​Oktoberfest is a festival that takes place in Munich, Germany. It is one of the most famous festivals in the world and has become synonymous with beer, food and fun. The event usually starts in late September and ends in early October. It is, in summary, a 16-day beer festival and one of the largest festivals in the world with more than 6 million attendees each year.

It was firstly celebrated in 1810, the year in which the marriage of Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria with Princess Therese of Saxony-Altenburg with the participation of the citizens of the city, and still continues to this day. The main reason why Oktoberfest is so popular is that it has everything: food, fun and music! The most important part of Oktoberfest is their famous beer tents that give you an amazing experience. You can enjoy delicious German foods while drinking your favourite Bavarian beer under the tent's roof with friends or family members.

If you want to have an unforgettable time at Oktoberfest but don't want to go all the way to Munich; try visiting Barcelona instead! As we have a great German expat community who came here mostly for German-speaking job opportunities, you’ll see that it’ll be as close to the feelings in Munich as possible. Don’t forget to get dressed in traditional Bavarian clothes: Dirndl and Lederhosen!

Oktoberfest in Barcelona

The Oktoberfest events in Barcelona will start on the 5th of October with the opening ceremony of opening of the first keg of beer and will last until the 16th. It will take place in the Plaza Universo of Fira Barcelona Montjuïc, next to Plaza España in Barcelona. You can enjoy the festival from 12:00 or 17:00 to 23:00 or 01:00 depending on the day. Check the Oktoberfest Barcelona 2022 calendar here. It’s well recommended that you reserve a table to guarantee your entrance.

Let’s start with the beers of Oktoberfest. You’ll, of course, find the official beer of Oktoberfest which is Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier (lager) as well as WeissBier (ale) and Salvator (double bock)  options in Barcelona tents. Besides that, you can get an alcohol-free option from Heineken or a gluten-free option from Cruzcampo.

For the Oktoberfest beer selection, it is required to enjoy a cuisine centred on traditional Bavarian food, such as pig knuckle, roast chicken with potatoes, German sausages, a variety of salads, brezels, Apfelstrudel and other traditional meals. In Barcelona Oktoberfest, you’ll find a similar menu to the Bavarian original. Weisswurst, Currywurst, Bratwurst, Kartoffelsalat, Brezel and roasted chicken might be your dinner options. 

Last but not least, you’ll enjoy a selection of traditional and modern German music, Polka bands and DJs performances. While dirndl and lederhosen are traditional Bavarian garb, they're not required at an Oktoberfest party like this one—but if everyone dresses up in traditional Bavarian clothing, it adds an extra layer of authenticity!

How to throw your own Oktoberfest event in Barcelona

We went through some tough years not having the Oktoberfest event in Barcelona, therefore, got creative throwing our own Oktoberfest parties. In case, either in addition to the main event or instead of it, you’d like to throw your own Oktoberfest party here’s our little guideline for it.

There has to be beer, some good beer. 

Pointing the obvious, you HAVE TO have some good amount of beer supply to throw an Oktoberfest party at home. It’s no surprise to say that beer is some real deal for many Germans when we think about the 7000+ varieties of beer only brewed in Germany. In Oktoberfest, you’d have a variety of choices as well, but lager is the option mostly consumed. The variations of original Märzen or Oktoberfestbier are served in steins but you can simply use some half-a-litre beer glasses to serve as well. For the wheat beer (weißbier – Hefeweizen) lovers, don’t forget to add this as an option and get some special vase glass to enjoy it at its best. Don’t forget to learn how to pour a wheat beer into a glass just like a true Bavarian to impress your friends.   

Try to find famous Oktoberfest beers from famous breweries like Franziskaner, Augustiner, Paulaner or Hofbräu and get ready to Prost! with your friends. Get ready to drink at least 3 to 4 litres as in the real Oktoberfest.

Create an Oktoberfest playlist

Talking about cheering beer, you need to have the traditional “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit” hymn at the top of your playlist and play it several times during the party. This is the song which everyone sings at the same time before drinking up their glasses. Learn it by heart before your party and make sure you teach every single person there.

Your playlist for your very own Oktoberfest can include a variety of songs but make sure you leave some space for the traditional songs. I’m not only talking about traditional folk music Oktoberfest bands play in the tents but many international pieces like “Country Roads” or “Sweet Caroline” and German classics like “Fürstenfeld” or “Fliegerlied” find their special place in Oktoberfest playlists. You can get some help from other playlists and make your own special mix to make everyone happy. You can take our  Bavarian friend Matthias’ playlist as an example!

Prepare some traditional Bavarian food

An Oktoberfest celebration cannot be made without some proper Bavarian food. There are must-have Bavarian classics you have to find from local stores or simply make at home. The first one is Brezn (aka Pretzels). This crispy outside soft inside baked good with salty crust on top is one of the main staples in the Bavarian region. In Oktoberfest, you can also find huge versions (rießenbrezn) of it served with Emmental cheese but if you can manage to bake ordinary ones at home it will be just fine. To get in the mood for your Oktoberfest party early in the day, you can have a Weißwurstfrühstück (Bavarian white sausage breakfast) served with Weißbier.

