Munich - Practical Destination Guide

Munich (German: München, Bavarian: Minga) is the capital city of Bavaria, a federal state in the south-east of Germany. Within the city limits, Munich has a population of more than 1.5 million, making it the third-most populous city in Germany. Greater Munich including its suburbs has a population of 2.7 million. The Munich metropolitan region which extends to cities like Augsburg or Ingolstadt had a population of more than 6.0 million in 2017. Munich is known for its architecture, fine culture, the annual Oktoberfest beer celebration, its vibrant cultural scene and its museums. Although the city was heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II, many of its historic buildings in the old city center have been rebuilt including its largest church, the Frauenkirche, and the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus).

Munich is a major international center of business, engineering, research and medicine exemplified by the presence of two research universities, a multitude of smaller colleges, headquarters of several multinational companies and world-class technology and science museums like the Deutsches Museum and BMW Museum. It is Germany's most prosperous city and makes it repeatedly into the top 10 of global quality-of-life rankings. Munich's ability to stay at the forefront of technological developments and maintain its cultural heritage is often summarized in the characterization as a city of "laptop and lederhosen". (Munich Wikitravel)