We prefer going in September before the masses start arriving from all over Europe and the world. But no matter what day you go, prepare for an unforgettable time — if you can remember anything at all after so many gallons of beer.

Once you get to Munich, there are plenty of ways to shrink your wallet while expanding your beer belly. If you don’t follow a few simple tips, it’s easy for first-timers to waste a lot of cash and time. Here are some ways to save when hitting the happiest place in Bavaria.

1. Arrive “beer-ed” up and ready to go

The cost for a one-liter stein of beer has passed the €10 mark, so make a plan to pre-party elsewhere first. Smaller beer tents sell beer for a euro or two less, but outside the festival, there are dozens of beer gardens to hang out at for €6.50+ a pop.

The breakfast room at Meininger City Hostel & Hotel. Photo: Courtesy of Meininger

2. Hotel regulars: try hostels

Munich is a place with a huge selection of decent hostels around the city, many of them with private rooms. Hostelling Youth International is present, along with Germany’s well-received Meininger Hotel or try CVJM/YMCA Hostel for a really cheap sleep. Some hostels rival cleanliness and amenities with large city two-star hotels. Don’t let the experience of age get in the way of a good offer at a Munich hostel.

Search all Munich hotel options on EuroCheapo

3. Hostel regulars: try camping

Campsites specific for Oktoberfesters include The Tent and Wies’n Camp that cost €35 to €140 per night depending on how much equipment you have. Camping gear is also available for rent, even ready-made tents, so you don’t have to bring much. For lower costs, remember that the larger your group, the cheaper the price. Other Munich camping sites include Campsite Nord-West and Campsite Obermenzing.

4. Stay local and cheap during Oktoberfest

The festival is not located in the old city center or anywhere near the Hofbrauhaus, so staying downtown is probably not ideal if you are only town to experience Oktoberfest. The festival is located at S-Bahn station Hackerbrucke, which is a few stops away from downtown. Look to book closer to the festival in neighborhoods like Laim or Hirschgarten (an area with amazing greenery, cute deer, and large beer gardens).

Related: Our favorite cheap hotels in central Munich

5. Metro trains are the best way

Forget taxis, the best part about traveling around Munich are the quick and efficient S-Bahn and U-Bahn (metro) trains. Since the festival ends every night at 11:30 p.m., the metros are still running for an extra hour or more. It’s easy to get around, and a three-day travel ticket is only €16.80, while a one-way trip is €2.90. There’s even an online guide to using public transport during the festival too.

6. Scoring deals on lederhosen and dirndls

It’s a great souvenir and beer-drinking outfit that lasts a lifetime but make sure to shop around for the best deals. If you’re not looking for uber-authentic, try larger department stores around Marienplatz than the real McCoy. A full dirndl outfit set can be as low as €60 if you shop smart.

7. Eat a big meal before you enter

The roasted chicken and warm potato salads are to die for, but the prices might just kill your wallet. It’s not an insane amount, but a pretzel, a beer, an apple strudel…it all adds up very quickly. Grab a big meal before heading into the festival to guarantee you’ll be eating just enough to get your beer belly through the night.

Related: Our favorite cheap eats in Munich

Those giant cookies may look tasty, but they make better souvenirs than desserts. Photo: Erik C.

8. Pass on the lebkuchen

Lebkuchen are those heart-shaped cookie cakes with adorable phrases written in icing look so delicious and sweet! But don’t be fooled. They’re not as fresh and moist as you think, and the shrink wrap around it doesn’t add a very nice flavor either. These cakes are not to eat, they’re to wear as a necklace. A cute gift, but don’t go for the XXL size.

9. Don’t buy a pointy hat

This is a personal pet peeve I have with first-timers at Oktoberfest. Maybe it’s because they’re the cheapest souvenir around, but these tacky, grey felt hats claim to be “original Bavarian” style. Trust me, there are much better and much more flattering Munich hats out there that don’t resemble a drunk college guy meets wimpy Halloween witch.

Most importantly, remember to have fun. Cheers to a happy time at Oktoberfest! Photo: Jason Paris

10. Save time by knowing when to go

Yes, it’s true people wake up at 6 a.m. to score a seat in a tent, but it’s more out of anxiety than necessity. Large tents are open from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. but waiting early for a tent to open is for beginners. Locals know that Oktoberfest weekends are for sunny beer garden afternoons and weekdays are for hassle-free walk-ins to any beer tent.

