When one thinks of Munich, Oktoberfest will naturally come to mind! But what are the top things to do and attractions in Munich really? Where exactly to stay in Munich?
Let’s find out!
Top Things to do and Attractions in Munich Germany!
1. Glockenspiel Clock Tower
Rathaus Glockenspiel @ Marienplatz Munich
The Rathaus Glockenspiel is one of the top 10 must visit clock towers in the world! Today, it attracts millions of visitors annually to see its shows and the uniqueness of what this clock tower has to offer!
2. Marienplatz
City Hall Clock Tower and the Mariensäule (Marian Column)
Besides the Glockenspiel, Marienplatz itself also attracts visitors alike. At this old square, visitors can enjoy a drink at the cafes, catch the show of Glockenspiel or simply just people watch. Meet your friends at Mariensaule if you’re lost!
3. Viktualienmarkt
Viktualienmarkt (Munich) and the Maypole
An old farmer’s market in the past, Viktualienmarkt has evolved into a large market that sells all types of groceries, meats and even souvenirs. Have a meal at the al fresco dining area while you’re there!
4. Hofbrauhaus Munchen
Hofbrauhaus am Platzl in MunichBest pork knuckle ever @ Hofbrauhaus Munchen
Missed Oktoberfest? No worries! Hofbrauhaus brewery has its own merry men that conjours that lively atmosphere at the Oktoberfest! What’s more, you get to savour the best pork knuckle ever here at Hofbrauhaus! Guten Appetit!
5. Englischer Garten
Entrance to the Englischer Garten Munich
Enjoy a leisurely stroll at the Englischer Garten! Check out the Japanese Tea House or the Chinese Tower in this garden while you’re here. You may also chance upon surfers here!
6. Side Trips to Oberammergau and Mittenwald – Bavarian!
Street with Alps in the background – Artistically taken by Kate!Alps (The Kofel : Oberammergau Matterhorn) and the ice cream shop
The awe-inspiring Bavarian Alps can be visited via Munich! Take a short trip to Oberammergau and Mittenwald where you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery as well as the large mural art! You can also choose to visit the Neuschwanstein castle that inspired the animation at the start of Disney’s production.
7. Oktoberfest!!!
Welcome to Oktoberfest at Theriesen Wiese, Munich!Throngs of people in the Oktoberfest beer tents – in the middle of the day!
How can a visit to Munich be complete without going to the Oktoberfest?! Oktoberfest, held at the Theresienwiese Oktoberfest area is not only the biggest beer festival in the world, it is also a huge gigantic fun fair, offering a great time for the entire family!
We stayed at the NH Dornach during our visit to the Oktoberfest. Do check out our posts about the hotels!
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Englischer Garten or the English Gardens in Munich is a large public garden, larger than that of Central Park in New York! Here, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll through the gardens, have a tea at the Japanese Tea House or just chill with your buddies at the Chinese Tower (aka Chinesischer Turm).
What to do at the Englischer Garten Munich
Entrance to the Englischer Garten Munich
Japanisches Teehaus or the Japanese Tea House is a place in the gardens where regular tea ceremonies take place. Not a very good shot though.
Japanisches Teehaus with red autumn leaves
One of the most amazing sights we saw at the English Gardens was this…
Surfers surfing at the Englischer Garten Munich!
These surfers are actually surfing in the river! Turns out that this is an artificial stream with waves produced by pumps. ONLY experienced and skilled surfers are allowed on this river. See how skillful these surfers are!
Kate and I stood there for quite a while and it started to drizzle…so we continued on to enjoy the rest of the gardens, heading in the general direction of the Chinesischer Turm…
Chinesischer Turm at the Englischer Garten Munich
The Chinesischer Turm or Chinese Tower is one of the main attractions at the English Gardens. The Tower itself was meant to replicate a Chinese Pagoda and it is also home to the beer garden, which holds 7000 seats – the 2nd largest in the whole of Munich!
