There are traditions from Germany that are known all over the world. One of these traditions is the Munich Oktoberfest. When tourists come to Germany, they often pay a visit to this festival. Dressing up in a special costume and enjoying real German beer from Bavaria is probably one of the things that many visitors to Germany have on their bucket list. In Bavaria, you drink a Maß of beer in proper style. This means that the drink is drunk in a glass that holds a whole litre. A true Bavarian does not drink from a smaller glass. And if you want to experience the Oktoberfest in the right atmosphere, order a suitable glass. But the Oktoberfest also has a traditional meal. The large Bavarian pretzel, Obazda and Munich veal sausage in the morning are all part of the celebration. At Oktoberfest, people drink and eat in traditional beer tents, where there is music and often entertainment from the stage.
Even actors and political celebrities don't miss the opportunity to pop into the marquee themselves at Oktoberfest time. The first barrel is usually tapped by the Lord Mayor of Munich. This opens the festival, which attracts guests from all over Germany and even from other countries. The Oktoberfest meadow is one of the most important places in Bavaria during the festival period. Many visitors from other federal states travel to the Oktoberfest on trains that are specially equipped for the journey. On the outward journey, people are already partying on the train. On the return journey, the compartments provide all the comforts so that even drunk guests can get home without worry. Some federal states even have their own festivals that are reminiscent of the Oktoberfest. But the original can only be found in Munich.
Anyone travelling to Munich for the festival often equips themselves with the right clothing for the event. Munich residents and Bavarians in general attend the Oktoberfest in traditional costume. And guests from other federal states also like to emulate this model: Visitors in lederhosen and shirts and female visitors in dirndls are no exception. In fact, they are the rule. If you really want to savour the atmosphere, come to the festival in the right clothes. In this respect, the Oktoberfest is one big Bavarian theme party. The Oktoberfest even attracts many guests from Asia year after year. They enjoy the special atmosphere and can be photographed in the middle of the tent among the Germans in an exuberant mood. Beer benches are set up for the guests in the festival tents. At such a beer bench there is no difference in status and no difference between celebrities and normal visitors.
Every guest is equally welcome here. Nevertheless, there is an entrance fee for the Oktoberfest. The crowds in the tents are too big for the doors to be opened just like that. But the visit is worth every cent of the entrance fee. There is probably no other place in Germany where Germans celebrate as exuberantly as here. Even if you're not much of a fan, you'll appreciate this federal state. You simply have to love Germany for the Oktoberfest.
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