Live Your Best Lives
Besides Christmas, the most popular event in Germany during the second half of the year is Oktoberfest. Every year at the end of September, the air in Germany is filled with the whiff of beer. Germans are renowned for their love of beer, with over 1,350 breweries producing over 5,000 varieties of beer, and beer gardens lining the streets. This beer-loving carnival not only attracts Bavarian residents but also attracts six million tourists annually to experience the frenetic atmosphere of "booze and meat." Here, you'll witness the renowned Germans raising their beer mugs, shouting "Prost!", chugging their beers, and dancing gracefully in their national costumes.
Also known as the October Beer Festival, it takes place from the first Saturday after September 15th to the first Sunday in October each year. This year's festival will be held from September 22nd to October 7th, right between the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. Why not come and experience this joyful event?
Address: Theresienwiese
During the festival, there will be a lot of people, so it is recommended to take public transportation.
Traffic route reference
From Central Station → Walk to
Take subway line 3 and get off at Goetheplatz station
Subway Line 4 and Line 5 → Get off at Theresienwiese Station
Take Line 6 and get off at Poccistrasse
During the Oktoberfest, the venue is open from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, leaving plenty of time for a revelry. A tent is a perfect match for an open-air beer festival! Tents come in both large and small sizes, and reservations are available on the official website: http://www.oktoberfest.de. A limited number of tents are also available on site, on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to arrive early to line up. Of course, you can also choose a hotel in the surrounding towns. Munich has excellent public transportation, so you don't have to worry about sleeping rough.
September 22nd, Saturday
10:45 Beer Festival begins
At 12:00 PM, the mayor declares the festival open with a 12-gun salute. He then hammers into the metal tap. Failure to do so will result in laughter from the crowd! The festival officially begins with the first beer poured into a specially crafted large beer mug and emptied in one gulp. This ritual is known as the "drinking of the first beer."
September 23, Sunday
10:00 Traditional Costume Parade
There will be two float parades during the event. Beer suppliers and performers from all over Germany will wear traditional Bavarian costumes and ride in horse-drawn carriages, passing through the 7-kilometer-long city center of Munich to Therese Square.
September 27th, Thursday
10:00 Beer tent baptism
9:30 Sunday
At 11:00 a.m., hundreds of musicians will perform a grand open-air concert for visitors. To welcome foreign visitors to Munich, a massive beer tent, called a "Bierzelten" in German, is erected before the opening ceremony. These large and luxurious tents typically accommodate three to four thousand people, with a temporary stage at one end where folk artists perform and sing. What a joyful occasion!
Sunday, October 7th
12:00 Fireworks: Traditionally, this takes place at 12:00 on the last day of the Oktoberfest.
If Oktoberfest isn't enough, you can continue enjoying the rides at Therese Square. This year, the square has added six new rides, so whether you're traveling with friends or family, you can enjoy a child-like experience here.
It's easy to get a Bavarian folk costume for Oktoberfest, but it's not cheap. A three-piece vest and dress for women typically costs €100, and men's lederhosen are around the same price.
When it comes to culinary cities, Munich might be left out of most people's minds. However, this city, known for its pork knuckles and sausages, still has some must-try delicacies. When it comes to portion sizes, Germans rival those in Northeast China, and you'll definitely leave with a wall to lean on.
Munich pork knuckle
In Germany, eating meat with big mouthfuls is a serious matter! A large, crispy pork knuckle, paired with potato balls and a refreshing sauerkraut, is a true carnivore's delight! Pair it with Munich's own beer. Germans are known for their generous appetites, and even women often only need one portion for two!
White sausage
When you come to Munich, you must find an open-air beer garden and eat Bavarian white sausages before 12 noon.
The famous Bavarian white sausage is a natural addition to any Oktoberfest. This sausage gets its name from its white appearance. Legend has it that the white sausage was created by accident. In the 19th century, a restaurant owner was preparing to fry sausages but ran out of casings, so he resorted to using pig intestines. To prevent the sausages from bursting during frying, he resorted to boiling them. This forced innovation soon became a global phenomenon. The casings aren't eaten; they're usually cut open and eaten with mustard.
Twist-knot bread
A childhood friend of white sausage, you're bound to see brezel in tents selling white sausage. This alkaline bread, known locally as "Brezel," is ubiquitous in Germany and considered the national bread. There's a saying about Germans: potatoes are the body, beer is the spirit, and hearty bread represents the German soul. Unlike the soft, fluffy bread we typically enjoy, German bread's basic ingredients are yeast, flour, salt, and water. This figure-eight-shaped brezel comes in both sweet and savory flavors. The sweet version is often eaten on special days, while the salty version, sprinkled with salt and pepper, is the bread you'll find in bakeries every day.
Munich residents love to eat their twist bread with butter, so don't miss this local way of enjoying it. This alkaline bread neutralizes the acidity of beer, making it a hangover-killer. These twist breads, bigger than your face, are only available during Oktoberfest and in beer gardens during the summer.
Heart-shaped gingerbread
At the Oktoberfest, you can see many people wearing heart-shaped gingerbread on their chests. The decorations on the hearts are varied, with all kinds of "earthy love words" written on them - straightforward ones like "Ichliebedich" (I love you), and more literary ones like "Ichhabemein Herzandichverloren (My heart is lost to you). Who says Germans are not romantic? They have a lot of love words to say.
beer
At the beer festival, the protagonist is of course our beer!