Timing is still important: try to get there before 4 p.m. for any decent seat. But the key to a fun Oktoberfest experience is flexibility, patience and going with the Oktoberfest beer flow.

Your secrets to enjoying Oktoberfest

Have you been to Oktoberfest in Munich? Let us know your tips in the comments below!

The post Munich: 10 ways to save time & money at Oktoberfest appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, not everything is out of a Cheapo’s budget in this city. Munich is also home to wonderful traditions and scenery that won’t cost you even one euro to experience.

Here are seven of our top free things to do when visiting Munich at any time of the year.

Related: 10 tips for saving in Munich and our favorite budget hotels

Munich free things to do

1. The Glockenspiel clock

Every day at 11 AM and 12 PM there are hundreds of tourists waiting at Munich’s Town Hall. The crowd’s size misleads others to think something huge is going to happen, but it’s really just a joyful chime of traditional music and figurines circling around the clock tower. Maybe you shouldn’t plan your European vacation around it, but it’s cute to see once while drinking a coffee to go.

2. Church of Our Lady

Nearby the town hall and Marienplatz is Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) boasting the tallest towers in the city. One of the towers is open to climb, and on a clear day, you can see as far as the Alps. The inside holds artwork from the 1300s, as this is one of the oldest churches in the city, built in the 1400s.

3. The English Gardens

The large central park has everything you need for a typical Bavarian summer outing: a babbling brook, trees, soccer games, al fresco picnics, nudists… and a beer garden next to a large Chinese-style tower. Alright the last two sound weird, but in the English Gardens (Englische Garten) it’s totally normal. Wandering around the park leads to rose gardens, more cafes and large, gothic buildings. It’s a must-see.

Related: 3 beer gardens popular with locals in Munich

4. Isar River

There’s a part of the river running through the English Gardens where locals surf on a naturally made wave. It’s great to watch from the bridge above. Following the river is a beautiful walking path, especially when the leaves are changing. Some of the waterfowl along the Isar are rarities in Europe — like Asia’s mandarin ducks.

5. Viktualienmarkt

Just next to the town hall is a market area with all things foodie. From boutique cottage stores selling homemade jams and organic honey to a slew of butcher’s competing for the world’s best pork slice of leberkase, it’s free to walk around but the smells are tempting. There are quite a few fresh juice stands and traditional Bavarian food kitchens, all, of course, surrounding a beer garden to sit and eat at. This is a great lunch spot.

Related: 5 classic Bavarian bakery items in Munich for around €1

6. Hirschgarten

This is my favorite attraction, and it’s perfect for families. Hirschgarten has everything Bavarian: nature, wilderness, hearty food and beer. The word means “deer park”, and dozens of deer hang around, grazing and snoozing. Kids (and adults) love to feed them grass through the fencing, while the park itself is large with play areas and nature paths.

To top it off, Hirschgarten is the largest outdoor beer garden in the world, with ample seating, and tasty food and drink at very fair prices. The S-bahn even recently built a “Hirschgarten” metro station to better guide park visitors.

7. Nymphenburg Palace

Within walking distance from the Hirschgarten is this jaw-dropping Baroque-style palace built in the 1600s. Rulers of Bavaria like Maximillian II and his son King Ludwig II resided with their families in this gigantic building that looks more like a grand hotel. Entrance inside is €11.50 during peak season, but it’s free to walk around the stunning gardens, ponds and greenery sculpted around the premises.

The post Exploring Munich: 7 free things to do appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Airport bars and lounges are nothing new, of course. But Munich’s airport offers a uniquely Bavarian twist to “grabbing a beer between flights”: Don’t just head to a bar. Head to the airport’s biergarten.

At this convivial outdoor space, you can sample the airport’s own home-brew, crafted in strict compliance with the Purity Decree of 1516 (which, side note: turns 500 years old next year!). This isn’t just any old beer, but one brewed with Hofbräuhaus yeast and hops from the Hallertau region. We’ll take two.

Cheapo note: A half-liter of the biergarten’s brew will only set you back €2.75, notably cheaper than at bars inside the airport (not to mention in the city center).

