Munich Madness, Go FC Bayern München!

Inside the Allianz Arena, a Lego-eyed view

The roar of the crowd inside the Allianz Arena is going to be deafening tonight as FC Bayern Munchen fights to retain their right to the Champions League crown. Little C&G and I were on the edge of our seats (mostly out of our seats) last week as his beloved team lost to Real Madrid and it's win or go home with this leg of the semi-finals.

Little C&G is in full Bayern Munich gear today and we're going to be on media lockdown until we can watch the entire match all the way through between various afternoon activities. #miasanmia 

Munich is a wonderfully family friendly city (maybe leave it to the beer swilling footie fans today) and before I turn my laptop off for the day I wanted to share with you some reasons to visit, no matter which team you're rooting for. Did you know you can find surfers in this land locked Bavarian capital? The Eisbach river flows through the Englischer Garden creating an experts only wave at the entrance to the park. Read about our adventures in this past post and be sure to add it to your sightseeing list. Surfs up, freunde!

They just don't gild like they used to

Castles are plentiful in Germany but you don't need to brave the autobahn to see gilded royal mansions. The Residenz in the center of Munich was home to Bavaria's royal family, the Wittelsbachs, for more than four centuries and has been open to the public since 1920. Soaring ceilings, stunning artworks, and an adjoining Treasury filled with glittering crowns and magnificent jewels make this an easy sell to your little adventurers. Read about our visit here and of course I've got a second post on where to escape for some delicious local wine in this beer crazy city.

Need a place to stay? We loved the location of the Marriott Munich tucked down a residential street away from the city center. It's only a two minute walk to the efficient u-Bahn which will take you right into downtown. The Marriott Munich is also conveniently down the road from the Allianz Arena, and I'm sure they don't have a single room available tonight.

Munich's best known export (other than beer and Bayern Munich) has to be Bayerische Motoren Werke, aka BMW. BMW Welt (welt is German for world) is the architecturally stunning headquarters for the luxury brand located next to Olympic Park. Visit this award winning building to see the latest innovations and offerings from BMW and its brands, Mini and Rolls Royce. Tours are available for a behind the scenes look at the world of BMW and I wrote about our visit here.

The BMW Museum showcases 90 years of history, from the miniature Isetta to the latest in Formula 1 racing. Read about our trip to the museum here and you can see photos of all my dream cars. I'm still bummed the little vintage cherry red convertible didn't come home with me. Maybe when Little C&G is star striker for Bayern Munich he'll buy it for his favorite soccer mom.