Posts Tagged ‘oktoberfest’

40 things to do before you’re 40 - Number 6!

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

6. Drink a stein of beer at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, is the biggest and best beer festival on the planet! You’ll never forget sinking a litre of frothy Bavarian beer in a huge tent packed with thousands of thirsty companions. Locals and visitors sing side by side, ‘Oompah’ bands play and everybody clinks steins in a mass public cry of “Prost!”

Until you visit the Oktoberfest, it’s difficult to comprehend the scale. The numbers? 16 days, 6.5 million visitors, 6.9 million litres of beer, 500,000 chickens… it’s absolutely massive!

Known by the locals as Wies’n, Oktoberfest began in Munich in 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese and invited locals to celebrate with a horse race in a field outside the city, and from these humble beginnings the modern festival evolved.

It originally started in October, but in later years the beginning was brought forward to September. Today it boasts 14 large beer tents, smaller tents which also serve schnapps and wine, and a huge fairground complete with rollercoasters.

Only local beers are represented, including Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Augustiner and Hofbräu. The tents (more accurately giant wooden halls) all serve hearty food to soak up the beer; think roasted pork knuckles, rotisserie chickens, pretzels, sauerkraut and sausages, while the atmosphere is helped along by house bands who kick off the drinking songs.

All locals and many visitors wear traditional (and seriously cool) Bavarian dress; lederhosen for men (leather trousers) and dirndls for women (cleavage-enhancing dresses). The crowd is an international affair, although locals take the Oktoberfest very seriously and try to attend as many days as possible.

With beers served from as early as 9am it’s no wonder that things get misplaced! Common lost property items include wallets, keys, ID cards and eyeglasses (whose owners were presumably blind drunk)…

In recent years, kindly souls have handed in a lost electric wheelchair, a copy of Playboy signed by one of the centrefolds and even false teeth!

Charles Reinbold, who oversees lost property at Oktoberfest, has seen plenty of the latter. He told German newspaper Der Spiegel in 2012 “I think the adhesive has improved for false teeth. The year I started we had five or six sets of false teeth in, and a pensioner walked in and tried them all on. Unfortunately, his weren’t among them.”

Musical instruments are frequently found at the start of the Oktoberfest when the Bavarian marching bands stage their ceremonial processions and then flock to the beer tents. “They get drunk and when they get home that night they say where the hell’s my trumpet?” Herr Reinbold added sagely.

As all Bavarian men know, too many litres of strong Oktoberfest beer can seriously affect your trumpeting performance!

But pace yourself properly and you’re in for the time of your life. There’s little wonder the Oktoberfest is so adored, it’s a knees-up like no other in a marvellous city. If you ever get the opportunity to attend this amazing festival, make sure you take it. Prost!

Topdeck Top Tip: There are so many for Oktoberfest! Here’s a couple:

  • You must have a seat at a table to get served
  • Always tip your waitress, or else she won’t come back and serve you again
  • Text your mates, don’t call! The tents are far too loud for a phone conversation
  • If you’re not a big drinker, try a “Radler” – half beer, half lemonade


Official highlights of Oktoberfest 2011 from the Munich city website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSTY-Aan7Q0

A selection of Oktoberfest galleries from the official site: http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/navitem/Galleries/

Summer Fun and Sailing - Dreams becoming Reality Part. 2

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Following on from last week’s blog -Summer Fun and Sailing – Dreams becoming Reality Part.1. Read the final installment in the series below.

Tirana, Albania

After a big three days sailing the Greek Islands my group were more or less shattered, so there was no better place to be than in the comfortable hotel accommodation in Tirana. With a double bed, air conditioned room and spectacular views spanning over the city, I was in my element! After a deep untroubled night’s sleep we departed the next morning for a bus tour around Tirana. Albania has only recently (May, 1991) opened its borders to visitors so very few people have seen the country and it has remained isolated and untouched by developing western society. It was really amazing to see how the Albanian people live especially the vintage cars, old ladies smoking huge Havana cigars, fashion stuck in the seventies and the beat of the music.

