Beer is something to be really enjoyed and celebrated. When I have a really good beer, then I cannot wait to down it and try the next one just as good. Everyone I know says that I love to party and get out and dance 'til my feet go numb. So where can I do all this? Beerfest! Which is more commonly known as the Oktoberfest in Munich.
If you want to attend this massive festival, then you have to prepare to face some sacrifices. Munich is so crowded during Oktoberfest that getting there and actually sitting at a table inside a beer tent can take longer than you have in mind. You must always remember the crowd factor in Munich during Oktoberfest, but I made sure I was in line fairly early and actually woke up at 7am on the opening day just to get ready for the beer festival, or "royal wedding" as I like to think about it!
So what should you wear at Oktoberfest? Well the traditional Oktoberfest costume is a Dirndl dress for the girls and the Lederhosen for the guys. Both outfits are very traditional in Bavaria and you definitely will not look out of place at Oktoberfest if you rent or buy one these traditional costumes. They are sold throughout central Munich and cost somewhere between 80 and 300 Euros. If you want to look the part then make sure you look into getting a Dirndl or Lederhosen.
The Theresienwiese is the area where the Beerfest occurs in Munich and it is very central to the main centre of Munich. Depending on your budget, Munich has plenty of accommodation options from camping, hostels, cheap hotels to 5 star places. Camping prices start from around 50Euro per night though, so you're going to have to factor in high prices for accommodation whilst the Oktoberfest is on.
There are cheaper options for accommodation a bit further out in the suburbs of Munich and the city has great public transport to get you into the Oktoberfest grounds. The Metro will take you right to the heart of the festival with a train arriving around every 10 minutes at the most. The two closest lines to the Oktoberfest grounds are the U4 and U5 lines.
One thing that I found straight away was that the people at Oktoberfest were really friendly and were always up for a chat. If you find yourself sitting with some locals you might find you could probably learn a thing or two about Munich or the Oktoberfest whilst you're there. I can highly recommend that if you are at Oktoberfest by yourself then just start up conversations with the people around you, everyone is there to have a great time and enjoy themselves.
I caught up with some local Bavarians in the Paulaner beer hall who mentioned that there favourite Oktoberfest food is a 1/2 metre long Bratwurst sausage in a large hot dog bun. It is basically a gigantic grilled pork sausage hot dog! Im not normally a big pork eater, but I found out that it is very popular in Germany. Now of course it would not be the Beerfest without beer would it? I found out very quickly that the Oktoberfest beer is much stronger than normal beer and that is just not the alcohol, because the glasses are HUGE! The beer comes in a gigantic 1 liter glass stein. This is also called a Mass in German. So if you want one beer, remember "Ein Mass". A Mass costs around 9euro, but a tip is pretty much mandatory, so a beer will cost you at least 10Euro. After a few drinks you will definitely be singing drinking songs, dancing on the tables and having so much fun. The atmosphere in a beer hall is fantastic with everyone dancing and singing all night long. I left the Oktoberfest when my beer hall, the Lowenbrau, closed at 10.30pm. The trip home in the Metro was hilarious with everyone still partying from the beer halls.
I heard that there is plenty of companies that organise tours to the Oktoberfest. They are offering a place to sleep, sometimes with breakfast included, as well as transport to the festival ground. Apparently some even offer transport options in and out of the UK
I can recommend everyone to go to the Oktoberfest, even if it is just once in your life. I will be back next year and I hope you have it on your bucket list of things to do.
If you want to attend this massive festival, then you have to prepare to face some sacrifices. Munich is so crowded during Oktoberfest that getting there and actually sitting at a table inside a beer tent can take longer than you have in mind. You must always remember the crowd factor in Munich during Oktoberfest, but I made sure I was in line fairly early and actually woke up at 7am on the opening day just to get ready for the beer festival, or "royal wedding" as I like to think about it!
So what should you wear at Oktoberfest? Well the traditional Oktoberfest costume is a Dirndl dress for the girls and the Lederhosen for the guys. Both outfits are very traditional in Bavaria and you definitely will not look out of place at Oktoberfest if you rent or buy one these traditional costumes. They are sold throughout central Munich and cost somewhere between 80 and 300 Euros. If you want to look the part then make sure you look into getting a Dirndl or Lederhosen.
The Theresienwiese is the area where the Beerfest occurs in Munich and it is very central to the main centre of Munich. Depending on your budget, Munich has plenty of accommodation options from camping, hostels, cheap hotels to 5 star places. Camping prices start from around 50Euro per night though, so you're going to have to factor in high prices for accommodation whilst the Oktoberfest is on.
There are cheaper options for accommodation a bit further out in the suburbs of Munich and the city has great public transport to get you into the Oktoberfest grounds. The Metro will take you right to the heart of the festival with a train arriving around every 10 minutes at the most. The two closest lines to the Oktoberfest grounds are the U4 and U5 lines.
One thing that I found straight away was that the people at Oktoberfest were really friendly and were always up for a chat. If you find yourself sitting with some locals you might find you could probably learn a thing or two about Munich or the Oktoberfest whilst you're there. I can highly recommend that if you are at Oktoberfest by yourself then just start up conversations with the people around you, everyone is there to have a great time and enjoy themselves.
I caught up with some local Bavarians in the Paulaner beer hall who mentioned that there favourite Oktoberfest food is a 1/2 metre long Bratwurst sausage in a large hot dog bun. It is basically a gigantic grilled pork sausage hot dog! Im not normally a big pork eater, but I found out that it is very popular in Germany. Now of course it would not be the Beerfest without beer would it? I found out very quickly that the Oktoberfest beer is much stronger than normal beer and that is just not the alcohol, because the glasses are HUGE! The beer comes in a gigantic 1 liter glass stein. This is also called a Mass in German. So if you want one beer, remember "Ein Mass". A Mass costs around 9euro, but a tip is pretty much mandatory, so a beer will cost you at least 10Euro. After a few drinks you will definitely be singing drinking songs, dancing on the tables and having so much fun. The atmosphere in a beer hall is fantastic with everyone dancing and singing all night long. I left the Oktoberfest when my beer hall, the Lowenbrau, closed at 10.30pm. The trip home in the Metro was hilarious with everyone still partying from the beer halls.
I heard that there is plenty of companies that organise tours to the Oktoberfest. They are offering a place to sleep, sometimes with breakfast included, as well as transport to the festival ground. Apparently some even offer transport options in and out of the UK
I can recommend everyone to go to the Oktoberfest, even if it is just once in your life. I will be back next year and I hope you have it on your bucket list of things to do.
About the Author:
For an extensive array of information and advice for the Oktoberfest in Munich, including travel options, travel tips, party spots and other activities you should contact the events and festival travel specialists, FOMO Travel.. Check here for free reprint license: The Oktoberfest In Munich Is Not All Just About The Beer.
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