Kathrin Metzner

With sleek new hotels, tech spaces, and high-concept museums, Munich has become the European Silicon Valley. The low skyline of Munich is dominated by the 323-foot-high, copper-topped spires of the old Frauenkirche cathedral, which by tradition are meant to remain the tallest structures in the city. Looking up from the street, however, one quickly notices construction cranes dotting the landscape; they are everywhere. Munich is a medieval city, officially founded on June 14, 1158, but the city is redefining itself rapidly, offering a vastly different experience for returning visitors.