In addition, their kitchen dishes up plates of Bavarian specialties that will practically ensure that you’ll fall asleep on your next flight. Throw in the possibility of cabaret-style performances, and we’re suddenly excited about a layover.

But is it practical?

But wait, we hear the Nervous Nellies (understandably) protest: Is grabbing an air-brew and sausage platter really a practical option between flights? What about security? Getting to your gate on time? Getting tipsy, passing out and waking up in Nuremberg?

Fortunately, it’s logistically pretty simple. The beer garden is located in the airport’s “forum”, the outdoor public space between the airport’s two terminals. As the airport is already comparatively small, reaching the beer hall isn’t more than a few minute’s walk from most gates.

Given the airport’s size, security is also a relatively quick and breezy experience. Airport insiders tell us you should give yourself about 20 minutes to reach your gate from the beer garden in normal flying conditions.

As for getting tipsy and waking up in Nuremberg, well, here you might want to exercise a bit of prudence. After a couple of steins of airbräu, you might want to give yourself a few extra minutes to navigate to the right gate.

More in Munich

Heading to Munich soon and looking for affordable sleeping options? Check out our list of recommended budget hotels in Munich’s city center, all inspected and reviewed by our editors.

Looking for more ways to save in Munich? Read more tips in our Munich blog.

The post Layover in Munich? Hit the airport’s beer garden! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

No matter which tent you end up in, beer will be €10 a pop and people are bouncing off the walls in dirndls and lederhosen. But to get a grasp of what’s happening in other tents, here’s a rough guide.

Caravans from Italy

The second weekend of Oktoberfest is “Italian weekend.” Camping spaces around the festival are reserved for caravans from Italy, and there’s a notable presence in Munich of accents and sweaters that read “Italia!” These Italian stallions are found in large groups at the beer gardens outside — they arrived too late in the day to actually get in any tent.

Lowenbräu and Hofbräu: The “tourist” tents

Maybe it’s the 15-foot tall lion statue above the entrance that makes things look exciting. Still, Italian tourists, along with Australian and Asian visitors, are known to “park it” at the Louwenbräu tent. The line is always the longest, the tent look is very traditional, and the indoor and outdoor seating hit the 8,000 mark.

The Hofbräu tent seems to be reserved especially for the North American backpacker traveling Europe via Eurail, and the Aussies on Busabout party coaches who like to rockstar their way through Europa. They’re psyched out of their mind that the legendary bierhalle (and legendary tourist trap) Hofbräuhaus has – for a limited time – a flippin beer tent!

Bräurosol and Hacker: The “local rager” tents

The “Hacker” tent (aka “Bavarian Heaven”) and the “Pschorr Bräurosol” are the real party tents for Bavarians ages 18 to 35 (the 16-year-olds are at the Paulaner tent, along with more Austrailians). Both are massive and have lots of side entrances to help you sneak in when main doors are busy (but make sure your group’s woman-man ratio is at least 2:1). Tables are also great for the bigger group.

These tents’ bands are known to mix things up after 5 pm with more rock and pop hits, but don’t expect anything beyond Bon Jovi, White Stripes and the guy who reminds me my life was fine before knowing of his existence… what’s his name… Robbie Williams.

Trend of 2013: The smoking ban inside the beer tents has caused some creative initiatives. Besides sneaky, under-the-table puffs when servers aren’t looking, both men and women in the Bräurosol are smoking out the wooden corridor just before the men’s toilet. Intimate talking corner? Maybe. Ashtray that looks like a sauna hall? Heck Yes. Gross.

Fisher Vroni and Ochsenbraterei: The “foodies” tent

Worthy of a mention are the beer tents that offer more than your run-of-the-mill Oktoberfest food.

Above the Ochsenbraterei entrance sits large motorized figurines roasting a giant ox on a spit – a fair warning for vegetarians, and a mouth-watering invitation for carnivores. Inside the tent, a mechanical ox rotisserie roasts more than 100 bovine during the festival for dishes that go from €15 to €30 per plate. Not the cheapest pick, but as far as rotisserie pros go, 100 years of practice puts Ochsenbraterei at a master level.

