Who said culture had to be boring? 

Get the dates right 

San Sebastian’s La Semana Grande, or, The Big Week for us English speakers, is a week-long fiesta throughout the city, starting on the 8th of August 2020, to the 15th. Yes, you read that right. From official kick-off at 8pm, marked by a cannon firing in the Alderdi Eder gardens, this absolutely textbook Spanish party goes on all-day and all-night for an entire week. Now I’m not saying that going to San Sebastian at any other time wouldn’t be fantastic. Its stunning coastline, world-class food, and totally skits nightlife makes it a must-stop destination for any traveller taking on Spain. However, if you can time your trip to land around August, you’ll see the city in all of its fiesta-infused glory. 

Sort your accommodation out early

You’re not the first person to hear about La Semana Grande. The fiesta brings in thousands and thousands of people all trying to get a slice of that party pie. On one hand, that’s an incredible vibe, but on the other hand, where the hell is everyone going to sleep? It’s important to book your accommodation early, as everything, especially budget options, are going to sell out fast. It seems that you’ve got two options. One, you book yourself a fancy hotel for an extortionate price, maybe afford one night, and then be forced to go home early with your six-month backpacking trip limited to one expensive (but probably brilliant) night in San Sebastian. Then of course there’s option two. Staying at Stoke’s San Sebastian Surf House. With unlimited beer constantly flowing out of the in-house bar’s taps, new mates constantly arriving, and the classic Stoke vibe we’ve made a business out of, you’re guaranteed a big fucking week – and it’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg. Book ASAP, to avoid missing out. We’ve only got so many beds. 

Check out the sports

Whether you’re a sports fan or not, trust me, you’re going to want to see what’s getting played during La Semana Grande. Swap out soccer with high-intensity wood chopping, and football with a sixteen-kilometre open sea swimming race. You’re about to see athleticism at its finest. You’ll be surprised at how, having never even heard of the sport in the first place, you’ll find yourself desperately supporting your favourite athlete as they lift, drag, chop and throw shit all around the city. It’s like the Olympics, but with more drinking. 

Make sure you catch the fireworks

Fireworks have always been, and always will be cool. It’s a fact of life. Ever since the lads down in China put fire and bamboo together, the magnificent scenes in the sky have become a symbol of international fiesta. That’s why, like any big week, La Semana Grande puts on a display every night from pyrotechnics all across the world. These are some high-quality fireworks we’re talking about here. International artists come to San Sebastian to show off what they’ve got – resulting in some of the best displays in the world. It’s hard to miss the show, but I would recommend heading down to the beach to watch it in all its glory. Bottle of rum in hand of course. 

Boogie. Hard. 

As two plus two equals four, parties plus dancing equals fun. It’s just simple maths. Live music will be played all throughout the city, and there’s something magical about boogieing on the streets. Every Spanish fiesta involves music, and at La Semana Grande, every night a major act will play on the main stage at Plaza Tomás Alba. Whatever happens, don’t miss it. The plaza attracts thousands of party-goers ready to dance until the sun comes up, and fresh off seeing the fireworks display, I trust you’ll be in the mood to join them. 

San Sebastian is always great, it’s just that it’s a little greater during Semana Grande. Whenever you can get out there, make sure you come and visit us at our San Sebastian Surf House, it’s really a little slice of paradise tucked in the hills behind Zarautz, the number one surf beach in the area, and a short hop from downtown San Sebastian, and all of its bars, pintxos, drinks and babes. 

 

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You don’t need to look hard to find something to get you going. 

Coffee

Who said Pablo Escobar needed to be involved to get you high? South America’s second favourite export is coffee, and this drug is readily available on almost every street corner in the city of Barcelona. Dubbed ‘The Poor Man’s Red Bull,’ coffee is always going to help get you over the line at four in the morning when you’re feeling the heat of a good old-fashioned alcohol-infused blowout in Barca. It may not have the same effect as the white stuff, but when the going gets tough, you’ll be happy it’s there to help. 

Alcohol

Speaking of alcohol-infused blowouts, you’re going to need some booze to get you there in the first place. The drug of Kings, alcohol has been creating love, causing fights and drowning sorrows since 7000 BC. Like a good suit, it never goes out of fashion. Barca’s bar and club scene is second to none, and you can be sure that some of the best quality drinks in the world can be found within the city limits. Of course, the team here at Stoke Travel are well aware of this, which is why we’ve called Barcelona home for over ten years. What’s more, we know exactly how to show off this knowledge with our Barcelona City Break packages. 

