The best European cities to celebrate Oktoberfest in 2025
Fans of beer and folk festival Oktoberfest have more places to visit than Munich alone. But where else might they travel to celebrate? db finds out.
Oktoberfest attracted 6.7 million visitors in 2024, celebrating over 18 days in its birthplace, Munich. However, this year, interest is already on the rise. For instance, Google searches in the UK for ‘Oktoberfest’ have jumped by 113% this month alone, suggesting 2025 could see an even bigger turnout when the festival runs from 20 September to 5 October.
For this reason, the drinks business spoke to the city break experts at Travel Republic who have revealed a new ranking of the most popular European cities where beer fans can celebrate Oktoberfest to ensure the best experience.
According to the data the team works from, Travel Republic head of product Gemma Brown told db that it was evident that “there have been more than 185,000 searches for ‘Oktoberfest Munich’ in the last month”. This information, combined with an average pint price at the festival standing at an average price of €15.25, Brown has now revealed where beer fans can head instead.
Cologne, Germany
First up, Cologne was the top recommendation. “Located in West Germany, the historic city of Cologne stands as the region’s cultural landmark. With over 2,000 years of history within its walls, the city is not only famous for its Gothic architecture but also for its Oktoberfest celebrations” Brown explained. “Located in the neighbouring town of Düsseldorf, which is just a quick drive from central Cologne, visitors can enjoy traditional German beer and music paired with what is considered to be a spectacular party atmosphere.”
According to Brown: “With flights taking less than 1 hour and 30 minutes from major UK airports, Cologne is the perfect place for any Brits looking for an authentic Oktoberfest experience but without the inflated prices that often come with visiting Munich.“
Zurich
The next suggestion was Zurich, which comes in second as the most popular place to celebrate Oktoberfest “after seeing a 328% rise in searches for the city’s festival in the past month,” Brown revealed.
“Taking over one of the city’s largest venues between 25 September and 18 October, Zurich’s Oktoberfest is packed with beer tappings, a craft beer bar, a shooting gallery, and traditional live music,” she added.
Plus, Brown also outlined: “With daily flights available from the major UK airports, including London, Manchester, and Birmingham, beer enthusiasts can arrive in the major city in around two hours, and with only an hour’s time difference between Zurich and the UK, it’s the perfect place for a short weekend away this season.”
Barcelona
Coming in the top five, Barcelona has also been named as one of the best places to celebrate Oktoberfest, as Brown revealed that it has noticed how “12,000 Brits have searched for the festival over the past month”.
Brown told db: “Attracting over 10,000 attendees every year, Barcelona’s Oktoberfest brings all the traditional aspects of the famous Munich festival, including beer, music, and food, but at a fraction of the cost. With entry free during the day and the average cost of a pint being only €2.65 (£2.30), a whole €12.60 lower than its Munich counterpart, Barcelona is the perfect destination for any British beer lover.”
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The full list of suggested alternative destinations for Oktoberfest celebrations across Europe is below:
Cologne, Germany
11-28 September
Zurich, Switzerland
25 September- 18 October
Manchester, UK
30 October-1 November
Barcelona, Spain
2 October- 19 October
Stuttgart, Germany
26 September-12 October
London, UK
9-25 September
Stockholm, Sweden
11-13 September
Hamburg, Germany
19 September-5 October
Also added to this list, db looked into how Prague has been gearing up for its own Oktoberfest celebrations from 17-20 September. Plus, db has gone a stage further and recently identified the best beer gardens to visit in Munich for any beer fans who were visiting the city but hoped to avoid the most obvious tourist spots but seek out places that were still steeped in Bavarian charm.
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