Munich to celebrate 850th birthday

Many travellers from the UK will be heading to the German city of Munich this year to take part in its 850th birthday celebrations.

A broad spectrum of events will be included in the festivities, all of which will be themed under the topic of building bridges between different eras and sections of society.

The Town Foundation festival will get the celebrations underway on June 14th and 15th, with exhibitions and other activities taking place in Marienplatz, Stachus and Odeonsplatz.

Another highlight will be the reopening of the Cuvillies Theatre, which has been closed for renovation and will host a performance of the Mozart opera Idomeneo on June 14th to mark its rebirth.

On July 12th, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra will give a special show conducted by its musical director Christian Thielemann.

There will also be plenty of art exhibitions throughout the summer, at venues including the Stadtmuseum and the Kunstbau at the Lenbach House.

Flights to Munich are available from Gatwick Airport, Bristol Airport, Cardiff Airport and Birmingham Airport, among others.