No doubt you’re familiar with Oktoberfest, but what about Starkbierfest? Across Munich, Germany in February and March the breweries hold Starkbierfest, or strong beer festivals, that resemble Oktoberfest. But unlike Oktoberfest they are on a smaller scale and with fewer tourists. The German beer festival is Oktoberfest’s little brother and features beers special to the Starkbier season. I went to Paulaner’s Nockherberg for the brewery’s Starkbierfest and it was a blast!
Austria‘s Kufstein Fortress (or Festung Kufstein) in the country’s western state of Tyrol stands mightily on a hill overlooking the surrounding valley. Only about an hour south of Munich and just over the border into Austria, Kufstein is home to an historic fortress worth touring that houses a museum, prison and the world’s largest free-standing organ — that you can hear daily! What’s more, the town it calls home has a charming old city that will steal the heart of any tourist with its colorful buildings and narrow cobblestone streets.
After using Lufthansa almost exclusively to fly to Germany over the last decade, my husband and I decided to mix things up for our latest German adventure and fly from Newark to Munich with Icelandair. The island nation’s no frills carrier has been growing in popularity due to their reasonable rates where your ticket includes your seat and you can pay for add-ons like luggage and food. While we saved some money with Icelandair’s economy standard ticket, it did come at a price.
If you’re searching for a comfortable, affordable hotel in Munich, Germany that is just outside the downtown area, the Holiday Inn Express Munich City West, Munich is worth checking out. I recently spent a week staying at the hotel with my husband. From its convenient location a stone’s throw from public transportation to its inclusive breakfast buffet, it just might be my new Munich go-to hotel.
You know spring is near when the Philadelphia Flower Show rolls into town. Each year the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) hosts the wildly popular show downtown at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. For 2018, the show is tackling the theme of water. This precious and limited resource is highlighted in some interesting and unexpected ways. But, as the Philadelphia Flower Show demonstrates this year, conserving water doesn’t mean you have to forgo a beautiful garden.
On a rainy and snowy late winter day, a date for afternoon tea and a meal at A Taste of Britain is the perfect way to spend a day. Or, really, any day if you ask me. While cities are known for having restaurants and shops that cater to all tastes, it’s actually Philadelphia‘s nearby suburb of Wayne where you’ll find this charming tea room. And be assured that A Taste of Britain is more than “just” a place for tea.