Toasting the Moon in Munich

Travel for 2 cost breakdown (at the time of writing this post):

Aloft Hotel Munich: $187 per night
Roundtrip Airfare from San Francisco to Munich (non-stop): $579 pp
Food/Entertainment/Transportation/Souvenirs: $500
GRAND TOTAL FOR 2 TRAVELERS – 4 days: $2219
OR – Book it with a 10-day package to Prague, Vienna and Berlin for $2700!

***At this time, we are not endorsed by any outside affiliates. That said – when booking our trips, we have had a lot of success with Hotels.com, Skyskanner, and Tripmasters.

Booking

Booking a trip to Germany (and all of the EU) is easy for Americans! The US passport allows US citizens to enter the EU visa-free for up to 90 days. You will be free to roam all Schengen Area countries (including Germany, France, Italy, Austria, The Czech Republic, Belgium, Finland, and more). All you need is a US passport, flights, and accommodations and you’re good to go!

The Old Meets the New in Munich

Germany has been in a massive transition since the wreckage brought by the 20th century. The citizens are now some of the most open-minded, tolerant, and kind people you will find in the world. Sometimes we all have to learn hard lessons from making really massive mistakes, and, from what I’ve seen, this really defines the majority of the “new” German population. They are mortified by the sins of their past, and are working on learning from previous mistakes, growing, and making a stronger (and more peaceful) nation.

Because of the literal ruins that the 20th century left in most of Germany, a lot of German cities look extremely new and shiny. Munich definitely has some of this, but because of it’s southern location, and simply being in Bavaria, there is still a feel of the old Bavaria — antiquities, castles, romance. Munich is a massive city with modern amenities, but it is also alive with Bavarian roots from gothic-style churches to renaissance-themed breweries, and, of course, Oktoberfest! Munich is a great first stop for travelers making their way to small quintessential Bavarian towns, the Romantic Road, and the Black Forest. It’s also a wonderful place for first-timers to a German-speaking area, as Munich is incredibly tourist friendly.

What We Did

Our focus in Munich was to enjoy some Bavarian culture, gain our bearings in Germany, and recover from jet lag with some beautiful winter alpine scenery.

We highly recommend: Winter in Munich – Glühwein, the Christmas Market, cozy fires, big fluffy snowflakes, and alpine hideaways. What could be better? Also – you should take a 1/2 day (or full day!) to check out the Deutsches Museum. It’s the world’s largest museum of science and technology. It really gives you a bigger perspective on how innovative and thought-provoking German industry has been. Some of our biggest technological advances come from this very region and recognizing these accomplishments is part of why anyone should visit Germany.

Note from Noah – No one should leave Germany without trying döner and the regional “würst.”

Days 1 – 2:

Historical Walking Tour of Munich, Viktualienmarkt, Augustiner-Keller