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Munich during Oktoberfest

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We are ending a Danube River cruise with three nights in Munich which fall during the opening weekend of Oktoberfest. Participating in Oktoberfest wasn't really our goal, but we'll be there at that time. We were able to secure a hotel reservation in Schwabing adjacent to the English Gardens. Couple of questions:

1) What are activities or sights that we might take in to avoid massive crowds? I've read that Oktoberfest crowds are mostly confined to the festival grounds. Sights like Residenz or Nymphenburg should feel "normal". What about enjoying the sights in the Old Town area?

2) If we wanted to participate in some of the Oktoberfest celebrations, what is the easiest way to do that? I'm thinking
"Oktoberfest light". The two parades on Saturday morning and Sunday morning look fun and interesting, but do you need to camp out the night before? Should we try to go to the festival grounds?

I'd welcome any insights regarding what we might expect in Munich during Oktoberfest. It wasn't our primary goal, but we'll be there! Thanks!

Posted by
8248 posts

I lived in Augsburg for 4 years and went to Oktoberfest three times. I really enjoyed the parade at the beginning of the fest. It is crowded and you need to get there early ( I remember standing for almost two hours before the parade). As for going to the fest, I recommend you wanting fest lite, so go and have lunch there, the crowds are a bit less, but it is still fun. Have some roasted chicken with your beer.

Getting around the city will be harder, but the sites away from the fest area should not be as crowded.

Posted by
1488 posts

Actually staying by the English Gardens is a good choice, as that will put you away from most of the crowds. You should take some time and walk the gardens if the weather is nice. Plus there are a couple nice beer gardens there that should be less crowded, and they can be nice in the evenings.

The museums north of the old town are all concentrated around the Alte, and Neue, Pinakotheks (Art Museums). The area just north of that is the University district. Both of those are fun to walk around, and are a break from the Marienplatz crowds. (This is also where a lot of the antique and old book shops are.) I really like the Deutsches Museum, which is full of engineering and mechanical stuff, but it's close to the main tourist areas, so it may get crowded. On the other hand, I've been in the Hunting and Fishing museum during Octoberfest and it was almost empty. The Residence Museum was a big hit with my relatives when we visited last month.

I suggest you aim to visit the fairgrounds between 10 am and 4 pm. Everything will be up and running, but the crowds should be less, even on a weekend. That leaves you the evenings to wander the Altstadt, find a jazz cellar, or a place outside near one of the buskers who'll be competing for your euros. (You can hear some really good music on the streets, Munich has an internationally know music school.)

Locate the closest U Bahn or S Bahn stop near your hotel, and then get a good idea as to the stops on either side. That way you can make sure you're on the right train. Use the trains as much as possible, they work great. Just buy the day pass, unless you want to go to Nuremberg or Salzburg, then buy the Bavarian Pass.

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