Larger than New York City's Central Park, the nearby English Gardens is one of the loveliest parks in the world. Benjamin Thompson, also known as Count von Rumford, founded the park in 1789 and it was given the German name Englischer Garten because the park was designed in the informal English Garden landscape style made famous by Capability Brown. The park has the expected beer gardens, as well as a more unexpected Japanese Tea House.

Taxis are easy to catch, but can be expensive. Much of the tourist portion of Munich is easily traversed on foot, however. If you choose a hotel near the Old Town, you can get to most places within a reasonable time frame. Plus, it is by far the best way to absorb the spirit and flavor of the city. You can also rent a bicycle if you want to tour the city on wheels.

There are three tourist offices in Munich, at Sendlinger Strasse 1, Bahnhofplatz, and Marienplatz. Once you are in Munich, they are the best place to go for information to aid you during your visit. Prior to your trip, consider purchasing a good street map and a few guidebooks. Familiarize yourself with the main streets, squares, and subway stops. Once you arrive, you will have a good understanding of the city's layout and you will find navigating the city a much less daunting task.

Touring Munich is easy. The sites are centrally located, easy to get to via foot or public transportation, and not exorbitantly priced. Plus, there are plenty of things to see and places to go, but not so many that you have to make agonizing choices about what to see and what to skip. And the Bavarian food and beer is hearty, unique, and wonderful.

But back to the sausage: it is the centerpiece of Bavarian cuisine, and your trip to Munich should include enjoying them at many of your meals. Called wursts, most German towns have signature versions, made from recipes handed down through many generations. Munich's local sausage is weisswurst, made of at least 70% veal. According to tradition, weisswurst must be simmered or steamed (not boiled) and served with mustard. Diners peel the sausages before eating. Pretzels often round out the meal, along with the requisite cold German beer.

Other famous Bavarian dishes include wienerschnitzel (thin veal cutlets, breaded and pan-fried, garnished with chopped parsley), spatzle (a cheese and egg-noodle casserole) and sauerbraten (beef preserved with vinegar and served with gravy).

In the world of food and dining, Munich is hands down most famous for its beer. In fact, 40% of the world's breweries are located in Germany, many of them in the Bavarian region. Beer is such a draw in Munich, the beer halls and beer gardens are just as popular among tourists as royal palaces and museums. Hofbrauhaus am Platzl is easily the most famous of the halls. It is a massive facility, with a beer-brewing tradition that dates back to 1589. The present structure was built in 1897, and it was the site of Hitler's meeting of the German Workers Party in 1920. The historic beer hall on the first level is the heart of the place, and it can hold up to 1300 diners and drinkers at a time. Some of the tables have been there since 1897, with past diners' initials carved into them. In total, there are several rooms spread out over three floors. Music, dancing, drinking, and dining are the order of the day, and it is always a party at Hofbrauhaus.

Before you think you are limited to sausages and potatoes when visiting Munich, it is important to remember the city is a cosmopolitan, European hub city that caters to visitors from all over the world. You will find fine dining cuisines such as French, Italian, and "New German," a modern and updated take on traditional German fare.

Beginning with the museums, Munich has several from which to choose. One of the most significant is the Deutsches Museum (German Museum of Masterpieces of Science and Technology). It is nicely situated on the Isar River, and it is the largest museum of its kind in the world. Covering countless topics in the fields of science, technology, and industry, there are numerous hands-on exhibits and creatively displayed artifacts. It is an especially entertaining and educational experience for children.

The Alte Pinakothek is an art museum that began as a collection of the royal Wittelsbach family in the early 1500s. Now the museum shows European paintings from the 13th to the 18th centuries. The collections of Early Italian, Old German, Old Dutch and Flemish paintings are especially significant.

The Bavarian National Museum presents three floors of artworks and artifacts representing the region's artistic heritage. Pieces include sculpture, painting, folk art, ceramics, textiles, and furniture from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. An additional building houses the State Archeological Collections, which has pieces dating back to the Paleolithic Age, through the Roman period and the early Middle Ages.

Two other significant art museums are the Neue Pinakothek (18th and 19th century art) and the Pinakothek der Moderne (19th and 20th century visual arts).

The Residenz is certainly one of Munich's highlights. It was the official residence of Bavaria's rulers from 1385 to 1918. The diverse complex contains ten courtyards and 130 rooms. As new portions were added over the years, the palace became an architectural melting pot, with styles such as Baroque, Rococo, Classical, and German Renaissance all represented. The Residenz was almost completely destroyed in World War II, but has been completely restored in the ensuing years.

The Residenzmuseum holds 120 rooms for art and furnishings once belonging to the Wittelsbach royals. The Hofgarten is an Italian Renaissance style garden located between the Residenz and the Englischer Garten.

Maximilianstrasse is known as Munich's Fifth Avenue, and it is certainly a shopper's haven. You can enjoy the wonderful and varied architecture as you stroll, and then pop into one of the designer boutiques to pick up a remembrance of your visit to Munich.

