I think I would really love my wedding to be the reason for celebrating beer! Feast a queen and a king by tasting as much beer as my liver can bear, eating while people are dancing until their feet go numb. OK, Challenge accepted. I'm getting married at the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany!
This gigantic festival celebrating beer is held in Munich every year commencing in September. One thing I have to warn you about though, Munich is so crowded during Oktoberfest that getting there and actually sitting at a table inside a beer hall can take longer than you expected. If you're going to go to Oktoberfest then you have to factor in that there will be huge crowds in Munich. I knew this before I went, so I got in line early on the opening day just to get ready for the Beerfest.
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.
I stayed in a hotel that was a short walk to the Theresienwiese, which is the name of the area for the Oktoberfest grounds. Munich has plenty of accommodation options, but like anywhere if you want the cheapest price then you should book early. Hotel prices start from around 150Euro per night for a 3 night stay. If you're looking at saving a bit of money on the accommodation then you can also look at hostels and campgrounds.
Like most European cities the public transport is incredible in Munich and you can easily get into and out of the Oktoberfest grounds. The U4 and U5 Metro Lines will take you right to the Oktoberfest grounds with a train arriving around every 10 minutes at the most.
When I first got there I was dazed and confused seeing so many Bavarian people ready to start to party. One wise solution for meeting new people to spend time with, particularly if you are by yourself, is just start up conversations with the people around you. The party people at Oktoberfest are very friendly and if you get the chance to meet locals you will have a more authentic trip and probably learn a thing or two about Munich or the Oktoberfest along the way.
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.
One last thing, if you want to go with a group of similar people you should hook up with one of the Oktoberfest tour groups. Use search engines for companies that specialize in that. They are offering a place to sleep, sometimes with breakfast includes, as well as transport to the festival ground. Some even fly or bus you there from London.
I highly recommend that everyone celebrates beer at least once in their life. Oktoberfest should definitely be on your to do list. I will be back next year for sure.
This gigantic festival celebrating beer is held in Munich every year commencing in September. One thing I have to warn you about though, Munich is so crowded during Oktoberfest that getting there and actually sitting at a table inside a beer hall can take longer than you expected. If you're going to go to Oktoberfest then you have to factor in that there will be huge crowds in Munich. I knew this before I went, so I got in line early on the opening day just to get ready for the Beerfest.
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.
I stayed in a hotel that was a short walk to the Theresienwiese, which is the name of the area for the Oktoberfest grounds. Munich has plenty of accommodation options, but like anywhere if you want the cheapest price then you should book early. Hotel prices start from around 150Euro per night for a 3 night stay. If you're looking at saving a bit of money on the accommodation then you can also look at hostels and campgrounds.
Like most European cities the public transport is incredible in Munich and you can easily get into and out of the Oktoberfest grounds. The U4 and U5 Metro Lines will take you right to the Oktoberfest grounds with a train arriving around every 10 minutes at the most.
When I first got there I was dazed and confused seeing so many Bavarian people ready to start to party. One wise solution for meeting new people to spend time with, particularly if you are by yourself, is just start up conversations with the people around you. The party people at Oktoberfest are very friendly and if you get the chance to meet locals you will have a more authentic trip and probably learn a thing or two about Munich or the Oktoberfest along the way.
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.
One last thing, if you want to go with a group of similar people you should hook up with one of the Oktoberfest tour groups. Use search engines for companies that specialize in that. They are offering a place to sleep, sometimes with breakfast includes, as well as transport to the festival ground. Some even fly or bus you there from London.
I highly recommend that everyone celebrates beer at least once in their life. Oktoberfest should definitely be on your to do list. I will be back next year for sure.
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.
