Being a tourist in a city such as Munich, one has a wealth of tours and excursions to experience the history and traditions of this fantastic city, but what if you want to go beyond the history lesson and the spectacular views, and actually get more of a feel for the city through the eyes of its people, something that is hardly possible on an organised group tour?
Enter Munich Greeter, a collection of friendly volunteers, who offer a free service to visitors to the city to take them beyond the tourist sites and into the soul of the city. Individual greeters can accommodate individual tourists, couples or groups of friends (maximum six), and meetings can be tailored to the interests of the visitor, simply by registering that interest on the Munich Greeter website. For best results, it is advisble to make contact at least four days prior to the day in which you would like to meet. Specific interest areas to choose from are people, culture, history, food, shopping and the rather intriguing 'anything goes'.
A great way to get much more from Munich when you visit than what you might find in a guidebook, the Greeter concept started in 1992 in New York and is now available in both English and German in Munich. Greeter core values are described as follows on their website:
1) Greeters are volunteers, a friendly face for those visiting a city/destination.
2) Greeters welcome individuals and may serve small groups of up to six people.
3) Meeting a Greeter is free of charge.
4) Greeter programs are open to all – non-discriminatory.
5) Greeter programs support sustainability.
6) Greeter programs create a mutually enriching opportunity for cultural exchange, create links between ordinary people in creating a better world.
For more information, or to contact or even become a greeter, visit the Munich Greeter website.
