We have visited many markets on our visits to Germany, but the Munich's Viktualienmarkt remains one of our favorites. It is certainly one of the most colorful, and it includes a beer garden in warm months and a glühwein stand in winter. The Viktualienmarkt is located very near the Marienplatz right in the heart of the pedestrian center of Munich.

The gigantic glasses at the beer halls always provide the students with great props for their pictures. On each visit to Munich in the past, we have tried to visit the Mathäser Bierstadt, the largest beer hall, and the Hofbräuhaus, the most famous. Unfortunately, the Mathäser's prime location on Bayerstrasse was more valuable for something else, and it will no longer be a stop.

Near Berchtesgaden lies one of the loveliest lakes in the German Alps, the Königssee, the King's Lake. The village of Königssee can be reached by bus from the Berchtesgaden station in about 15 minutes. Electric boats take tourists on trips around the lake. The water is crystal clear and the quiet serenity is worth the price of admission.

On this particular trip, we spent much of one day traveling around the Salzkammergut, the area that surrounds the city of Salzburg. We visited many of the small towns in the region, including Mondsee, which has to be one of the most colorful towns I have ever seen. Luckily for us, the day was cloudy and rainy and our bright colored ponchos fit the decor.

"Never Again" reads the inscription at the Dachau Memorial right outside Munich. The museum and exhibits at the former concentration camp do a good job of reminding today's young people about the horrors of our recent past. The trip from Munich can be made easily by S-Bahn and city bus, and all visitors to the city should try to include it in the itinerary.