Festivals in Germany

Today, it's back to Europe with a big thank you Ben for this fabulous insights about Germany and it's festivals. Can't wait to visit one of them ;)

You shouldn’t need any special reason to visit Germany. There are amazing city breaks that you could try, plus the beautiful forests, lakes and mountains for the more leisurely walking and cycling holidays. However, Germany does have a wealth of festivals. They happen throughout the year, and some are well worth checking out. They cover everything from cultural diversity to celebrations of beer and wine, so there is always something to match anyone's interests.

With a population of three and a half million, Berlin is Germany’s largest city, and with half a million of those coming from different parts of the world, it is also very diverse culturally. A celebration of this fact happens every May with the ‘Carnival Of Cultures’ taking place in the Kreuzberg district of the city. Expect colourful sounds and tastes from around the world during this four-day festival, which culminates in a spectacular parade featuring thousands of performers and scores of floats making their way through the city, bringing a Brazilian party atmosphere to the streets of Berlin.

Throughout the months of May and September, the country’s longest river - the Rhine- is lit up spectacularly on some weekends. Passing through the cities of Bonn and Koblenz amongst others, the river and its surroundings are the scene for firework displays during the ‘Rhein In Flammen’ festival. Marvel at the awesome sights and sounds as specially lit boats make their way down this majestic river, lighting up the bankside and especially the faces of those watching this amazing spectacle.

One of Germany’s – if not the world’s – most famous festivals is the ‘Oktoberfest’, where as many as six million people descend upon Munich to take part in a medley of drink, food and song. Despite its name, the Oktoberfest usually begins in September (mainly due to the fact that the weather is better!) and has been increasing in popularity ever since the first festival back in 1810. This means that if you are planning a visit, then you may need to sort out a hotel well in advance, as well as reserving a table in one of the many beer tents – especially if you are bringing a large group. You may also want to stock up on your Euros, as you won’t get a lot of change out of a 10 Euro note for a litre of beer.

If you are planning a winter trip, then maybe one of Germany’s excellent Christmas Markets are for you. There are many different markets in many of the major cities in Germany, with Berlin boasting over sixty different ones the most famous and spectacular being that at the Gendarmenmarkt. With many more to choose from in Dresden, Nuremberg and Cologne to name but a few, you will be sure to experience all the Christmas cheer you need in the form of food, arts and crafts and of course some winter warmers in the form of beer and wine!

This is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many more special events held across Germany throughout the year. Keep your eyes peeled for these and many more festivals happening this year and beyond.

Ben Gallivan loves travel and enjoys all kinds of festivals (especially if they involve good beer or tasty international food), so Germany is one of his favourite destinations. He writes for One80 Hostel in central Berlin.