What to do in Upper Bavaria

Considered the heart of Munich, Marienplatz is a busy square full of pedestrians, street performers and tour groups. Peaceful protests often take place here, as do rowdy celebrations when one of the local soccer teams wins.

BMW World is administered by BMW, or Bayerische Motoren Werke (“Bavarian Motor Works”). This company has been involved in the manufacture of automobiles, motorcycles and engines since 1916. The BMW headquarters are housed in the landmark four-cylinder tower near Olympia Park in the north of Munich. The BMW Plant, the BMW Museum and BMW World are situated next to the headquarters, and BMW encourages visitors to tour these in order to experience the history, the reality and the future vision of the brand.

Olympic Park was built for the 20th Summer Olympic Games, which Munich hosted in 1972. The site chosen for the event lies around 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) northwest of Munich’s city center. A massive tensile roof canopy links many areas of the park, including the 69,000-seat Olympic Stadium, the Olympic Hall and the Olympic Swimming Pool. Today, the Park continues to host German and international sporting events. The outdoor Olympic Stadium and the indoor Olympic Hall are also venues for regular international concert acts.

The Hofbräuhaus was founded all the way back in 1589. When the royal court in Munich became dissatisfied with the local beer, Bavarian Duke Wilhelm V agreed to establish a brewery that would produce beer especially for the court.

In 1807, King Maximilian I decreed that Munich’s food markets needed to be moved from the Marienplatz to a larger area, which is now known as the Viktualienmarkt. Viktualien is an old German word meaning “victuals” or “provisions.” Today, this market is still the place to stock up, although there is now a much wider range of provisions to choose from.

Experience Germany’s highest peak at Zugspitze, a ski resort located on a beautiful glacier. The mountain’s high altitude, reaching 9,718 feet (2,962 meters) above sea level, ensures excellent snow coverage for powder-hungry skiers.