One of the best parts about living in Madrid is that is centrally located smack dab in the middle of the world. Spain essentially serves as a bridge between the East and the West, and the North and the South. This makes it extremely easy, and convenient to explore other parts of the world. The first stop on my exploration list—Munich, Germany, and all the beer they had to offer!
Oktoberfest began over 200 years ago in 1810. Originally it was intended to be a celebration of the marriage between Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, but the newlyweds had so much fun, and they just loved to drink so much that they made it an annual event celebrated every fall. Despite what the name suggests, Oktoberfest actually starts in mid-September and ends on the first Sunday of October after 16 days of partying. If you’re thinking about hitting up Oktoberfest next fall (which I highly recommend) here are few helpful tips.
#1. Plan ahead. If you know that Oktoberfest is something that you will want to go to while abroad book it in advance, as far in advance as possible. Over 6.3 million people come to Munich for the festival and that means that hotels, hostels, and even campsites will fill up fast, and they won’t be cheap.
#2. Dress the part. Many people dress up and wear traditional Bavarian clothing to Oktoberfest. For girls that means Dirndls and for guys, Lederhosen. If you can see yourself rockin’ a Dirndl, I’d suggest buying one beforehand because in Germany they can cost upwards of 100 euro. Unfortunately, I’m on an abroad budget and had to sit this one out.
#3. Get there early. Beer tents open at 9 AM, but to be sure that you’ll get a seat you’ll want to get there by 7:30 the latest. A little beer breakfast never hurt anyone right??? This may seem ridiculous, but remember, millions of people come to Oktoberfest so it will be more crowded than a townhouse on a Friday night.
#4. Pick your tent. There are 11 different beer tents at Oktoberfest. The tents can seat anywhere from 4,000 to 11,000 people, and each tent varies in atmosphere. Each tent has its own theme, and some play different styles of music or serve different types of food. I found myself in the Hofbräu-Festzelt, which is very popular among Americans.
#5. Carb up. Today is not the day to be worrying about your carb intake. The beers are BIG, and a lot stronger than anything we’re used to in the US. While you may see the Germans knocking them back in record time, it’s probably best to opt out of the chugging contests, and eat a pretzel or three so you don’t end up like this guy.
#6. Make some friends and learn some German. All the Germans I met were super friendly and helpful. They taught me all the phrases I needed to know to get through the weekend. “Beer please” is “Maß bitte”, “thank you” is “danke”, and “cheers,” something you will find yourself saying a lot, is “prost!”