How about a beerfest vacation in Germany in Aug-Oct? Munich is the home of Oktoberfest which run from Sept 16-Oct 3 or take a train from Frankfurt if you fly in there to Munich. We have unearthed some great cheap flights from Denver to Munich, Germany that are available on the outbound from August – October for Sunday through Wednesday departures and Monday through Thursday returns. A 7 day minimum stay is required. Must purchase at least 28 days in advance of departure. Check out these really great cheap flights from Denver to Frankfurt, Germany for as low as $609 RT, good for selected flights in August to October departures. Munich was founded in 1589, and is home to centuries-old buildings and numerous museums. It the capital of Bavaria and the third largest city in Germany, and lies on the River Isar on the fringes of the Bavarian Alps.
Some SAMPLE DATES
- August 17-24 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $614 RT
- August 17-27 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $614 RT
- September 7-21 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $684 RT
- September 28 – Oct 7 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $673 RT
- October 1-8 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $642 RT
- October 19-29 – Denver to Munich, Germany – Just $614 RT
Oktoberfest (German pronunciation: [ɔkˈtoːbɐˌfɛst]) is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival and travelling funfair). Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October, with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is often called the Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresa’s Fields (Theresienwiese). The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the Middle Ages. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modelled after the original Munich event.
During the event, large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed: during the 16-day festival in 2013, for example, 7.7 million litres were served. Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, sidestalls and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods including Hendl (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezen (pretzels), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spicy cheese-butter spread) and Weißwurst (a white sausage).
The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October. In 1994, this longstanding schedule was modified in response to German reunification. As such, if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or the 2nd, then the festival would run until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival now runs for 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October (October 4), to mark the event’s bicentennial.
The city is known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, In the Altstadt (Old Town), central Marienplatz square contains landmarks such as Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall), with a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century. One of Germany’s most popular cities to visit, Munich is also famous for its many fine churches, including Peterskirche, the oldest inner city church built during the Romanesque period; the Cathedral of our Lady (Frauenkirche), the city’s most famous building; and Michaelskirche, the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps. Munich is also noted for its numerous parks, in particular the lovely English Garden (Englischer Garten), the world’s largest urban public park. Given the numerous tourist attractions, museums, and galleries, expect to spend at least a few days exploring Munich’s many treasures.
SOME FREE THINGS TO DO IN MUNICH AREA
Marienplatz – City Hall Square
This large square is found in the centre of the old part of the city and is bordered by several famous buildings. It is a popular meeting place with its many cafes and restaurants and is always crowded and noisy. The Mariensäule is the large column known as the column of St. Mary found in the centre of the Marienplatz. It was erected in 1638 to celebrate the end of the Swedish invasion during the Thirty Year’s War. At the top of the column is a golden statue of the Virgin Mary which was scupltured in 1590 by Hubert Gerhard. The figure was originally located in the Frauenkirche. The Neues Rathaus building is the New Town Hall and it dominates Marienplatz. It houses the city government including the city council, offices of the mayors and part of the administration. This building took over from the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) in 1874. The highlight of this building would have to be the glockenspiel which has three levels. Two of the levels show the Schäfflertanz or cooper’s dance and the other level shows the Ritterturnier which is a knight’s tournament held in 1568 to celebrate a royal marriage. The glockenspiel plays at 11am, 12pm and 5pm.
Olympian sounds
A trip out to the Olympiapark, site of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, is always a lovely respite from the urban bustle, but especially so in the warmer months when you can time a spin around the grounds with a free concert. Throughout August, the Theatron Festival (theatron.de) brings live bands to the amphitheatre next to the Olympic Lake, playing everything from hip hop to gospel, pop to punk. Better yet, bring a blanket and a beverage and join the throngs of locals to eavesdrop on the stars from atop the Olympiaberg. The 564m-high hill just happens to be within earshot of the roofless Olympic Stadium where the likes of Beyoncé, Linkin Park and Katy Perry have hit the stage. Hop off the U-bahn at Olympiazentrum.
BMW Welt
If you worship at the altar of the automobile, you’ll want to make a beeline for this ‘cathedral of cars’ near the Olympic Stadium. Sitting right next to the actual BMW plant, BMW Welt is essentially a vast showroom where you can admire the company’s entire current product palette from sedans to Minis, racing cars to electric vehicles and even Rolls Royce coaches. The futuristic building itself is a jaw-dropper, all glass and steel twisted into a double cone and lidded by a roof reminiscent of a floating cloud.
FC Bayern München training facility
Tickets to see world champion soccer players in a home game with their club, FC Bayern München, Germany’s winningest Bundesliga (premier league) team, are not only frightfully expensive, they’re also extremely hard to score. But don’t fret, you may still get a chance to see these ball magicians kick, dribble and pass during completely free public training sessions held several times weekly at the team’s headquarters on Säbener Strasse, about 6km south of the city centre (a 10-minute walk from Mangfallsplatz U-Bahn station). Check FC Bayern München’s website (fcbayern.de) for the schedule before heading out.