Unfortunately, the rain started to pour and Kate and I did not have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere here. If you had enjoy a couple of drinks here, share your experience with us in the comments section below!
How to get to Englischer Garten Munich
Map to the Englischer Garten Munich
As the garden is really huge, the Universitat, Giselastrasse & Münchner Freiheit U-bahn stations are close to the gardens. For the Chinese Tower, alight at Giselastrasse for a closer access!
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Viktualienmarkt is a market located in the centre of Munich city. Since Kate loves pasar malam (night markets – think Singapore & Taiwan), the equivalent in Europe would be markets like the Viktualienmarkt and the Albert Cuypmarkt in Amsterdam.
Viktualienmarkt (Munich) and the Maypole
What to do at Viktualienmarkt Munich
The Viktualienmarkt was formerly known as a farmer’s market. However, as it grew and the reputation of the markets grew, more and more stalls took roots here. Today, it is home to more than 140 shops that includes restaurants, beer gardens and shops that sells flowers, souvenirs, fruits and vegetables, all sorts of meats and spices!
Restaurant at Viktualienmarkt where everyone hangs out on a sunny dayMeat shops at Viktualienmarkt MunichShop selling souvenirs and potpourri at Viktualienmarkt Munich
As we were browsing the potpourris at this shop, we chanced upon a very cute porcupine souvenir. So we reached out and touched it. Not a good decision…
“No no! Dont touch it!” came the shouts from the store owner. So be warned! We think that the owners did not want us to affect the display that they had so painstakingly put in place. Remember not to touch, unless you want to buy!
Soup of the day – Vegetable with beef 6.30Euro
We had our lunch at the Munchner Suppenkuche, basically a soup kitchen. The vegetable beef soup was quite hearty. The bread was the sour rye bread, an interesting complement with the soup. While we were having our soup, a TV production was on-going, so we watched on…
Film and production crew at Viktualienmarkt MunichThe actor and actress kept repeating this scene over and over again…
How to get to Viktualienmarkt Munich
Map of Munich City Centre
Map of Viktualienmarkt in Munich
If you’re coming from Marienplatz (after visiting Glockenspiel), head south, towards St. Peter’s church. Make a turn at the corner and you will arrive at Viktualienmarkt!
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Marienplatz Munich is the old town square of the city and is definitely one of the places that you must check out when you visit Munich!
View of Marienplatz and its attractions!
There many attractions in and around Marienplatz…
1. Rathaus Glockenspiel. You can catch the 11 am show of the clock tower (Rathaus Glockenspiel) or take a seat at one of the many cafes and enjoy a cuppa while the performance takes place. If you’re standing, be prepared to stand for a while because it is a 15 minutes performance!
City Hall Clock Tower and the Mariensäule (Marian Column)
2. Mariensaule (Marian Column). The Marian Column is a monument that signifies the end of Swedish Occupation. Built in 1638, it also has a statue of Virgin Mary at the top of it. Also makes a good meeting area in the middle of the square.
3. Frauenkirche & St. Peter’s Church. Completed in the 1500s, Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady) is one of the most prominent landmarks in Munich. The church has 2 iconic towers with a blue top. You can also visit the top of towers to have breath-taking views of the city of Munich. Another prominent landmark is the St. Peter’s Church.
Frauenkirche Munich and its 2 iconic towers
4. Shopping! In and around Marienplatz are tons of shopping options! Head towards Kaufingerstrasse and along Neuhauser Strasse towards Karlsplatz, you will find many shops and malls that line these streets!
How to get to Marienplatz Munich
Map of Marienplatz Town Square in Munich
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NH Dornach Munich was where we stayed at during the Oktoberfest period. Well, there were several reasons why we ended up at the NH Dornach…
1. Procrastination. We did not know if we were going to Europe in the very first place. To go or not to go. To go or not to go. This went on for about forever before we concluded that we should go to the Oktoberfest. By then, many of the hotels in the city have been fully booked!
