10 Things to See in MUNICH for FIRST TIMERS during Oktoberfest 🇩🇪
[Music] Let’s talk about the city of Munich. The third largest city in Germany, the largest in the region of Bavaria, the epicenter of Bavarian history and culture, and of course, a very popular tourist destination around the time of late September and early October. That would be because of the world famous annual Bavarian festival known as Octoberfest, but actually known in Germany as Visen. The thing about Oktoberfest is that it is of course an incredible celebration of German heritage and culture. It is a lot of fun and it is a great excuse to drink a lot of beer. But if you come to Munich and only focus on the festival, you are missing out on one of the coolest cities in all of Europe. Here are the top 10 things I definitely think you should check out if you’re coming to Munich for the first time to take in October Fest. Number one on the list is a place that you’ll likely end up going to just with the natural route of your exploration to Munich because it is the central hub of both the Espan and the Yubon train systems. But that would be the Maran Plots. It is the main city square of the city of Munich, the true beating heart of the city, and it’s been around since 1158. That’s one of those numbers that for Americans, it’s hard to even comprehend something that old. The name Marian Plots, it’s actually named after the Virgin Mary. And plots is basically just the word you’re going to hear for like a town square anywhere in Germany. While basically every major European city has something like this, the one in Munich is really special. It’s just got that perfect European charm, the Bavarian style architecture. You have both the new rat house as they call it, the city hall and the old rat house as well right next to it. And you’ve probably heard about the Glock and Spiel. That’s the mechanical clock on the new city hall that at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. So, definitely mark your alarms for that so you can catch it. It goes off and has this show. It has 32 life-siz figures. It has 43 bells going off. It’s really, really a spectacle. It’s kind of like the astronomical clock in Prague where everyone just kind of gathers during those times when they know the show is going to go off. And it actually does some reenactments of historical events in German history. I believe one of them is the marriage of Duke Wilhelm the 5th. So those kind of things that’s just kind of fun to look out for and see if you can spot them. But it’s one of those things. Definitely a tourist attraction. definitely kind of geared towards tourists in a lot of ways that are coming from other parts of Germany, other parts of Europe, and all over the world, but it is something that you just can’t miss in Munich because it is very unique and very cool. [Music] A few other things branching off the Marian plots, if you want to check out the Huffbor House, that’s very, very close to it. Now, I think a lot of Germans view that as just like a complete tourist trap, but it does have some historical significance that’s fun to look into. It used to be a meeting place for politicians and it’s definitely a great place if you want to have some traditional Bavarian food and of course beer. I would say definitely worth checking out if it is your first time visiting Munich. Also just a few short steps away from Marian Plots is the Alter Peter which is one of the oldest churches in the area and you can actually climb to the very top of the church. So it’s St. Peter’s Church. Alter Peter meaning old St. Peter. Now there’s no lifts, there’s no elevators to get to the top. It is one of those where you got to climb all the stairs and it’s a bit exhausting to get up there, but once you do, it is one of the best views from an aerial point of view that you’re going to find of Marion Plots and it’s just one of those cool things to check out all the foot traffic moving through because it is a pedestrian walkway. So, there’s really no cars going through there. So, you’re going to just see all of the pedestrians making their way through. It’s so cool to see it from up above. And another great thing about it, it’s not that expensive. If I remember correctly, it’s €5 per person. So considering the view that you do get and considering a lot of observation decks are sometimes like €2530, it’s just great value for the experience and as long as you don’t mind working up a sweat getting to the top, it is definitely something I would recommend doing. Number two on the list, just a very short walk away from the Maran Plots is the Fraen Kirka Church. This is just a beautiful gigantic Gothic style cathedral that in a lot of ways is the symbol of Munich. There’s just this iconic design to it. The twin onion domes, the bell towers that rise above Munich, and you can actually go to an observation deck at the top of those, too, which provides a great 360 view. I think probably a little bit more expensive than the alter painter and maybe a little more crowded, but definitely an incredible view up there as well. Similar to the iconic Gothic cathedral in Cologne, the Fraen Kiraka was heavily bombed during World War II and it was meticulously rebuilt to be the exact way it was before. So, in a lot of ways, it’s this sign of resilience after the damage of the war and it’s just a really beautiful building. There’s something about the Gothic cathedrals in this part of Europe that are just breathtaking. There’s also some