At 2:45pm EST today the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final will kickoff in Munich. For many, the competition has become the world’s most prestigious soccer competition in sports – usurping even the FIFA World Cup.
Today, Bayern Munich of Germany will take on England’s Chelsea in the final. Both teams beat the odds to reach the tournament’s sharp-end, defeating the much-fancied Spanish teams Real Madrid and Barcelona in the semi-finals.
Hosting rights for the final were awarded to the architecturally stunning Allianz Arena more than two years ago. Curiously, Bayern Munich will be the first finalist since 1984 to actually enjoy home advantage, as the Allianz is the team’s home pitch.
While the focus will be on soccer in Munich today, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the city. Here’s our rundown of the top 5 non-sporting attractions in Munich.
Maximilianstrasse
This is the natural habitat for Munich’s fashion-obsessed, champagne sipping elite, and visitors can join in – strutting and posing past Maximillianstrasse’s endless boutiques and pavement cafes.
Augustiner Bräustuben
You simply can’t go to Bavaria without supping from a beer stein at least once. And there’s no better place to do it than at this authentic beer hall located in the Augustiner brewery.
Siebter Himmel
Looking for something hip to party in? Join Munich’s fashionistas in their pursuit of indie cool as they browse fashions from labels like Indian Rose, Religion and Schuhhimmel.
Englischer Garten
One of Europe’s biggest city parks, this is where locals come to play. Bizarrely, you can surf here on a man-made river that runs through it.
Frauenkirche
The post-WWII reconstructed Frauenkirche has become a major landmark and the city’s spiritual heart. You can go up one of its two 100 metre-tall domed towers (spring-autumn) for panoramic views of Munich.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Image: marc0k)
