Unofficial: Oktoberfest Munich

ONE OF LIFE'S must-do experiences is Oktoberfest in Munich -- and this year (2014) the world's largest folk festival celebrates its 204th birthday! In a nutshell, the first keg will be tapped by the Bürgermeister (or mayor of Munich) at 12 noon in the Schottenhamel beer tent on Saturday September 21, 2013 kick-starting an orgy of drinking, eating, singing and merriment. It all began on a joyous autumn day in October 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig married his bride, Princess Therese von Hildburghausen. The wedding reception was such a hit that it materialized into a week-long party and an annual celebration, which now attracts some 6 million visitors from all over the world during the two-week festival. JOIN TRAVEL WRITER Brett Harriman this September on one of his exclusive tour packages to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! This year marks Brett's 16th Oktoberfest in Munich and he looks forward to sharing with you his passion for the world's most famous folk festival. To find out more about Harriman's exclusive tour, go to: http://www.harrimantravelbooks.com/Tours_Oktoberfest.html

AFTER BERLIN and Hamburg, Munich is Germany’s (third) largest metropolis. Often referred to as “the village of 1 million,” Munich is the proud capital of Bavaria, founded in the 8th century when monks formed a settlement on the Isar River. From this evolved Zu den Mönchen (literally “by the monks”) and today’s modern-day German name: München. Monks are the masters of brewing beer, and Munich, a settlement of monks, developed into an intoxicating hub fit for nobles, natives, and you!