If you want to see the creator of the world-famous Swimming Pool cocktail in action, head down to Schumann's Bar on Odeonsplatz.
Schumann’s is much more than just a bar: it’s an institution. Not least because you’ll meet the higher echelons of Munich society here, as well as those who are aiming to join them.
But don’t be shy! Everyone who comes here should taste something from the small but sophisticated menu, designed according to the tastes of Charles Schumann.
The barman, who is considered a role model in the industry, prefers classic cocktails with few ingredients. He opened his first bar in Munich in 1982, on Maximilianstrasse, and relocated to Odeonsplatz in 2003.
If there’s no space in the stylishly-fitted interior – the top floor is also worth a look – try one of the two terraces if the weather is good. You can watch the wildlife go by in the idyllic Hofgarten (Court Garden), or look out over Odeonplatz and drink in the southern European atmosphere.
Note, however: the doyen of the German bar scene no longer seems proud of his 1970s creation: the blue, coconut and pineapple-based, Swimming Pool cocktail. If you want him to think less of you, you need simply order a Swimming Pool, according to the famous barman in an interview with Die Welt to mark his 75th birthday in September 2016: “I only mixed it because someone liked the colours.”