Yes its rammed, yes its now quite commercialized, yes its a bit of a cliché and like a theme park. But it really is great fun as Munich comes alive with people from all round the world for this once a year event – which confusingly is in September!. The lederhosen, the bands, the giant beer tents, and general raucous atmosphere – its all just brilliant.
Just 6 high level tips:
Tip #1 Theme Park – it came as a bit of a surprise to me that Oktoberfest itself is held not in the city centre but in a large field called the Theresienwiese a relatively short walk away, and in giant tents more like buildings that what you’d imagine for a “tent”. Feels a bit more like theme park than what you’d imagine a traditional beer festival to be.
Tip #2 Book ahead – there are some tents that you can just rock up to get in to, but make sure to book at least one of the major tents, and ideally two.
Tip #3 Lederhosen is expensive – the proper stuff is upwards of €200, and don’t expect any easy deals in Munich when you arrive in September. But you can order online beforehand to save yourself a lot of money. Or get some of the fancy-dress style outfits, which are very clearly not the real thing, but do the job considering everyone will be lashed within an hour of getting to the venue.
Tip #4 Hofbrauhaus Beer Hall – whilst the main Oktoberfest is held in the Theresienwiese fairgrounds, the beer halls of Munich are still very much worth the visit with their oompah band, painted ceilings and generally raucous atmosphere. Don’t miss out.
Tip #5 Steins – these litre glasses are seriously tough heavy buggers designed for toasting and it is genuinely amazing to see the bar girls effortlessly carry 8 of them to the tables. But they do break, so don’t 10/10 crack them together.
Tip #5 Neuschwanstein Castle – if the hangover isn’t too bad, you must make the day trip to the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle that is nestled up in the Bavarian Alps. You can drive there yourself (1 hour 40mins), get the train (2.5 hours and a bit of a faff) or get a day tour that also includes nearby Hohenschwangau Castle, Linderhof Palace and quaint village of Oberammergau as part of a loop . . . but my main recommendation is to take the Panoramablick Tegelberg Cable Car and hike down. You still get to experience the castle as normal, but get the added advantages of the outrageous views from the top of the cable car for what is one of the prettiest parts of the Bavarian Alps, see the snow, a pretty cool hiking trail and the best views of the castle itself. Truly wow experience and see Summer hike to the Disney (Neuwanstein) Castle for tips.