One of Munich’s most surprising summertime attractions is the riversurfing on the Eisbach river that flows though the Englischer Garten. The river flows with great force from under a bridge near the Haus der Kunst, and the riverbed creates a metre-high artificial wave that attracts many daredevils on surfboards.

On a good day there will be queues of patient surfers awaiting their turn, while a crowd leans over the bridge waiting for them to fall off their boards. Surfing here can be dangerous; the water is very cold, and only 40cm deep and a couple of metres wide; surfers regularly get hurt. A safer option is just to tie a rope to any bridge in the park and surf hanging on to that.

Beginners better head to Munich’s other wave; upstream in Thalkirchen (near U-Bahn station Thalkirchen) the wave in a side arm of the Isar river near the Floßlände is much wider and easier.

Munich’s third surfing spot is in the Isar itself, near the Wittelsbacher bridge, but only when the water is high enough and when debris (bit of trees, etc.) have washed downstream.