Nightlife

Munich is a major performing-arts center and has a lively nightlife. The city is home to major orchestras, a world-class opera company, and a ballet company. Many theaters are scattered throughout the city, offering everything from classic to modern German drama.

Munich's nightlife varies with the weather. When the weather is fair and the night air balmy, the Biergartens and Biersteins are brimming. During winter, patrons of the beer gardens turn to Munich's beer halls, such as the illustrious Hofbräuhaus, to quaff brews and share in the typical Bavarian songfest. Beer gardens and beer halls usually empty around midnight; then the club scene cranks up. Munich's club scene is quite eclectic. It is possible to find almost any type of club, from country-and-western bars to ultratechno dance halls. Many clubs rave until the wee hours of the morning. Haidhausen and Schwabing vie as the place to go, with the trendiest clubs and nightlife.

To find out what's happening in the Bavarian capital, go to the tourist office outside the Hauptbahnhof and request a copy of Monatsprogramm (a monthly program guide), for 1.65€. It contains a complete cultural guide, telling you not only what's being presented -- from concerts to opera, from special exhibits to museum hours -- but also how to purchase tickets. (The Monatsprogramm is in German, but it's a simple German, with lots of emphasis on addresses, dates, and listings; as such, even people without a firm grasp of German get a lot of information from it.)

Beer Halls -- The Bierhalle is a traditional Munich institution, offering food, entertainment, and, of course, beer.

Gay & Lesbian Nightlife -- Much of Munich's gay and lesbian scene takes place in the blocks between the Viktualienmarkt and Gärtnerplatz, particularly on Hans-Sachs-Strasse.