really interesting stories and lore surrounding the cathedral. If you see the devil’s footprint and look into the story behind that, that’s always really interesting. And there’s this row of really good restaurants that’s just right behind it, too. So, it’s a great way to get maybe a little bit off of the tourist hot spot of Marian Plats where you’re going to have the most expensive prices and kind of the tourist trap restaurants. There’s some really, really good ones just over there on the other side. Moving on to number three on the list, the vast, incredibly gigantic urban green space known as the Englisher garden or English Park. This is actually one of the largest urban parks in the entire world. And I think it’s really funny because whenever you talk to someone from Munich or even from other places in Germany, one of the things they mention all the time about the English garden is that it is bigger than Central Park in New York City. And that’s just I don’t know why that’s funny to me, but it’s always like the number one thing that comes up. But it is true. They’re not lying. This park is bigger than Central Park in New York City and bigger than most parks you’re going to find anywhere else in the world. It is a great place to go for a long walk. It is so expansive. It just goes in every direction. So, you can really kind of quiet your mind and get away from the tourist crowds. Even if you are going around Oktoberfest and there are, you know, more tourists in town, there’s going to be more tourist traffic everywhere. The Englisher garden is big enough that people are spread out and you just really feel like you can take some time, take some space, and feel like you’re not overwhelmed by all the stresses of the city. You can’t really say too much more about parks because it’s just it’s a park. But there’s a few landmarks you can check out like the Chinese tower, but for the most part, just going for a walk and kind of getting lost in there is the best part about the English garden. Moving on to number four on the list, which is actually located in the English garden, kind of right where the park starts. That would be the Icebach Vela or the Icebach Wave. This is something that you just can’t miss if you come to Munich because it’s so unique. You are not going to find something like this anywhere else in Europe, really anywhere else in the world. You don’t hear the term urban surfing very often, but this is a place where there is a man-made wave. It’s kind of a stationary wave that’s created by a concrete ledge. And there are some real legit surfers that come here and ride the stationary wave. And there’s a crowd that kind of gathers around and cheers them on, encourages them. It’s such a cool scene. I mean, where else are you going to see something like that? And I really do feel like these are good surfers because you don’t want to go there and not be able to get up on the wave with all the people watching you. And you also have to kind of go one by one. The surfers do. Like there’s this really cool system where they’re each taking their turn and that’s because no one wants to get hurt. You know, if if people fall at the same time that could get dangerous. So, everyone takes their time. Everyone goes one by one and just has I don’t know maybe like six or seven seconds on top of the wave and then eventually just naturally as gracefully as they can they dismount and then they go to the other side and then they probably just hop right back in the line which is the coolest thing. So definitely a can’tmiss item if you’re a surfing enthusiast. And actually, if you’re a surfer, why not try to hop in the line and see if you can ride the wave and everyone kind of cheers you on. You get this encouragement from the crowd. I think it’d be really fun. Although, I guess if you’re coming just for October Fest, probably hard to fit your surfboard in the carry-on. But yeah, I don’t know. I’m not a surfer, as you can probably tell, but I feel like that would be a cool thing to go to Munich just to ride that wave if you are one. Moving right along to number five on the list. One of the coolest aspects of being in Europe is to see the palaces, to actually be able to go into these magnificent residences where all of the dukes and kings and everybody lived. So, the Munich residence is what you want to check out in Munich. And I think it’s so cool, too, because all five of what I’ve mentioned so far, very walkable. You could walk to all five of those things within one day, no problem whatsoever. So, it’s a very walkable city, and the public transportation in typical German fashion is just awesome. So the Munich residence actually one of the most significant palaces in Europe because it served for such a long period as the main residence of the kings of Bavaria as well as everyone else in the ruling class. So the dukes, the electors, the families. I mean just a massive massive complex where everybody was located. And of course it’s beautiful. It’s ornate. It’s magnificent. Why wouldn’t it be if it’s the the home of kings and very very powerful people? There’s all sorts of architectural styles in there. There’s baroque, there’s renaissance, there’s racoo. You’ll notice in a lot of the different rooms, it can even be different. I always think that’s one of the coolest thing about whether it’s the Munich residence or just any palace you’ll find in this region of Europe. Seems like every single room that you go into looks completely different from the