Oktoberfest is a 16 day annual celebration of Bavarian culture and beer held in Munich, Germany from mid to late September until the first week of October. The exact dates of the festival change every year based on how certain days fall, but the good times and unforgettable experience do not. This past fall, two friends and I attended the first day of Oktoberfest, which proved to be one of the defining if not the defining experience of my three month tour of Europe. What could be better than good times, liter after liter of delicious German beer, and the distinctive Bavarian culture?
Our Oktoberfest experience began at the main Munich train station at 6 am on day one of Oktoberfest. We had just spent four days in Prague, and took an eight hour night train from Prague because we couldn't miss Oktoberfest when we were so close. This train could have been easily avoided if we had planned a little earlier. More than six million people attend the 16 day festival. So accommodations in Munich and the surrounding areas are booked months to years in advance, not to mention prices from hostels to hotels are astronomical during the festival. So if you are planning on going I strongly suggest planning up to a year in advance in booking your travel and accommodation, because demand for it in the city during the festival.