Fish-on-a-stick might be a sore second after something as savory as 100 rotisserie oxen, but think of a 50-foot row of fresh mackerel, salmon, trout and more grilled over hot coals to Bavarian perfection. It looks impressive after drinking one beer, and after your second beer it’s to die for.

Hippodrome: The “celebrity” tent

The bourgeoisie of Munich are the “Shickeria” – amazingly tanned, platinum blonde, pearly white smiling (always smiling), and apparently hanging out at Oktoberfest for people to see them drink themselves silly. Yes, Hippodrome is the “see and be seen” tent, which is an obvious reason why they’re the first tent in line at Oktoberfest.

I don’t know if most people who go to Hippodrome are already famous, want to be famous, famously blow more than your average Bavarian spender (an already wealthy bunch), or have a thing for drinking beer on white tablecloths – but I’m guessing it’s a combination of all of these. It can’t be because they like breweries, Hippodrome serves other brewer’s beers… and champagne!

The plus is that the Hippodrome tent – besides looking like a glam “Moulon Rouge” gone Bavaria – has the latest closing time. While other tents end at 11 pm, the upperclass of who-the-heck-knows-your-famous-outside-Bavaria-anyways get to rage it until 1 am. And for singles, it’s a jackpot.

Augustiner: The “family friendly” tent

As cultural and cozy the mood at Oktoberfest is, things easily get loud, messy large men hit the ground – it’s just no place for kids. Good news is the Augustiner tent is known to be great for families, which is vital information for anyone planning to hit Oktoberfest with the little ones.

Tuesdays are “kids day,” which means kids drink for free! Just joking. It means the food and drink menu is marked at a discount for adults and kids with a talking tummy.

The post Report from Oktoberfest: A guide to the tents, tastes, and trends appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are my favorite places in Prague to enjoy a delicious beer while taking in a breathtaking view:

Letna
Letenske sady (Letna Park), Prague 7 – Letna

From whichever direction you enter Letna park, the view never fails to inspire awe. As I’ve stated in a previous post dedicated to Prague’s green spaces, Letna is perched high above the city on a plane overlooking the Vltava River, with its succession of bridges, framed by the city’s stunning architecture. This view conjures up images of a Europe of long ago.

The beer garden hugs an edge of the park and encompasses 20 or so long wooden tables with benches. You purchase your beer from a small stall, where you can also stand at round tables and drink your golden brew with a plate of sausage, dark bread and hot mustard. They also offer some other snacks like chips and ice cream bars.

Seated at the benches, listening to the happy banter of others and staring out at the stunning view, day passes into evening almost without your awareness, as perfect moments always do.

Reigrovy Sady
Riegrovy Sady, 120 00 Praha 2 – Vinohrady
Web site

One of Prague’s largest, the beer garden at Reigrovy Sady mixes the country’s national beverage with a lovely park setting.

After purchasing your beverage (at the stall at the garden’s entry), sit back at one of about 30 wooden tables and enjoy the cool and lush environment, thanks to the parks numerous trees. If you’re into sports, you can also watch the latest game on the beer garden’s large screen (if you’re not into sports, don’t worry, the screen is set in one corner of the large space, so it doesn’t prove to be a distraction).

To experience the view–including rooftops of the city’s center and the castle in the distance, all framed by trees–find a patch of grass on the hill (located to the left when you’re standing outside the entrance to the garden) or sit on one of the benches just above it.

Vysehrad (Hospudka Na Hradbach)
V pevnosti 144, 128 00 Prague 2 – Vysehrad

Set within the grounds of one of Prague’s most magical settings, Hospudka Na Hradbach offers a stunning panorama of the city many visitors never get to see. To find your way there, look out for the dark spears of the Church of St. Peter and Paul, which nearly rivals Prague Castle as the dominate feature in the city’s skyline, and characterizes the entire Vysehrad neighborhood.

To best experience the view, sit down at one of the tables along the garden’s edges. If you’re not so lucky, opt for one of several tables within its center and then stroll over at your leisure. Along with beer, Na Hradbach offers a wide selection of food offerings.

To finish the evening or afternoon, walk the periphery of the area for more equally stunning views of Prague.