room you were just in. And I can’t really think of many other places that are like that. I mean, usually everything has its own style or its own theme as far as the entire place, but when it comes to these palaces, they were going all out and they wanted every room to tell its own story. Number six on the list, which I actually probably should have put closer to the Maran plots cuz it’s right next to it, would be the Victelian Mart. Now, I speak a little German. I don’t know how I did on that one. Probably not so good. But it’s this really cool market. I mean, it’s got everything. It’s got cheeses, meats, there’s delies, there’s uh bread bakers, there’s coffee, there’s anything you can imagine in a market and most of it’s kind of outdoor. So, it’s a beautiful way to enjoy kind of the last part of the nice weather in Germany cuz if you’re there for October Fest, end of September, early October, it’s that transition period where it’s still really, really nice out, but you’re not too far away from the harsh winter. So, you’ll definitely see all of the locals in Munich going there for their shopping as well. And that’s just such a cool aspect of European life, especially in these cities. It just seems like everyone shops local. There’s a lot of people that would prefer to go to someone who specializes in whatever it is, bread, cheese, wine, and buy from them rather than going to a supermarket. Although there are supermarkets in Germany, they’re quite famous for a few of them. Rele Aldi. But the Victwellian marked, there’s no doubt that a lot of the locals in Munich go here for a lot of their shopping, and you can just find so many delicious things. It’s not really tailored to one category. There’s also great bars and restaurants just kind of lined around the outskirts of the market, too. So, you can go there and people watch, kind of like I was talking about in the Marion Plots. Sometimes it’s just fun in these European cities to watch the world go by because there’s just this rhythmic nature to it, this almost meditative nature and it’s just so cool. So, highly recommend even if you’re not buying anything because I take it if you’re going for Oktoberfest, you’re not going to be cooking at home too much, but even if you’re going there to just take it all in, it is just an awesome place to spend the afternoon. Number seven on the list, the very first item on the list that is actually not walkable in that central Munich area. But with that said, I also mentioned the public transit is just awesome. It’s very easy to get up here on the U6 train on the Uban. That would be Aliance Arena, which is home to FC Bayern Munin, the biggest and most successful club in all of Germany. And because of that, they have the most incredible stadium. They offer tours, which we actually did take a tour when we were there. It’s so cool to see just the ins and outs and everything and how they’ve really kind of modernized it from where it was, but they’re still kind of keeping the history at the same time. It is one of the largest soccer stadiums in the entire country. It hosted a number of really important matches for the European Championships in 2024, and it’s actually hosted a number of NFL games. So, if you’re an American coming into October Fest, you probably know that already that there have been some American football games played there, which I just think is the coolest thing. Now, unfortunately, if you’re visiting Munich for October Fest in 2025, there is not going to be an NFL game this year because they’re playing the NFL game in Berlin for 2025, but there are a few home games for Bayern Munich. One of them is on September 26th, which is kind of right in the midst of Visen of October Fest. They have a home match against Braymond. So that would be a great opportunity to check out a game. And if you wanted to stay a little bit longer after the festival is over, October 18th, they are hosting what is known as Decláico. It’s kind of like Eláico but in German. This is Bayern Munich against Barushia Dortmund. The two most successful clubs. They have a very heated rivalry. They’re from basically opposite ends of the country, one in the northwest and one in the southeast. So, it’s this great rivalry, yellow and black against red and blue. Just the the colors and everything have a great clash to them. Probably not a cheap ticket, but if you are someone that loves sports and wants to see the real spectacle that Aliance Arena can pull off, October 18th, a few weeks after October Fest ends, Derek Classicare right there in Munich. Number eight on the list. Let’s get out of the city a little bit because there are really, really great day trips that are available from Munich. Just a few hours away is the city of Saltsburg, Austria, which is an awesome place to go if you’re looking for something that’s just a little bit of a different vibe. You want to see more of the region, a completely different country as well. It’s very doable to just hop on a train, go there for a couple days, and then come back to Munich. Saltsburg is an awesome city. It’s one of the coolest in that region because it’s kind of right at the foothills of the Austrian Alps. So, you can kind of see that in the distance, everything surrounding that. They have this beautiful castle. There’s a river that runs all the way through. Really, really love Saltsburg. But, if you want to get a little more mountainous, the city of Halot is also very close to Munich. I think actually closer to Munich than