Go To Oktoberfest

The adventure

Every autumn a field on the edge of central Munich, the Theresienwiese, becomes a city of enormous beer halls, fairground rides and roasting chicken. On the opening Saturday at noon, the mayor taps the first barrel, shouts "O'zapft is!" ("It's tapped!") and the festival begins for more than two weeks.

Inside the big tents, thousands sit shoulder to shoulder at long wooden tables. Waitresses carry ten or more one-litre Maß steins at a time, the band strikes up "Ein Prosit" every few minutes, and the whole hall rises to toast together. There are pretzels the size of your head, half chickens and roast pork. Outside, the lights of the Ferris wheel and rollercoasters glow over a crowd in lederhosen and dirndls, and by evening the singing on the benches rarely stops.

Why it’s epic

Running since 1810, when Munich celebrated the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese.
Around six million visitors a year, making it the world's largest folk festival.
Only beer from Munich's six big breweries is served, including Augustiner, Paulaner and Hofbräu.
The opening-day parade of brewery horse carriages and the costume parade on the first Sunday.

What it is

Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival.

How to do it

Entry is free; reserve tents early or arrive in the morning.

Top tip

Wear traditional dress if you want to fit in.

Need to know

Entry is free, but table reservations in the big tents open months ahead and often sell out.
Without a reservation, arrive on a weekday morning for the best chance of a seat.
Munich hotels can triple in price, so book early or stay outside the city on the S-Bahn.

Plan this trip

Rough cost: £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
Time needed: 2 to 3 days
Best time to go: Late September to early October
Fly into: MUC airport

Beer and food aren't cheap, but the real cost is Munich accommodation during festival weeks.

Make it happen

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Why it’s on my list

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair). Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture

More than six million people from around the world attend the event every year, having grown in popularity since it started in the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modelled after the original Munich event.

Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, side stalls, and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods available.