Oktoberfest Tours Blog

LAST MINUTE DEALS!

oktoberfest — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:14:35 +0000

Join us to the Oktoberfest in Munich and enjoy a hotel stay in a beautiful 4 star hotel right next to the Oktoberfest grounds, a little over half a mile walking distance.

We will take care of everything around your trip, from the minute you land until you leave — we provide airport transfers, we take you out to a special Bavarian dinner, and most important: we take you to the famous beer tents!

Join us now, we are selling out quick and we want you to join us!

You can choose between the dates 9/21-9/24 or 9/28-10/1

Contact DANIELLE@LUDUSSPORTS.COM for more information.

The Ten Best Railway Stations in Europe

oktoberfest — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:36:41 +0000

Denmark: Copenhagen Central Station
Located in the heart of the Danish capital, this third incarnation of the city’s central station was five years in the making and opened in 1911 to royal acclaim – King Christian X invited around 800 VIP guests while thousands of locals lined the streets to see the spectacle. The building was designed in national Romantic style by architect Henrich Wenck. Indeed, romance has blossomed in this railway station for generations, with the grand clock inside the main entrance a favored meeting spot for first dates. Why not hop off your train and take a more adventurous ride next door – the station neighbors the city’s famous Tivoli Gardens and amusement park.

Belgium: Antwerp Central Station
Listed by US magazine Newsweek at the world’s fourth greatest train station, the building, with its vast iron and glass train-shed, was completed in 1905. A ten-year renovation project to transform the station from terminus to a high-speed through station finished in 2007. The building achieved international celebrity – or possibly notoriety – in 2009 as the backdrop to a staged flash mob event. Around 200 dancers descended on the station to publicize a new Belgian TV talent show. The subsequent video went viral, showcasing the country’s musical talent and finest example of railway architecture.

Belgium: Liège -Guillemins TGV Station
It may have taken 13 years to finish, but when Belgium’s third city overhauled its railway station it did so in style, employing the talents of renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. And he managed to imprint his individual style without disruption to the 36,000 daily passengers that travel through the station. Opened in 2009, the steel, glass and white concrete construction combines nine tracks and five platforms with exhibition space and its signature arch, standing 32 meters high and 160 meters long. With costs to the tune of 312 million euro, the sleek, futuristic hub offers visitors a memorable welcome and now connects Liège to Brussels, Paris, Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt.

Croatia: Zagreb Central Station
This grandeur of the building is a throwback to the days when Zagreb was a stop on the Orient Express. The largest station in Croatia, spanning a colossal 186.5 meters long, it is situated on King Tomislav Square in the midst of the city. Inaugurated in 1892, the station’s construction was overseen by the rather efficient Hungarian architect Ferenc Pfaff who finished the neoclassical-style building in just two years. Zagreb offers direct services to major European cities such as Vienna, Budapest, Zurich, Munich, Salzburg, Ljubljana, Sarajevo and Belgrade. Spot the high-speed tilting trains at this station, which make domestic travel services convenient and fast.

Spain: Atocha train station, Madrid
A maze of palm trees, exotic plant species and even a turtle pond; it’s not what you would normally expect before you board your train. This was the vision of architect Rafael Moneo who remodeled the station in the late 1980s from the inaugural 1889 building. The major transport hub in the Spanish capital now lies behind a huge iron and glass panel while the original building was transformed into a concourse with shops, cafés, a nightclub and the unusual 4,000 square meter tropical gardens. A memorial in the station commemorates the 191 victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings – an 11-metre tall tower inscribed with thousands of messages of condolence.

Finland: Central Station, Helsinki
Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen won a competition to design the station that opened in 1919. Clad in local granite, its distinguishing features are the two pairs of imposing statues of figures on either side of the entrance. Known as “the stone men” (Kivimiehet) the figures have become iconic symbols for Finns. A unique feature that fewer people know about is the private waiting lounge exclusively for the use of the President of Finland and official guests. Former President of Finland Kyösti Kallio died at the station in December 1940 after suffering a heart attack. He was returning home to the small town of Nivala after attending farewell ceremonies in the capital for his retirement.

Germany: Leipzig: Leipzig Central Station
This is Europe’s largest railway station when measured by floor area. Covering 83,460 m² there are 24 platforms housed in six iron train sheds hidden behind a 293 metre-long facade. When it opened in 1915 it was mutually owned by Royal Saxon State Railways and the Prussian state railways, complete with two identical dome entrances, one for each company. The building suffered serious bomb damage during World War II when the roof of the concourse collapsed. Following German reunification in 1990, the building underwent extensive refurbishment and now 150,000 passengers travel daily through the station.

France: Gare du Nord, Paris
Situated in the French capital’s 10th arrondissement, the busiest railway station in Europe receives around 190 million travelers per year. The station complex was designed by French architect Jacques Hittorff and built between 1861 and 1864. The Gare du Nord has been used and mentioned in a mixed bag of popular culture, from French films and the book The Da Vinci Code to Hollywood movies including The Bourne Identity, Ocean’s Twelve and the less highbrow Mr Bean’s Holiday. French architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff was handpicked to design the current station complex, which opened for service while still under construction in 1864.

