The big cheers: Oktoberfest for first-timers

Every year, more than seven million thirsty visitors descend on the German city of Munich for a two-and-a-half week celebration featuring parades, fair rides, traditional food and music, and of course, lots of beer. Oktoberfest can be an exciting event for outsiders to experience Bavarian culture, but it can be hectic and difficult to navigate for the uninitiated, particularly after a few litres of Löwenbräu. Don’t fret – we’ve got you covered...

The naked truth: German bathhouse culture

Visitors to Germany have long admired its historic architecture, world-class museums, and excellent beer gardens. But there’s one aspect of German culture that fewer travellers experience: its bathhouse tradition. Often housed within beautiful buildings from the art nouveau era or earlier, these public facilities are the perfect place to relax au naturel while sharing a healthy tradition with the locals...

Beyond the pretzel: Munich's hippest eats

Nowhere in Germany can you find sweeter mustard or plumper dumplings than in Bavaria. The food identity of the southern state is strong and marinated in tradition...

Nowhere in Germany can you find sweeter mustard or plumper dumplings than in Bavaria. The food identity of the southern state is strong and marinated in tradition. There are even rules about when to eat sausages that rival those of how to enjoy coffee in Italy. And yet visitors to the Bavarian capital of Munich will be pleasantly surprised to encounter a growing wave of burrito joints, burger shacks and trendy coffee shops that are modernising the city’s food scene...

Germany for first-timers

Germany is a combination of cutting-edge cool and timeless tradition, wrapped up in a package of spectacular landscapes, vibrant metropolises and idyllic half-timbered villages, architectural masterpieces and fairytale palaces. Awesome buildings come in all shapes and sizes across Germany ©canadastock/Shutterstock Indeed, the toughest thing about your first-time venture into Germany may be deciding your route...

From the city to the slopes: skiing in Germany and Austria

Rippling over from southern Germany into Austria, the Northern Limestone Alps are some of Europe’s most phenomenal mountains. When the first flakes fall, their heights hum with skiers and boarders. No matter whether you’re looking for black runs and rollicking après-ski or a culture-crammed winter break, there’s a city and slope with your name on it...

Top 10 free things to do in Munich

Since the capital of Bavaria isn't exactly bargain city, we’ve come up with this handy list of freebies in Munich so you'll have more money left for merriment...

Since the capital of Bavaria isn't exactly bargain city, we’ve come up with this handy list of freebies in Munich so you'll have more money left for merriment. Whether you’re a music junkie, a fool for fuel or a fan of world-class soccer, gardens, history or architecture, you’ll have a fine time joining clued-in locals at these beloved gratis diversions. Munich's Olympiastadion. Image by emdees / CC BY 2...

Munich travel tips & articles