Green Tea

I know, I know, it’s not what you’re expecting, but it might be better to hear this from me rather than have a very disappointing night. The charming lads down at La Rambla are trained in the art of picking out a tourist from a mile away, which is why, despite your best efforts at fitting in, you’re likely to be asked if you smoke weed the second they lay eyes on you. Now here’s the real tragic part, that ‘weed’ has about a 5% chance of actually getting you high. Instead, you’re likely to be looking at €10 bag of very healthy Jasmine Green. Go home, crack the kettle on, get your mates around and enjoy a game of Monopoly with a hearty cup of tea. You got done. 

Paracetamol 

I know, it’s not the little pill you’re looking for at eleven at night, but trust me, it’s going to be the one you need the next morning. Paracetamol has been keeping the Stoke team ticking along for years now, and after some heavy days on our Barcelona Boat Parties, it’s almost been better than that other little pill. Almost. 

Cigarettes

Now we will never condone cigarettes. They’re bad for your lungs, ruin your teeth, and weaken your immune system… but when you’re two pints deep and they’re only €5 a pack, you won’t be the first or the last person to reach for one of those little white soldiers. Immune to the heightened taxes found in other parts of the developed world, ciggies are still affordable for the common Catalan, meaning that they are one drug that is very easy to find, and very easy to enjoy – especially when you’re pretty much always going to be at least two pints deep. And I really mean at least. 

The Real Shit

The stuff you’ve been thinking about the whole time. Pills, powder, and grass. The holy trinity of any unforgettable evening here in the big city – shit, I mean, we don’t do drugs. The real shit is a bit harder to find than my previous few examples, but it’s also the stuff that’ll be worth the search. There’s no definitive answer to knowing exactly where to go for this, but you have to be careful when you look. A lot of people are going to try and rip you off with an inflated price or a shit product, and you’ve got to make sure that you don’t get punked. The team here at Stoke are not affiliated with anyone in this subsection of society, but we might know a guy that knows a guy that might be able to point you in the right direction. That’s what friends are for right?

 

You don’t need substances, illicit or otherwise, to have a great time in Barcelona – but they don’t hurt! Until they hurt, and then they really hurt. How about you just come on down to Barcelona, we can have a few shandies together and see where the morning takes us? For all things Stoke Travel in Barcelona, why don’t you slide yourself over here.

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Honestly, we have no idea. 

As this novel virus makes its way around the world, it’s almost impossible to make a fair assessment of how everything is going to look when September rolls around. What we can say however, is that there is a lot of time between now and then, and you better believe that the world’s top officials are doing everything they can to stop this thing. 

As far as it stands now, the Munich authorities have not cancelled Oktoberfest, nor the upcoming Springfest. We like to think of ourselves as the experts of these beautiful festivals, but the reality is the guys that reaaally know what they’re talking about wear suits and work for the government, and they have deemed both safe enough to continue business as usual, both in the beer halls and for our Stoketoberfest campsites and campsite parties – and we’re not planning on changing any plans until the authorities advise us to do so. It’s still very much game on. 

Is the Coronavirus in Germany?

Yeah. 

It’s also in America, Britain, Australia, Spain, France and Italy too. In fact, it’s everywhere. 

At this point though, Germany poses no more danger than anywhere else (at the time of writing 0.00020% of Germans had contracted coronavirus), and considering its status as Europe’s strongest economy, it’s likely the best place to be if shit hits the fan. The other thing is this – it’s not often that Stoke Travel and viruses can agree on anything, but this time there is – we both believe in no borders. Just like Stoke, the coronavirus doesn’t care for lines drawn up by old dudes hundreds of years ago and is more than happy to cross those lines in order to keep the party going. The thing is, this virus is global, and it doesn’t matter where you are, if it’s going to find you it’s going to find you. It’s going to find you travelling, it’s going to find you at home. In saying that though, as of time of writing, Munich has not confirmed a single case. Good news for beer lovers. 

Is the Coronavirus Dangerous?

Well long story short… it can be. 

