Munich Spring Festival

Why wait until Fall to enjoy Munich’s famous festival atmosphere? Our visit to Bavaria’s lesser-known city festival, das Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival), comes in late April and offers many of the same features of its older sister—tents and Biergärten (outdoor dining areas), food and rides,  beer, beer and more beer!

After a brief bus tour through Munich, orient yourself in the Theresienwiese, Munich’s official Oktoberfest fairgrounds. Hunt for the carousel with a built-in bar, or size up the tents and pick your favorite. The Spring Festival is less busy than Oktoberfest, which allows for the opportunity to “shop around.” Check out the different tents, hang out for ein Maß—Munich’s famously oversized glasses of beer—and climb a bench to sing along to traditional Bavarian festival music. If the weather cooperates, move outside to the Biergarten for a bit of sun and a Radler (a refreshing mixture of beer and lemonade).

Take a break to enjoy a ride on the Riesenrad (Ferris wheel) or Geisterbahn (ghost train), then snack on sausage, a pretzel, or a handful of roasted almonds, or settle down for a hearty dinner of rotisserie chicken and potatoes. However you choose to party, you will appreciate the shortened wait-times and reduced crowd crush.

At any point if you’ve had your fill of the festival, feel free to also take a short train ride into Munich’s old town to do some self-guided sightseeing or world-class shopping before our mid-evening departure.