Italy's most northerly city

After Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is the third largest city in Germany with 1.3m inhabitants. Its almost Mediterranean lifestyle attracts many visitors from abroad. Approximately one in four of every overnight stays in Germany is in Bavaria, confirming the state's reputation as the number one holiday destination in the country.

Because of its lifestyle, Munich is often referred to as the most northerly city of Italy. People sit outside as soon as the sun comes out. Cafés, parks and in particular the Biergarten, a Munich institution, are popular places to enjoy the good weather. Munich used to be the capital of the kingdom of Bavaria and its majestic buildings offer a taste of Munich's glorious past. Today, the city still has a thriving art scene, with many theatres, operas and galleries.

Because it's so close to Italy, there is a strong Italian influence and the Italian neighbourhood here is the oldest foreign community. Almost 800 Italian restaurants enrich Munich's culinary scene. Another aspect it has in common with Italy is they both have a large Catholic population and Bavaria is the only German state where Corpus Christi is a bank holiday.

Links:

München.de
Official Munich website, covering all aspects of life in the town: politics, commerce, tourism, entertainment and leisure. In English and German.

Munich online
Lifestyle website covering sport, culture, clubs and restaurants. There is also a singles section. In German.

Munich Found
Online magazine aimed at expatriates living in Munich, it covers entertainment, jobs and language courses. In English.