Big Bus Munich & FC Bayern Soccer Tour

Your Munich Soccer and Sightseeing tour starts at the front of the “Karstadt” department store, opposite the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof, Bahnhofplatz). You will be picked up in an air-conditioned coach. A bilingual (English and German) guide will accompany you on this tour.

First, you’ll be taken for an inside tour of the Allianz Arena and FC Bayern Training Grounds.

• Allianz Arena: The Allianz Arena has the uncanny appearance of a giant car tire. It gets lit up in red for Bayern Munich, in blue for 1860 Munich and in white when in use by the German National Team. In 2005, when the Allianz Arena was completed, Bayern Munich moved their permanent home to this arena.

• FC Bayern Munich Training Grounds: FC Bayern Munich is the most successful soccer club in German, having won 20 Bundesliga titles and 14 cups. You’ll see the grounds that helped FC Bayern Munich built its name as one of Europe’s Première Soccer clubs.

Afterwards, you’ll take a drive past many of Munich’s historical landmarks, including:

• National Theatre: The National Theatre in Munich is the home of the Bavarian State Opera. This 2100 seat theatre is actually a glamorous opera house. The original theatre was built in the 18th century and was a fine example of Rococo architecture. However, the theatre you’ll see is the 3rd opera house built on the Max-Joseph-Platz site, as the first two were destroyed in fire and war.

• New City Hall: Munich’s New City Hall a.k.a Rathaus was completed in 1909. This beautiful building has 400 rooms and interesting Gothic Revival style intricacies on its exterior. Bells in the tower known as the Glockenspiel draw crowds to the hall daily. The Glockenspiel in Munich is the largest in Germany and the 4th largest in Europe, with 43 bells, the largest of which weighs over 1,300 kg.

• Old City Hall: The Old City Hall, a.k.a. Altes Rathaus stands poetically on the Marienplatz. Altes Rathaus has endured the centuries. It was rebuilt after a 13th century fire and again after World War II. Although the exterior is quite simple, the interior is beautifully ornate. While once a very important center for politics, that function has now been switched to the New City Hall. The building is still in use for various exhibitions, one of which is a toy museum situated in four rooms inside the tower.

• Cathedral: Munich’s Cathedral, a.k.a. Frauenkirche is one of the city’s dearest landmarks. It stands in the old part of the city, at Marienplatz. It is easily recognized by its two onion shaped domes that tower above all other buildings in that area.

The tour ends at the starting point.