Located to the north of the Bavarian Alps it is a city that combines proud provincialism with international glamour. Founded in 1158 by Duke Henry the Lion, within a century it had become the seat of the Wittelsbach dynasty, who ruled the duchy, electorate and kingdom of Bavaria until the end of World War I.

Their influence is evident in the concentration of grand Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and neo-classical architecture adorning Munich’s streets. Perhaps most importantly, the Wittelsbach’s patronage of the arts and extensive art collections provided the basis for Munich’s world-class museums and galleries.

The city acquired its name München – ‘home of the monks’ – from its numerous monasteries. These have played an important role in the history of Munich, not least by starting the brewing traditions for which the city is renowned world-wide. Successive rulers, detecting a profitable source of tax revenue, actively encouraged beer production as a means both of raising money and keeping the populace happy at the same time.

There are currently six breweries in the city: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräuhaus, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. Beer quality is still based on the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Edict), introduced by the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV in 1516, that forbids the use of anything other than the core ingredients of barley, hops and water in the brewing process. Drinking a foaming Stein of beer in one of the city’s beer halls is an essential part of the Munich experience.

The weather here is continental, which changes by the proximity of the Alpes! Winters usually last from December to March. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of −1 °C . Snow cover is seen for at least a couple of weeks during winter.
Even though Munich experiences cold winters, heavy rainfall is rarely seen in the winter.  Summers in Munich city are fairly warm with an average maximum of 23 °C  in the hottest month of July. The summers last from May until September.

You can learn more about Munich by visiting our Things to do in Munich page and check out our great selection of hotels at Cheap Hotels Munich. Our offers never last long so see these special deals before the are gone!