Over 6 million tourists visit Octoberfest every year
About six million people come to the beer festival, drinking more than 6 million liters of beer and eating a huge amount of grilled chicken, salted pretzels, and German sausages.
For those who prefer quieter tours to Germany, such figures may seem excessive. But a trip to Octoberfest, this magnificent festival, will leave only the brightest memories. For that reason alone, everyone should visit if possible. After all, by missing the beer festival, you deprive yourself of real fun and interesting experiences.
To make the trip successful, it is better to plan it in advance. And for that, you need to know a little about the festival itself.
Preparation for the fun begins two months before the opening of Octoberfest. Six large breweries and about 80 entrepreneurs set up beer pavilions and various attractions. There will be haunted caves, carnival carousels, and roller coasters.
First-time visitors to the festival are often surprised to see a veritable city spread out before them. Octoberfest's own infrastructure with police, post office, streets, medical stations, toilets, and sewers is impressive.
Every year, hundreds of people come here to work. The beer festival is a huge contribution to the local budget, as prices in September-October simply skyrocket. This applies to ticket prices, accommodation, and the beer itself. For example, in 2011, the price per liter was already about 9 euros.
It is advisable to book a ticket and a hotel room in advance to save money. In the pavilions, which are enormous in size, seats are also reserved in advance, even a year ahead. Without such a pre-booking, you might simply not find a spot, even outside in the garden. On the other hand, it will be cooler there than in the pavilion.
Beer at the festival is sold in heavy liter mugs and is stronger than the traditional recipe. So even one mug may be too much – be prepared.
As evening falls, the atmosphere heats up; it is better to avoid aggressive drunk people, especially those with heavy mugs in their hands. And if you plan to attend events that take place on the first weekend, note that they start quite early.
If you take all the above into account, the time spent at Octoberfest will be great.
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