Bavaria is famous for its breweries and sausages. Let's not break the stereotype – in fact, we might even reinforce it. I won't dwell on the full sausage menu, since they come in every shape and size: long, short, thin, and thick =) I will, however, single out the white Bavarian Weisswurst, which is definitely worth trying. It's an acquired taste, and some people say it has almost no flavor at all. That's why it's usually eaten with the local sweet mustard, Süßer Senf, which makes for a very interesting combination.

It is also worth sampling the pork – in Munich it is served in all kinds of ways: roasted, boiled, breaded, and with every sauce you can imagine. Don't forget to try a Brezn – a salted pretzel – and Obatzda, a seasoned Bavarian cheese spread. Wash it all down with your favorite beer, and you can honestly say you've tasted Bavaria ;) And now, on to the city's most famous hoppy drink.

The world's biggest beer festival, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, is of course the legendary Oktoberfest. It begins in late September and lasts a little over two weeks. In 2014, it started on September 20.

The festival's story began with the marriage of Bavarian crown prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Their wedding took place in October 1810, and all the residents of the city were invited to the celebration, where they were treated to free beer. The festivities were held in a meadow that lay outside the city at the time, later named Theresienwiese. The celebration was such a success that Ludwig ordered Oktoberfest to be held every year after that.

In 2013, Munich celebrated its 180th "October festival." Every year, this beer extravaganza draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. Many arrive dressed in traditional Bavarian outfits – Dirndls for women and Lederhosen for men – then drink beer by the liter, eat pretzels, ride the fairground attractions, and dance on benches =)) It's wonderfully lively and great fun! Dreaming of going? Read our tips for visiting Oktoberfest!

The downsides of a celebration on this scale are easy to guess, so I won't dwell on them. I'll just say one thing – there are a looooot of people! Sometimes even covering a short distance or meeting someone on Theresienwiese can be quite a challenge.

To make your visit as comfortable as possible, I recommend reserving a table in one of the beer tents in advance. That way you won't have to stand in a long line, and two liters of beer plus a hot snack will already be waiting for you at the table ;)

If your travel dates don't line up with Oktoberfest, don't worry! Bavaria's capital hosts different festivals in every season: Frühlingsfest in spring, Tollwood in both winter and summer, and Starkbierfest – the strong-beer festival in March. The format is similar – entertainment, souvenirs, beer, and snacks – just on a smaller scale. By the way, flying in the "off-season" can be cheaper too, especially if you search for flights on Aviasales, which compares offers from dozens of airlines and agencies. And don't forget that you'll need a Schengen visa to travel to Germany. Still, even that can be arranged without leaving home by using the VisaToHome service.

Munich offers a great selection of beer halls and beer gardens all year round. Those are exactly what I'd like to tell you more about.

Munich is home to six major world-famous breweries. Each of them has beer halls around the city, and some breweries even offer tours with tastings.

Hofbräu was the court brewery, founded in the 16th century to serve the Bavarian royal court. The crown in its logo is a reminder of that noble origin.

The beer hall "Hofbräuhaus" sits right in the center of Munich, not far from Marienplatz. Yes, this is the very Hofbräuhaus where the historic meeting led by Hitler took place – the one where he announced his program and founded the National Socialist Party. At different times, the restaurant was also visited by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Elisabeth of Bavaria, and Vladimir Lenin with his wife Nadezhda Krupskaya.

Today, the beer hall can hold more than a thousand guests, spread across several floors of halls lined with century-old wooden tables, and there's even a Bavarian band playing on the ground floor – so the atmosphere feels a lot like Oktoberfest. Even if you're not a huge beer fan, this famous place is still absolutely worth a visit.

Löwenbräu literally means "lion's brewery." The history of this brand is quite fascinating. Back in the 14th century, beer was brewed on a street called Löwenbräustraße and sold in a pub named "Zur Löwen" ("For the Lions"). Once the first batches of this beer were exported, it quickly became popular abroad – and the name Löwenbräu stuck.

