Oktoberfest in Munich – the beer fuelled ‘right of passage’ for any traveller through Europe. We decided to join the hordes that descend on Munich for late September / early October to celebrate this important part of Bavarian culture. We donned our dirndls and lederhosen and had a blast. I highly recommend booking your accommodation well in advance. Hostels and hotels fill up pretty fast and if you want any chance of getting a ‘reasonably’ priced place then book 6 months in advance. Public transport is fabulous in Munich so don’t be afraid of booking a place a bit out of the central city (that’s what we did). Most hostels come with free breakfast and are well set up and organised for the Oktoberfest period. Oktoberfest is not just about drinking beer in the tents, there is also a huge fairground to explore. We spent an afternoon playing a few games and going on a few rides (not the best idea after a few steins!). I recommend having at least a walk around the grounds to round out the experience.

On day one we decided to queue early in the morning to get a table at one of the more popular beer tents, Lowenbrau. This is a popular tent for kiwis and you need to brave the massive queue in the morning to get a table. Once we were set up the party really began. The servers carrying about 20 steins of beer at a time are beyond impressive. Be sure to tip your server to ensure good service! Other servers head around with snack food such as pretzels and I highy recommend eating some food. We had a fabulous time in Lowenbrau, especially when the Oompa band paraded in to play on the stage.

On day two we decided to try a different tent, one more popular with the German locals. So we headed to Hacker Festvelt Tent which quickly became our favourite. You don’t have to get up early to queue and if you head in around mid-morning you should be able to get a table. The vibe here was fantastic and we tried all sorts of delicious German food, e.g. pork knuckle, and met all sorts of friendly locals. The entry of the Oompa band was again a festive experience and we joined everyone in dancing on the benches.

Munich itself is such a wonderful city and we took the opportunity to see a bit of it. Our favourite spot to explore was Olympiapark, the huge Olympic stadium and grounds built for the 1972 Olympics. It is a mesmerising place to visit, we thought the architecture was incredibly modern for its time. Munich also has a wonderful ‘old town’ and a walk around Marienplatz and nearby Frauenplatz is a must.

Overall we had a really fun time at Oktoberfest in Munich, however, to be frank, its not something I would repeat in a hurry. It’s a huge weekend of drinking that leaves you shattered afterwards. Cost wise it is also very expensive, from accommodation to drinks and tipping, its a big drain on the bank account. But hey, its something you need to do once in your life!

Here is a breakdown of our costs for 2 people for 3 days:

Accommodation – E344 (NZ$576)
Food/Drink – E286 (NZ$479)
Transport – E30 (NZ$50)
Activities – E40 (NZ$67)
Total spent – E700 (NZ$1,172)