2. Price. If you think that the $245SGD we paid for this room was expensive. It really was not. 4 star hotels in the city easily went for more than $300 during the Oktoberfest period. And they’re sold fast, so plan early if you’re heading there. (Find out about the Things to do and attractions at Oktoberfest right here.)
3. Accessibility. With its location near to the S-Bahn – Riem station, the NH Dornach was a mere 15 minutes ride to the city. This made NH Dornach a good choice for Oktoberfest revelers.
Exterior of NH Dornach Munich
Standard Room at NH Munchen Dornach
The room was clean and spacious. The bed was also comfortable, giving Oktoberfest revelers a good rest to recharge for the next day. The was also a bath tub in the bathroom…
Bathroom @ NH Munchen Dornach
Again, the bathroom was clean and since the hotel does not have a swimming pool, the bath tub offers the choice of relaxing in the water in the comforts of your room. The hotel does offer a gym for those who would like to keep fit as well. Especially for those who feels guilty after the festivals…
All in all, the stay at NH Munchen Dornach was a good one. Given our limited choices at that point in time, we’re quite glad that we’re able to get a room here.
Statue on the way from Riem station to NH Dornach
Remember also that there is a short cut to the station right opposite the entrance of the hotel. Following this path will save you about 5 minutes as compared to walking along the main road to the train station. Yup, along the way you will see the above statue and you know that you have arrived at the train station!
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Oktoberfest in Germany, Munich is touted as the biggest beer festival in the world! But this annual festival is not merely about beers, it is actually fun for the entire family as well! Spanning an area of about 40 hectares at Theriesen Wiese (next to the U-bahn), the Oktoberfest area has 14 major beer tents, 21 smaller ones, food stalls, games stalls and many thrill rides! So join us as we uncover Oktoberfest in Munich Germany!
Welcome to Oktoberfest at Theriesen Wiese, Munich!
Stowing your luggage / baggage at Munich Hauptbahnhof (train station)
If you have not made reservations and want to visit the beer tents, it is always wise to visit Oktoberfest early in the day 10am or so (the first person gets drunk at that time as well). The seats in the evening are usually reserved a year in advance and you’ll probably have no seats in the beer tents after 5pm. After checking out and leaving our luggage at the Munich Hauptbahnhof (main train station), we took a short walk to the Theriesen Wiese Festival Grounds about 500 metres away from the train station.
Squeezed 4 pieces of bags into this locker at Munich Hauptbahnhof for 5 Euros
There are MANY lockers at the train station, so it should not be a problem to stow your luggage there while you have a good time at Oktoberfest. The lockers cost 5 Euros. Just remember to bring everything you need (we left our day pass train tickets in the locker – eliminating our option of taking the U-Bahn from Theriesen Wiese station)! There’s also a concierge kind of baggage storage which is slightly more expensive but you will certainly be able to stow your stuff away before visiting the festival!
Things to do at Oktoberfest Munich
From the Munich train station, there are signs pointing you to the direction of Oktoberfest. You can also follow the crowd. At 10am in the morning, throngs of people were already making their way there! 2 ways to identify them. Firstly, many were in traditional bavarian costume of Lederhosen (for the men) or Dirndl (for the ladies). Secondly, there are too many people walking in one general direction and it has got to be it! After about 10 minutes, we finally arrived at Oktoberfest!
First view of Oktoberfest (Notice that people have their backs facing us as they’ve just entered the festival as well)
Feel the festivities in the air at Oktoberfest!