Portugal: Rossio Railway Station, Lisbon
With its prime location in the Portuguese capital’s Rossio Square, a bustling hang out for both locals and tourists, the majestic building could easily be confused for a palace or theater. Designed by local architect José Luís Monteiro and completed in 1887, its typically Romantic style facade is laced with intricate sculpture, most notably two intertwined horseshoe portals at the entrance. Trains access the station through a 2,600 meter-long tunnel, excavated under the city and considered one of the most important works of Portuguese engineering of the 19th century.

Holland: Central Station, Amsterdam
First opened in 1889, the station was a contentious issue for the city officials before it was even built. Set on the banks of the IJ River – the Amsterdam harbor – many argued its location cut the Dutch capital off from the beauty of its own waterfront. The building rests on three man-made islands supported by over 8,600 wooden pilings. Around 250,000 people pass through the station everyday and the station has been expanded numerous times to cater for the now 1,500 trains that depart and arrive daily. Having undergone recent restoration, the building has now regained much of its original grandeur. Designed by architect PJH. Cuypers, who was also responsible for many of Amsterdam’s neo-Gothic churches, the station was considered a symbol of rejuvenation for the country at the time.

thelocal.de

Finger-pulling festival in Bavaria

oktoberfest — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:28:13 +0000

Olympics is a single most inspiring event for those who strive to become a great athlete, to achieve a life-long goal. But what about some of us who lack the drive or ability for a traditional running-jumping-throwing events? Here’s an event which can deliver all the glory of being a champion at your finger tips. Literally. A Bavarian finger-pulling festival.

About 150 men took part in the annual Alpine finger wrestling championship in the southern German town of Lenggries on Sunday. The unusual competition is essentially a one-finger tug-of-war. Competitors, many of them sporting traditional Bavarian lederhosen, sit across from one another at a table, locking a single finger – usually the middle one – into a leather ring. The referee then blows the whistle and each man attempts to pull his opponent across the table. The winner is whoever manages to drag the other over the halfway mark twice. This year’s victor was the team from Ammergau.

So there you go. Do some push-ups on your fingers, get red white & blue lederhosen and claim your championship in the beautiful Alps. Stay for another month to enjoy festivities of Oktoberfest and become a real Bavarian macho. LudusTours will be there to guide you through.

Germany’s favourite beer festival getting the Tycoon treatment this August

oktoberfest — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:34:43 +0000

Beer, waitresses, and all the Bratwurst you’ll ever need.

If you’ve always felt that you would like to see how it feels to plan or run a beer tent at Oktoberfest, then the suitably named Oktoberfest Manager would like a ‘wort’.
With everything from hiring waitresses to putting on events under your control, Oktoberfest Manager aims to be the ultimate experience of the atmosphere of Oktoberfest on your iPad when the game lands in August.
Want to mix your own beer? You can. Want to choose the furnishings of your tent? If that floats your boat, you can do so, too.
You can’t, however, simulate waking up the next morning feeling like you’ve been run over by a truck.
Oktoberfest Manager will be released on iPad and PC/Mac in August. You can check out the (attractive) PC trailer below.

Great American Beer Festival in Denver

oktoberfest — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:17:22 +0000

By Christopher Smith, Special to the Los Angeles TimesJuly 29, 2012Consider this first, and last, call. Tickets go on sale Thursday for the nation’s largest one-stop showcase of craft beers, the annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver (http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com) Oct. 11-13. Last year, 49,000 tickets to the event at the Colorado Convention Center (700 14th St.; [303] 228-8000,http://www.denverconvention.com), a chance to sample the wares of 475 or so brewers from around the country, were snapped up in less than a week.

The bed

A sure sign of the festival’s firepower: Good luck finding lodgings near the convention center for less than $300 a night for this weekend. A comfortable, if not swanky alternative is the Hampton Inn & Suites Denver-Speer Boulevard (2728 Zuni St.; [303] 455-4588,http://www.lat.ms/MLfBKY) in Denver’s ultra-trendy LoHi neighborhood, a 10-minute drive or pleasant 25-minute walk to the festival.

The meal

Linger is set in a four-level former funeral home called Olinger. This LoHi kitchen (2030 W. 30th Ave.; [303] 993-3120, http://www.lingerdenver.com) is alive with a multicultural street-food menu. Recently, a foursome shared a mellow chilled asparagus soup with English peas and mint-lemon emulsion; suitably sticky mee krob noodles from Thailand; loamy masala dosa by way of India; and crispy chicken b’stilla stuffed with almonds, apricots and golden raisins via Morocco. The mortuary tie-in is not overplayed, though bottled water does arrive in embalming-fluid-brown glass bottles.

The find

Where did Bob Dylan acquire the designer cowboy shirt he wore to receive his recent Medal of Freedom Award? That would be Rockmount Ranch Wear, upscale western clothing specialists at the same downtown location since 1946. Enter the great-smelling confines (1626 Wazee St.; [303] 629-7777,http://www.rockmount.com) and you’re greeted by two things: showpiece racks of fancifully embroidered shirts favored by country musicians — mother-of-pearl snaps and buttons are a mainstay — and Wazee, the old store dog who greets customers with a tail wag and a toy lodged in his mouth. Definitely visit the second-story loft and the mini-museum’s collection of vintage goods and memorabilia.

