Ideas for keeping visiting parents entertained

Hello all,

next weekend my parents are coming over to visit me and my fella for the first time in Munich. They are only here for 3 days.

Obviously I want to do as much as possible, but walking around Marienplatz one day, Englischer garten the next, all sounds a bit dull to me, or is that just because this is what I do EVERY weekend?!

Does anyone have any interesting/exciting ideas? - Or do you have any success/failure stories about your ventures with visiting parents?

Your help/advice on this matter would help me out lots, and could mean the difference between our weekend being dull or fun.

Cheers.

my failure story was visiting dachau with my parents when they we here for an equally short time. took ages to get there and generally so much time - but worth it if here for a week say.

my successes were just taking my folks round the beer gardens.

id spend some time in the olympicpark, go up the tower, visit the stadium. nothing too special but cool for the folks.

Dachau is a good option, as is a trip to Garmish for a hike up a mountain if they are mobile enough- PartenacKlamm (sp?) is awesom.

On a short weekend, then maybe try on of those city bus tours in different languages, a great way to get some insight into Munich, and they basically get to see it all, and then you can decide where you want to go spend more time.

Good Luck.

I remember visiting the Dachau CC when I was 22 (now I am 44) and it made me weep, weep, and weep. To see tourists there making photos I found also difficult.

I wouldn't take them to Dachau. If they are here for such a short time, you want the pleasant experiences to outweigh the not-so-pleasant.

Take them for a walk down Leopoldstr and through English Gartens. Go to the Chinese Tower for a beer. Even better if there's an oom-pah band playing.

Go out to Herrsching for the day. Spend half the day by the lake, the other half walking to and visiting Andechs.

Really, it might sound boring to you, but to people who have never visited Munich, these are really nice things to do. Walk through the pedestrian zone and admire the Lions. Go into Frauendom and look at the Devil's Footprint. It's all simple, but it's all good.

Agree with showem, give the depressing places a miss for a three day weekend, you want them to have a positive experience and not have them think of a KZ everytime they think of you and the BF and Munich.

Isar, Residenz, Chinese Turm. Dinner at Paros 2 in Haidhausen on the terrace, I know that's what I would do. Actually, that's exactly what I do when friends visit

Neuschwanstein? Probably a load of tourists at this time of the year, but I lucked out big time with my mother visiting around Easter with this destination. Rain was all over the forecast, but we decided to do it anyways, and we were treated to an absolutely gorgeous afternoon with complete blue skies and magnificient views. Just goes to show how much the weather can vary between Munich and the nearby mountains!

A day trip to Neuschwanstein is a great idea.

Also, on weekends, there is a tram (starting at the SendlingerTor tram/Ubahn station) that goes around munich for 45 minutes. On Saturday at 2pm (I think) it is in English.

There is probably more info online somewhere (try MunichTram).

Good luck.

I disagree with Neuschwanstein.
a.) it's a lot of travelling for such a short visit
b.) whilst the surrounding area is beautiful, the 5 minute rush tour job through the castle itself was more than disappointing.
For a 3-day trip, Nymphenburg would be better - impressive gardens, and fairly central.
If your mum likes gardening like mine does, the Botanical Gardens are on the same tram route I think, and are lovely to visit.

Otherwise I'd stick to the bog-standard Mplatz, Vmarkt, Olympiapark visits.

We almost always end up taking people to Neuschwanstein - the crowds are there because this is a "must see" attraction. I prefer to walk up than to sit in the carriages behind the farting horses.

Not visiting Neuschwanstein because it's too far or too much hassle is like going to Toronto but not bothering with Niagara Falls.

If you are going to Neuschwanstein and your parents are fit, walk up the gorge at the side to the Marienbrücke. Nice view of the castle and less people.

Actually I disagree about Marienplatz. I think for a first visit to MUC the best option is a stroll between MPlatz, Odeonsplatz, Theatre, Frauenkirche, even if you do it every weekend

As I've only moved to Munich myself, I still haven't had time to do the 'toursity' stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions? They would be much appreciated!

I have a guidebook, and I've looked up the web, but I don't want to end up doing only the 'touristy' things, and miss out on the real hidden treasures, such as an amazing bar/restaurant somewhere. I'll do the obvious things like the English Gardens, a couple of museams, etc. Has anyone gone on the tourist guidebus? It's 23 euros, is it worth it?

We would be interested in doing things like going to a jazz club, finding a nice restaurant that's not going to break the bank (any cuisine, bar spicy!), and just wondering about, exploring the city.

Cheers!

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The weather's so nice out.. rent a bike and do a little tour.. go to a beer garden..

The tourist guidebus is good to see the lay of the land but not spectacular. I would first take the elevator up the City Hall tower to get an impression of the city, then go out to Nymphenburg as a contrast. Stay off the touristy restaurants close to the main sights, look in your own neighborhood for a Bavarian Gaststätte that features Schweinsbraten, Rahmschwammerln (mushrooms in cream gravy with a Knödel) and Rindsgulasch. Or try the Hackerhaus, good food at a decent price in a stuffy but nice down-home ambience.
Whenever you go anywhere, try to avoid the U-bahn. Stick to buses and streetcars and always look up, you discover so many details on buildings you would never notice otherwise.
The Unterfahrt is the best-known jazz club, Piazza Linda in Schwabing is a restaurant-cum-jazz club.
Drop into any church you come across and compare the different styles, and when the weather turns cold - which it invariably will do soon - visit the Stadtmuseum and the Nationalmuseum. The Residenz and its museum are well worth visiting, too.

I'm not sure how old or fit your mother is, but I took my boyfriends mother who is 64 years old on Mike's Bike Tour. It was really fun! She loved it. It's a very easy ride, no hills or anything and you get to see most of the city. The guide was well informed and funny. It's a lovely day out there, so it would be great. Unfortunately, if you don't do it today, the weather is going to turn bad tomorrow. As far as hidden gems, we like to take people to the Osteria Italiana on Schellingstr.. Great food and great service. Each time I have been, the waiters have taken me on a tour of somekind. Twice of the wine cellar, which was cool- amazing old bottles of wine, and they have a secret dining room down there. Another time they took me back in the kitchen and showed me how they make their homemade lemoncello. Historically, it was Hitler's favorite restaurant, and it's the oldest Italian restaurant in Munich. But there are many great restaurants in Munich. I guess it all depends on your finances and tastes.