A spectacular showcase for gardening and landscape design, Buga 2005 – with its hundreds of thousands of plants and flowers, sub-tropical and indigenous – will transform the new Munich Fairgrounds into an oasis of colours, scents and textures from April through to October. Open-air concerts – from classical to reggae or hip hop, as well as musicals, theatre and film festivals – will make the Buga grounds a cultural hot spot as well.

Only about half an hour's drive southward, the beautiful lake district offers picturesque Bavaria at its best: clear waters, flower meadows, rolling hills and vast forests give way to a glimpse of the alps. An easily accessible favourite spot for lunch or dinner on the shore of Lake Starnberg is Zum Fischmeister, a very relaxed traditional inn with a beer-garden facing the lake and private beach.

Across the Austrian border to Tirol, the small town of Kitzbuhel, home of the world-famous Hahnenkamm ski race, captivates with its mixture of alpine and Italianate architecture and world-class shops and restaurants.

Enjoy food, drink and the breath-taking view of the mountains from the terrace of the Hotel Sonnenhof.

Start your stroll on Barerstrasse and you can take in both the Neue Pinakothek, with its collections of older European paintings and sculpture, and the newest of Munich's museums, the Pinakothek der Moderne, which now rivals the Haus der Kunst as the city's foremost showcase for modern art.

Or, for an impressive range of paintings by Munich and German masters, visit the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus just off Königsplatz.

The Fünf Höfe complex on Kardinal-Faulhaber Strasse offers a fantastic variety of stores for all sorts of luxury goods. Maximilianstrasse is lined with all the big names from Chanel to Versace, with Armani and Strenesse in adjacent Theatinerstrasse.

Fans of Helmut Lang's purist designs can find affordably priced pieces from last season's collection at his store in Promenadeplatz.

Talbot Runhof, the German design duo, is a short walk from the centre of town on Klenzestrasse.

Nearby Oscar (und) Paul carries classics for men and women by Céline or Dries van Noten. Hats as fabulous as futuristic can be found at Eisenblatter & Triska.

In Schwabing, traditional home of the artsy crowd, Off & Co offers chic fashion, as well as accessories and shoes. Eccentric and elegant creations by Munich-based designer Alexandra Bianchi can be found at her store Convinto.

Mark's Restaurant (+ 49 (89) 2909 8862) at Mandarin Oriental, Munich is rightly famed for its fine international cuisine.

Just across the street, Schuhbecks in den Tiroler Stuben (+49 (89) 2370 8977) serves Bavarian cuisine with a Mediterranean touch, while central Munich culinary ambition meets authentic Bavarian fare at Blauer Bock (+(49) 4522 2333).

Tantris (+(49) 361 9590) remains an all-time favourite in northern Schwabing. In a mansion in Luitpoldpark La Villa's (+(49) 308 8966) guests play detective to solve the crimes presented by actors during dinner.

Cool meets decadence in the dramatic cellar space at Nektar (+(49) 4591 1311) in Haidhausen: lightshows, between-course massages, and short sketches entertain diners, before the entire location becomes a hot dance floor.

Charles Schumann's new Bar am Hofgarten in Odeonsplatz, with its high ceilings, wood panelling and leather, is as popular as his original Schumann's on Maximilianstrasse.

Bar Harlander is conveniently central, as is the intimate and elegant Tabacco. A haven for connoisseurs of fine cocktails and lively talk, Barista is now a favourite hang out for lawyers and business people to wind down a day in style.