When does the Munich Beer Festival take place

Asks danmiller103

A. The Oktoberfest festival is a massive celebration of beer and fairgrounds. It takes place from the penultimate Saturday in September for 16 days in the Theresienwiese Fairground, Munich. The fairground attractions are among the biggest in the world, some of them are even banned in the US and UK, so are not for the feint hearted.

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Q. Are any other festivals celebrated in the city

A. If you visit in January you'll experience the Fasching, Munich's huge carnival complete with floats, parades and balls - it lasts for six weeks! In March and October two mini beer festivals - Starkbierzeit and Fruhlingsfest respectively - are held and are less crowded and more pleasurable than the real thing in September. Corpus Christi is celebrated in June, alongside the Tollwood Cultural Festival and the Munich Film Festival. The Opera Festival takes place in September.

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Q. Is Munich a good weekend break destination from the UK

A. Munich (Munchen) is Germany's second most popular city (after Berlin), and has been the capital of Bavaria since 1503. It is a chic and cosmopolitan city that is small enough to 'do'[ in a long weekend, but if you stay for longer it is a good idea to visit the surrounding countryside as Alpine lakes and mountains can be found within an hour's drive from the city centre.

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Q. What sights can you recommend

A. Churches are big in Munich and boast some of the best architecture you'll find in the city.

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Frauenkirche is the twin onion-domed and very impressive (particularly from a distance) Gothic cathedral that doubles up as the seat of the local bishop. Theatinerkirche is one of Munich's most spectacular churches with golden towers and a green copper dome. Peterskirche is the oldest church in Munich and is well known for the fabulous view from its tower and its relics of Saint Munditia, patron saint of single women. The Church of St Michael has a lovely Renaissance fa�ade and is best known for its crypt that is home to the remains of the Wittelsbach dynasty. All four churches are distinctive features of Munich's skyline and are well worth visiting.

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The Cuvilli�s Theatre is the most prestigious theatre venue in the city. It is a beautiful Rococo building, recently renamed to honour its architect Fran�ois Cuvilli�s.

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The Residenz is the beautiful Renaissance palace of the Wittelsbachs, it can be found opposite the Theatinerkirche, and is very hard to miss. It was badly damaged in the Second World War and has been rebuilt since. If you want to visit the entire palace you will have to visit twice as some parts are closed in the morning and afternoon.

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Schloss Nymphenburg is a Baroque palace set in a massive park full of pavilions. It was once the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers, the Wittelsbachs.

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When the Oktoberfest is not on, a lot of beer drinking still goes on nevertheless. The Hofbr�uhaus is one of Munich's most popular beer halls and calls itself 'the most famous pub in the world.' The Englischer Garten is a big tourist attraction and home to three well-known beer gardens.

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Maximilianstrasse is considered 'the Champs-Elys�es' of Munich. It is a good place to shop, or window shop if you're on a budget, it's a bit posh�- and you'll find outlets for all the leading designer fashion houses here. Afternoon tea in the Hotel Vierjahreszeiten is a must if you can afford it -it is known as the best hotel in town.

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Museums and art galleries are another major tourist attraction in this city, as its streets are teeming with them. The Deutsches Museum occupies most of the Isarinsel Island and is considered one of Munich's best attractions as it covers technical development through the ages.

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The Bayerisches Nationalmuseum is Munich's celebration of the arts and covers wood sculptures, Bavarian folk art, ceramics, crystal, clocks, arms and armour. The Haus der Kunst is much more contemporary and houses a great collection of modern European painting and sculpture (it is due to be re-housed into a new building at the end of 2001).

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The Alte Pinakothek is one of the biggest art galleries in Europe, and houses a lot of German art. Its main pulling power is its 62 paintings by Rubens. The Neue Pinakothek is home to Manet's famous Breakfast in the Studio, and also has works by Van Gogh, Gauguin and C�zanne.

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The Glyptothek museum has recently been completely restored and contains a vast amount of classical sculpture. M�nchener Stadtmuseum is Munich's local history museum that incorporates a Museum of Brewing and the famous Puppet Museum known to have one of the largest puppet collections in the world.

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Q. What is the nightlife like

A. It's not all beer swilling of an evening in Munich, it is a renowned destination for cultural activity. You can find out what's on during your visit to the city if you buy one of its many city guide magazines. The M�nchener Stadtzeitung or In M�nchen are both popular and available from any kiosk, or the English language Munich Found magazine is your best bet if you don't read German.

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Listening to jazz, going to the opera or the theatre (there are 11 major theatres in the city, with lots of fringe venues too) are big attractions here. For younger visitors there is a thriving club scene in the Kunstpark area, where old warehouses and factory buildings have been reclaimed.

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Q. Is it easy to get around the city

A. It is easy to walk around the city (although it has a fantastic U-Bahn system), it is bisected by the Isar River, with most of its main sights situated on the left bank. If you get lost you can always use one of the church domes, primarily those of the Frauenkirche to get your bearings.

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Q. When is the best time to visit

A. Between June and September Munich has its best weather, but it also has most of its foreign tourists at this time too, so expect the streets and restaurants to be busy. If you want to avoid the drinking crowds that celebrate Oktoberfest avoid the end of September/beginning of October. Winters here are extremely cold (November-February) and pretty quiet, so are a good time to visit if you don't mind below-zero temperatures.

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By Karen Anderson