Jetlag is a tricky beast. At 3:30 AM, I found myself scrolling through my phone, wide awake and unable to shake off the time zone change. After two hours of futile scrolling, Ron joined me for the final hour, and by 5:30 AM, we gave up on sleep altogether and decided to get up. Of course, I had already researched where to catch the sunrise, so after a quick shower and a coffee to kickstart the day, we bundled up and set out into the crisp morning air for a 1.5 km walk to Marienplatz.
The streets of Munich were nearly empty, with only a few city workers – street sweepers, garbage collectors, and restaurant delivery people – out and about. Naturally, they all seemed to converge on the exact spots I wanted for some crowd-free photos. Marienplatz was no exception, so after some creative photo-taking around the hustle and bustle, we kept strolling.
One thing that’s hard to miss in Munich is the Bavarian obsession with apples, and we were more than happy to indulge. We ducked into a cozy bakery, grabbed a coffee, and browsed the counter of tempting pastries: Apple Kuchen, Apple Strudel, fresh croissants, and Bavarian squares filled with fruit, cheese, and cream. I opted for an Apfelschneken (an apple-filled cinnamon roll that was soft and utterly delicious), while Ron went for a strawberry rhubarb square, which was equally luscious.
With our sweet cravings satisfied, we continued our early morning wander around the Old Town. It was still early enough that we had places like Frauenkirche, St. Peter’s Church, and St. Michael’s Church all to ourselves. We also made a brief stop at the Juliet statue near the Altes Rathaus.
You might be wondering why there’s a tribute to Shakespeare’s Juliet in Munich, so far from Verona, the setting for Romeo and Juliet. The answer lies in the cultural exchange between cities through sister-city partnerships, and Munich has shared this bond with Verona since 1960. In 1974, Bavarian sculptor Natascha Alexandrova Munter created the Julia Capulet statue, a life-size bronze figure of Juliet standing on her balcony, lost in thought about love and fate.
This beautiful statue, with its intricate details and expressive features, perfectly captures the essence of Juliet’s character. Standing in the heart of Munich, it’s not just an artistic homage to Shakespeare’s tragic heroine but a symbol for lovers everywhere. Juliet is depicted with one hand reaching out, as if longing for her forbidden love, Romeo, while her other hand rests over her heart, a poignant reminder of the doomed love story.
Visitors often pose for photos, touching or holding the statue’s outstretched hand or heart, as it’s believed to bring good luck in love. It’s a lovely, unexpected find in Munich, blending art, history, and romance in a place you wouldn’t expect to encounter such a legendary figure.
Afterwards we headed on a small errand to exchange currency for our upcoming destinations in Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, and Macedonia (which we couldn’t get back home in Canada). This led us to two different Reisebanks: one at Karlsplatz and another at Hauptbahnhof station, where we had to pay a bit of a premium to get the money.
*Hot Tip – if you can purchase currency local to the destination you are travelling to, at your own bank, do so. Banks in Europe will not sell you currency without already having an account, and the currency conversions get pricey at places like Reisebank!
By now, we were both ready for a nap, so we hopped back on the train and returned to our cozy condo for a two-hour power nap. For dinner, Ron had made a reservation at Steinheil 16, a beloved local spot for traditional Bavarian cuisine. If you’re in Munich, this is the place to try – it’s unpretentious but the food is fantastic. The schnitzels here are huge and crispy, and Ron’s Currywurst looked equally delicious. Just a heads-up: the portions are massive, so come hungry!
Even though dinner was done, the day wasn’t over yet. We stumbled upon Trattoria Porto Cervo, a traditional Sardinian restaurant serving handmade pasta and fresh, local dishes. Ron enjoyed a glass of Canonau, while I opted for a crisp glass of Lugana. If our bellies weren’t already full, we may have been tempted by some of the dishes coming out of the kitchen.
We’d planned to call it a night, but then we were drawn into Shwaxe Bar, a cozy spot with a killer 80s rock soundtrack. One more beer seemed like a good idea, especially when we got into a great conversation with the Turkish bartender. He gave us some fantastic tips for our upcoming trip to Turkey, even recommending Ankara, which hadn’t been on our radar until then.
By the time we finally stumbled home, full of beer, schnitzel, and 80s tunes, I could only hope that the night would bring a full, jetlag-free sleep.