Oktoberfest 2026 in Munich: Traditions, Atmosphere and Travel from Romania

Every autumn, Munich becomes one of the liveliest cities in Europe. The reason is the famous Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival, bringing together Bavarian traditions, music, local cuisine, fairground attractions and the city’s unique atmosphere every year.

In 2026, Oktoberfest will take place from September 19 to October 4 at its traditional venue, Theresienwiese. This makes late September a great time to plan a trip to Munich and combine the festival experience with exploring the city.

Bavarian Traditions and Atmosphere

Oktoberfest is much more than its famous festival tents. For Munich, the event is also an opportunity to preserve and showcase Bavarian culture and traditions.

The festival traditionally begins with a parade of the tent owners and brewery representatives. At noon on the first day, the Mayor of Munich opens the first barrel with the traditional cry “O’zapft is!”, officially marking the start of Oktoberfest. The following day, a large traditional costume parade takes place.

Throughout the city and festival grounds, visitors can see traditional Bavarian clothing such as dirndls and lederhosen, listen to live folk music and try local specialities including Bavarian pretzels, sausages, roast chicken and other regional dishes.

Oide Wiesn, the historic section of Oktoberfest, is also well worth a visit. Here, you can find traditional fairground attractions, listen to Bavarian music and enjoy dances and cultural events. It offers a chance to experience the festival in an atmosphere inspired by its earlier days.

What to Do at Oktoberfest

Even if food and drinks are not the main reason for your visit, you can easily spend an entire day at the festival. The grounds feature more than 100 rides and fairground attractions, ranging from classic carousels and the Ferris wheel to modern rides.

One of the main highlights of the festival is its large festive tents. In 2026, 17 large tents and 21 smaller tents are planned, each offering its own atmosphere, music programme and menu.

Visitors can also discover Munich’s famous brewing traditions, which are an important part of the city’s history and culture.

Those looking for a quieter atmosphere can visit the historic Oide Wiesn area. In the evening, a ride on the Ferris wheel offers a beautiful view over the illuminated festival grounds.

How to Get to Oktoberfest from Romania

Flying is the fastest option for travellers coming from Romania. When planning your trip, you can start by checking flights to Munich for your preferred dates and then choose your accommodation and plan your stay in the city.

With the Zbor24 app, you can search and compare available flights from Romania, select suitable travel dates and book your flight directly from your smartphone.

For Oktoberfest, it can be useful to compare several travel dates. For example, you could arrive in Munich one or two days before your planned festival visit, spend a day at Oktoberfest and use the rest of your trip to explore the city.

From Munich Airport, you can reach the city centre by S-Bahn. The easiest ways to get to Oktoberfest are by public transport or on foot from central Munich. Organisers also recommend using the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, as there is no visitor parking directly at Theresienwiese.

Planning a trip to Oktoberfest 2026?

Check flights from Romania to Munich in the Zbor24 app, compare the available options and choose the dates that suit your autumn getaway.