Rick Steves' All-Time Favorite Beer Garden Is Hidden Away In A Breathtaking Bavarian Monastery

The more you travel, the more your palate develops as you're exposed to different places' ways of preparing meals and preserving traditions. You start to compare and contrast how destinations measure up for culinary specialties. For example, even most Europeans would agree that Americans do breakfast the best, but for pastries, coffee, and beer, those best-of rankings typically fall to other countries. While travel expert Rick Steves recommends Bruges, Belgium, as the mecca for beer enthusiasts, his favorite beer garden of all time is in the southeastern region of Germany, Bavaria, and the birthplace of Oktoberfest. It's located within an active religious site, the Andechs Monastery, which was founded in 1455.

The Andechs beer garden is special both for its fine brews and its stunning setting. On his website, Steves wrote that the monastery's "Baroque interior — and its beer hall — both stirs the soul and stokes the appetite. The hearty meals come in medieval proportions." To some travelers, it might come as a surprise that a religious community's reputation comes from serving beer, but monasteries and beer have historically been a happy pair. Monks began brewing the beverage in northern Europe during the Middle Ages to both sell to travelers and provide nourishment during fasting periods.

Over time, these breweries could experiment with different processes and try out new ingredients, like adding hops. The brewery at the Andechs Monastery was part of its establishment, having been founded by Benedictines who likely already had knowledge of how to make beer. The monastery still uses medieval brewing techniques, like the multiple mashing process, which creates a unique malt aroma.

Fittingly, the Andechs Monastery sits just under an hour's drive from Munich, the city where beer is so ingrained that you don't even need to leave the airport to experience an authentic beer garden. You can drive here from the Munich International Airport or travel by train for about an hour and 15 minutes from the Munich Central Station.

The monastery has a gorgeous setting between Lake Ammersee and the foothills of the Alps. A bus takes you up the hill to the site, or you can make a short hike to get there along a portion of the pilgrimage route. You'll see the high, onion-domed tower of the Pilgrimage Church in the monastic complex. Definitely set aside some time to see inside the church — its beautiful rococo interior includes a sprawling altar and details extending all the way up the vaulted ceiling, and it's free.

Then, walk to the Bräustüberl to have some beer and food. Its seating areas include a mix of indoor beer halls and outdoor beer gardens, with both a self-service kiosk and table service available. The food menu features various Bavarian sausages, cheese plates, and pretzels. When ordering your drink, you'll see many of the beers labeled as either "hell" or "dunkel," which translates to light and dark, respectively. It's commonly recommended to drink darker beers in the winter and lighter beers in warmer months.