Just like catching the common cold, getting in your car, swimming in the ocean, walking down stairs, and every other unavoidable thing you’ve got to do to live your life, it can be dangerous. However, assuming that you’re reading this as an adventurous traveller under the age of 40 (rock on if not though!), you’ll be happy to hear that you’re ridiculously unlikely to find this thing fatal, like, 0.2% chance unlikely. Go buy yourself a lottery ticket if you back those odds. Now that we’re on the subject of statistics though, try this one on for size: 80% of ALL cases experience mild symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic (no symptoms at all) to common cold level. If you’re booking Oktoberfest with Stoke Travel, the coronavirus will be a walk in the park compared to the gnarly hangovers you’re guaranteed to experience. 

Can I Get Health Care at Oktoberfest?

Absolutely! 

At Stoke we will always encourage our fellow travellers to organise health insurance before their trips. We of course will do everything we can to make our fun safe, but the reality is when unlimited beer and sangria is involved, unexpected consequences are almost guaranteed at some point. That’s why we always have security and public safety professionals stationed at all of our festivals, with the medical services on speed dial should we need their assistance. Regardless, Germany itself prides itself on having some of the world’s best doctors and nurses, and with comprehensive health insurance, you better believe that you will have access to them. 

Yeah it’s business as usual for Stoke Travel. By the time Oktoberfest, or Springfest, or anything we do, rolls around the coronavirus scare will have mostly evaporated and the media would have found something else to obsess over. Don’t let it change your life, keep travelling, keep exploring and never stop filling your young, travelling life with all the experiences available to you. If you want to read our full statement on coronavirus and travelling, jump over here, and to book your Oktoberfest trip with Stoke Travel, light this up.

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Sure, we’re worried about coronavirus. We’re in the travel business, and for the most part people travelling is what’s edging the world toward pandemic status. And this affects us, because while we don’t have events in any of the affected regions, when the shit hits the fan like this people’s plans can change, and they can find themselves feeling less confident about moving around the world, seeing the sights, meeting new people, enjoying themselves, and learning. 

As coronavirus spreads through Europe we’re noticing that some travellers are reconsidering their plans to party with us. We think that you should reconsider reconsidering.

Epidemics aren’t new. We started this company just as SARS was petering off, and operated without incident during swine flu. What is different this time around is the rate by which coronavirus is spreading, and the media saturation that the crisis is causing. 

People are being led into a panic, and seem to be expatriating themselves to bunker down at home. Rice and hand sanitiser are impossible to find in supermarkets in areas barely affected by the virus, if at all. The more conspiracy minded amongst us are bracing for the apocalypse, while hypochondriacs avoid all human contact for fear of death. The rest of us are more worried about running out of Netflix shows to watch if we’re forced into a two week quarantine. 

As a tour operator and travel agent, for Stoke Travel it’s business as usual. We rely on advice from experts and health professionals and government agencies at a local and international level. Based on their recommendations at writing none of our upcoming events, tours or trips will need to cancelled, or even modified, nor does it look likely that they will be. 

As far as the Stoke Travel calendar is concerned, our upcoming trips to Munich’s Springfest, Ibiza Spring Break, Andorra Ski, and the various Barcelona Boat Parties are all going ahead, and will be until local or national government advice recommends the contrary. 

At the time of writing this, the coronavirus has affected zero people in Munich, and 0.00015% of Germans across the country, with no deaths. Similarly in Ibiza and Andorra, there are no confirmed cases, and in Spain 0.0002% of the population have been infected. 

The coronavirus concerns us, but we most certainly aren’t freaking out. 

Furthermore, the vast majority of Stoke Travel guests are well outside of the danger zone for this particular influenza strain, with people between 18-40 years of age having a 0.2% chance of dying in the off chance they contract coronavirus, as opposed to a 15% chance for people over 80. While we do advise being prudent with your virus prevention so that we can better safeguard more “at risk” members of our community, at this stage we don’t see this being a great threat to the average Stoke traveller. 

Coronavirus is popping up in new countries and regions every day. It can find you wherever you are, and as the disease moves around the world being at home will be just as risky as travelling. We don’t see the point in denying ourselves the endless delights of pursuing pleasure around the world and living a travelling life full of new experiences as long as the coronavirus doesn’t present a real and tangible threat to our wellbeing. 

