travel blogger

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a media lunch to learn about visiting Germany, and more specifically, about Bavaria. When I first started working for myself, I didn’t have the time in the day to eat lunch, much less go out to an event, but as I organize myself a little more, I am finding time to attend events, and it is really nice to enjoy the perks of a flexible schedule.

The lunch was held in a private room at Post 390, and on a raw, chilly fall day in Boston, the fireplace and warm welcomes from the German Tourism and Destination Bavaria teams was really lovely.

In addition to truly genuine hospitality, we were welcomed with German wine, Hans Wirsching Silvaner. Not all German wine is sweet! This was delightfully dry, floral, and acidic, with a mouthwatering finish.

Before the lunch and presentations began, I got to chat with travel writers from around the region. To be honest, sometimes networking events make me really nervous, but this was a great crowd of very nice people. I was glad I went!

Unfortunately, my phone started doing something weird during the presentation, and all of my photos are gray boxes, which is disappointing, because my salmon salad was gorgeous and delicious.

The presentations were fun, informative and engaging. A few highlights:

• Munich Airport is absolutely amazing; it isn’t just a place to pass through, but rather, it is a destination in itself. You can easily exit security to take in the sights and amenities, which offer an on-site brewery, wave pool (or skating rink in winter), Christmas market, two on-site hotels, and nap pods. There’s shopping, a huge number of dining opportunities, free coffee at the terminals, and so much more. I half want to visit this airport and half don’t want to visit, because I am pretty sure it would spoil me for airports going forward!
• In this year’s Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2016 yearbook, Bavaria has been named a “Best Region”, pointing to the Free State in the south of Germany as a top 10 travel destination. There’s a lot happening in Bavaria in 2016!
• Bavaria will mark the 500 year anniversary of the Purity Law, which has been so crucial to the growth of German beer and its popularity around the world. The Purity Law says that beer can only contain four ingredients, water, malt, hops and yeast.
• In 2016, Bavaria will also focus on its aristocratic past. It is on my travel list to visit the fairytale castle Neuschwanstein, but there are also many more beautiful properties and historical sites to see.
• In an effort to pique the interest of younger travelers, the concept of The Young Danube has been developed. From the natural beauty of the Danube to the history that can be found along the way, this concept has travelers go against the current to do things like experience a Baroque wine city in Passau to experiencing relaxing romance in Deggendorf.
• Nuremburg is a fascinating city. Though its history is connected to the Nazis, and that history is remembered always in the Documentation Centre Party Rally Grounds, the city is also full of positive and cultural things, like a world-renowned Christmas Market, excellent cuisine, and art. It was the home of Albrecht Durer and houses one of the most important imperial palaces dating back to the Middle Ages. Prior to this event, Nuremburg was always a place I only associated with negativity, but now I am truly interested in visiting a place that sounds so beautiful and interesting.

I love learning about new places, and since I only spent a very short time in Bavaria years ago, truly did learn a lot at this lunch. It reminded me of the beauty of Germany, along with the great food and people, and it made me want to plan a return visit soon!