Beer Tents at Oktoberfest
As we were early, we’ve decided to visit the beer tents first. Here are some of the tents we visited…
Hippodrum Beer Tent
Hippodrum Beer Tent @ Oktoberfest MunichInside Hippodrum Beer Tent Oktoberfest Munich at 11am – not so many people yet
Paulaner Beer Tent
Paulaner Beer Tent @ Oktoberfest GermanyTake pictures with horses and beer barrels at Oktoberfest Germany Munich!Tower of Paulaner at Oktoberfest Munich Germany
Area outside Paulaner Brauhaus
Spatenbrau Beer Tent
Spatenbrau Oktoberfest Germany Munich
Atmosphere outside Spatenbrau Oktoberfest
Inside Spaten Brau at Oktoberfest Munich GermanyHave you seen anything like that? – A full grown pig being roasted at Oktoberfest
Schottenhamel Beer Tent
Schottenhamel Oktoberfest DeutschlandInside Oktoberfest Munich Schottenhamel Beer Tent with location of Band such that everyone can see them
Hacker Festzelt Beer Tent
Hacker Festzeit Beer Tent at Oktoberfest Munich Germany
Lowenbrau Beer Tent
Lowenbrau and its moving (and growling) lion (at Oktoberfest)
The beer tents usually serve Hefe (or unfiltered wheat beer). A good example would be Erdinger. Besides serving their own brew, some tents also brew beers specially for Oktoberfest each year. Prices of beers at Oktoberfest range from 9 euros to 11 euros per litre. Oh remember, hold the beer mugs like the locals do…your palm through the handle of the beer mug…
Authentic German Bavarian Food @ Oktoberfest
Experienced Oktoberfest-goers will tell you that you will need to “line your stomach” with fatty foods so as to “absorb” alcohol, allowing you to last through the night. Well, not too sure of whether that’s true (any medical students who can verify this?) but there’s definitely lots of food to try at Oktoberfest!
The pork knuckle sandwich is a must-try at Oktoberfest. All fest-goers will go for the fatty meats of the pork knuckle to “assist” them at the festival. Some of the buns may be too hard for our liking but the meat is Ooo lala! Tender, smoky and fatty! Yum!
Schnitzel simply means fried meat. Usually the meat is tenderised (by pounding) and placed into a batter before frying to golden brown. Needless to say, the outer layer is crispy, inside it’s moist and tender. Look at the size of that schnitzel!
Roasted Chicken
Rows of roasted chicken at Oktoberfest Munich Germany (8 euros for half a chicken) Super Tasty!Ammer where we bought our roasted chicken at Oktoberfest Germany!Moist & tender Roasted Chicken with vege stuffing
The humble roasted chicken is a main fare at Oktoberfest. You can probably judge its popularity by the rows of chickens in the ovens. Although it is relatively expensive at Oktoberfest (8Euros for half a chicken), the taste is absolutely fabulous. The meat was fully flavoured and if you notice, the oil drips from the chicken on top to the one below. Guess it’s that motion over and over again that gives the roasted chicken that much depth in flavour. Skin may be a little salty for some…beware!
Roasted Fish Anyone?
Roasted fish in the open air at Oktoberfest Munich
Desserts
Freshly baked crispy fluffy waffle with sugar icing (1.5 euros)- Yum! (Oktoberfest Munich Germany)Apple Strudel (5.5 euro with 2 euro refund for the plate) at Oktoberfest Germany Munich
Oktoberfest is not merely about the meats and beers. The desserts were very enticing as well. Check out the freshly baked waffles with sugar icing. Appealing isnt it? It is REALLY, FOR REAL, CONFIRM PLUS CHOP, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Between the both of us, it took less than 2 minutes to finish it all up, eventhough it was piping hot!
The strudel was a little bit expensive but tasted good as well. Traditional bavarian style. Yummy.
Other things to do at Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is really not just a beer festival. It caters to the young and the young at heart as well. Besides the usual stall games (throwing stuff to win stuff), thrill seekers can find solace in knowing that there are MANY exciting rides at Oktoberfest as well!
