The Bavarian city of Munich, centre of southern Germany, is one of the country's favourite tourist destinations, offering a unique combination of modern flair and traditional charm, all mixed together with a heavy helping of 'Gemutlichkeit', the special German term for hearty, happy, healthy togetherness.

Traditionally the city, famous for its breweries and beer halls, conjures up images of jolly red-cheeked, portly men in lederhosen, downing steins of beer. There is plenty of this fun to be had, but Munich and the Bavarian region has plenty more to recommend it to visitors. The city has numerous great museums, art treasures, hi-tech industries and gems of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It is also the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from near and far.

Munich itself was founded in 1158 on the River Isar, and acquired its name, Munchen (home of the monks) from its first monastery. It was the monks that started the beer brewing tradition for which the city is now world famous, particularly since it started celebrating an annual beer festival in 1810. Today close on six million people visit the Oktoberfest every year, and consume more than five and a half million litres of beer during its two-week run.

Marienplatz

Address: Munich

Olympia Park

Address: Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21 Munich

Admission: Tower: EUR4.50 (adults), EUR2.80 (children 6-16); other concessions available Open daily 9am-midnight.

Telephone: (0)89 30 67-0

Nymphenburg Palace

Address: Eingang 19 Munich

Admission: EUR6; Combination ticket: EUR11.50. Concessions available. Daily 10am-4pm (mid-October to March), and 9am-6pm (April to mid-October).

Alte Pinakothek

Address: Barerstrasse 27 Munich

Admission: EUR7 (Sundays EUR1). Concessions available. Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, open Tuesdays to 8pm.

Telephone: (0)89 23805 216

Berchtesgaden

Address: Munich

Dachau Memorial Site

Address: Alte Römerstraße 75, Dachau Munich

Admission: Free Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm. An English version of a documentary film, 'KZ-Dachau' is screened at 11:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm.

Telephone: (0)8131 66 99 70

Chiemsee

Address: Munich

Admission: The 'Neues Schloss' is open daily 9am-5pm (April to September), and 10am-4pm (off-season).

Romantic Road

Address: Munich

Deutsches Museum

Address: Museumsinsel 1, Munich Munich

Admission: EUR8.50 adults; EUR3 children under 16; other concessions available. Daily 9am-5pm, closed some holidays.

Telephone: +49 (0)89 / 2179-1

Oktoberfest

Where: ,Munich

When: 17 September to 3 October 2011

Fasching (Carnival)

Where: Viktualienmarkt,Munich

When: 12 February 2012

Munich Ballet Week

Where: Nationaltheater and Prinzregententheater,Munich

When: Spring 2012 TBA

Munich Opera Festival

Where: Nationaltheater,Munich

When: Summer 2012 TBA

Café Glockenspiel

Address: Marienplatz 28 Munich

Food Type: International

Hirschgarten

Address: Hirschgarten 1, Nymphenburg Munich

Food Type: German

Tantris

Address: Johann Fichte Straße 7, Schwabing Munich

Food Type: Mediterranean

Hofbrauhaus

Address: Platzl 9, behind Marienplatz Munich

Food Type: German

Gasthof Weichandhof

Address: Betzenweg 81 Munich

Food Type: German