When it comes to Oktoberfest, Munich tends to get all of the attention. And if you want to attend you’ll probably need to plan your visit a year in advance if you want a good seat at a beer tent…or any seat for that matter. The three-week festival draws millions looking to slap on their lederhosen and dirndls, feast on schnitzel and sausages and glug down enormous steins of beer.

However other great cities in Germany host comparable Oktoberfests at around the same time of year, perhaps without the title and hoopla of Munich’s famous festival, but with just as much oompah music and fun.

Piqued your interest? Then join us on this trip to try some of the best German Oktoberfest beers in the Old Continent!

German-Swiss Oktoberfest, Lake Constance

German-Swiss Oktoberfest in Lake Constance offers visitors a chance to experience the wonders of nature while still partaking in traditional Oktoberfest events. German-Swiss Oktoberfest provides visitors with a more relaxed experience in its beer tents. In addition to beer, visitors can also enjoy traditional German cuisine and all manner of sweet and savory dishes. What sets German-Swiss Oktoberfest apart from other Oktoberfest festivities is the beauty of its natural surroundings. Lake Constance is one of the most awe-inspiring areas in Europe, offering guests a chance to slow down and enjoys picturesque views of the water and the nearby Alps. Those with children will also appreciate the Oktoberkinderfest, which specifically caters to young people. Among other highlights of German-Swiss Oktoberfest at Lake Constance is Damenwies’n, a special area of the festival just for women, and the Wies’n, a golf tournament hosted by the festival.

Nuremberg’s Altstadtfest

Set up appropriately in the old town center, Nuremberg’s Altstadtfest takes place around the same time as Munich’s Oktoberfest, but with decidedly smaller crowds. Spread across two weeks in mid-September, the event claims to be Germany’s largest old town festival. Celebrating regional cuisine, beer, and wine, Altstadtfest also features loads of free events like the fishermen joust on the Pegnitz River, during which anglers aim lances at each other from atop row boats instead of steeds. Altstadtfest opens with a tapping of the first keg of beer and includes a large parade with dancing and traditional costumes. Best of all, it’s free to join in on all of the fun!

Bremen’s Freimarkt

For an Oktoberfest that blends in a kind of amusement park vibe, you’ll want to snag cheap flights to Germany and head to Bremen in late October. For over two weeks at the end of the month, the city celebrates Freimarkt, or “free market.” The fair brings in around 4 million people with its Ferris Wheel, games, rides, beer tents and parade. Freimarkt has been around perhaps longer than any other German fair: there’s documentation that the fair occurred as far back as 1035.

Vienna Oktoberfest

Vienna Oktoberfest brings the festivity of Oktoberfest with an Austrian angle. (What else do you need to start looking for cheap flights to Europe for a fun-filled trip?) Also known as Wiener Wiesn-Fest, Vienna Oktoberfest is a celebration of good drink and traditional Austrian culture. Unlike most beer festivals, Vienna Oktoberfest represents a multitude of regions at the event. While the festival’s massive beer tents are the biggest draw, countless other facets of Austrian culture can be enjoyed as well, including wine and a variety of the country’s best meat and sweet treats. Vacationers can also expect world class entertainment. The event itself is held in Vienna’s famed Prater Park, a public park crowned with the 212-foot Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel. Visitors can also expect to enjoy a multitude of musical acts at the festival, such as traditional brass brands and modern pop acts.

Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest

A tradition for nearly 200 years, Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest sure gives Munich’s celebration a run for its money. Held in late September through early October, the fair welcomes around 4 million people to the state capital of Baden Württemberg. The visitors come for the rides, a traders’ market, a parade, and the lively beer tents. There’s no admission fee, but you might want to make a reservation for a spot to park your lederhosen since this is one of Germany’s largest festivals!

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Kulmbach Beer Week

Kulmbach Beer Week is a beer lover’s dream for all the attention festival organizers give to Germany’s favorite drink. While other festivals attract visitors with rides and a carnival atmosphere, Kulmbach Beer Week puts beer and local Franconian cuisine front and center for a quieter, more intimate gathering. And make no mistake: While Kulmbach Beer Week might be quiet compared to other big Oktoberfest festivals, it is far from dull! The celebration usually attracts around 120,000 visitors to enjoy beer from the best local breweries of Bavaria’s Franconian Forest region. In addition to beer, guests of Kulmbach Beer Week can also partake in some of the region’s signature dishes, including bratwurst and sauerkraut, while enjoying traditional German music. When not checking out the festival, visitors of Kulmbach Beer Week have also been known to enjoy some of the region’s exquisite hiking trails.

Oktoberfest Berlin at Kurt-Schumacher-Damm

Munich isn’t the only large German city with a major Oktoberfest celebration! Berlin actually offers several Oktoberfests throughout the fall, but the largest folk festival is the one at Kurt-Schumacher-Damm. Usually held from late September through October, the event brings Bavaria to the country’s capital city with a massive Bavarian-style beer tent. Of course, you can also sample typical Bavarian cuisine. A tradition since 1949, Oktoberfest Berlin also includes family-friendly rides like merry-go-rounds and bumper cars.

Bad Dürkheim’s Wurstmarkt

If you don’t like beer, you don’t have to stay home and skip Oktoberfest! In the spa town of Bad Dürkheim, you will find what is arguably the wine festival equivalent of Munich’s Oktoberfest for beer lovers. The name is a bit deceiving, though. Despite literally translating as “sausage market,” Wurstmarkt pays homage to all things wine. Said to be the world’s largest wine festival, the event ushers in some 600,000 people, largely wine aficionados, to sample hundreds of wines. Held in September across two weekends, Wurstmarkt offers music, fireworks, and rides. However, most come to drink a Riesling or two in one of the festival’s wine tents.

Have you been to Oktoberfest? Share your experience with us in the comments below.