Stoke Travel operated without incident through the H1N1 epidemic (swine flu), and in the wake of other events that created concern among travellers, such as terrorist attacks in Germany, France and here in our home in Barcelona. We always weigh up the risks, but do so knowing  that we can’t let unrealistic fears and media panics negatively affect our overwhelming need to live a life full of experiences and meeting new people. 

This will pass, so we strongly advise that you continue living your life as you were before you even heard of the coronavirus, but always be prudent with the advice of local governments and international authorities on health, like the World Health Organisation. We will not be cancelling our events unless we’re advised to do so, and our terms and conditions regarding cancellations and refunds will remain as is throughout this developing situation. 

Stay safe, but don’t do so at the expense of living your best travelling lives. Wash your hands, cough into your elbow, don’t kiss strangers with high fevers, and keep travelling the world, going out at night, partying, attending concerts and enjoying yourself. As warmer weather approaches and governments and health professionals work to contain the outbreak, soon the coronavirus will be relegated to history and we’ll wonder why we were so worried at all. 

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Surf y yoga en uno de los parajes más bonitos y exóticos de Asia, ¿tentador?

Si llevas tiempo haciendo surf seguro que alguna vez te has planteado hacer un surftrip por el país de Sri Lanka.

Como buen aventurero seguro que estás siempre buscando nuevos destinos, nuevas olas y nuevos compañeros de viaje.

En esta ocasión te presento la oportunidad de tener todo esto, y además disfrutar de profesores titulados de yoga que adecuarán su práctica a surfistas como tu.

Una semana de surf y yoga en Weligama, Sri Lanka

Las chicas de Surf Soul Collective organizan un año más un retiro de surf y yoga en la preciosa localidad de Weligama, al sur de la isla.

Por qué Sri Lanka es una de las mecas del surf

En los últimos año Sri Lanka ha aumentado su popularidad, pero el carácter amistoso de su gente, sus kilómetros y kilómetros de playa, y lo económico que puede salir surfear allí ha hecho que este precioso país pase a estar en el top 10 de destinos surferos de muchos aficionados al surf.

A estas razones hay que sumarle la posibilidad de surfear en aguas cálidas y el clima tropical que tiene.

Otro de los motivos por los que desplazarse a Sri Lanka es la variedad de olas que tiene, desde olas para empezar con este deporte hasta olas para los surfistas más expertos.

Todo esto sin olvidar la parte cultural e histórica del país, así como la deliciosa comida que puedes disfrutar en todo el territorio.

4 motivos para surfear en Weligama

Ambiente surfero

Es uno de los pueblos con más ambiente surfero e internacional de la isla. Gente de todas las partes del mundo se juntan con los locales en esta localidad, donde los problemas desaparecen y solo hay lugar para el surf, el yoga y el relax.

Es una localidad para viajar con un presupuesto ajustado

Como el resto del país es un destino económico para ir de viaje. Aquí tus días de vacaciones podrán estirarse un poco más

Surf todo el año

Aunque oficialmente la temporada alta es de octubre a marzo, en Weligama encontrarás olas todo el año. Una de las ventajas de ir en abril es que todavía sigue habiendo buenas olas, el tiempo es bueno y encontrarás menos gente en el agua.

La combinación perfecta de surf y yoga

Nada mejor que comenzar el día con una buena sesión de yoga antes de meterse en el agua. Estirar, relajarse y fortalecer, en una práctica hecha por surfistas para surfistas.

Retiro de surf y yoga de SeaSoulCollective

Si después de este post estás listo para pillar la maleta y largarte a Sri Lanka a hacer yoga y a surfear, te presento el retiro de surf y yoga de SeaSoulCollective.

Cuándo: 4th – 11th  | April 2020
Qué: Una semana donde el yoga, el surf y el buen ambiente son los protagonistas.
Info: Retiro surf y yoga SeaSoulCollective

Programa

Cada mañana comenzará con una práctica de yoga de 90 minutos de Vinyasa Flow. Esta práctica está diseñada para ayudarte a desarrollar una mejor conexión con tu cuerpo y la habilidad de poder relajar la mente. Después de la práctica, el equipo de Island Sisters te dará la bienvenida con un delicioso desayuno vegano / vegetariano lleno de productos frescos y de origen local.

¡Desde aquí, tienes el día para disfrutar a voluntad! Aquellos que deseen surfear, pueden alquilar una tabla y explorar los múltiples spots delante del alojamiento. Si todavía no sabes surfear, ¡no te preocupes! Puedes reservar una clase de surf con ellos.

