Pep Guardiola, the achingly hip Spanish football manager, may be leaving the city but don’t let that put you off a trip to Munich.

The Bayern Munich boss is reported to be ready to forsake the Bavarian powerhouse for Manchester but Marienplatz certainly beats Moss Side for a weekend break.

More than six million people descend on Germany’s third largest city every autumn for the annual Oktoberfest.

Confusingly, the world famous beer festival, held since 1810, actually takes place mostly in September and is a must-visit of you’re a fan of beer, pretzels, sausages and novelty lederhosen and dirndl outfits.

If you want a gentler introduction to weissbier and wurst try the Munich Spring Festival (Münchner Frühlingsfest), which takes place in the northern part of Theresienwiese on the famous Oktoberfest grounds from April 15 to May 1 this year.

There’s also the Hofbräuhaus, a huge beer hall in the city centre complete with house Oompah band, if you’re visiting at other times of year.

But there’s much more to Munich than beer.

I can highly recommend a guided walking tour of the beautiful old town with Claudia Dobner of Munich For You to fully appreciate the architectural delights.

The highlights include Marienplatz, the market square and the Hofbräuhaus, and numerous churches and palaces.

My advice would be not to expect too much from the fabled town hall glockenspiel but you should definitely check out the huge green spaces of the Englischer Garten (English Garden), which is larger than New York’s Central Park.

One noteworthy feature is a man-made surfing reef in the river where you can join the big crowds gathered to watch locals catching some waves in the heart of the city.

The traditional apple strudel is also a must and if you have time make sure you pop into Dallmayr, the Munich version of Harrods, to pick up some excellent speciality coffee from the food hall.

Apart from the city itself, which has more than enough diversions for a three or four day stay, Munich is also a great base to discover the wider area of Bavaria and the Bavarian Alps.

Go skiing at Zugspitze, take a boat trip at Konigssee, visit Dachau Concentration Camp, or follow the American tourists over the Austrian border and down to Salzburg to indulge your love of the Sound of Music.

And, to return to beer, before you fly home be sure to visit Airbrau – the world’s only airport-based brewery – for one last Stein.

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