Munich City Guide

Page 14

Munich City Guide

Everyday Shopping

Opening Hours

Department stores and retail shops in the city centre are usually open Monday to Friday from 9.00

or 9.30 a.m. to 7.00 or 8.00 p.m. or even 10 p.m. Smaller stores in the suburbs often close at 6.30

p.m. while major grocery stores are open to 8.00 p.m. sometimes 10.00 p.m. Smaller stores mayalso

close for lunch. Saturday opening hours are generally from 9.00 or 9.30 a.m. to between 4.00 and

10.00 p.m. Exceptions are the grocery stores and shops at the main railway station and the airport.

They have extended opening hours into the late evening and are also open for business on Sundays.

Shops at petrol stations are an expensive choice, should beverages, food or magazines be needed

urgently out of business hours.

Shopping Areas

The biggest department stores are all located between the main railway station and

Marienplatz

Favourite shopping areas in the city are the pedestrian precinct,

Sendlinger Str.

with its sidestreets,

the street

Tal

and the

Viktualienmarkt

(see below). For elegance and exclusivity, the

Maximilianstraße, Theatinerstr., Maffeistr.

and the area between

Promenadenplatz

and Brienner Str.

are well known. Further favourite shopping centres are:

Schwabing (Leopoldstr.), Neuhausen

(Rotkreuzplatz), Haidhausen

(near the east station), the

Olympia Einkaufszentrum

and the

Perlacher

Einkaufspassagen

(both are covered). There are flea-markets in several city districts, particularly in

Schwabing, Haidhausen

and at

Dachauer Str. 128.

Viktualienmarkt / Market

There is no question that the

Viktualienmarkt

is one of Munich's showcases. With over 160 sellers

offering more than 80 different kinds of fruits and over 100 varieties of vegetables, the market has

grown from being a supplier of basic products for Munich's inhabitants to an international market and

tourist attraction. Not only are basic staples such as potatoes, meats, cheese and vegetables offered,

but increasingly exotic items from around the world such as edible Atlantic seaweed, Costa Rican

cocoa nuts, and Vietnamese red cactus fruit. New stands and snack bars have sprung up in recent

years and the market has become a popular meeting place. A trip to the Viktualienmarkt is now a

"must see" for visitors who come to Munich.