Munich Attractions

Venue: Viktualienmarkt    When: Daily; not Sun

For the food lover, nothing tops a stroll through Munich's Viktualienmarkt. Many consider it the finest market in Germany.

Established by royal decree in 1807, the Viktualienmarkt is the showplace of Bavarian agriculture. The colour, freshness and variety of the produce contradicts the impression (easily gained in the city's beer gardens and traditional restaurants) that eating in Bavaria is only about meat buried under brown sauces. Anybody in Munich planning a special dinner party or searching for the first strawberries of the season is sure to head here.

Attractive market stands set the tone. In the centre of the market, large stalls offer fresh fruits and vegetables. Nearby are the cheese, wine and fish vendors, while at the edge of the market, small specialist butcher stalls offer pork, beef, game and poultry, mostly from the region. There's even a Pferdemetzger for those favouring the lean, flavourful flesh of the horse.

Bakeries, juice stands and restaurants offer prepared foods. Exotic ingredients also make an appearance and there's even a shop with Latin American goods. The market is particularly strong on the Italian and other Mediterranean foods which Bavarians have come to love on holidays - Italy is only a few hours away over the Tyrolean Alps. Make no mistake, though - the Viktualienmarkt is unmistakably Bavarian with its blue-and-white maypole at the centre, right next to the beer garden where you can take a break after spending too much on all the good things that caught your eye.