Every day at 11:00 and 12:00, tourists gather in Munich’s Marienplatz and gaze upwards at the Glockenspiel. This mechanical puppet show features life-sized figures dancing, jousting, and milling about with no discernable purpose.

While I’ve never gone out of my way to see it, I have coincidently found myself at Marienplatz just as the show was beginning on more than one occasion. While it’s mildly amusing, I wouldn’t place it high on my to-do list if I only had a few days in Munich. For example, you could be drinking beer instead (11:00am beers are completely acceptable here)…

Photo source: personal collection

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In honor of Tavern Day, here’s a little post about drinking in Munich. (I know what you’re thinking… “There’s drinking in Munich ?” I was shocked, too.)

This weekend we partook of the annual Munich Strong Beer Festival (or Starkbierfest), a fabulous Bavarian tradition. Each year for a few weeks during Lent, the local breweries open their banquet halls and cellars for this festival celebrating Starkbier – a heavy, sweet, dark brew thought up by fasting monks who wanted some nourishment (but weren’t so interested in sobriety). These days each brewery produces its own brand of Starkbier, with names that usually end in -ator (eg. Salvator, Triumphator, Unimator…).

I’m a big advocate of off-season travel, and here’s yet another example of why. Although a much smaller scale than Oktoberfest, the Starkbierfest is a great way to experience drunken Bavarian revelry. There’s live music, large beers (only served in 1-liter krugs), traditional food, and a big crowd of revelers dancing on long wooden benches. Not to mention the adorable Dirndls and Lederhosen worn by locals and visitors alike.

Munich’s most well-known Starkbierfest takes place at the Paulaner brewery at Nockherberg, but there are several others, too, including the Löwenbräukeller and Augustiner-Keller, all of which are easily reachable by public transportation. Here’s a listing (in German, but pretty easy to understand).

[see also: my post about our trip to the Starkbierfest on my personal blog for more photos and fun]

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Why? Because The Tent (locally called the Kapuzinerhölzl), the cheapest place to crash in Munich, will be open from the 15th of June until the 15th of October.

For 35 years, the Tent has been offering backpackers and all sorts of group travelers cheap accommodations.

Where: middle of a park near the botanical garden. To get there, you have to take Tram 17 (direction Amalienburgstrasse) and get off at the Botanischer Garden). From the botanical gardens, just follow the sign to lead you to the Tent which is around 500 meters away.

What to expect: A big tent that functions like a dormitory. Imagine 600 sq.m. full of backpackers

How much: Floor in accommodations cost 7.50Euro per person, includes blanket and sleeping bags. For those who would rather lie in beds, it costs 10.50Euros, including blanket.

Facitilies available: toilet & bath, washing machine & dryers, lockers (bring your own lock), internet terminals and a cafeteria.

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Do keep that in mind the next time you are in the country.

Post from: Europe String