Saltsburg would be. This is one of Europe’s true fairy tale towns. Now, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s gotten very, very popular in the past few decades. So, if you’re going around Oktoberfest when there’s going to be so many tourists in the region, odds are you’re going to have to work through a lot of tourist crowds there. But, it can be very worth it. It’s just one of those places that it looks like you’re in the midst of a postcard. You you’re going to be thinking the whole time, how is this place real? Definitely get way more mountains than you would in Saltsburg. And it’s just gorgeous. I mean, it’s it’s absolutely incredible. If you’re looking to stay in Germany and check out more of Bavaria, would definitely recommend the castle of Novonstein. Now, this is again another one that’s become very popular tourists. I don’t know why this is. It could just be because it’s on the Romantic Road, which is this path that that goes all the way through Germany and sees a lot of the most beautiful regions or at least the best of what the regions have to offer as you work your way up the country. That’s where the romantic road starts. So, for whatever reason, a lot of Americans and a lot of Asians seem to really, really love Novonstein. And if you’re going to be there around October Fest, kind of like Halat, odds are you’re going to be battling some tourist crowds. But it can be so worth it. I mean, No Fonstein is so so incredible. It sits upon this hill with the mountains surrounding it. It just towers over the nearby town of Fusen. Incredible views everywhere you look. If you get up on the Marian Bruca and look down at the castle, that’s the real money shot. But the thing is that bridge is terrifying. My observation of the Marian’s Bruca, Mary’s bridge at No Fonstein, the best view of the castle you’re going to find without a doubt. The one thing is that it’s a little scary. These planks that they have, they move down when you step on them. And there’s so many people on this bridge. Actually, there’s less than when we were here before. I could not believe the sounds that that bridge was making as we were walking across it. I was like, “Oh my god, just please, please hold on. I I don’t know how old that bridge is. I don’t know how often they check on it.” I would think very often because of the amount of tourists that come through, but it’s very rickety. It It’s It’s worth it once you see what you’re looking at. looking back at the it actually goes above the castle so you can see not only the castle but everything that the castle looks towards on the other side. It the the view is unbeatable but a lot of people up there all at once and just be prepared for that. Also, before I forget, if you’re looking for another city in the region that’s maybe a little more off the beaten path, Agsburg is a city that Sydney and I went up to. We were actually dropping off the car at the Munich airport, but we figured we’d go up to Aguburg while we still had the chance because we still had I think it was like four or five hours to kill. So, we just went up there and saw what it was all about. I think about an hour outside of Munich. Really, really nice city. I think a lot more people gravitate towards Nermberg if they’re going to try to see more of Bavaria. But, I mean, Agsburg’s really cool, too. I There’s something about German cities in general where they’re going to have that plots as we mentioned before. where they’re going to have the city square with just the incredible architecture surrounding it. Really, really cool bars. The beer is very affordable. The beer’s delicious. Great food. I think Bavarian cuisine is very good, very hearty, and you’re going to find that anywhere in that region. So, I probably wouldn’t say that Augsburg is like the number one city you have to see in Bavaria. But if you have some time to kill, if you have an extra day towards the end of your trip and you want to either take a train up there or if you have a rental car, it’s a really easy drive. can be a really nice thing before you head to the Munich airport. Okay, number nine on the list, that would be the Nymphenberg Palace. This is a palace that is a little bit outside of the city of Munich, so it’s not going to be in that central walking area that I mentioned. You will have to take a train out there or they also have Uber as well. But this was the summer residence for a lot of the royals in the Bavarian capital. So, it’s kind of funny. We noticed that in Vienna, too. It’s like the summer residences are only like 15 20 minutes outside of the city, but back then that’s really all you needed to have just a little bit more removal and a little bit more privacy from the bustle of the central city. But this is a stunning palace with expansive grounds all the way around that you can walk around. It’s a completely baroque style palace. So, I mentioned before about the Munich residence, you go into every single room, and it seems like they’re just trying to pack in as many architectural styles as they possibly can. With the Nymphenberg Palace, it’s a little bit different. It’s it’s definitely got one style, one architectural design in mind throughout the whole facility. They also have a really famous collection of porcelain in there. So, a lot of cool artifacts as you’re walking through. And yeah, just the ground surrounding the Nymphenberg. It it is something special and very similar to what you’ll see in the schlloes. That’s what the palaces are