Theresienwiese

The Theresienwiese is the 42-hectare meadow where Munich holds Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival, drawing 6 million visitors over 16 days each late September and early October. It started in 1810 as a public celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig’s wedding and became an annual tradition that defined Munich’s identity abroad. Outside festival season, the meadow is open and quiet, with the Neoclassical (19th-century Greek-Roman revival style) Bavaria statue and Hall of Fame on the southern edge worth a detour on their own. The Bavaria is hollow: you can climb inside and look out through the figure’s eyes. U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese. For Oktoberfest, book reserved table seats months ahead; tent entry on weekday mornings is most manageable for first-timers.