AS my brother ventured off to the booze ridden resort of Kavos, a friend and I went for a more cultured trip to the beautiful Bavarian capital, Munich.

Flying from London Luton on Easyjet, after a short hour and a half flight, we landed at Munich Airport, which is perched on the north side of the city, some 30 minutes from the centre by train.

Forty miles north of the German Alps, the city, nicknamed by some as “Toytown” for its cleanliness, stereotypical efficiency and low crime, is full of history and culture with a thriving night life.

Architecture is one of the more striking things I noticed, with some of the churches and cathedral being the first places that I visited.

The exteriors of the buildings have a distinctly Germanic feel to them, but step inside and you experience the grandeur typical of Catholic churches.

There is also the squares, such as Marienplatz, which has both the new and old town halls each occupying a side and Odionplatz, home to the Feldherrnhalle, famous as a site of confrontation during the Munich Putsch, which on the day we visited had given way to the European Homeless Football Cup (Google it).

Though of course being a pair of 21-year-olds and with the reputation German beer has, the bars were one of the first things we sought out.

There are the world famous beer halls. Whilst a little expensive they are a great way to experience a bit of Bavarian culture. I would recommend the Hofbräuhaus.

As far as nights out go, they can be a little funny about letting English people in clubs, such is our reputation. But Kilians Irish Bar, nestled next to the cathedral is a great place for a night out, with regular events, relatively cheap beer and fantastic live music acts.

A plus point is that it’s full of English speaking locals, so make friends with them and they’ll more than likely be able to get you into a club.

Apart from the beautiful and fun side of Munich, there is also the haunting site of the concentration camp Dachau located just 10 miles to the north of the city, which is now a museum and memorial site.

It is one of the more thought provoking and moving experiences of my life and I would recommend anyone who visits Bavaria to take a day out from the hustle-and-bustle of the city and pay a visit.

Some 40 miles away, there are also the palaces of the eccentric King Ludwig II, who died in mysterious circumstances and until this day there are new theories about his demise coming out every year.

I only visited one, Linderhof Palace, which is the smallest one he built, but also one of the grandest with walls and ceilings lined with gold leaf.

There is also the iconic Neuschwanstein of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame, which was also inspiration for the iconic castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

Munich and Bavaria really are thriving and interesting areas of one of Europe’s more prosperous nations, which I would not hesitate to visit again.