The city on foot, the countryside by car, the Alps in a single day: the concierge prepares times, transport and reservations before you arrive.
Munich has a compact centre, many museums, parks where people run and lunch outdoors and, within a couple of hours by car, lakes and mountains. The Palais experiences follow that geography: city, culture, nature, table and wellbeing. Each is arranged through the concierge, who chooses the right hour and takes care of transport.
NatureThe day begins in the morning with a private car. After about two hours, between meadows and forest at the foot of the Alps, the pale towers of the castle appear on a spur of rock above the valley. The visit inside has a fixed time slot, which the concierge books in advance; the rest of the day belongs to the lake, the forest paths and lunch at a local inn. The return is planned for the evening.
CityThe route starts at the front door of the Palais and crosses the heart of Munich: the square of the Neues Rathaus, the green domes of the Frauenkirche, the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt, the Residenz and the Hofgarten. The guide tells the story of the city without hurry, sets the pace to suit the group and knows the cafés where it is best to sit down for a break. The walk takes about three hours, with stops as you like.
CityShortly before sunset you go up to the roof terrace: white sofas with navy cushions, olive trees and lavender in pots, a glass balustrade and, ahead, the red rooftops of Munich with the two green domes of the Frauenkirche. On föhn days the Alps come into view. The Raute Bar prepares an aperitif, with champagne, a signature cocktail or a Bavarian beer, and a light bite; guests stay until the light changes.
NatureThe park begins a short way from the hotel, where the city ends. The ride follows meadows and tree-lined paths, crosses the Eisbach, where surfers ride a standing wave, and stops at the Chinesischer Turm, with its beer garden under the chestnut trees. Bicycles are brought to the hotel door; the concierge chooses the route according to the season and the weather.
CityThe Oktoberfest runs from late September into early October, and in the tents a seat is the hardest thing to come by. The concierge books a table (subject to confirmation), advises on when to arrive and arranges the car to the festival. The meal is half a roast chicken with a Brezn, the beer comes in the one-litre Maß, and the band leads the singing; traditional dress is welcome but not required.
CityFrom late November to Christmas Eve the old town lights up with small lamps. The walk winds between wooden stalls around Marienplatz and the neighbouring squares, with the smell of fir, hot Glühwein, sugared almonds and Lebkuchen; there are carved figures, candles and tree decorations to look at. It starts in the late afternoon, when the lights come on, and ends with a dinner booked by the concierge.
NatureSouth of Munich the Alps are mirrored in clear lakes. The Tegernsee is the closer, with a walk along the shore and lunch at an inn; the Königssee, further away, lies enclosed by rock walls and is crossed by electric boat to the church of St. Bartholomä. The lake is chosen the evening before, according to the weather; the driver leaves the hotel in the morning and returns at dusk.
CultureThe Bayerische Staatsoper plays at the Nationaltheater, where gilded horseshoe-shaped tiers rise around an auditorium of red velvet seats beneath a great crystal chandelier. The concierge checks the calendar, suggests an evening and requests the seats, subject to availability; a table in the Orangerie can be booked for dinner beforehand, and a car brings guests back to the hotel after the last curtain call.
GastronomyThe Viktualienmarkt, a short walk from Marienplatz, is open Monday to Saturday. The Orangerie’s chef walks it early, just after the stalls open: tastings of cheese, cured meats and Obatzda, the day’s herbs and vegetables, seasonal fruit, honey and bread still warm. Back at the hotel, coffee and a light breakfast made from what was chosen together.
CultureNymphenburg was the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers; at first light, when the park is almost empty, the baroque façade is mirrored in the central canal, swans glide over the water and the symmetry of the garden emerges from the mist. A car and driver leave the hotel before sunrise; the walk follows the canal and passes the pavilions among the trees, and back at the hotel breakfast is unhurried.
A table in an out-of-the-way Biergarten, two seats at the opera, a private guide for Neuschwanstein: the concierge replies late into the evening and, when a first choice is sold out, suggests an alternative.