called in German. The schlloes in Vienna. Very similar to that, just how it’s a little bit outside of the city, but that used to be where the royals and kings could just kick up their feet and relax. And finally, number 10. And since it is that time of the year, let’s talk about October Fest itself because this is the largest festival in Bavaria, largest festival in Munich, and the reason that a lot of tourists come into the city during this time of year. So, as I mentioned before, the festival actually is called Visen, and that’s what the fairgrounds are called. It’s going to be very accessible if you’re going over to that area to use the Yubond to get over there from Mariam Plots. If you’re staying in the central area, it’s just a very, very short train ride away. It can get crowded obviously, especially during peak times. But the nice thing is because the festival is so long starting on September 20th and going all the way to October 5th, there is kind of this spacing out that makes it not so crazy. Like you’ll see at a lot of festivals that are only 2 or 3 days long. This tradition began all the way back in 1810 and it was originally a celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludvig to Princess Teresa. But then it just evolved into this, they call it Vulkfest, basically where all the Vulk, all the German people come and gather together and celebrate German heritage. I don’t think a lot of people realized this before, but it kind of has aspects to what we see in the US with like state fairs and I think people are always kind of picturing it to be a little different than that, but you will have, you know, roller coasters, rides. It’s it’s fairgrounds essentially that that’s that’s what you’re kind of going into. But the thing that makes Oktoberfest really special is of course the beer tents. And what I think is really cool about the beer tents is that you have 14 individual tents. And every single tent is dedicated to that specific style of beer. So if you’re in the Panner tent, you’re going to be drinking Panner. If you’re in the Hacker Shore tent, you’re going to be drinking Hacker Shore. And they’re all Bavarian beers. They’re all beers from the area. So it’s kind of celebrating that local beer heritage. And they’re of course served in the giant one liter glasses. So it’s, you know, you’re going to be drinking a lot of beer in a short amount of time. And because of that, it’s gonna get very rowdy and very fun. But the thing to always remember is try to be a little bit respectful when it comes to this. There’s obviously nothing wrong with getting rowdy and having a crazy time. That’s encouraged. But no fighting, no breaking the glasses, no throwing up, no trying to steal the glasses. There’s a lot of that. I I’ve heard legends of people trying to take the because the leader mugs are just so iconic at this point. So trying to take them and, you know, put them under their shirt as they’re going out, but they’re going to catch you and it’s it’s usually just like they’re going to grab it and not even acknowledge you. So they’re very used to this happening. But yeah, don’t don’t be that guy. Don’t don’t try to steal the mug. Something that I didn’t realize until we actually were in Germany during this time is that every city in Germany has their version of Visen, but it’s just that Munich October Fest, it’s the one that is the most popular and the most famous. But if you go to a place like Stoutgart, they call it something a little different. It’s called Vasin there. Visin vasin. Visen vasin. Just a little bit different, but it’s the same thing. It’s it’s a fairground experience where people go into beer tents and enjoy a lot of beer. So, you know, it’s it’s a fun thing. It’s always fun to see everyone kind of dressed up in their traditional clothing with the later hosen and the darnle for the women and and just seeing it in person when they’re carrying all of those leader glasses at once. It is definitely a spectacle. It’s just it’s a party. It’s a fun time. It is a great reason to visit Munich. But hopefully this video has provided a few other things that you might want to check out while you’re there because this is not the only reason to visit Munich. It’s just one of the great traditions of the city. So have fun, be well, be safe, enjoy Oktoberfest, and enjoy the beautiful city of Munich. [Music]
🍺 Servus! There is no place like Munich, Germany during the world’s biggest beer festival, Oktoberfest (Wiesn)! Join us on an unforgettable journey through Munich’s vibrant culture, iconic landmarks, and the electric atmosphere of Oktoberfest 2025! Here are 10 things to see and do in Munich during your Oktoberfest visit!
🗺️ Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, this ultimate guide covers the top things to see and do in Munich during the Wiesn season. From sipping frothy beers in traditional beer tents to exploring historic sites and hidden gems, we’ve got you covered!
📍 Why visit Munich during Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is more than just a beer festival—it’s a celebration of Bavarian culture, history, and community. Combine that with Munich’s stunning architecture, world-class museums, and lively beer gardens, and you’ve got the perfect destination for an epic trip. Whether you’re planning your Oktoberfest 2025 adventure or just dreaming of lederhosen and dirndls, this video will help you make the most of your Munich experience!
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