Welcome to Munich
Whether you like history, culture, churches, music, nightlife or all of the above, a concert tour of Munich is a memorable experience for any ensemble. Munich is the capital of Bavaria and the third largest German city, sometimes referred to as Germany’s “secret capital.”
Many of the images typically associated with Germany are quintessentially Bavarian: lederhosen, oom-pah bands, huge steins of frothy beer, alpine views, and, of course, the most famous of Bavaria’s many annual festivals, Oktoberfest. However, there is much more to the city than this quaint Bavarian charm. The city is located in the most Catholic area of Germany. As a result, Munich also features many Catholic churches, abbeys, and other religious landmarks. Munich, in fact, is named after a Benedictine abbey founded in the 9th century.
Munich is home to outstanding museums like the Alte Pinakothek and Neue Pinakothek, German Museum, and Bavarian National Museum. Several TV stations and film studios and hundreds of book and newspaper publishers are based in Munich. As the former residence of the Bavarian kings, it boasts a downtown palace full of dazzling treasures and priceless artworks, in addition to a magnificent country palace, viewed by many as one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe. On any given night, Munich residents and visitors have a rich palette of operas, plays, and musicals to choose from. All of this lies within an easy drive of stunning Alpine scenery, picture-book villages, and the fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein. Come experience all this for yourself!
Enjoy a concert tour of Munich. Bring your ensemble to experience all that Munich, Germany has to offer as you share your music with local people.
Itinerary
Depart North America for Munich, Germany.
Welcome to Munich, the capital of Bavaria!
Enjoy an introduction to Munich during a guided city tour. See the magnificent Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), the famous Glockenspiel in the city’s central square, Marienplatz; the Olympic stadium, and BMW World, where you may pose with the most recent car and motorcycle models.
Transfer to your hotel in the early afternoon and take some time to settle in and refresh.
You may wish to join your tour manager on an orientation walk to familiarize yourself with your surroundings.
Later, gather together at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of Bavarian specialties as your tour manager previews the days ahead.
Begin your first full day in Germany with an excursion to Neuschwanstein Castle, the spectacular 19th-century fairytale castle in the German Alps. See the royal staterooms and throne hall and enjoy sweeping views from the castle’s perch high on a rocky outcrop.
After some free time for lunch, continue to Steingaden and the pilgrimage church Wieskirche where you will perform a musical offering.
Return to Munich in the evening. Dinner can be pre-arranged. You may wish to attend an opera performance at one of Munich’s two opera houses.
In the morning, transfer to Nymphenburg Palace – the “Palace of the Nymphs” – to tour this opulent former residence of the Wittelsbach family, a long-running dynasty of Bavarian kings. Be sure also to explore the vast palace gardens and the Amalienburg, considered by many the most charming European architectural creation of its period.
This afternoon, a visit to one of Munich’s world-class museums, such as the Alte Pinakothek or the German Museum, can be arranged.
In the evening, transfer to one of Munich’s historic churches to meet up with a German choir and perform a friendship concert together for a local audience. There will be time to socialize and get to know your hosts.
Dinner can be arranged to complement your performance schedule.
This morning, embark on an excursion to Weltenburg Abbey, thought to be the oldest monastery in Bavaria. To reach the Abbey, you will travel by boat along a spectacular stretch of the Danube past unique geological formations.
At Weltenburg, perform an a cappella concert in the abbey church, a stunning example of high baroque church architecture designed by the famous Asam brothers.
Lunch can be pre-arranged at the abbey’s beer garden restaurant. Afterwards, enjoy a walk along the river or on the abbey’s wooded trails. Return to Munich in the late afternoon.
This evening, enjoy a festive farewell dinner of local specialties and with live music and entertainment at the famous Hofbräuhaus.
Depart for the Munich airport and your return flight to North America.
Concert Tour Highlights
FRIENDSHIP CONCERT IN MUNICH
Our friendship concerts are a featured experience on our tours and are at the heart of our mission to foster cultural connections through music. We benefit from a vast international network in the choral world built over our thirty years' experience of helping choirs share their music both in the United States and abroad. Your choir will share a venue and a concert program with a host choir from the region. Your singers will have the chance to hear their host choir's repertoire (often showcasing local musical styles) and to share your own repertoire in turn. Fellowship time usually follows the friendship concert, giving both choirs the chance to mingle and enjoy the camaraderie of creating cross-cultural connections through a shared love of music.
MUNICH
Munich is the German federal state of Bavaria’s capital and largest city. It is Germany’s most prosperous and third most populous city and is widely considered Germany’s cultural capital. Munich is known for its architecture; although much of the city was destroyed during World War II bombings, many of its historic buildings have been rebuilt, and its city center maintains its 19th-century appearance. The city's historic churches - Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Michael's Church, Church of Our Lady - make for magnificent settings for your choir's concerts.
NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE
Neuschwanstein Castle, or Schloss Neuschwanstein, is a spectacular nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace situated on a hill above the Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau. Built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, known as the “Fairytale King,” Schloss Neuschwanstein reflects Ludwig’s admiration of Richard Wagner’s operas. Wagner's characters inspired the rooms and artwork of the castle's interior. Its apartments, state rooms, servants' quarters, halls and historic kitchen offer incredible views of the Bavarian Alps.
WIESKIRCHE
The Pilgrimage Church of Wies, or Wieskirche, is a Rococo church located in Steingaden in the foothills of the Alps. In 1738, tears were allegedly seen on a wooden figure of the Scourged Savior. In 1740, a small chapel was built to enclose the holy statue. As more and more people came to view the statue, Steingaden Abbey commissioned the construction of a larger shrine, and Wieskirche, with a frescoed interior, was built. Today the magnificent structure is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church welcomes choirs for musical offerings.