Our departure from Albania was a little time consuming at the Tirana border and there was a short wait for processing. Luckily for us though there was a very affordable pub nearby where we all enjoyed a large pint in the Albania sun.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

What can I say about Dubrovnik? I loved EVERYTHING about it; the beaches, the weather, the shopping, the food, the people and the nightlife. I completely fell head over heels in love with this cool little city and luckily for me we had two days here which allowed plenty of time to experience everything that it had on offer! Our first day started with a walking tour of the Old Town by a local guide and I couldn’t get over what was behind these ancient walls. Crystal clear water at the fisherman’s port (Lokanda Peskarija), shops in little streets filled with amazing knick-knacks (that Dee and I spent most of the day in) churches, restaurants which served the most amazing seafood and don’t let me forget the nightclubs! That night the whole group hit Skybar Club and Revelin Culture Club (which is now officially my favourite club) and partied hard to the sounds of live DJs, bright lights and men on stilts - some of us partied a bit too hard when a pair of very loved (and very expensive) shoes got lost on the dance floor, right Michelle!

We finished the night with the boys each trying their luck on the ‘Lion Head’, found on the walls of the Franciscan Monastery in the Old Town. Legend has it, that if you manage to hop onto the head, keep your balance and take your shirt off while standing facing the wall, luck in love will follow you – Jared, has Katy Perry confessed her love to you yet?

Zadar, Croatia

After experiencing the beauty that Croatia had to offer first hand in Dubrovnik, I was really excited to move onto Zadar - and I was not disappointed. This beautiful walled city on the Dalmatian Coast was on another level. Our whole Topdeck crew, tired but happy, all came together in Zadar to celebrate our lovely Topdeck Trip Leader, Leentje’s, birthday that night down on the main boardwalk. The boardwalk was alive with the hustle and bustle of people and laughter of young children playing, with a street entertainer found on every corner. The major attraction of Zadar is of course the ‘Zadar Sea Organ’ which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes under the boardwalk.

Experiencing the sunset in Zadar with the Sea Organ gurgling in the background and enjoying a glass of wine was just magical. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.

Venice, Italy

Next stop was Venice, Italy! But not before visiting the Postojna Caves in Slovenia, nicknamed the ‘Jewels of Nature‘. These caves were fascinating and dripping with thousands of year’s worth of history. After a short train ride into the middle of the caves we were taken for a walking tour and taught about the creation of the caves thousands of years ago - a definite highlight. We arrived at our Venice accommodation ‘Camping Jolly‘ that afternoon, complete with yet another pool, an onsite bar, air conditioned rooms and everyone’s favourite - the Topdeck food tent, yum! The first night in Venice was insane, not only was it the night of the infamous Topdeck Mask Party, but it was also the trip’s ‘best friend’ , Doug’s, birthday, which only meant lots of laughs, lots of dancing and lots of memories made. I even managed to sneak a little kiss with a dreamy Italian (who spoke very little English but who needs to chat)! Happy birthday Dougie! I truly hope that this was a birthday you will never forget.

The following day with a few sore heads still lurking, we embarked on a walking tour of the ‘The City of Water‘, viewing landmarks like St Marks Square (I have never seen so many pigeons in my life!) the Basilica of St Mark and the Doge’s Palace before heading to a demonstration of lace creation that were shown just for us! That afternoon we all took part in a traditional gondola cruise on the water surrounding the buildings of Venice and took in all the incredible sights and sounds before heading back to Camping Jolly for a night pool party - it really was all go in this city! It was in Venice that we had to say goodbye to my ‘travel sister’ Ellie, who finished her Topdeck trip here.


Munich, Germany

We arrived in Munich a week before Oktoberfest kicked off so it was really cool to see the city preparing for the massive festival. The streets were aglow with decorations, dirndl outfits displayed proudly in shop windows and excitement was in the air. We went on a sightseeing tour by twilight where we were able to see the amazing designs of the Munich architecture such as Marienplatz Square and the New Town Hall. The German culture took full swing that night as we visited the local beer halls and tried the German delicacies like large pretzels and steins of beer. We ended up befriending our waiter who even posed for a photo with us!

A morning trip to Dachau Concentration camp was a hugely reflective moment where I felt a huge emotional attachment. After studying the history of this camp throughout my school years nothing could prepare me for how I would feel when I stood in the middle of the camp courtyard and took in all the surroundings.

Prague, Czech Republic

I was so excited to visit Prague; it was a city that has forever been on my bucket list. So I was really happy when the Topdeck coach bustled into the famous cobble streets of this magnificent city. We were again staying in the Plus Hostel chain - Plus Prague. Prague was everything I thought it would be and more, and don’t even get me started on the mind blowing shops (oh just thinking about them now has set me off on a daydreaming tangent). As we had a free day I spent most of it checking out the recommended must sees in my itinerary like Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and the Golem of Prague Statue. The first night in Prague was spent celebrating Topdecker Cath’s birthday in the nightclub Duplex, the photo’s from that night are still too embarrassing to look at! Happy birthday beautiful Cath I hope your special night was everything you dreamed it would be!

