Drinking & Nightlife

Munich has a thriving club scene, so no matter whether your musical tastes run to disco or dance hall, house or punk, techno or punk-folk, you'll find a place to get those feet moving. To get the latest from the scene, peruse the listings mags or sift through the myriad flyers in shops, cafes and bars. This being Munich, expect pretty strict doors at most venues. Dance floors rarely heat up before 1am, so showing up early may increase your chances of getting in without suffering the indignities of a ridiculous wait and possible rejection. If you look under 30, bring ID. Cover charges rarely exceed €15.

Other cities such as Pilsen and Brussels occasionally launch weak bids, but none can rival Munich when it comes to claiming the title of ‘beer capital of the world’. Countless beer gardens; Oktoberfest (and several other minor beer festivals); some of central Europe’s best known breweries, such as Paulaner and Augustiner; myriad beers in all shades and strengths; and, of course, the famous Hofbräuhaus, the mothership of all beer halls, all form part of the hop-based culture that makes Munich to the drinker what Las Vegas is to the gambler. Munich’s beer halls set a high bar for all others across the world, and the unofficial franchise can be found everywhere from Texas to Siberia. Despite high ale consumption, public drunkenness and disorder (among locals at least) is rarely seen, and most beer halls and gardens are family friendly, with kids’ playgrounds and high chairs. And even if you’re devoutly teetotal, non-alcoholic brews enable you to relish the colour of Munich’s frothy traditions minus the falling over.

Munich's gay and lesbian scene is the liveliest in Bavaria but tame compared to that of Berlin, Cologne or Amsterdam. The rainbow flag flies especially proudly along Müllerstrasse and the adjoining Glockenbachviertel and Gärtnerplatzviertel. To plug into the scene, keep an eye out for freebie mags Our Munich and Sergej, which contain up-to-date listings and news about the community and gay-friendly establishments around town. Another source of info is http://www.gaytouristoffice.com/en/home.

Sub is a one-stop service and information agency; lesbians can also turn to Le Tra.

The main street parties of the year are Christopher Street Day, held on Marienplatz on the second weekend in July, and the Hans Sachs Strassenfest, held in mid-August along Hans-Sachs-Strasse in the Glockenbachviertel. During Oktoberfest, LGBT folks take over the Bräurosl beer tent on the first Sunday and Fischer-Vroni on the second Monday.