Surpassing the size of New York City's Central Park, the nearby English Gardens is a massive and beautiful urban park. Founded by Benjamin Thompson (also known as Count von Rumford) in 1789, it was designed in the style of the informal English Gardens popular at the time, thus giving it its moniker, Englischer Garten. One of the park's claim-to-fames are the glorious beer gardens, and the most famous is Biergarten Chinesischer Turm. It serves massively large beers and traditional Bavarian food.

It is widely known that King Ludwig was fascinated with Louie XIV of France, and especially with his monument to excess, Versailles. Neues Schloss was modeled after the French castle in many ways, including the famous Hall of Mirrors. The vaulted ceiling is covered with paintings depicting the life of Louis XIV. The formal French gardens are full of statues and fountains, also reminiscent of Versailles.

Begin the first of your seven days with a bus tour around the city. It allows you to get your bearings and gain an overview of all the significant areas. Most of the major tours begin around 10:00am. Catch the first departure if you can. Bike tours are also available if you would prefer to expend some physical energy on your first day.

After your tour, make your way to Marienplatz for lunch and an afternoon stroll. Marienplatz is the center of the city, and it is often where the city's many festivals and celebrations are headquartered. Parades often begin or end here, and it is the best spot in Munich to kick back with a German beer and enjoy the convivial atmosphere.

Stroll north on Dienerstrasse to Max-Joseph-Platz, another of Munich's famous squares. The area is called the Platzl quarter, and it is the center of the city's nightlife. It is also where you will find the famous Hofbrauhaus am Platzl. With a legendary beer-brewing tradition dating back to 1589, it is a must-do for every visitor to Munich. Inside you will find a constant party that always feels like Oktoberfest, no matter what time of the year it is. Order the weisswurst, and enjoy it with mustard, pretzels and a famous German beer.

The tour includes the main palace and the Residenzmuseum, Residenz Treasure House, and Cuvillies Theater as well. The Residenzmuseum holds 120 rooms' worth of art and furnishings belonging to Munich's Wittelsbach royal family. The Treasure House displays their collection of royal regalia, and the Cuvillies Theater was where the royals took in performances by Mozart and others. It is still used today for concerts and opera performances.

After you leave the residence, stroll through the lovely Hofgarten to enjoy the outdoors for a while. If weather permits, have a meal in one of the beer gardens.

A particularly interesting portion of the tour is the Marstallmuseum, the court stables. On display is a collection of historic state coaches, ceremonial sleighs and riding equipment belonging to the Bavarian rulers. Pieces of note: the glass coronation coach of Elector Karl Albrecht and the hunting sleigh of Eletress Amalia.

Above the stables lies the Porzellansammlung (Museum of Porcelain), which is full of some of the world's finest porcelain pieces. The adjacent 500 acre Nymphenburg Park is absolutely magnificent. Of the several notable pavilions, the most famous is Amalienburg, which was built in 1734 as a hunting lodge for Electress Amalia.

After spending your day in Nymphenburg, return to Munich for your evening meal.

The city is probably most famous for the unique Deutsches Museum (German Museum of Masterpieces of Science and Technology). It is the largest museum of its kind in the world. Covering countless topics in the fields of science, technology, and industry, there are hands-on exhibits and creatively displayed artifacts. One of the most famous is the world's first automobile, dating back to 1886. It was created by German Karl Benz - you can guess where his name ended up.

If you prefer art over autos, there are several options. The Alte Pinakothek represents artists from the 13th to 18th centuries. Originally the personal art collection of the Wittelsbach royals, it evolved over the years to the massive museum it is today. Just across the street, the Neue Pinakothek concentrates on 18th and 19th century artworks with works by Monet, Goya, Manet, van Gogh and many others, including several German artists.

The Bavarian National Museum displays sculpture, painting, folk art, textiles, furniture, and ceramics related to the area's artistic heritage and the Pinakothek der Moderne has 19th and 20th century visual arts.

After spending your morning wandering through museums, do some wandering out-of-doors by strolling Maximilianstrasse, Munich's classy avenue of shopping often compared to New York's Fifth Avenue. Treat yourself to a fancy dinner and take in a performance at one of the city's arts venues.

Neuss Schloss is the main palace, and it was intended to be a grander version of Versailles, complete with its own Hall of Mirrors. Ludwig died before the palace was done, leaving only the center portion complete and numerous rooms unfinished.

The palace is open for tour year round, and it is easily accessible by train, and then by lake ferry.

One day will only allow you to drive a small portion of the road, but you will still catch the spirit of the experience. You can easily forgo a day or two in Munich and expand your trip to allow more time on the Romantic Road.

If you do so, make Neuschwanstein one of your stops. It is home to another of Mad King Ludwig II's famous castles, though he was removed from the throne (due to his alleged insanity) before it was completed. The tour includes the king's apartments, the unfinished throne room, the king's bedroom, and the highlight of the tour, the 4th floor Singer's Hall.

After Ludwig's mysterious death in 1886 (technically by drowning, but conspiracy theories abounded), the castle was opened to the public for tour. Interestingly, the castle is considered the inspiration for many structures seen in pop culture, including Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in California.