Theresienwiese

THE home of Oktoberfest, but not ONLY Oktoberfest. Lots of stuff goes on here throughout the year! It's THE festival grounds of Munich. It's also huge, so expect to do A LOT of walking. Many others have explained the meaning of these fairgrounds, so I won't go into that; just know that there is stuff to see here even when the biggest Bierfest in the world isn't in residence. 35/2021

This is where Oktoberfest and the smaller, spring Fruhlingsfest take place but there are loads of other things that happen here throughout the year as I'm told. it's a large open park and parade ground area with a monument and statue of Bavaria nearby that you can walk around and see as well. We easily found it via train and then followed the street signs pointing the way.

Home of Oktoberfest, and many other festivals. Easy access from the metro. The grounds are huge, so wander around and see the sights. Don't forget to see the Bavaria Statue to the west!

Pretty cool and where in the world will it ever come close to this?! The sounds, sights, and flavors of Oktoberfest are just too cool and unique. Is it crowded? Yes. Will only English speakers feel a little out of place? Yes. Is it touristy. Yes. But come on, it's Oktoberfest. We booked our trips months and months in advance. We knew it was gonna be hard to find hotels. It was and the rates are clearly marked up. For the amazing hotel we staid at, see my review of the Bavaria Boutique. Anyway just know that weekends are terribly busy and weekdays are less. Also know that you are very likely to not find a place to sit and eat and drink after 3 pm. You can get lucky and sneak into an open table outside but inside the tents after 3pm will be a challenge. I recommend going at 10 to the tents you really want and during the week. You'll get right in. Also the app is super handy to gauge the tent capacity. Once in the tents, it a music and beer with decent German food. Super cool and like nothing else in the world. It's a game changer. The beer is so fresh and clean. It's just worth it. It's also filled with food vendors and carnival rides. German swag and Oktoberfest gear is in between all the tasty sweets and authentic foods. The big Ferris-wheel is a must. Nothing crazy but you can see the whole grounds. Do it, just do it. It's tough to plan but what an experience. And YES dress up and NO to Halloween outfits. Get the good stuff.

For 200 years (other than a few breaks for a cholera outbreak and a couple of World Wars), people have been coming to Theresienwiese to celebrate the 1810 wedding of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I). Carnival-style rides, a midway with shooting and tossing games, lots of food stands with Ochsenbraterei (beef sandwiches), Steckerlfisch (fish on a stick) and Schweinshaxe (pig hocks). And of course, the beer. Oh, the beer. Liquid gold. Mostly served in one liter steins, it's a tad stronger than what they serve back in America. So don't feel like a lightweight if you can only handle two of these bath-tub sized monsters. As to the beer halls, the beer ladies will not serve you unless you have a seat at a table. That's the law. There are some tables where you don't need a reservation but you have to arrive early. Like 4pm. Otherwise, there are reserved tables where you can reserve one, something like six months in advance. Good luck with that!

Theresienwiese is more or less the premier show ground in Munich. The name of the site is derived from the name of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, the wife of Crown Prince Ludwig I. Their wedding took place on Theresienwiese in 1810. It's the place that hosts the world famous Oktoberfest since 1810 (call it a wedding party) and, many other events like Fruhlingsfest, Winter Tollwood and, the famous flea markets in April (perhaps the biggest in Germany or Europe). I suspect there are other activities that are hosted here at different times of the year including, perhaps, Christmas markets and other local fares. I have been to most of the big festivals here and, it's well located close to the city centre and access by public transport is great. No matter how many people are trying to get here it never seems too crowded and easy to get to. Many times of the year it is just an empty showground and, other than curiosity or just to check out the piece of realestate, not much reason to go there.

Note for visitors- Theresienwiese is the official name of the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich. More reviews and pictures can be found under Oktoberfest! It was a blast. Arrive early-very early on weekends. Otherwise weekdays you can arrive about 10 am and usually still get a seat. DO PAY the 4 euro and go to the special 200 anniversary section near the south end and the horse track. Much easier to get beer, food and use the bathroom. This area is great! Note- we saw children during the day , but didn't notice them at night.

This is not Oktoberfest. Not even close. But hey, it's a chance to sit down with friends, or making new friends, over good beer (Augustiner, Spaten or Paulaner) and fine food while listening or singing along to ompa-ompa music. And it's a lot easier to get a table. This will sustain me for a while until Oktoberfest grows nearer after the summer. What's not to love? :)