The Berlin Diaries Part 2 - A Weekend in Munich

While I’ve been studying abroad here in Berlin, a commonality I’ve found is that a lot of students try to spend every weekend in countries other than Germany. I mean who wouldn’t want to take advantage of only being a few hours away from places like Italy, Spain, France, and Austria? That being said, I’ve only been out of the country for my Spring break (an in-depth blog about that is on the way lol), but I wanted to experience Germany and the various cities here to compare and contrast the cultures it inhabits.

Just a four-hour train ride from Berlin lies the city of Munich (aka München). Who knew that I would be able to take in so much history and art in the span of 48 hours? I’m going to take you through the places you must go to, even if you only have 24 hours! The more time you have in Munich the better, but it’s definitely worth it to go even if you just have a day to run around the city and explore.

Viktualienmarkt Biergarten

One thing I didn’t realize is that Munich is the city where the signature “Beer Garden” originated. There is a beer garden that is literally blocks away from my home in Ann Arbor so to go to the original place where these originated was a crazy experience! The Viktualienmarkt Biergarten specifically is in the heart of Munich, right next to Marienplatz which is the notorious central square. This beer garden is bustling with people at all times of the day and is the perfect place to grab a Bavarian pretzel and a beer. It’s a small but mighty garden filled with hundreds of tables and benches so don’t be intimidated if it looks like there is no space! My friends and I went at the busiest time, on a Saturday night, and managed to easily find a table! Make sure to bask under the horse-chestnut trees and just have fun chatting with your friends (extra point to those who bring cards)!

Pinakothek der Moderne

I love museums and I always make sure to go to one, if not multiple, museums when I can. I’m going to have to say that the Pinakothek der Moderne might just be one of my favorites I’ve been to as it’s a museum that has something for everyone. It has a beautiful mix of historic and modern exhibitions bridging the gap between the two forms; I was so excited to see Picasso paintings next to new works by artists like Tschabalala Self (who is a new favorite artist of mine). The collection they have curated is diverse and inspiring to all ages, as I noticed that there were people of many different generations admiring the various forms of art. There was also a beautiful historical exhibition, entitled The Gift: Stories of Generosity and Violence in Architecture, which focused on the importance of buildings that different political parties have gifted to various cities around the world such as Skopje, Kumasi, Ulaanbaatar, and East Palo Alto. It covered the benefits of new buildings meant to help communities as well as the setbacks they might have had to deal with. In all, there was such a level of care that the curators took with the museum as every exhibit was remarkably put together and could work in tandem with one another. I hope to go back to Munich and see how the Pinakothek der Moderne evolves while also staying true to its already quite successful setup. 

The Englischer Garten

A final stop during your trip to Munich should be the famous English Garden! It’s simply one of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever seen. I was fortunate enough to be there when it was 74 degrees outside, where it felt as if the whole city was out enjoying the weather. Within the 910 acres, you can experience so much whether that be enjoying live music in the Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm, going surfing in the river (I know it sounds crazy but it’s true), playing volleyball where there are hundreds of nets, or just having a picnic with your friends which is what I did! You can spend hours just relaxing so I recommend you spend most of your time here if you can!

These were the three big experiences that were highlights of my trip, but make sure you also try all of the great Bavarian food and just walk around exploring the beautiful buildings and marketplaces! I loved Munich so much and cannot wait to go back ASAP!!!