Investment Property in Germany

Locations - Bavaria

Tourist destination

Bavaria is the region of Germany that, to most people, is most typically and traditionally German. It is home to ‘Oktoberfest’, Munich’s famous beer festival, and to the traditional dress of lederhosen and feathered hats. Bavaria receives almost 23% of all the tourist traffic that comes into Germany, and this contributes a considerable proportion of the area’s income. Thirty two per cent of the area’s GDP comes from the industrial sector, and only 1% from agriculture, the sector that at one time defined Bavaria.

Bavarian culture

There is a word in German, ‘Gemütlichkeit’, which has no equivalent in English but that can be described as ‘cosiness’. This influences much of Bavaria’s culture, which is centred on being cheerful and happy, and enjoying time with friends. The spirit of gemütlichkeit is represented in traditions such as the Bavarian beer gardens, where all types of people enjoy drinking beers and eating ‘beer garden food’.

Munich: Germany’s “secret capital”

The capital of Bavaria, Munich, is one of Europe’s more wealthy cities, and has been described as the ‘secret capital’ of Germany due to its popularity as a tourist destination. In amongst the architecture, dating back hundreds of years, modern Munich has a number of attractive modern buildings. Height limitations currently restrict the level of high-rise construction in the city, although that law may be lifted in the future.

Quality of life

Munich is frequently in the top ten of Mercer HR Consulting’s top cities in the world in terms of quality of life, and came 8th in 2007. This is most likely due to a combination of factors, from its thriving economy, relatively low pollution levels, efficient transport infrastructure and low crime rate: these factors have led some of the city’s English-speaking residents calling the city ‘Toytown’. Munich enjoys a prominent café culture, and caters to all kinds of tastes with a variety of restaurants, plus numerous beer gardens. Munich is the centre of Upper Bavaria, and is one of a number of cultural highlights that the region offers. The scenery of this region varies between mountains and broad plains, with around 200 lakes.

Varied landscape

There are three other regions in Bavaria. Franconia is a mix of different sceneries, from forested areas, lakes, fields, hills and valleys, and the region is popular with visitors who enjoy exploring on foot. The Allgäu/Bavarian Swabia region is popular with hikers and water-sports enthusiasts, with the clear lakes and the foothills of the Alps that are found in the region. Eastern Bavaria also has ample countryside, with lakes and forestland along with limestone outcrops and dripstone caves.