Bavaria - Munich, Bavaria and the Black Forest - page 223

carbed up and kitted out for. Bavaria certainly provides ample opportunities to work off those
dumplings, but if fresh-air antics seem like too much hard work, you can always retreat to a spa,
water park or swimming pool.
Essential Food & Drink
» Beer From the proud breweries of Bamberg to tiny one-man producers in rural
Franconia, from a quick summer beer-garden thirst-quencher to the millions of litres con-
sumed at Oktoberfest, beer plays a bigger cultural role in Bavaria than almost anywhere
else on earth.
» Sausages Almost every town in Bavaria has its own take on the banger, from the fam-
ous digit-sized bratwurst of Nuremberg to the 30cm-long Coburg whopper. Add a bun and
a squirt of mustard, and a couple of these makes a respectable meal on the hop.
» Snowballs Unless you end up surviving in the mountains, eating snowballs is an experi-
ence you'd want to avoid, but not in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The local sweet - strips of
dough ravelled into a ball then deep fried and sprinkled with something sweet - are best
eaten smashed up in their bag.
» Wine German wine sometimes gets bad press, but you'll forget the sceptics when you
sip a glass of Franconian red or white. The main vine-cultivating areas can be found
around Würzburg, with the vineyards visible from the city centre.
DISCOUNT PASSES
Staying in the Alps? Make sure your hotel or guesthouse gives you a free Gästekarte (guest card),
which often gives you free access to public transport and discounts on sights and attractions.
Need to Know
» Many museums close on Mondays
» Travelling by train? Get yourself a Bayern-Ticket for huge savings