Hi! It’s me, Jessica Jean,
So you’ve decided you want to attend Oktoberfest in Munich! It’s a bucket list item for any travel enthusiast. My absolute favorite thing about living in Germany was ALL the fests. In fact, there are over 10,000 German fests per year! I love that the country celebrates everything- from strawberries to chocolate to beer.
Both traditional festivals, the Wiesn is Munich’s Oktoberfest rooted in Bavarian culture and Wasen is Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest rooted in Swabian culture. Of course, the Wiesn is the most famous, but the Wasen is superior to Oktoberfest in almost every way.
Here’s why:
- Overall Atmosphere
- Location
- Cleanliness
The Atmosphere
The best thing about Stuttgart’s Cannstater Volksfest is the atmosphere!
Whenever someone thinks about Volksfest they immediately think of Munich. I know I did! The Wiesn is the largest Volksfest in the world with 7.2 million visitors yearly while Stuttgart’s Wasen sees about 4.3 million visitors.
This means less crowds! Now, that doesn’t mean it’s not packed, because it definitely is. But still, many tourists have no idea there are other and often better fests.
The tents in Munich are PACKED. The long tables and benches are pushed so close together there is little room to move around. There are standing-room-only areas that are even worse. Celebrities who attend the tents in Munich tend to keep to themselves. In contrast, those attending the fest in Stuttgart are more intermingled. The tents in Stuttgart are also crowded, but you still have space to move around, dance, and eat. I could get up and down off the benches, and walk to and from the bathrooms with ease. As someone who doesn’t feel comfortable in crowds, I was surprisingly at ease in the Wasen tents.
The beer costs a bit more in Munich with prices between €13.60 and €15.30 per Mass (1 liter). You can expect prices to be about €1 less at the Wasen.
The Wasen does not feel overwhelmingly international like Wiesn. You can FEEL a sense of community when you’re in the tents in Stuttgart singing and dancing. Walking the grounds you’ll see couples, friends, and families enjoying snacks, rides, and games, most wearing Tracht (traditional regional clothing).
From my experience, the crowd in Munich was far more belligerent than in Stuttgart. More drunkenness leads to a whole slew of other issues. Walking the grounds was fun from a people-watching perspective, but I wouldn’t call it a wholesome sense of community. This ties into my point on cleanliness below.
Location
Both Stuttgart and Munich are at the top of Germany’s most expensive cities (Munich #1 and Stuttgart #4 as of 2022 statistics). I personally prefer Stuttgart over Munich overall. Stuttgart is a modern city with traditional charm tucked in lush green hills. It’s a must-visit destination for car enthusiasts!
Many fest attendees visit the Mercedes Benz Museum before going to the grounds. There is also the Porche Museum. The downtown area of Stuttgart is beautiful and there is always something going on and something for everyone.
The trains leading you to the fest grounds in Stuttgart were phenomenal. We were quite intoxicated during our first time at Cannstatter Volksfest and we had never been to the grounds before. But the fest attendees usher you to the train station. When your session in the tent ends, you can follow the crowd because most are headed to the train station. Picture that: Just a large intoxicated group of festers being herded like cows onto trains.
Cleanliness
Germans are known for their cleanliness and respectfulness. Two things I adore. We witnessed the focus on cleanliness and safety at the Wasen when our friend, who had smuggled a stein under his shirt as a souvenir passed it to my husband. My husband describes this as happening in slow motion. He reached out to grab the stein and it slipped between their hands and shattered on the concrete in the middle of the crowded train station. A fest attendee rushed over and swept up the glass between us before we could process what happened. It’s almost like we weren’t the first ones to do this.
Whereas in Munich at the Wiesn, there was a chaotic “anything goes” vibe. I saw much more trash piling up and festers passing out on the steps (watch my YouTube video to see for yourself!). More people means more vomit and nastiness all around.
If your main goal is to drink, you will enjoy either (or any) fest. But if you want a more wholesome and traditional experience, I highly recommend checking out the Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart. Or check out both and decide which you prefer for yourself!
Have you been to either of these fests? Let me know if you agree or disagree with my opinion that the Wasen is better than the Wiesn in the comments below!