Visiting Munich for Fasching

Last week, we took a look at the German tradition of Carnival: it’s a wonderful mixture of Mardi Gras and a great night out, and Munich is a great place to celebrate it under its Bavarian name: Fasching! So if you’re thinking of visiting Munich anyway, why not make it late February or early March this year? (See this Carnival calendar for Fasching dates in coming years).

If you do make it to Munich for Fasching, here are just some of the events you can look forward to experiencing:

– The Parade: In fact, you’ll have already missed this one this year, but the Knight’s Parade – Faschingsumzug der Damischen Ritter – is what kicks off Carnival in Munich. It’s a bit like Notting Hill Carnival, but less West Indian and more medieval: that means floats with papier-mâché knights and lots of buxom wenches (this latter, it resembles the Oktoberfest…).

– The Parties: This year, Shrove Tuesday (the last day of the Carnival season) falls on 4^th March, meaning that the weekend before is the time for the biggest parties. In Munich, that means that the jesters and harlequins of München närrisch are given permission to block off most of the city centre with all sorts of fun for young and old alike: fairground rides, food stalls, and – what else? – beer stands! And if you want it to, Saturday night can be a long one: Löwenbräu on Stiglmaierplatz and the Bayerischer Hof are the places to go…

– The Monday: The best thing about Carnival is that Rosenmontag is not just another manic Monday, but an extension of the weekend’s festivities. Make it into a long weekend in Munich to make sure that you get the best of Fasching!

– The Dance of the Market Ladies: As odd as it sounds, one of the best bits of Fasching in Munich is the “Dance of the Market Ladies” at Viktualienmarkt. It’s a Bavarian tradition that stems back to the 1800s, when the stallholders would don costume to celebrate Carnival and dance around the market stalls. It’s now a special event with a stage, live music, and – but of course – a beer garden serving Bavarian beer!

Frohes Faschingsfest!