Oktoberfest 7-day Small Group Tour

Munich - arrival

After leaving Munich airport by 11:00 AM, we drive 90 minutes north on a scenic route known as the German Street of Hops. Our first stop is at a small castle and Veronika and her small team will prepare a traditonal meal for us and serve up some delicious Pyraser Bier before travelling the final 90 minutes on the Autobahn before arriving in Bamberg. Once in Bamberg, you’ll be sleeping inside a working brewery for two nights. There is no elevator and little WiFi, but the beer is great and the place is packed downstairs! Settle down for a good night's sleep, or catch a little snack before retiring - it's up to you!

The morning starts with an exclusive tour of the Weyermann Malt factory, the world's number one supplier of specialty malts. This tour is rich in science and is a memorable experience! (Only for the first 20 guests to register) For lunch we'll enjoy the famous Bamberg Stuffed Onion at Schlenkerla. Perfectly paired with the town of Bamberg's pride, Rauchbier (Smoked beer), this may sound unusual, but it's extremely rare that our guests don't thoroughly enjoy this meal! Erik the Storyteller will be on hand to take you on a special tour of his city. You'll see the famous Rathaus in the middle of the river, the cathedral (starter in 1002), the Rosengarten, and you'll learn a lot as Erik weaves his stories. In the later afternoon, try to visit the other great Bamberg breweries: Klosterbraeu, Mahr, and Keesman.

After leaving Bamberg, we drive along the Altmühltal valley. Cliffs, caves, and castles dot the landscape as we make our way to Kelheim. Here we board a small ship for a 40 minute cruise through the Danube Gorge. There is much to see as we make our way to Kloster Weltenburg, dating from 1050. In addition to the marvelous church, you will get to try one of the world greatest beers, the Weltenburg Dunkles. After lunch and a few rounds of dunkles, we have a short trip to the Kuchlbauer brewery. Their excellent Weissbier is somewhat overshadowed by the Hundertwasser Turm. Their brewery is an amazing mash up of Dr. Seuss meets Willy Wonka! Brew Science, Art and whimsy are all on tap. From here it's another 90 minutes or so to our hotel in Munich's Grünwald suburb.

Awake to a traditional German breakfast, complete with fresh organic baked goods and strong, dark coffee. Using Munich’s efficient public transportation system we head downtown to start our exploration of the city: Founded in 1158, Munich has a rich history from the “First Reich, Second Reich” and was, of course, the birthplace of the infamous “Third Reich.” Our walk through Munich’s old town covers all these periods – medieval architecture, historical anecdotes and insights into the culture. Although each walk is slightly different and customized to the guest’s interests, we typically begin in the heart of Munich at Marienplatz. After the hearing the chiming of the Glockenspiel, we set off to explore the city – the Neues and Altes Rathaus (City Hall), the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady), and Munich’s open air market – Viktualienmarkt. We also walk part of route of Hitler’s 1923 failed Putsch attempt. We’ll also see where he attended his first meeting of the DAP (German Worker’s Party – later the NSDAP) and visit where he gave his first major public speech.

In the afternoon, you can have some free time before we head for dinner at our favorite place: The Weisses Bräuhaus, featuring Schneider's amazing Hefe-Weizen Beer, know in Munich simply as Weissbier.

After a good night's sleep, wake up late and enjoy the fresh, organic breakfast at the Alter Wirt. Put on your Lederhosen or lace up your Dirndl and get ready to head to Oktoberfest! We'll start the day a bit later and make a stop or two before we make our way to the Wiesn (Oktoberfest). Our seats are in a side box of the Augustiner Tent. It will be a fun night of feasting on rotisserie chicken and Augustiner Beer while enjoying the band

After breakfast we'll depart around 9:30 AM and take you straight to the Oktoberfest grounds: Theresienwiese. We'll stroll past the many rides and stands before Oktoberfest really gets humming. At 11:30 we take our tables in Box 3 in the Augustiner tent. This is the friendliest tent and the best beer at the Wiesn. We've known the service team here for years and the ladies will take great care of us during the afternoon. At 4 PM, we have to leave our seats and you can decide if you want to enjoy more of Oktoberfest or visit downtown Munich again.

Everything has an end - only the sausage has two, says the Bavarian. Today is departure day and you'll make you own way out to Munich airport to catch your flight home. The Munich airport is located 35 miles north of Hotel Alter Wirt. You will make your own way to the airport, depending on your personal flight time. A taxi can be arranged, or you can use the tram/S-Bahn which goes to the airport every 20 minutes.