Olympia Loop – A roller coaster ride! at OktoberfestHollenblitz – Another roller coaster with effects and charactersCrazy ride at Oktoberfest – with 3 axis of spin
If Tom says this is a crazy ride, this is a CRAZY ride. Having conquered bungee jump, giant drop (Dream World Australia) and Human vs Cylon (Universal Studios Singapore), Tom says this is the most challenging of them all! Check out the video…
It may look like a Viking but it most definitely is not. Not only can the main axis go 360 degrees, your own capsule can go 360 degrees PLUS the merry go round (another axis of rotation). Suffice to say, this ride is OUT TO MAKE YOU PUKE! Before Tom went on the ride, the attendants had to wash away the puke left behind by the previous riders. Think twice before trying this seemingly easy ride…
Video of another crazy ride at Oktoberfest
Again, this ride seems like nothing. But you’ll firstly feel the centrifugal force, then contend with the height PLUS the capsule rotates 360degrees. Well, the one that Tom took was crazier but this is no chicken feet either.
Ok, enough with the crazy rides. There are also rides for the kids as well…
Gnome Train Ride for kids at Oktoberfest Munich
There’s an area in the festival ground that caters to the young ones. Train rides such as this gnome train and other kid rides are designed with the kids in mind. Adults can also hug their kids for this traditional slide…
Traditional Slide at Oktoberfest
You’ll first need to go up an inclined travelator (kids can be assisted by the attendance, adults too if you need to). Climb up a few flight of stairs and enjoy this long but slow slide down.
Oktoberfest is really a festival for the entire family and not merely a beer festival. One of the days at Oktoberfest is actually called “family day” where some rides and food are discounted for the family to enjoy a day out at the fest!
Our Oktoberfest Experience at Augustiner Beer Tent
Well, it’s finally time to tell of our experience in the beer tents of Oktoberfest. This time, we chose to go to Augustiner Brau where it was said that the beers are simply delicious (you dont often use that word to describe beers right?)
Outside Augustiner Brau @ OktoberfestThrongs of people in the Oktoberfest beer tents – in the middle of the day!Augustiner Beers for 9.30 each
The beer was absolutely delicious. Full bodied and full of flavour. But do drink it slowly as they’re quite strong as well. Speaking of the price of beers, we later read an article on Oktoberfest stating that the beer ladies are earning less these days. In the past, beers were priced at 7.50 or 8.50. Some would give 8,9 or 10 euros. These days, the beers are at 9.30euros and we still gave only 9.50euros. Even if there are those who gave 10euros, their tip would not have been as much as compared to the last few years. We’re just glad that they did not scold us for our miserly 20cent euros tip! :p
As it was totally full on the ground level, we went upstairs and sat at a spot with a view. Not too bad actually. We then bought 2 pretzels, one for us to share and the other for another german couple on the same table as us, to share. Turns out that they were also from out of town and stopped by for the Oktoberfest!
Before we leave, we would like to introduce the official “cheers song” at Oktoberfest – Ein Prosit…
Oktoberfest Cheers Song – Ein Prosit
The lyrics of Ein Prosit (A Toast) is…
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit.
It basically translates to “A toast at your own liking for good cheer and good times!”
Last but not least…
If you’re going there with your loved ones, remember to get a lebkuchen!
How about an Oktoberfest Leb Kuchen for your loved ones – remember to pay with a kiss!
Lebkuchen is a sort of gingerbread and at Oktoberfest, it is fashioned into a heart-shaped with many different messages written on it. Remember, the guy will buy for the girl, puts it over her neck while the girl repays with a kiss! Well, at least that’s what the stall owner taught us!
Aufwidersehen Oktoberfest “See you again!”
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There are basically 2 ways to get to Oktoberfest. You can either
1. Take a train to Munich Hauptbahnhof (main train station) and take a 10 minutes walk from there to Theriesen Wiese festival grounds OR
2. Take the U-bahn to the train station of the same name (Theriesen Wiese), you would be right outside the festival grounds.
It is recommended to go to the hauptbahnhof actually because the Theriesen Wiese station can be quite packed during peak hours.
For some interesting facts about Oktoberfest, you can visit this post.
We hope you have enjoyed our post! Do note that Oktoberfest is held annually during the last week of September and first week of October! Dont blur blur go there in mid October thinking that you can go to Oktoberfest! Comment below to tell us of your trip to Oktoberfest in Munich Germany!
Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is the largest beer festival in the world! But did you know that besides beer guzzling and more beer guzzling, there are actually alot of festivities and fringe activities all around the festival arena? In this post, we will show you the things to do and attractions at Oktoberfest Germany in Munich!
Interesting facts about Oktoberfest Germany
Did you know…
1.Oktoberfest DOES NOT start in October! Oktoberfest usually starts in the last week of September and ends in the first week of October. If you visit Munich somewhere in mid to end October thinking that you can catch the Oktoberfest, you’ll be in for a huge disappointment!
2. In 2013, Oktoberfest will be celebrating its 180th Beer festival! Although Oktoberfest was first started in 1810, there have been several festivals that were cancelled due to epidemics and war.
3. Oktoberfest is not only the largest beer festival in the world. It is THE LARGEST FESTIVAL in the world (beer left out in this sentence). Besides the 14 large beer tents (including famous brews such as Hofbrau, Lowenbrau and Augustiner), there are also 21 smaller tents selling their specialities such as roasted chicken (and beer of course). But there’s more to the 42 hectares (can you believe the size?!) Theresienwiese Oktoberfest area. There are MANY fringe activities such as games, rides and food that caters to the entire family!
Oktoberfest in Munich Germany
Beer guzzling and more beer guzzling
Oktoberfest gives people an impression that it is a beer festival. It sure is the biggest beer festival in the world. With millions of visitors all over the world drinking and guzzling millions more litres of beer each year, it is no wonder that people only think about beer at Oktoberfest.
Lowenbrau and its moving (and growling) lion (at Oktoberfest)Throngs of people in the Oktoberfest beer tents – in the middle of the day!
Lining the Tummy – Oktoberfest Food!
Many a beer drinker would advise that you line your tummy with fatty foods before you hit the beer tents. There are indeed many variety of food available at Oktoberfest. Here are some of the foods we’ve tried!
Pork Kunckle Sandwich Oktoberfest
One of the fattiest street snack you can find at Oktoberfest has got to be the pork knuckle sandwich! The skin is crispy and flavourful while the fatty bits beneath gives you the lining that you need to survive the beer festival! While you’re trying out the street foods, why not give the crispy schnitzel burger a try as well?
At Oktoberfest, there are many tents selling roasted chicken. Tender, moist and well marinated, the roasted smell of the chicken can really attract its customers!
Do try the desserts at Oktoberfest, the waffle and apple pie were, “oh so good!”. Ask Kate and she’ll tell ya!
Have you seen anything like that? – A full grown pig being roasted at OktoberfestCrispy Pork Schnitzel Burger (Oktoberfest Munich)Moist & tender Roasted Chicken with vege stuffingHuge Pretzels anyone? (Oktoberfest Augustiner Beer Tent)Freshly baked crispy fluffy waffle with sugar icing – Yum! (Oktoberfest Munich Germany)Apple Strudel at Oktoberfest Germany Munich
Fun rides for the entire family!
As we have mentioned, there are many other games and rides at Oktoberfest. Games would include throwing balls or rings to win prizes. Or simply using a huge hammer to see if the indicator hits the bell at the top. Besides the game stalls, there are many other exciting rides at Oktoberfest!
Crazy ride at Oktoberfest – with 3 axis of spinOlympia Loop – A roller coaster ride! at Oktoberfest
Besides the crazy rides for the thrill seekers, there’s also a section of the fair dedicated to kids to have some fun of their own. Train rides for kids and slides are also available at Oktoberfest!
Gnome Train Ride for kids at Oktoberfest Munich
Other things you can do at Oktoberfest
Check out rows of fish being roasted for the patrons – fishy smell at that!
Roasted fish in the open air at Oktoberfest MunichTake pictures with horses and beer barrels at Oktoberfest Germany Munich!How about an Oktoberfest Leb Kuchen for your loved ones – remember to pay with a kiss!
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