Si no te apetece surfear puedes pillar un tuk-tuk y disfrutar de los muchos lugares a lo largo de la costa sur de Sri Lanka. Nuestro equipo recomendará las mejores opciones para ti.

Los días que te apetezca relajarte podrás comprarte un coco fresco y caminar descalzo por las playas bordeadas de palmeras, o pasear en bicicleta por los pueblos locales que rodean Weligama. Tienes opciones ilimitadas para disfrutar de la zona. Suena bien, ¿no?

A medida que el día llega a su fin, podrás unirte a Sunset Sessions en la azotea, donde descubrirás una variedad de prácticas de autocuración. Desde saludos de Yin yoga, Hatha y luna, hasta una variedad de sesiones de sanación sonora con cuencos tibetanos, gongs u otros instrumentos.

Cuando llegue la hora de la cena, será hora de reunirse para disfrutar de deliciosas comidas en una de las muchas opciones gastronómicas del vecindario.

Qué incluye

• 7 noches de alojamiento en alojamiento privado o compartido.
• 7 desayunos saludables veganos / vegetarianos.
•  3 cenas grupales.
• Práctica diaria de Sunrise Vinyasa Flow (90 minutos) que incluye pranayama, asana, meditación y mantras.
• Sesiones especiales al atardecer en nuestra terraza.
• 2 sesiones especiales de profesores invitados.
• 1 visita en bicicleta al templo budista en Weligama.
• Servicio de conserjería de nuestro equipo para organizar traslados, clases de surf, recorridos locales por las áreas circundantes, visitas a spas y excursiones de un día adicionales.
• Recuerdos de toda la vida y amistades.

Personalmente me parece todo un planazo para disfrutar del surf, conocer un nuevo país, nuevas olas, y sobre todo para compartir la experiencia con gente divertida y auténtica.

Conozco a Ale, una de las organizadoras del retiro, he estado con ella en Australia, y varias veces en su B&B de San Sebastián, y es una de las mejores anfitrionas que he tenido, así que si tenéis dudas sobre este viaje, no dudéis en escribirme y os contestaré honestamente sobre todo lo que pueda

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Of course the perfect surf camp for us is our San Sebastian Surf House, with the best waves in Europe easily accessed from our converted Basque farmhouse in the mountains. Plus we’ve got the whole surf-play balance thing worked out, so your evenings can be spent trading stories in our bar/leisure room, or on the town with your new crew of best buds and fellow shred dawgs. 

It’s that time of year again. Your six pack has melted into a keg, your liver disintegrated into a useless ball of lard and all you have left to comfort you is the knowledge that you won’t have to see your extended family for another entire circumvention of the sun. Your flatmate is still trying to make you participate in dry January (“You can still start on the 7th”) and Denise from accounts won’t stop going on about how she’s gone on a run every day this year.

Nobody likes January. So in an effort to forget that the month exists, why not look forward to the summer to come? You’ve got a whole five months to get that rig back in shape and to give your liver at least one weekend’s rest, so fret not on the past, but look ahead to where you really want to be – getting out into the ocean in that sweet, sweet surf.

As with all kinds of travel, there’s a ton of variables you should be looking out for when you’re scouting out where to go. Here’s a few to get you thinking before you turn those winter daydreams into concrete summer plans:

How the hell do I get to there?

‘Where the hell is my dream surf camp?’, you may find yourself asking. Whilst this question is completely subjective, your ideal surf camp should be pretty easy to get to. One of the only bonuses of January, is the January sales. Sites such as Ryanair and Vueling are chucking up flights on the cheap like they’re Donald Trump spewing out abuse on Twitter. Make sure to hit up sites like Kayak or Skyscanner first to get the best deals, but, fuck, who am I talking to, you already know that, right?

Is this place full of groms or shredders?

‘Who’s gonna be at this surf camp?’, you may be thinking. You’re stressing, because you’re a seasoned shredder but your new boyfriend has never so much as touched a boogie board. But when it comes to finding a decent surf school, every surf instructor worth their (sea)salt should be able to cater to all abilities. Whether that means teaching your fella how to pop up on the beach for half an hour, or heading out the back to show you the best waves, this should be a non-issue.

Waves? Tell me about the waves!