Beer, a source of German pride, is made from only water, barley, and hops, and the stringent quality standards have endured for 500 years. Oktoberfest has a designated beer type, Oktoberfestbier, produced by only six factories. Brewing begins in March and, after several months of fermentation, is ready for consumption in September, just in time for the festival.
Besides Oktoberfest, what other fun places are there in Munich?
Yes, that's where Jay Chou took his wedding photos. This dreamy castle, located in Füssen, served as the inspiration for the Disney castle. Ludwig II's love life was fraught with tragedy. He devoted his entire life to creating this secluded fairytale, yet the castle remained unfinished until his death. Standing on Marienbrücke and gazing at the panoramic view of Neuschwanstein Castle, you'll be captivated.
Fusen Town has a bit of the flavor of a Jiangnan town, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, with flocks of swans leisurely wandering in the lake.
Tips:
Neuschwanstein Castle Ticket Sales Time
From April to October 15th, it is 8:00-5:00; from October 16th to March, it is 9:00-3:00.
Castle opening hours
9:00-6:00 from April to October 15; 10:00-4:00 from October 16 to March; closed on January 1 and December 24, 25 and 31.
Ticket booking website
Tickets can be collected on-site at https://www.hohenschwangau.de/856.0.html with a printed PDF. Booking in advance is recommended to avoid long lines.
There are three ways to reach the summit:
1. Take a horse-drawn carriage. If you can tolerate the "aristocratic" taste and slightly higher cost, it is still an experience.
2. Taking the bus saves time and worry, but sometimes the queue is long and you need to wait.
3. Hike up the mountain, follow the signs and slowly approach Neuschwanstein Castle, enjoying the scenery along the way.
Munich's New Town Hall, located on Marienplatz, is a landmark building. This towering Gothic-style structure took 40 years to complete, starting in 1867. Its most striking feature is its 85-meter-tall clock tower, housing Germany's largest wooden puppet clock. Every time the clock rings, the puppets line up to perform a 10-minute musical performance, signaling the time. This is a must-see for anyone visiting Munich.
The Town Hall Tower is open to tourists, and you can climb to the top to have a panoramic view of Munich's cityscape.
Tips:
Tower opening hours
October - April: Monday to Friday 10:00-17:00, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays;
May-September: 10:00-19:00 daily.
transportation
To reach the hotel, take the S1/S2/S3/S4/S6/S7/S8/U3/U6 lines, Marienplatz station, or trams 2, 8, or 9 to Neues Rathaus.
A two-minute walk from Marienplatz, you'll see a green canopy and bustling crowds, signaling you've arrived at the Viktualienmarkt. Munich's Viktualienmarkt has a long history. In the early 19th century, Marienplatz, now Munich's central square, originally served as a farmers' market. Because it was too small, the king ordered its expansion, and the nearest area was designated as a farmers' market, thus establishing the Viktualienmarkt. Today, you can find flowers, vegetables, fruit, spices, coffee, tea—everything you could possibly want.
The best way to understand a city is to get to know its residents. Here, you can feel the Germans' respect for life. People shop for their necessities at the open-air market, and when it's time for a meal, the area becomes a gathering place for grand parties, filled with people drinking coffee, beer, and savoring delicious food.
When visiting Munich, don't miss another Munich specialty: BMW. The BMW Museum, located at the BMW Experience Center at BMW's global headquarters in Munich, is a core component of the BMW Brand Experience Center. The museum, shaped like a bowl, showcases the history of BMW through a variety of audiovisual materials. From bicycles to motorcycles to racing cars, as well as a series of concept cars, it's enough to make you fall in love with BMW.
Tips:
Opening hours
10:00-18:00, closed on Mondays.
Tickets
Adults: 9 euros, discounted price (children and youth under 18, students, young people in military service, elderly people with reduced mobility and disabled people): 6 euros, group of 5 or more (per person): 8 euros; family ticket (2 adults + 3 children under 18): 18 euros.
transportation
Take metro line 3 and get off at Olympiazentrum.
Germans are world-renowned for their passion for football. Walking through the streets and train stations of Munich at night, you'll often encounter crowds of fans cheering and celebrating their team's victories. If you're a Bayern Munich fan, the Allianz Arena is a must-see. From a distance, the stadium resembles a giant rubber boat, a white oval encased in numerous airbag-like structures. It hosts the Bundesliga, the European Championship, and international competitions. The museum within the stadium showcases the players and accolades from its founding in 1900 to the present day.
There is also a souvenir shop in the venue where real fans or fake fans can buy their favorite peripheral products.
If you are lucky enough to come across a match, you must not miss to experience a game live, listen to the cheers of thousands of fans, and feel the charm that football brings to the entire stadium and the city. It will definitely be an unforgettable experience for you!
Tips:
Opening hours
The venue is open during match days according to the match schedule. Non-match days are from April to October, from 10:00 to 17:00 daily, and from November to March, from 11:00 to 17:00 daily. The venue is closed when there are events taking place.
transportation
Take Metro Line 6 (U6) to Frötmanning Station and walk for about 10 minutes following the signs.
Tickets
Adult tickets are 10 euros and concession tickets are 9 euros. Tickets can be booked at the following website: http://www.allianz-arena.de
Munich is a vibrant city. During the day, Munich residents diligently work in the "German Spirit." At night, the city is filled with cheering fans, beer, and revelry, conveying their joyful spirit. The tranquil, dreamy Neuschwanstein Castle, the solemn and sacred Frauenkirche, and the bustling crowds of Marienplatz create a Munich that is both classical and modern. The ubiquitous markets and beer houses along the streets will surely evoke a sense of Munich's zest for life.
