Munich.

Where we sleep

1. Day 1 · Fri 17 Sept

   Warm-up lap

   A gentle first day in the old centre, at a pace you could almost call dignified. The Glockenspiel performs at 11:00, 12:00 and 17:00, and we plan around it.

   • Marienplatz and the New Town Hall1 h

     Munich’s main square since the Middle Ages, with the neo-Gothic New Town Hall along one side. Its Glockenspiel performs daily at 11:00 and 12:00, and also at 17:00 from March to October.

     What to see

     • The Glockenspiel figures
     • The façade of the New Town Hall
     • The Mariensäule column in the middle

     Time

     An hour, timed for the Glockenspiel.

     Tip

     The town hall tower has a lift to a viewing platform, but its hours and tickets change, so check muenchen.de before you queue.

     To eat

     A Leberkässemmel: a slice of hot Bavarian meatloaf in a roll.

     Photos
   • Frauenkirche30 min

     Munich’s cathedral, built in brick in the late 1400s, whose two domed towers define the city’s skyline. Inside it’s plain and spacious.

     What to see

     • The Devil’s Footprint in the entrance hall
     • The twin domed towers from the square
     • The tomb of Emperor Louis IV

     Time

     Half an hour.

     Tip

     It’s a working church, so keep quiet and visit between services rather than during them.

     To eat

     Weißwurst, the white veal sausage, traditionally eaten before noon with sweet mustard and a pretzel.

     Photos
   • Viktualienmarkt1 h

     A food market in the old centre with fruit, cheese, flowers and a beer garden. It is closed on Sundays, which is why we come on Friday.

     What to see

     • The maypole in the middle
     • The cheese and sausage stalls
     • The beer garden under the trees

     Time

     An hour of grazing.

     Tip

     Each stall sets its own hours, and the market is closed on Sundays, so don’t leave it for the last day.

     To eat

     Obatzda, a paprika-spiced cheese spread, with a pretzel.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Sat 18 Sept

   O’zapft is!

   The Wiesn opens. In the morning the landlords parade onto the grounds, and at noon the mayor taps the first keg. We get there early, keep a clear head until the tapping and a clearer one afterwards.

   • Oktoberfest opening, TheresienwieseLate morning to evening

     On the first Saturday the landlords, breweries and brass bands parade onto the grounds in the morning, and at noon the mayor taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent. After that, beer is served across the tents.

     What to see

     • The landlords’ procession with its decorated horse-drawn carriages
     • The noon tapping and the cry of O’zapft is
     • The tents and rides filling up

     Time

     From late morning, for as long as you can stand.

     Tip

     Tables are reserved with each tent directly, though not every area needs one. Tent doors can close for a while on weekends, so arrive early or book.

     To eat

     Hendl, half a roast chicken, is the classic Wiesn meal, with beer by the litre.

     Photos
   • Bavaria statue and Hall of Fame1 h

     A giant bronze woman stands guard over the Wiesn, with a colonnaded Hall of Fame behind her. You can climb a staircase inside the statue to a viewing space in its head.

     What to see

     • The spiral staircase inside the statue
     • The view over the Wiesn from the head
     • The busts of famous Bavarians in the Hall of Fame

     Time

     About an hour.

     Tip

     The statue is open in a season that runs from spring into October, so check the 2027 hours on the Bavarian palaces’ site, and expect a queue during the Wiesn.

     To eat

     A Brezn and a Radi, the white radish cut into a long spiral, from a Wiesn stall.

     Photos
3. Day 3 · Sun 19 Sept

   Costumes by the thousand

   Shortly after 10:00, thousands of people in traditional dress march from Maximilianstraße to the Wiesn. Afterwards we recover in the Englischer Garten, where nobody asks us to sing.

   • Costume and Marksmen’s ParadeMorning

     On the first Sunday of the Wiesn, around nine thousand people in traditional dress, from costume clubs, marksmen’s societies and bands, march almost seven kilometres from the Max II monument on Maximilianstraße to the Theresienwiese.

     What to see

     • The start at the Max II monument
     • The brass bands and floats
     • Costume groups from Bavaria and abroad

     Time

     Two to three hours.

     Tip

     Stands with unnumbered seats line the route and you can buy tickets, but the free pavements at Odeonsplatz and Maximilianstraße fill early.

     To eat

     Kaiserschmarrn, torn sweet pancake with plum compote, afterwards.

   • Englischer GartenAfternoon

     A park of about 375 hectares in the middle of the city, bigger than New York’s Central Park. The Chinese Tower, a wooden pagoda with a beer garden around it, is its best-known corner.

     What to see

     • The Chinese Tower
     • The Monopteros hill for the view
     • The Kleinhesseloher See, the lake

     Time

     As long as the legs last.

     Tip

     In the traditional beer gardens you may bring your own picnic, but not your own drinks.

     To eat

     A Brotzeit picnic: bread, cheese, radish and cold cuts.

     Photos
4. Day 4 · Mon 20 Sept

   Two palaces, no tent

   A day of culture, to prove we can. The Residenz in the morning, then the summer palace of Nymphenburg and its park in the afternoon.

   • Munich Residenz2 h

     The former palace of the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings, and the largest city palace in Germany. It grew over centuries into a maze of courtyards, halls and a treasury.

     What to see

     • The Antiquarium, a Renaissance hall
     • The Treasury
     • The Hofgarten next door

     Time

     Two hours for the museum and the treasury.

     Tip

     It is open daily except a few days a year, with last entry an hour before closing. The Cuvilliés Theatre keeps its own shorter hours, so check before building the day around it.

     To eat

     Semmelknödel, bread dumplings in a mushroom sauce.

     Photos
   • Nymphenburg Palace3 h

     The summer residence of the Bavarian rulers, with a long baroque palace, a vast park and small pavilions hidden among the trees.

     What to see

     • The Great Hall of the main palace
     • The Amalienburg hunting lodge
     • The canals and lakes of the park

     Time

     Three hours with the park.

     Tip

     The park pavilions are open until 15 October, so mid-September is fine. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

     To eat

     Kaffee und Kuchen, coffee and a slice of cake, the afternoon ritual.

     Photos
5. Day 5 · Tue 21 Sept

   Family day, then home

   A last baroque church in the centre, then back to the Wiesn for its old-fashioned corner. Tuesday is family day, so the rides are busy with children rather than with us.

   • Asamkirche30 min

     A tiny baroque church that the Asam brothers built in the early 1700s as their own private church. Every surface is gilded, painted or covered in stucco.

     What to see

     • The painted ceiling
     • The gilded altar area
     • The narrow façade squeezed between ordinary houses

     Time

     Half an hour.

     Tip

     Entry is free, but it is a working church, so don’t wander in during Mass.

     To eat

     A Butterbrezn, a pretzel split and filled with butter, from a bakery on Sendlinger Straße.

     Photos
   • Oide WiesnAfternoon

     The historic corner of the Oktoberfest, in the southern part of the grounds, with old-fashioned carousels, traditional music and folk dancing.

     What to see

     • The historic carousels
     • The traditional music
     • The folk dancing

     Time

     An afternoon.

     Tip

     An entrance fee has applied in recent years, with children up to 14 free in 2026. Check the 2027 conditions on the city’s Oktoberfest site.

     To eat

     Gebrannte Mandeln, sugar-roasted almonds, from a stall.

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.