Parukarka
Parukarka Park, 130 00 Prague 3 – Zizkov

An off-the-beaten-path location well worth the trip, Parukarka sits atop a hill in Prague’s Zizkov district and offers nearly 360-degree views of the city. Although there are a few tables outside of the small pub, most people opt to sit in the grass just behind it. From there you can enjoy your beer with a view that includes a rooftop perspective of Zizkov, Prague’s TV tower, Vitkov National Memorial, and yes, Prague Castle in the distance.

To get there from the center, take the metro’s green line to the stop “Flora.” From there walk down the hill along “Jicinska” street (or catch tram number 5 to “Olsanske Namesti”). At the bottom of the hill, cross over the intersection, pass the bus stop and then head up the set of stairs directly in front of you. At the top, you’re at Parukarka.

Now sit back and sip in the view!

The post Prague: Beer gardens with great city views appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Among the many beer garden options the city offers, these four stand out:

Prater

Kastanienallee 7-9, Prenzlauer Berg

The one and only Prater is a mandatory summer stop for locals and tourists alike. Said to be the city’s oldest beer garden (dating back to 1837), this Prenzlauer Berg institution can accommodate up to 600 guests in its garden and indoor restaurant. Forget Oktoberfest–this is the real deal.

Schleusenkrug

Müller-Breslau-Str. 1
www.schleusenkrug.de

Located near the Tiergarten, right on the river, this small bar/kiosk fires up the grill in summer for brats and other goodies. Cold beer, good views, nice people–it doesn’t get much better than this.

Come to Golgatha after the sun goes down. Photo: Eugene Kim

Golgatha

Viktoria Park, Kreuzberg
www.golgatha-berlin.de

Kreuzberg’s answer to Prater, this beer garden inside a public park really gets going later in the evening. Beach chairs complement picnic tables. If you’re feeling anti-social, they offer Wi-Fi. But if you feel like mingling, there’s also dancing.

Loretta am Wannsee

Kronprinzessinnenweg 260, Wannsee
www.loretta-berlin.de

For a day trip, Wannsee, one of the largest and most popular lakes around Berlin, offers a sandy beach, shallow water and Loretta–a beer garden with a good wine selection. Watch the sailboats (or nudists, depending on where you’re looking) pass by as you kick back with a drink.

Other beer gardens

Have another beer garden in Berlin to recommend? Tell us about it in our comments section. Prost!

Also on EuroCheapo: If you’re planning a trip to Berlin and looking for affordable places to sleep, swing by our city guide to read reviews of our recommended hotels in Berlin, all of them visited, inspected and reviewed by our editors.

The post Berlin: The city’s best beer gardens appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. Walk aimlessly

I’m a walker, and one of the many reasons I like living in Prague is because it’s a great city to get lost in. Just pick a starting point, start walking and see where the path takes you. It’s a great way to explore the city and stumble upon any of Prague’s myriad treasures.

2. Drink a beer outside

After walking for a while, you’ll naturally get thirsty. Of course there aren’t as many outdoor beer gardens open now as there will be in the summer, but I just passed one yesterday and the people looked like they were in Czech beer heaven. Sipping a brew outside is one of the country’s greatest pleasures; if you don’t do it, well, you just haven’t experienced the Czech Republic. Na zdraví! (That’s “cheers!” in Czech.)

3. Find a park bench

Prague has a number of parks, squares and even little corners with benches to relax, and from which you can watch the world go by. When the temperatures warm up residents emerge from their apartments and take in the sun on their favorite park bench. It’s great people watching!

4. Head to the farmer’s market

Last year a host of farmer’s markets popped up in various locations in the city. They were so popular that they’re doing it again this year, and the season has just begun. At the markets you can find cheeses, breads, fruits, veggies and a variety of Czech specialties. Check out the official Web site (in Czech, but you can translate it online) for info about when and where to find the markets.

5. See what’s in bloom at the Botanical Gardens

Head on up to Prague Botanical Gardens. Open throughout the year, the area includes a Japanese Garden, the Fata Morgana greenhouse and St. Claire’s Vineyard, where you can sample local wines in a lovely wine bar. The gardens are located in a residential area above the city center called Troja, which is an area you might otherwise miss. While there, why not stop by the nearby Zoo and Troja Chateau. Bonus: From March 18- 27, 2011, the Fata Morgana greenhouse is hosting an orchid exhibit.

The post Prague Spring: 5 outdoor activities to celebrate the season appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.