‘Are we hunting monsters? Pipeline, Mavericks, Nazare???’ While these waves make for great watching on the WSL tour, unless you have a death wish (or can seriously rip) you’ll be looking for something a little smaller. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to be practising in the white wash, taking advantage of the smaller waves, and getting to grips with the beach. Beach breaks are perfect for this, such as Playa Zarautz or Biarritz (both in the Basque Country), and these two will also definitely please the more experienced crowds, with waves reaching up to three metres, even in summer.

What the hell else can I do around here?

Surfing can be a pretty tiring sport. Like really tiring. Sure, you might wanna get out in the water like it’s your 9-5, but hey, you’re on holiday – you gotta relaaaaax man. Most surf camps will offer plenty of other things to do around the area, from beach sports and paddleboarding to yoga and meditation. 

Where can I get a goddamn beer?

So maybe yoga and meditation isn’t really on the cards; maybe a three-day bender is more your style. Make sure to check out the local scene before you head to your destination. Sleepy surf towns can be a nice break, but you can’t beat a surf city with nightlife right next to the sea. Every good surf hostel should be within a stones throw of a decent bar – or better still should have it’s own. Or at least, that’s what we think here at Stoke Travel….

So now you know what to look for in an ideal surf camp, surely all signs must be pointing towards:

SAN SEBASTIAN SURF CAMP

If you’re looking for somewhere to while away your summer days, look no further. Getting to the Basque Country is a proverbial piece of piss – flights are going for as little as €60 return from the UK. Our surf instructors are happy to cater to all abilities, and Playa Zarautz offers clean, fun waves for beginners and shredders alike. 

Clubs are aplenty, fiestas every other day, and there’s always a chance you might find the guapo o guapa of your dreams. Our all-inclusive surf house provides plenty of activities, with daily yoga lessons for those keeping things mellow, and for the party animals, opportunities to let loose every day of the week. With an open bar onsite of all-you-can-drink beer and sangria, things tend to lean towards the latter, rather than the former – but you’d like that wouldn’t you? Ya filthy animal.

So quit daydreaming, and get involved now! Check out the surf house here and book using promo code SPARKLES to get free and unlimited beer, cider and sangria.

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Anytime is the best time to go to Oktoberfest, it’s the world’s original, biggest, and best beer festival! But, while Munich’s famous beer fest is always the most fun you can have as an adult, while wearing pants, there are some insider tips and tricks that can help you make the most of your time in Germany, drinking delicious German beers. 

Oktoberfest is actually mostly in September 

Oktoberfest 2020 will run from September 17th until October the 5th, meaning that two of the three weekends are in September – we still don’t know why they don’t call it “Septemberfest” (probably because it doesn’t have the same ring to it). To not delve too deep into Oktoberfest history here, the original Oktoberfest, when a king married a queen, was in October and that’s the way it remained for a while, before the organisers shifted it a couple of weeks forward to take advantage of the better September weather. And we’ve noticed that every year, some time during the Oktoberfest, the weather changes from hot and summery, to less hot, sometimes a little rainy, and more like autumn (fall). That said, though, rain, hail or shine being at Oktoberfest is a whale of a time no matter what.

There are three Oktoberfest weekends 

There’s Oktoberfest first weekend, middle weekend and closing weekend (we know, genius). If you look deep each of these weekends has its own, distinct personality and you could have a different experience depending on when you go. If you just arrive in Munich with the sole aim of looking cute in your dirndl/lederhosen and enjoying delicious Bavarian beer by the litre, and getting into the local customs then you probably won’t even notice a difference.
NB for this we’re talking about the different visitors to Oktoberfest, but overwhelmingly, whether you visit the first, middle, or closing weekends – or midweek – Oktoberfest is filled with Munich locals and other visitors from greater Bavaria, the German state where the festival is held. 

Should I go to the first weekend of Oktoberfest? 

On the opening Saturday of Oktoberfest the mayor of Munich will tap the first keg at midday and from thenceforth the beers will flow. This is an unbelievably exciting moment to hear all the beer halls and the 10s of 1000s of people in them roaring in anticipation for the first beer, and the three weeks of absolute debauchery that will follow. The problem is, that in order to be a part of that moment you will have to arrive at the beer halls very early, like 8am early, in order to get into a beer hall and secure yourself a table; in the Oktoberfest beer halls you can’t get served unless you have a table. So that means you’ll be waiting for hours before you can have your first beer, which might not seem like a problem, but you WILL be hungover from the previous night’s Stoketoberfest campsite party, which is another story altogether.

