Biergartens

Munich has many Biergartens -http://www.munichbeergardens.com/Main_Page - but, apart from the small one at Victualien Markt, and the one used for Oktoberfest once a year, we have only visited three.

The biggest Biergarten in the World is the Hirschgarten in Nymphenburg an area of the city we stayed in back in 2007 when we couldn't get a room in the Admiral (we stayed at Hotel Laimerhof). It's an area well worth visiting for Nymphenburg Palace. The Hirschgarten seats 8,000 happy diners and drinkers and the deer park will delight the kids (Hirsch=Deer). The grilled fish-on-a-stick there is a tasty snack.

As we stay in the center of Munich we have the Englishergarten on our doorstep. This is the largest park in Europe and features a few Biergartens within walking distance of us. It's a very pleasant walk too....

The closest one to the park boundary is the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) which seats 6,000 and features a brass band playing from a stage on the tower.

Here is a band on an auxiliary stage at ground level

We never stop to eat here. If the band is playing and not on a break we will stop and enjoy a beer. We prefer to walk further until we reach the Seehaus Biergarten which seats 2500 and has that water view we like so much. If you walk with the lake (See) on your left you will eventually find the Seehaus.

There it is in the distance...

We find some empty space on a bench by the water and settle in. There is no waiter service so you have to go get your own drinks and food. Have some cash with you. Germany is one country I have never felt the need to wear a money belt in.

If you need shade from the sun there are hundreds of benches away from the water among the trees.
The trees have lanterns (made of plastic beer glasses) at night, adding to the atmosphere. As you can see the beer served here is Paulaner and a Mass this size will cost about 9 Euro.

A great natural setting for an afternoon of relaxation. Many people rent these little paddle boats 

There's always the smell of grilled food in the air and everything we have ever eaten there has tasted great, even if it is just a simple pretzel or bratwurst and pomme frites.

If you sit here long enough it will get dark. If you want a restaurant meal there is a full service restaurant here (with outdoor tables too) called the Seehaus. We enjoyed dinner there. After dinner there is the long walk back down the park for us (or you can leave the park at the Chinesischer Turm where there is a tram stop on the street) and again-this is a safe walk even though it is not well-lit. The other people walking with you are couples or friends just going home after a beautiful day at the Biergarten.

Back to the Admiral after a long walk and time for our last sleep in Germany....