Lesson learned

Exercise restraint at the festival. Resist the incessant pours offered at tables with no waiting. Instead, search out the longer lines of imbibers, a sign of desirability. Tip: Try the flavors being done by theNew Glarus Brewing Co.of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Short’s Brewing Co.

Reed Grimm and band to perform at Oktoberfest 2012

oktoberfest — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:27:50 +0000

The UW-L graduate and “American Idol” contestant will perform at the 52nd Oktoberfest officials announced Friday. Grimm and Shoeless Revolution will perform Friday, October 5, in the Main Bier Halle at the Southside Oktoberfest Grounds.

An Oktoberfest button is your ticket into the 21+ show. Buttons are $5 pre-fest and $8 at the gate.

Oktoberfest Executive Director Tina Severson says the entertainment lineup for the 2012 fest should be set by the end of July.

Oktoberfest Calendar 2012

oktoberfest — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:46:47 +0000

Saturday	09/22/2012	10.45 a.m.	Arrival of the tent patrons with parade through Munich.
Saturday	09/22/2012	12.00 p.m.	Tapping of the first Octoberfest-beer-barrel by the Munich mayor in the Schottenhamel Tent.
Sunday	09/23/2012	9.45 a.m.	Traditional costume parade through Munich.
Monday	09/24/2012	12.00 p.m.	Special lunch for senior citizens in the big tents.
Tuesday	09/25/2012	12.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m.	1. Family day: all rides and performances cost less.
Thursday	09/27/2012	10.00 a.m.	Traditional religious Oktoberfest mass in the Hippodrom-tent.
Sunday	09/30/2012	11.00 a.m.	Traditional concert of the Oktoberfest brass-bands at the feet of the Bavaria.
Monday	10/01/2012	6.00 p.m.	“Rosa Wiesn” in the Fischer Vroni tent.
Tuesday	10/02/2012	12.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m.	2. Family day: all rides and performances cost less.
Wednesday	10/03/2012	12.00 p.m.	Senior showman meeting in the Hippodrom.
Sunday	10/07/2012	12.00 p.m.	Traditional gun-salute on the steps of the Bavaria monument.

Finding the Best Fares to Europe

oktoberfest — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:15:37 +0000

Conventional travel wisdom says the earlier you book, the lower the price on international trips. Wrong. The best time to buy is about two or three months before departure, according to studies of airline-fare trends. Any earlier, you may end up paying hundreds of dollars more for the same coach seat as someone who books later. Waiting until too close to departure can be costly, too, because fares usually go up. ”Fares start out real high and then drop. The sweet spot looks like it is about two months prior” to travel, says Bob Harrell, a consultant who tracks airfares and studied about 100 international markets over the past nine months for The Wall Street Journal.

International sales are seasonal, not weekly, fare experts say, and often route-by-route rather than global. Airlines often launch sales for fall travel about the end of July or early August. The cheapest prices of the year are for travel in February, fare experts say. Those deals usually show up in November and early December.

As with domestic tickets, traveling internationally midweek on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is typically less expensive than weekend travel.

How do you know if you’ve found a good fare? Check prices often, if you can, and write down the lowest fare offered. Having that historical information will help you evaluate when a price is worth grabbing. The travel-booking section at Bing.com offers several months of historical prices on select routes. If that is available for your itinerary, it is a huge help: You can see from the chart whether the current price is high or low compared with past prices.

From the Wall Street Journal June 27, 2012

Helpful phrases for Oktoberfest

oktoberfest — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:21:16 +0000

Mastering a little Oktoberfest etiquette – such as learning where, when and how to eat and drink – is key to experiencing beer and Bavarian culture. Here is a list of essential phrases every visitor should consider learning for Oktoberfest 2012.

Greetings! - Gruess’ Gott! (Grose Gott!)
Are those seats available? – Ist hier noch frei? (East har nock fry?)
One beer, please! – Eine Maß, bitte! (Eyne mass, bit-tey!)
One pale ale, please. - Ein Mass Helles, bitte. (Aiyn mass hell-ess, bit-ah.)
One wheat beer, please. - Ein Weissbier, bitte. (Aiyn vice-beer, bit-ah.)
Cheers! – Prost! (Prawst!)
Where is the bathroom? – Wo ist die Toilette? (Vo east dee toilet-ee?)
Pardon me? - Wie bitte? (Vee bit-ah?)
Excuse me. – Entschuldigung. (En-shul-diggen.)
Thank you. - Dankeschön. (Dank-ah-shawn.)
Good-bye. - Aufwiedersehen. (Owf-vee-der-zane.)
I have a killer hangover. – Ich habe so einen Katter. (Ik hab-ey so eyn-en kat-er)
Your eyes are as pretty as a meadow full of tulips. – Deine Augen sind so schön wie eine Tulpenwiese . (Dine-ny ow-gen sind so schern vee eyne tul-pen-vee-say)

We will take you there!

oktoberfest — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:35:43 +0000