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€ ($2.65). 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; and 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.
Wenches, Knaves & Medieval Delicacies -- Welser-Kuche, Residenzstrasse 27 (tel. 089/29-65-65), re-creates a hearty medieval feast every night, beginning at 8pm. Guests must be prepared to stick around for 3 hours. In many ways, this is a takeoff on the Tudor banquets that are popular with tourists in London. Magde and Knechte (wenches and knaves) wearing 16th-century costumes serve food in hand-thrown pottery, and guests eat the medieval delicacies with their fingers, aided only by a stiletto-like dagger. Many recipes are authentic, based on a 16th-century cookbook. You can order a 6-course or 10-course menu called a Welser Feast that costs 45€ ($72) and 50€ ($80), respectively. The place can be good fun if you're in the mood; but it's likely to be overflowing with tourists, so reservations are recommended. It's open daily from 7pm to 1am. To get there, take the U3 U-Bahn to Odeonsplatz.
Gay & Lesbian Clubs -- Much of Munich's gay and lesbian scene takes place in the blocks between the Viktualienmarkt and Gärtnerplatz, particularly on Hans-Sachs-Strasse.
