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Your Hotel near Oktoberfest in Munich
Welcome to Wiesn
Our Hotel Europäischer Hof is located directly at the central/main train station in Munich & the city center and is ideally situated for the Oktoberfest 2024 in Munich.
You can reach the festival grounds in less than 10 minutes by public transport. On foot you can reach the Theresienwiese in 15 minutes.
Are you travelling to Oktoberfest by car?
We also offer our guests parking spaces for a daily fee.
Hotel Rooms with Breakfast near Theresienwiese
At our friendly hotel, we offer comfortable rooms in three different categories: single, double and three bed rooms. Our cozy beds allow you to embark on your Oktoberfest adventure well rested and to have a close-by hotel room to come home to after a day at the “Wiesn”.
Before the Oktoberfest opens its gates, you can enjoy our optional rich breakfast buffet at leisure and strengthen yourself for your eventful day.
From September 20 until October 5, 2025
Opening Festivities Oktoberfest 2025
Parade of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries
Saturday, September 20, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
First held in 1887, this parade is the festive prelude to the inauguration of the Oktoberfest with beautifully adorned carriages bearing the landlords’ families, the splendid horse-drawn carts of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats, the music bands of the beer tents as well as the showmen‘s coaches. By tradition Munich‘s Lord Mayor takes part in this event. The procession is headed by the ”Münchner Kindl“, a young woman on horseback wearing a monk‘s habit.
Route: Sonnenstrasse to Wiesn
Oktoberfest Poster 2024 – 1st Prize
© LHM/Referat für Arbeit und Wirtschaft, Annika Mittelmeier
The Traditional Costume and Marksmen Parade
Sunday, September 21, starting at 10:00 a.m.
Various groups dressed in traditional costumes, music and marching bands as well as trumpeters, amateur and mountain riflemen present themselves during this two-hour parade first held in 1835. The splendid carts of the Munich breweries, coaches and historical carriages, colorfully beribboned trees and flower garlands leave the spectators of this stunning event with an unforgettable impression. The parade passes close by our hotel on its way to the Oktoberfest premises.
Route:
Maximilianstrasse, Residenzstrasse, Ludwigstrasse (loop south of Galeriestrasse), Odeonsplatz, Briennerstrasse, Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse, Promenadeplatz, Lenbachplatz, Karlsplatz-Stachus, Sonnenstrasse, Paul-Heyse-Strasse, Georg-Hirth-Platz, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz, Schubertstrasse, Esperantoplatz (fairgrounds).
Please note: The processions will take place in any weather!
Interesting facts about the Oktoberfest
„O‘zapft is!“
„O‘zapft is!“
– “the barrel is tapped!” exclaims Munich‘s Lord Mayor after broaching the first cask of beer at noon, thus officially inaugurating the world-famous Oktoberfest. For eighteen days the citizens of Munich as well as hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world will flock to the fairgrounds, commonly known as “Wiesn” (“meadow”) at the foot of the Bavaria statue. The peppy music of the brass bands in the beer tents belongs to the Oktoberfest atmosphere as much as the dizzy rides on the roller coasters and merry-go-rounds, or the smell of roasted almonds, Turkish delight and gingerbread hearts. Truth be told, there are no words to describe the Oktoberfest, you have to experience it yourself! This year, for the 189th time, Munich will again radiate high spirits and zest for life as people follow the invitation: “Let‘s go to the Oktoberfest!”
Oktoberfest fun
Oktoberfest fun
The Oktoberfest is characterized by a distinct mix of high tech and nostalgia. Over 200 attractions and sideshows invite visitors to have the time of their lives. In addition to spectacular large rides such as the Olympia Looping or the Eurostar, there are funfair attractions with a long-standing fairground tradition that can only be found at the Wiesn, such as the Krinoline (old-fashioned merry-go-round), the Teufelsrad (“Devil‘s Wheel”), the Toboggan, and the Schichtl Variety Show, the latter being a true Oktoberfest institution. You’ll be able to get from our hotel to the Oktoberfest in no time at all, so just put on your dirndl or lederhosen and join the fun!
Oktoberfest delicacies
Oktoberfest delicacies
The special Oktoberfest beer brewed by Munich‘s six major breweries is served in seventeen beer tents with a total seating capacity for 120,000 guests. The draft beer is the perfect beverage to accompany Bavarian treats such as radishes, Obatzta (specially garnished cream cheese), sausages, and roast chicken or spicy fish grilled on a stick. The ox roasted on a spit is another Wiesn specialty. All in all, some 80 small and medium-sized caterers invite you to have a swell time.
Please remember: To book seats in a beer tent, you must contact the respective tent operator directly.
Oktoberfest history
Oktoberfest history
Oktoberfests were not uncommon in Bavaria in the past. They served to use up the stored Märzen beer before the start of the new brewing season. To this day, the Munich breweries brew a special beer for the Wiesn (the Wiesn Märzen) with more original wort and thus also with a higher alcohol content.
The now famous Munich Oktoberfest can look back on a history of almost 215 years. It was first held on October 17, 1810 on the occasion of the wedding celebrations of Crown Prince Ludwig – who later became King Ludwig I of Bavaria – and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. In honor of the princess the fairgrounds in midst of the city were later named “Theresienwiese” (“Therese‘s Meadow”), a term which local people affectionately shortened to “Wiesn”.
The first Oktoberfest
The first Oktoberfest
In 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese held a big horse race on a meadow outside the city walls of Munich.
Since Crown Prince Ludwig was very interested in ancient Greece, one of his subjects suggested that the festival be held in the style of the ancient Olympic Games. The suggestion was enthusiastically received and thus the Oktoberfest had a predominantly sporting character in its early years. Today it is even considered a model for the Olympic Games. To the delight of the city’s population, the Bavarian royal court decided to repeat the horse race the following year at the same time. Thus began the tradition of the Oktoberfest.
The Wiesn in numbers
The Wiesn in numbers
- The Theresienwiese has a size of 42 hectares.
- The area of the festival grounds is 31 hectares.
- The average number of visitors each year is around six million.
- In 2019, 6.3 million visitors were counted. The previous record from 1985, with 7.1 million visitors, was surpassed in 2023 with 7.2 million visitors, thanks to the beautiful weather, which included 17 days (out of 18) of sunshine.
- There are seats for 120,000 people.
- Around 12,000 people work at the Wiesn each year, including 1,600 waiters and waitresses.
- On average, around 60,000 hectoliters of beer and almost 500,000 Brathendl are sold each year.
- It is estimated that a turnover of around one billion euros is generated during a Wiesn.
Additional information
Additional information
All information about the Oktoberfest can also be found on the official website of the Wiesn.
And if you have any additional questions about the Oktoberfest, our friendly hotel staff will be more than happy to help!
Impressions of Oktoberfest
Hotel Europäischer Hof Munich
Perfect accommodation for your Oktoberfest visit in Munich:
- The near Oktoberfest grounds at Theresienwiese can be reached in just 10 minutes.
- Central location right at the Main Train Station for easy arrival.
- Direct airport connection via S-Bahn lines S1 and S8.
- Convenient arrival by car thanks to the hotel’s own paid parking spaces – subject to availability on arrival.
- You can store your luggage with us free of charge on both your arrival and departure days.
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