Getting online in Munich: My Kingdom for Some WiFi

Getting online in Munich: My Kingdom for Some WiFi

By  Sunday, 11.1.2015, 09:00    Cafes and Bars

Of all the things I have seen and experienced in the first few days in Munich, the thing that has surprised me most is the availability of Internet access for visitors.

Or lack of it. 

Moving from an island in Croatia, where good Internet access if freely available almost everywhere, trying to get online in Germany, which is much more developed in terms of IT, has so far proved extremely difficult. 

In Croatia these days, it is quite rare to find a cafe which does NOT offer free online access, and indeed most of them provide the password automatically on the bill. But in Germany?

The first signs that the approach to WiFi might be a little different came in Austria in December, where we stayed a couple of nights in St. Johann im Pongau. Both nights we ate in different restaurants which were attached to hotels. In both, I asked for the password, only to be told that access was only available to hotel guests and not restaurant guests. On the second occasion, I was a little more insistent, as my wife had something to finish for work, and I was directed to the hotel to plead my case, which resulted in being granted one hour only. And access was duly cut off when the 60 minutes were up. 

And so too, it seems, in Munich. I have lost count of the number of cafes and restaurants which simply do not offer Internet, and it is not possible for visitors to get online. For locals, with their monthly packages, this of course is no problem, but it is interesting to see posts on Munich forums asking for tips on cafes in the city which do offer WiFi, so it would seem to be not just me. 

There do appear to be a few places where you can go online for free in more public places to check email, with one provider offering 30 minutes a day for free, and it seems that the local authorities are doing more to make Internet access more available, with the launch of ten more hotspots in the city last week. Current official hotspots can be found at Marienplatz, Sendlinger Tor, Odeonsplatz, Karlsplatz Stachus, Marienhof, Orleansplatz, Lehel, Harras, Münchner Freiheit, Wettersteinplatz, Giesing, Rotkreuzplatz, Neuperlach Zentrum and Deutsches Museum.

But for a quiet and friendly blogging paradise somewhere close to the centre, I have yet to find. Any suggestions? Would love to hear them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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Paul Bradbury

After 12 years living on the most gorgeous island in the world, Hvar in Dalmatia, I have begun to wonder if there is still life beyond its shores. Prior to discovering Paradise in 2002, I was a world traveller, living and working in Japan, Georgia, Somalia, Rwanda, Russia... and Munich.

After 95 countries and some 25 years have passed, the memories of my year in the hotel industry in the Bavarian capital (fired by the Sheraton for losing our pet snake, the first male chambermaid at Hotel Arabella, and a truly eye-watering introduction to five-star living in  my days as a bellboy in luxury Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten) are strong, and the call of Munich has been a constant theme over the last quarter century. 

And so here I am, answering the call some 25 years later. Twelve years of island living have changed me for sure, but also left me curious about life in a big city, and whether or not I could adapt to it after such an insular decade. 

I was surprised to see that for such a magnificent multi-cultural city, English-language blogs and regularly updated information are not that available. Static tourism information, such as that provided by the excellent tourist board website yes, but accounts of daily life delivered daily? Hard to find.

And so I have decided to take a break from my idyllic island and see if I could live in a city again. And what better way to try than to discover modern Munich in all its facets after so many years. It is a journey of discovery which I am relishing, and I hope the site proves to be of interest for Munich residents and its numerous visitors.

About Paul Bradbury

Author of Lebanese Nuns Don't Ski, Lavender, Dormice and a Donkey Named Mercedes and Hvar's first comprehensive guidebook, Hvar: An Insider's Guide to Croatia's Premier Island, as well as co-author of Split: An Insider's Guide with Mila Hvilshoj, I have lived in Dalmatia full time since 2003. In addition to running Total Munich, I also run Total Split (www.croatia-split.com), Total Hvar (www.total-hvar.com) and Total Inland Dalmatia (www.total-inland-dalmatia.com), as well as being an accredited Google News journalist for Digital Journal in Canada.

I also have various blogging clients, including the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board, European Coastal Airlines, Touristar TV and Andro Tomic Wines, and print clients include Qatar Airways inflight magazine, Out! magazine from New York, and Croatian Hotspots. 

In December 2014 I was delighted to receive the Marko Polo 2014 Award from FIJET Croatia (Federation of International Travel Writers and Journalists)  at a ceremony for the Croatian Journalists Society for the best international tourism promotion of Croatia. More here.

Ongoing writing projects:

A History of Hajduk Split, co-author with Frane Grgurevic - in 2015

Around the World in 80 Disasters - out in 2015

Total Hvar in the Media:

Interview of the Month, Croatian Embassy in Washington (May 2013)

Special Feature in Globus Magazine (May 2013)

Featured on Croatian TV show, More (2012) - watch the report here

Interviews in Slobodna Dalmacija, Dalmacijanews, Radio Split

I am available for writing services. Please contact me on [email protected] or visit my main writing website, www.bossandblogger.com 

Website: total-hvar.com Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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