Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world, stemming from the 19th century marriage of Prince Ludwig, when he and his new wife invited all of Munich to share their celebrations. Now, the Theresienwiese area of the city is all but filled up with up to 250 000 revellers at any one time, all intent on having as much fun as possible. There are around 14 main beer tents and a few smaller ones with food specialities - Fischer Vroni is a fish tent, and I recommend you don't wear any clothing you might want again during your stay if you go in. Each one has a different reputation. Hippodrom is for the fashionistas, and is crammed to the rafters (these ...  Read the complete review

Hesitant at first about joining in the madness, I am glad I did so. Here is my account, or rather, an "Ausländer's" guide to the Munich Oktoberfest, a festival that hosted 6.3 million visitors in two weeks. As much as like beer, the draw card for me was visiting the city of Munich. Currently I am living in Berlin and sadly I haven't managed to see much of Germany outside the "Poor but Sexy" Capital. Munich is, in a nutshell, the richer, better looking, but more conservative older sister of Berlin. It's lush with public parks, has an endless amount of architecturally snazzy glass buildings, and the public have a strange penchant for ...  Read the complete review

I'd always quite fancied a trip to Munich during September to experience the event known around the world as Oktoberfest. I'd pretty much ruled it out for this year what with moving house and was aiming to go next year till my Dad suggested I go with them this year. So on the 15th September we set off for Munich to visit the most famous and probably biggest beer festival in the world. From the moment you get on the plane you know it's going to be busy as the plane from Stanstead was packed full of groups of Australians, Americans and English all heading over for the weekend. So how did Oktoberfest start? Well it originated back in 1810 as a celebration of the ...  Read the complete review

One, two, three, drink! Every year it’s the same procedure: I don’t plan to go to the Oktoberfest, and come up with all sorts of excuses and reasons for not heading down to Munich – the train journey, the cost, the fact that it is almost impossible to get a seat inside a tent after 11am. And then I get a phone call from a couple of mates in England who tell me that they are booking a cheap flight to Frankfurt, and that I really ought to get cracking and organise a trip to the Oktoberfest. Yes, I really am that weak-willed! Despite all my protestations, I have been to the world’s biggest beer festival for the last three years, and I have to say ...  Read the complete review

Munich is, of course, renowned for its beer and in particular the Oktoberfest, an event that happens every year during the month of September (bizarrely – I always expected it to be in October, can’t think why). Unfortunately the Oktoberfest is nowadays a very touristy affair but if you are planning on visiting Munich, it is something should be experienced at least once in your life. Fairground rides, large beer tents, wenches carrying loads of huge litre glasses of bier (or Masses as they are called), lots of German food, traditional German bands playing umpah music – it’s certainly worth a look. Both the Paulaner and Löwenbräu ...  Read the complete review