The place to try this beer today is Löwenbräukeller, one of Munich's largest and best-known beer halls. It stands on Stiglmaierplatz, at the corner of Nymphenburger and Dachauer Straße. The hall is truly enormous, with traditional long tables and benches. There are also smaller, cozier rooms decorated in an old-fashioned style and, of course, a Biergarten – an open-air beer garden.

As odd as it may sound, Augustiner-Bräu owes its origins to monks. In the cellar of one of the local monasteries, these pious brothers began brewing beer. You could almost say the brewery was protected by God himself: a series of fires destroyed all the nearby buildings except this church. As a bonus, all of Augustiner's competitors disappeared as well. Thanks to that, the surviving brewery became one of Munich's oldest.

According to one legend, the water used to brew this beer comes from a 210-meter-deep well. Perhaps that is why it has earned the reputation of being Munich's best beer. Give it a try – maybe you'll agree.

The Augustiner restaurant stands on the very spot where the monastery once stood, between Marienplatz and Stachus, right in the center of Munich. The interiors are full of character, and the whole place feels wonderfully traditional. Just be ready to leave a generous tip – otherwise the staff may not hide their displeasure. That's how spoiled they are here =)

At the Paulaner brewery, the historic strong beer "Salvator" has been brewed since the 17th century. It too was first made by monks (as you probably know, Munich itself was founded by monks). Clergymen were only allowed to produce and sell it on a larger scale in the 18th century, and from then on it became hugely popular across the region.

There are several famous places where you can try Paulaner beers. One of the best known is "Paulaner am Nockherberg". It is loved not only for its range of beers, but also for its beautifully designed interiors. Its banquet halls and beer garden can seat more than 450 people. You can also visit the centrally located "Paulaner im Tal" or, a little farther from the bustle, "Paulaner Bräuhaus".

Hackerbräu and Pschorrbräu are the merged legacy of two Munich breweries whose success was built on both rivalry and family ties. At the start of the 19th century, they were a single company owned by the king of Munich brewers, Joseph Pschorr. After his death, his sons split the family business, creating two independent breweries. They competed peacefully until tragedy struck. After the bombing of 1944, the Pschorr company was no longer able to brew beer, so it was allowed to use Hacker's equipment twice a week. Some time later the two businesses reunited and took the name Hacker-Pschorr, under which excellent beer is still brewed today.

Spaten may be part of Munich's "big six," but not every Bavarian would immediately name it among the local heavyweights – it still has to work for that recognition. The brand's history is similar to the one I just told. The company was founded by the famous Sedlmayr family. The brewery rose to a leading position, but after the father's death, the sons chose separate paths and split the business. After World War II, however, the brothers reunited and continued developing their father's work together.

That is how Munich's famous and competing breweries exist side by side: on one street you might find the office building of one brewing giant and the restaurant of another. Yet everyone gets along peacefully =) Residents and visitors of Bavaria sample different varieties, but from what I noticed, once people discover what they like, they tend to stay loyal to their choice. No amount of advertising can change their mind after that.

Oh, and one more thing before I forget. I'd also like to tell you about two of my favorite places, where you can order not only Bavarian beer but also Irish classics like Guinness. I'm talking about two pubs in central Munich: Killian`s and Kennedy`s. The atmosphere there is far less formal and pompous than in Bavaria's beer-hall giants. It feels friendlier, warmer, cozier, and more intimate =) Starting a conversation with a stranger while sitting at the bar is completely normal here. Someone is swaying to the music, someone is drinking, someone is eating, live music is often playing, and on Wednesdays and Sundays they even have karaoke. A good mood is pretty much guaranteed! Just keep in mind that these are lively, noisy places – but if you want to escape the routine in cheerful company, they are perfect.

And don't forget that Munich still has plenty more interesting places to discover! You'll find dozens of attractions on the interactive map and in the free Ever.Travel mobile app!