Are you fascinated about culture, history or your genealogy? Or maybe your just curious about Munich. It doesn’t matter why you’re here, just that you are. So what can you learn about city that you didn’t already know?

Well, let’s find out.

The very first Oktoberfest was held in Munich in 1810 as a community celebration for the royal wedding of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony Hildburghausen. This celebration kicked off the first of hundreds of years’ worth of Oktoberfests to come. While the horse races have been discontinued, this Oktoberfest is the largest festivity in the world.

During WWII over eighty percent of the city was bombed! Since then the city has been rebuilt and has become Germany’s third largest city and provides the second largest source of jobs, while leading in media and technology. Also, the city has over sixty, that’s right, over sixty beer gardens. So you can’t visit there without finding one that will suit your fancy.

If you are planning to visit any time soon, you may be interested to know that while most of the city is German speaking, English is widely used. It is taught in school, most restaurants have English menus. Your trip there might be less frustrating and more pleasant if you aren’t having to get that translation book out every few minutes. Oh, and while it is mentioned that many restaurants may have English menus, don’t expect an exact translation…in fact, some might be quite interesting… . You might also be interested in learning that a good tip for good service is only five percent. You read it right. Only a five percent tip is necessary for good service at their restaurants.

Another little-known fact you might be interested in learning is the city is home to over ten universities and 45 museums. But before you start packing your bags to take go for a visit and tour those museums, don’t plan on visiting on Monday. You’ll be wasting your time as most museums are closed on Mondays.

If you’re looking for a little known tip that is more like a juicy little tidbit, the best was saved until last. Munich can honestly boast about its English Garden, for it’s the largest in the world. But that’s not the juicy part. The juicy part is that one of the unique qualities was that one could bare it all in the garden while drinking a pint of beer. This…practice, for lack of a better word, is fading as some have deemed a certain lack of attractive nudes recently. However, if you hurry, you can still view bare flesh throwing back a warm one in the gardens–for now.

Did these little known facts help you decide to take the trip or look up that long lost family member? Maybe teach you something you always (or maybe not?) wanted to know? :)