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Munich may be famous for its Oktoberfest or beer festival, but there is a lot more to Munich than beer and sausages. It is the capital of Bavaria and has its own unique culture and attitudes, which make is a really different place to visit. Munich is quite a large city; in fact it is the 3rd biggest in Germany. It has a population in the region of almost 1.5 million people and has been an important part of Germany for a long time. Munich has a very continental climate, but due to the fact that it is very close to the Alps, it can experience extremes of temperature, particularly in the winter, when it can be very cold. However, it is quite dry in the winter, so if you wrap up well, you barely notice the cold!
As you would expect from a city of this size, there is a very good transportation system, with an underground railway system, a suburban train system and trams as well as buses. All are quite easy to use, so you will find it an easy city to navigate. The airport is only 30 kms from the city and has excellent transport links. You will also find that English is widely spoken here, so even if you don't speak German communication should not be a problem. The Oktoberfest is perhaps Munich's claim to fame. This is a beer festival, where millions of people come to drink beer in the various beer tents, which are erected in the centre. It lasts for two weeks and despite its name, the main bulk of the action is usually in September. It is a really fun time and a very good, amicable atmosphere usually surrounds the festival. However, there is still plenty to do in Munich, whenever you visit. It is quite famous for its arts and culture. There are a whole host of theatres in the city centre, most of whom stage artistic dramas or classical music recitals. So culture vultures will be delighted by Munich. There are also quite a few museums. One of the most famous is the Deutsches Museum, which is one of the largest science museums in the world, as well as one of the oldest. It has a stunning range of collections, which feature around 28,000 exhibits. This museum alone attracts about 1.3 million visitors each year. Art lovers will find plenty of art galleries to interest them and the nightlife is also very good, since there seems to be an amazing number of bars and late night cafes. When in Munich, you should also check out the food, which is different and very tasty. Vegetarians will find that that it is a little meat orientated, but if you like sausages or bread dumplings with liver and onions, then Munich's cuisine will be right up your street. But even if dumplings with liver and onions aren't very appealing to you, try them anyway, because they are actually much better than they sound: and it is part of the experience. Flights to Munich are operated by most major airlines, including British Airways, Lufthansa etc
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