Everyone has their favourite Oktoberfest food but what we can suggest to you is that you check some variety of options that you would like and actually can prepare for your party. These are some of the common Oktoberfest food: Roasted Chicken, Wienerschnitzel (vale schnitzel), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Laugen-Leberkäse-Burger (liver cheese sandwich) and apfelstrudel or roasted almonds for sweets. 

Where to find German food in Barcelona?

During or after Oktoberfest, if you’re looking for German food in Barcelona, look no further. Barcelona has plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can find authentic German food. German restaurants and cafes may be hard to spot from the outside because they don’t necessarily have a sign that says “German Restaurant” or “Cafe.” To make things easier, here are some places where you can go to get your fix for your German appetite. 

Devil’s Kitchen

Crta/ de la Bordeta 52
Tel.: +34 93 511 7297
http://www.teufelskueche.es/

If you are looking for German homemade food, this is the place to go! The portions are huge and very authentic to German cuisine. This includes goulash soup, pretzels, Wiener schnitzel, pork knuckle, cheese spaetzle, white sausage, Nuremberg, curry sausage and so on. It's enough to make your mouth water! This restaurant is also perfect to show your Spanish friends something about your home country. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!

They also have many different German beers here like Krombacher, Fürstenberg, Weihenstephan etc. If you're also craving a Club-Mate, you can find it here! If you are lucky, you can also find their homemade mulled wine here around Christmas time, which can otherwise be hard to find in Barcelona!

The owner is also appreciated by his customers and seems to be very open and friendly - another reason to stop by! In addition, the Bundesliga as well as the Champions League is shown here, so you get the perfect feeling of being at home. 

Don Bratwurst 

Passeig de Fabra i Puig, 374
Tel.: +34 934 299 039
https://www.donbratwurst.com/

"Bratwurst, beer and Bundesliga!" 

If you're craving an original Munich beer, you'll find it here! Since 2003, Don Bratwurst is well known for its nice owner and vibes in Barcelona. Here next to nice food, you’ll get a chance to enjoy German football, Bundesliga, Champions League, Europa League etc. The opening hours are even based on all the games, which are perfect for those who do not want to miss a game. According to Google reviews, they also sell the best bratwurst in Barcelona, and vegetarians can also find something on the menu. 

Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap

Carrer de la Creu Coberta, 15
Tel: +34 935 34 83 59

"The best kebab in Berlin has finally landed in Barcelona!"

Although the cost is similar to those in other places, the dish is far above the rest in terms of taste and quality. You just have to try it to know that it will be well roasted and not heavy on your stomach. It is not surprising that in Berlin you have to stand in a terrible line to eat at the kiosk. Even in Barcelona, a long line often forms in the store.

Brotzeit

Carrer de la Mare de Deu dels Desemparats, 9
Tel.: + 34 622 69 35 55
https://www.instagram.com/brotzeitbcn/

As Germans, we love bread. We can't deny our origins. As so often abroad, it is not so easy to find good bread and pastries in Spain. But here is a tip from me, for those who miss their whole wheat bread and pretzels. But this bakery has much more to offer including pretzel bagels, sourdough bread, pumpkin seed (and other grains) rolls, various croissants, poppy seed rolls and much more. 

Noah's Market

Carrer de Bailen, 14
+34 930 02 63 10
https://www.noahsmarket.es/

They might be closed at the moment but write this place down to be ready when they are back again! Noah's Market was founded with the intention of offering customers a pleasant place where they feel at home. Four years have passed since the opening of the store, in Barcelona; here you will find quality products that will make you feel like you are in Germany. With the same enthusiasm as always, they strive to make your visit to their store an experience.

In Noah's market, you will find delicious bread, just like in a German bakery. They sell German products like pumpernickel, frankfurters, Kaiser soda, a wide selection of Pfanni and Knorr products, Kaiserschmarrn, ABC Russian bread, fresh egg spaetzle, Weisswurst, Ritter Sport chocolate, Milchschnitten, Ovomaltine, tea from Teekanne, Leibniz cookies, hohes C, Bionade, German beer and wine, and much more. 

Also, don’t forget to check Lidl and Aldi during these weeks to find more German products!

Set up the Oktoberfest Atmosphere 

You have almost everything ready except the Oktoberfest look. It’ll be very hard to find authentic dirndl and lederhosen (traditional Austrian/Bavarian dress and outfit) but make sure you dress up to set the mood as close as possible. If you can find any classic blue-white Bavarian patterned tablecloth it will definitely boost the Oktoberfest mood. Plus, if you have time to get ready for your party in advance, try to make small Lebkuchenherz (heart-shaped ginger cookies) and write some lovely words on them to give as gifts. 

The rest is easy. Enjoy being together with your friends, get drunk, full and dance all night long. That’s the spirit you need for your very own Oktoberfest party at home. We hope this guide has helped you to have an authentic Oktoberfest experience in Barcelona. Viel Spaß!