My husband and I spent 3 days in Münich for Oktoberfest 2019. This itinerary is based on that experience. Want more visual inspiration? Check out the video of the trip! Looking for somewhere to go after the festivities? Check out the rest of our 8 day trip to Füssen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Innsbruck.
Transportation and Accommodation: To get to the city center from Münich International Airport, take the train; buy tickets at the station or use the app (40 minutes). We stayed near a family friend, so our hotel was the Ritterhof, in Grünwald. As we were a group of ten, we took a taxi from Münich to Grünwald each time, but in general, you should be able to utilize public transportation easily.
General notes: For the most extensive and up-to-date information, check out the Oktoberfest site. It is free to enter into the fairgrounds, which includes 17 large tents, 21 small tents (think ‘fair’ food), beer gardens and carnival rides. For 75% of the large tent seats/tables, you need a reservation (make them online, about a year in advance, for a specific tent). The reservation is for a specific day and timeframe, and the cost is the amount equaling 2 liters of beer + 1 wiesnhendl (half chicken) per person. The main exception is the Hofbräu-Festzelt; this is the largest tent and the only tent that has standing areas. If you were unable to get a reservation, you can try your luck here. Each tent will serve one of six beers, have lots of food/snack options and even wine.
Day 1: Oktoberfest Round One
By the time we checked into the hotel, it was early afternoon. We were then able to spend time catching up with family and getting ready for our Oktoberfest experience; for some of us that meant dirndls and lederhosen.
Getting to the grounds early gave us the opportunity to explore; there is so much to look at! With all of the tents and carnival rides, it is quite an experience. Eventually, it was time to sit down at our table in the Armbrustschützen. This tent is famous for being the location of the German Crossbow Championships, and it shows with the abundant decor of taxidermy. Beer: Paulaner’s Oktoberfest. As the night went on, the louder the music played, and the more people were singing and dancing on table tops. All I can say is it was an amazing experience to be a part of.
Day 2: Oktoberfest Round Two
After a late night, the breakfast at the hotel was appreciated. After lots of coffee and water, it was time to head back to the festival, as we had an early afternoon table reservation. Everyone decided to dress more casual, and we headed to the Marstall Festzelt. It was a completely different atmosphere (each tent has its own ambience). This tent’s main decor is a music carousel with rotating horses. Beer: Spaten Münchner Hell. We shared lots of laughs over some beer and a charcuterie board.
After our reservation ended, a few of us went to check out the Hofbräu-Festzelt; as it is known to be the most international tent, and party tent. The beer served here is of course the Hofbräu. After exploring the grounds some more, we decided to get a table in the beer garden of the Fischer-Vroni. This is a potent smelling area, as they are known for their ‘fish on a stick’. We drank our fill of Augustiner Wiesn beer; from Munich's oldest brewery, and originally made by monks! We also had dinner, which was an incredible käsespätzle. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel. Even after being there all day, I tried to soak up all the sights and sounds; this is definitely an experience I hope to do again.
Day 3: Münich
After two days of Oktoberfest, we needed a calm day. After sleeping in and breakfast at the hotel, we headed out for some sightseeing in Münich. We landed in the middle of town, near the Marienplatz; a big square including two town halls, a toy museum and St. Peter's church; Munich's oldest church, which has a tower you can climb (3€). In the tower of Neues Rathaus, there is the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, which chimes everyday at 11:00, 12:00 and 17:00. Just outside the Marienplatz, you will find the Viktualienmarkt; 140 stalls and shops, as well as a biergarten in the centre. There is also the Asam Church; a small 1700s church known for its lavish, baroque interior. Finally, you will see the Frauenkirche; a Gothic church known for its Devil's footprint.
Heading North, we passed by the Theatinerkirche; a 17th-century Catholic church, and the Munich Residenz; the original castle was built on its location in 1385. We then took a stroll through the Englischer Garten; one of the world’s largest urban parks, bigger than New York’s Central Park. Make sure to keep an eye on the rivers, as you will find people surfing, especially at the Eisbachwelle. Heading back into town, we had lunch at Augustiner am Platzl, as Augustiner was everyone's favorite beer from the days prior. Also worth mentioning, for those wanting to have an Oktoberfest experience any time of the year, there is the Hofbräuhaus München in the area as well.
After relaxing at the hotel, we had dinner at Harlachinger Jagdschlössl, a lovely restaurant with good German Fare; do yourself a favor, and get the kaiserschmarrn for dessert. There was also a huge beer garden outside as well. We ended up walking back to our hotel through a beautiful wooded area by the river (technically part of Grünwalder Forest) where there were lots of hiking trails. If you are looking to get away from the city, I would recommend Grünwald as you could easily dedicate an entire day here with all of the beer gardens and hiking trails.
Bavarian Foods to Try: Weisswurst, schnitzel, spätzle, breze (large soft pretzels), knödel, knieküchle, steckerlfisch, sauerkraut, apfelstrudel and kaiserschmarrn.
Something to Note: Germany is known for dealing with cash almost exclusively. A lot of restaurants and grocery stores will have a card machine but make sure you have cash on hand.
Things I would change:
I think our outing in Münich city center could have been more organized; we just wandered around and as a result, we did not get to see the Viktualienmarkt or the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. To be fair, sightseeing with a large group of people is not the most efficient way to see everything.
General Travel Tips:
Figure out an idea of sites you want to see; this will determine a centralized area for where you should stay.
Utilize Google reviews when looking for something to eat. General rule, stay away from streets with lots of neon signs.
Mark everything on your google maps. Google is also (in my opinion) the best pedestrian and bike navigation app.
Other: Planning for a trip, especially overseas, can be stressful and overwhelming. Hopefully this gave you an idea of what your next trip to Münich during Oktoberfest could look like. If you are looking for something to do before or after the festival, check out my blogs on Füssen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Berlin. I try to do as many quick links as possible, to send you directly to the website so you can get the most accurate and up-to-date information possible (fees and timetables).
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Safe and Happy Wandering.
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