Munich Loves You is the slogan for this beautiful Bavarian city in southern Germany – and as of the end of this October, Munich is now a direct flight away from Montreal.

Lufthansa will be the only airline to offer year-round flights from Trudeau Airport, Montreal, to Munich, Germany… daily in summer, 5 days a week in winter. In 6 hours, one arrives at Munich Airport – awarded Best Airport in Europe for the past four consecutive years, and ranked fourth worldwide by Skytrax.

The Munich Airport authority and Lufthansa Airlines worked as partners to plan and build this European hub.

Terminal 2, the exclusive home to Lufthansa and its Star Alliance partners, was opened in 2003. This ultra modern facility proudly boasts one-floor, smooth and easy, short-walking connections for 155 European destinations; an easy escalator to the second floor for international transit. A minimum of 30 minutes between flights is adequate time to make a connection.

The airport atmosphere is deliberately airy and quiet, designed to make for a stress free ambiance for travellers.

Free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and newspapers, are available to all customers in the boarding lounges, and there is glassed-in space reserved for smokers. For a longer stopover, the airport offers a mini-city atmosphere, complete with an in-house brewery and beer garden, choice dining options including an area known as “Little Italy”, lots of shopping, a spa, even ‘napcabs’ for a snooze.

Even better then an airport stopover, make Munich a destination.

Munich is the third largest city in Germany with a population of just over one million, yet maintains a small city atmosphere and a reputation as friendly and safe. Well known for 200 years of Oktoberfest celebrations – the two-week festival when folks dress in dirndls and lederhosen, toast beer mugs, and sing and dance to the joyful music of Oompah bands – the Bavarian capital offers much more within its borders, and there are many delightful possibilities for day excursions into the countryside.

You may recall that Munich hosted the highly successful European Championship 2002 games and the World Cup in 2006. The city is now on the IOC short list of three venues competing for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The site of the ‘72 Olympic park is only 4.5 km from the city center, and is an up-to-date and fully functioning sports center, recreation and entertainment destination.

From the Olympic tower, you can see the Alps; a 60 minute drive away through rolling hills, past lakes and farmland to the locale for the alpine events on Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany.

The city center radiates from Marienplatz Square, site of the old town hall (14th century) and new town hall (19th century). Close by is the Viktualienmarkt, the famous farmers market to tempt all your senses. With over 100 museums and galleries, particularly the Old, New and Modern Pinakothek, art lovers can enjoy some of the finest collections in Europe. For $10 Euro, you can spend a grand evening of opera at the historic National Theatre, situated next to former King Ludwig’s home in town, now the Residenz Museum. The largest science museum in Europe, the Deutsches Museum, is also located in Munich.

If you are a car buff and/or interested in ultra modern architecture, the BMW Museum & Showroom is spectacular. You can rent a car by the hour, or better still, order your new BMW, and take delivery in the showroom.

After a final buffing and a modest toast of champagne, drive down the ramp, grinning all the way, and head for the autobahn to find your way to Hamburg port. Meet your new automobile next in Montreal.

Munich is a pretty city – lots of picturesque historic and modern buildings, parks and flower gardens. The most famous leisure spot is the Englischer Garten (the English Garden), open since 1789, an area of 922 acres running 5 km from the city center to the perimeter of the city limits. It is a popular place for walking, biking, hiking, riding in a horse-drawn carriage, renting a pedalo for a lake view of the sights.

Another bicycle ride away (or by public transport or taxi) is the grand baroque Schloss Nymphenburg palace that was first a gift from a Bavarian prince to his wife.

The extensive home was their summer retreat, complete with a separate hunting palace, princess’s playhouse and park, two lakes, and extensive formal and informal gardens. Twenty rooms in the summer castle are open to public display and decorated in the opulence of the time. The outdoor parkland, formal gardens, and forest walkways are for everyone to enjoy.

Munich Airport enjoys easy access to Munich via the S-Bahn and U-Bahn train/metro system that connects the airport with downtown. (Cost $10 Euro, or $19 Euro for the partner program which can be a family of four.)

TRAVEL PLANNER

For information about Lufthansa direct flights from Montreal to Munich, please contact your travel agent or visit: www.lufthansa.com/ca/en
Munich Tourist Board: www.muenchen-tourist.de
Munich Airport: www.munich-airport.com

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