1. #21
    Well, having lived close to both cities, I'd rather advise you to go to Munich.
    Both cities have their up- and downsides, but Munic has a lot more to offer than Düsseldorf.

    The landscape is much more beautiful and Munich is a real nice city.
    Don't miss the chance to visit the Olympiapark, Englischer Garten, Hofbräuhaus (two very nice places to enjoy a brew) and Deutsches Museum. BTW: Take some time to visit the outsourced a/c collection of Deutsches Museum (even more planes on display) at Oberschleissheim. It's called Flugwerft Schleißheim. It's a bit outside of Munich, but it's really worth the drive there!

    More places to see around Munich:

    - Chiemsee (SE of Munich):
    There are two little islands, both worth a visit . You can take a boat to both of them (boats depart at the town of Prien).

    - Königssee (SE some distance, but REALLY worth the effort to go there). It's situated in the Berchtesgaden area.

    -Füssen region (with Neuschwanstein Castle).


    Okay, some Pics:

    Englischer Garten:


    Olympiapark:



    Hofbräuhaus:


    Chiemsee:



    Königssee:



    Ramsau, Berchtesgaden area:


    Okay, I guess I don't have to mention it, but for the sake of completeness...Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen:
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  2. #22
    Blutarski2004's Avatar Banned
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    As well,

    Munich Airport is a MUCH nicer experience than Frankfurt.

    Someone mentioned the Chiemsee. The two islands IIRC are Herrninsel and Fraueninsel. Herrninsel has the third of "Mad" Ludwig's castles (unfinished) - a huge complex worth seeing. His ambition was to outdo Versailles.

    Fraueninsel has 7th C nunnery. Alfred Jodl is buried in the nunnery's graveyard.

    It's also worth driving the Bavarian/Austrian border. You will be driving through the Austrian Alps - fabulous views.

    Try to visit a church or two. Bavarian churches always appear a bit austere from the outside, but their interiors are extravagantly decorated.

    Visit the Wittelsbach Palace in the old city. The original complex was heavilt damaged by air raids in the war and much of the reconstruction does not reproduce the original opulence, but the palace houses a very nice collection of mediaevel artifacts of the Bavarian royal family. When you emerge, you can then go around the corner and stand upon the site of Hitler's attempted 1923 "Beerhall Putsch". In fact, the beerhall where the putsch was hatched is within a reasonably short walk of the palace.

    I just love Muenchen. Fabulous town.
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  3. #23
    Well, in fact, all of "Mad" Ludwig's castles are worth a visit.
    It might not meet everybody's taste as his castles are pretty cheesy (he had a taste for fairy-tales), it's still worth a visit.
    There are quite some nice inventions hidden in his castles.

    Munich really has a certain "savoir vivre" attitude with it's people.
    You know, it's wednesday afternoon, just past six o'clock and lots of people sitting in a Biergarten, having a "Hoibe" (half a litre beer), enjoying the summer-sun and having a good time.
    Priceless feeling.
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  4. #24
    Bewolf's Avatar Senior Member
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    Not mentioned yet if you go to Munich and plan a trip around, the "Bodensee", especially Friedrichshafen. This is the place where Zeppelin had (still has, they are building Zeppelins again nowadays) its central. If you are as much into Zeppelins as I am, there you will find a very nice Museum and some real size replicas of the orginal "Graf Zeppelin".
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  5. #25
    Ahhhh Germany is reduced to München and Oktoberfest.......almost like the German clishee of the UK fog and warm beer, or the States, steaks, gunslingers and every one talks like a Texan.

    Oh well maybe it is better if the tourist mobs stick to certain areas alone, the rest stays then unspoiled.
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  6. #26
    JtD's Avatar Senior Member
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    If Düsseldorf and Munich are the only options, I'd recommend the Munich region as well.

    But the fact remains that Bavaria isn't Germany; if you want to go to Germany, go to see Berlin instead. Lots of beautiful and interesting places - unless you are focussed on mountains, which can only be found abroad, in Bavaria.
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  7. #27
    Woof603's Avatar Senior Member
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    Thanks very much for all the wonderful suggestions and pictures, guys. Esp. the talented Rabbit.
    Boandlgramer, I was born and educated in New Zealand, but have lived on Miami Beach for many years.
    Now to talk to Lufthansa...
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  8. #28
    ifd you go to munich , i recomend you to take a daytrip to berchtengaden . thats where the obersalsberg is and the kelstein [hitlers mountain kastle] it is amazing . only weird thing bout it is that it is converted in a sightseeing restaurant , and looks like its mainly hyped for the architectual high tech building method . i dont argeu with that , but for a castle , owned by the biggest antichrist , it is the place where plans where made that costed 50 m lives and therefore a morbide place [i think so anyway]. but that is just inturpetation i guess . it is worth going up there !!! ps on mondays it is closed
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  9. #29
    woof603
    very nice.
    You are more than welcome.
    If you are travel to munich, then give me a call..
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  10. #30
    MB_Avro_UK's Avatar Senior Member
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    Munich

    I was there a couple of years ago with my lady and I was very impressed. People are very friendly in Germany.

    The Museum has a large number of aircraft including Me 262,Me 109 and a Ju 52.You can walk around the cabin of the Ju 52 !

    We hired a car and drove up to Coburg. The castle there is amazing.Coburg suffered very little allied bombing during WW2. The locals believe that it was because Coburg was the home of Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert

    Best Regards,
    MB_Avro.
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