoon.  We strolled down leafy paths past the Japanese tea house, following the river which was full of people cooling off.  We came across an unusual sight – surfers catching a wave in the river!  An artificial standing wave has been created, and would-be surfers can test their board skills in the icy, swift flowing Eisbach (“ice stream”).  Once they wipe out, they bob down the river like corks.

Light and shade in the subway

Lining up for a surf

Further down there were hundreds of swimmers and sunbathers spread across the meadow.  We climbed a small knoll for views back to the city, then found a spot to sit for afternoon tea.  We watched cyclists and horse drawn carriages pass by, and wished we had some form of transport other than our aching feet.  Looking down, I realised we were sitting in a patch of tiny wild strawberries!  Too small to eat …

Swimming in the Eisbach

View from the Monoptera

Tiny wild strawberries

My kingdom for a horse – or a bike

Finally we took the train back to Marienplatz, for the traditional Climb of the Tallest Church Tower. In this case it was St Peters, and we took a narrow, steep wooden staircase up 306 steps.  The spectacular view was worth the effort; we could see 360 degrees of rooftops, spires and towers.

Mural in Marienplatz

The rootops of Munich

Some more rooftops

Rathaus from above

We returned to “Harry’s” footsore and tired, but happy with our day. Whether we feel rested and recovered remains to be seen; but checkout isn’t until 11am!

Ian happy at home at Harry’s