But, it is worth it, and something we should all do at least once. The opening weekend is probably the busiest weekend for Aussies and Kiwis, many of whom are finishing up their summer-long van tours of Europe in Munich, but it also attracts interested partiers from across the globe who want to be able to justify day drinking by saying that it was part of a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience.

The second weekend of Oktoberfest is Italian weekend

From Munich the north of Italy is a short trip away, just across the Alps and connected by fast train and highway, so there are always plenty of Italians in the beer halls. Anecdotally the locals say that the middle weekend is when you will find the most Italians in Munich, many identified by perfectly gelled hair and pleather puffer jackets (think Jersey Shore). These days we’ve found that many study abroad students from the USA like to come from their newly adopted cities, like Florence, Paris, Prague, Barcelona, London and others, to Munich for the middle weekend, and while there are a lot of Italians around, you could hardly say that it’s “Italian weekend”. It’s everybody’s weekend. 

Oktoberfest closing weekend always lines up with German reunification day

Oktoberfest can’t finish before German Reunification Day, which is on the 3rd of October, meaning that every year the final weekend is aligned with the long weekend associated with this holiday. This means that locals and Germans from across the country have more opportunity to come to Munich and the Oktoberfest and take full advantage of their most important national holiday. This weekend is perfect for visitors who really want to be immersed in the local culture (and there are literally millions who do come this weekend from all over the world, so don’t expect to be the lone foreigner surrounded by Germans).

Midweek at Oktoberfest is way less crowded 

This is a bit of an Oktoberfest hack, but if you come to Munich from Monday to Thursday you’re in for the treat of being there with way less tourists. This means that you’ll be able to find a table easily, be served quickly and often, be able to hit the beer halls at any time day or night, and easily hop from beer hall to beer hall and try the different flavours on offer in each (different beers, different bands, different food, different crowd – just different vibes). 

Also, every Tuesday all rides in Oktoberfest are half price, because if you don’t already know the rides in Oktoberfest are absolutely epic and rival even the best amusement parks – made all the more amazing because you’re expected to ride them absolutely hammered on strong German beer. 

You have to get into the beer halls early!

If you’re going to Oktoberfest on any of the busy weekend days, you have to arrive early, around 10am (except for opening day, see above), in order to secure a table so that you can get served. Then in the afternoon it’s not uncommon for security to do a drunk sweep and eject a whole bunch of people under the auspices of them having drunk too much, but really just to clear space for the evening’s revellers. On that note, if you miss the morning table grab you can try your luck just after lunch, as the beer halls are being emptied by security, and try and secure yourself a table for the evening. It’s not uncommon to see savvy ‘Festers running from door to door at the beer halls as the security strategically open doors and let a certain number of people in each.

If you do come midweek, however, you can pretty much arrive to the beer halls at any time of the day or night (before 10pm) and find a table reasonably easily. And don’t worry – this doesn’t mean that the beer halls are empty, even when it’s not busy the beer halls are absolutely heaving with the most fun people you’ve ever shared a beer with.  

The time is now!

You’re never too old for Oktoberfest, and if you’re in Germany you’re not too young if you’re 16 years old or over. This German beer festival is an absolute bucket list event, something that absolutely everybody has to do at least once in their life – even if you don’t love beer. It’s just too much fun, drinking all the beer that your body can hold, and then dancing on the tables while oompah bands play, with your newly forged German drinking buddies. This is equal parts raging party and cultural experience, and so when you do have a slight hangover the next day (the purity of Bavarian beer does mitigate some of the worst aspects of a hangover) you don’t feel too crumby because you earned it doing something cultural. 

The truly best time at Oktoberfest is found in our Stoketoberfest experience, a combination of your accommodation and the biggest party outside of the beer halls, a truly immersive experience where you will meet and drink with people from all over the world, make new friends for life, and find plenty of drinking buddies to hit the beer halls with. Stoketoberfest is Munich’s biggest accommodation option, cheapest, but also its most fun, with bands, DJs, drinking games, an open bar, and the best people from all over the world joining us in the 1000s every day of the festival. 

 

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