Andechs Monastery and Beer Hall
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| Huge pretzels make a filling snack and go great with beer. |
By Rick Steves
Where can you find a fine Baroque church, in a rural Bavarian setting, at a monastery that serves hearty food and perhaps the best beer in Germany? At the Andechs Monastery, which crouches quietly with a big smile between two lakes just south of Munich.
Come ready to eat tender chunks of pork, huge pretzels, spiraled white radishes, savory sauerkraut, and Andecher monk-made beer that would almost make celibacy tolerable.
Everything is served in medieval portions; two people can split a meal. The great picnic center offers first-class views and second-class prices.
Don't miss a stroll up to the church (final resting place of Carmina Burana composer Carl Orff), where you can sit peacefully and ponder the striking contrasts a trip through Germany offers.
For up-to-date specifics, see the latest edition of the Rick Steves' Germany guidebook. We also offer free-spirited Germany tours.