Whilst in Prague we were lucky enough to party on board a boat on the Vltava River and we were joined by two other Topdeck trips. It was a great night to let our hair down and to mingle with so many different people! Three boys from our group dressed up as ‘Topdeck Sailors’ which was a great laugh.

Rhine Valley, Germany

Onto the vineyards of central Germany and the beautiful castles and villages along the Rhine River! In the Rhine Valley we stayed in the 12th century Stahleck Castle Hostel which overlooked the little city and expansive river below, it was magical! I stayed in a room right at the top of the tower of the castle accommodation (cue my Prince Charming!). That night when we rolled into town we found that the annual wine festival was on; hmm I wonder if they knew we were visiting? Not only did we sample some of the most delicious wine I have ever tasted (and I am a New Zealander!) but we were subject again to another magnificent display of fireworks, a beautiful but sad reminder that my trip was nearing an end.

The next morning we drove through St Goar, a pretty little village on the Rhine River where Leentje taught us about the myths surrounding the Loreley Rock and its mysterious siren before visiting the Beer Stein shop and to see the world’s largest Cuckoo clock, which happened to have a massive teddy bear standing underneath it – of course I had to give it the biggest cuddle.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

What a city to end my adventure in! Amsterdam had it all: history, culture, shopping, architecture, amazing food, great nightlife and do I even need to mention the Coffee Shops (not to be confused with Cafe’s!). I spent most of my time here being a typical tourist; I took a bike riding tour with Mike’s Bikes around the beautiful canals, the crooked little houses, Vondel Park and took in the sights of the ‘I Amsterdam’ sign – a definite recommendation. We visited Anne Frank’s house, studied the art at the Van Gogh Museum, stirred hops at the Heineken Experience (and drank a bit too much free beer), walked through the Red Light District and saw some eye popping things to say the least!

We spent the last night together having our last meal at a Chinese Restaurant on the water, before boarding a canal cruise with the rest of my Topdeck group. The cameras were definitely clicking on this cruise and we finished with a beautiful goodbye toast by KB and Jared which not going to lie made me shed a few tears! We then partied and danced the night away in a nightclub…all in all, it was a great send off to a fantastic trip, and I was very surprised no one ended up with a drunken tattoo! Our final stop was a few hours in Brugge, Belgium where we indulged in the most amazing waffles and chocolate, (although it didn’t meet others expectations –right Bernie?)  and admired the amazing Belfry and Cloth Hall in the City Square.

Final Note:

And that is it, 26 days of the most amazing, magical, life changing experience rolled into 2 parts! I can truly say I have never felt as happy as I did on this trip and I have made memories (and friends) that will last a life time. Just a few people I want to thank who joined me on this journey.

Saatchi, I couldn’t have done this without you and your endless positivity and willingness to give everything a go. I could not have asked for a more perfect travel buddy and friend. Topdeck, Leentje and Alessandro, without you this trip would not even exist just know I will be forever thankful for everything you have done! Doug and Alessio my little brothers, you became my family and made me smile and laugh every day, love you both! Kristy and Ellie, my travel sister’s the adventures we 3 got up to will never be forgotten. Nicky and Clux, I know we will be friends for a long, long time even though you managed to pour your drink on me a number of times throughout the trip Nicky!

Vicki, Elise, Georgia, Georgie, Cath, Em, Dee, Lea, Jess, Keri, Michelle (brownie promise), TJ, Hayley, Maddy (burning up the dance floor) – you girls are ALL amazing, I had so many great nights with you all and I give you all the deepest gratitude from the bottom of my heart for being a huge part of my journeyJared, Bernie, Jayden, Justin, KB, Kieran, Father John, Giggles and Suave Marv the Marvellous Marvel (you beautiful creature) ‘The Boys’, thank you for the laughs, the memories and the good times – hugs and kisses to all.

To the dreamy Italian in Venice – you are a babe.

And to the rest of my Topdeck crew – you became my second family and I will see you somewhere on my adventures in the near future!

Topdeck Old School Style

Friday, October 7th, 2011

by Kara Segedin

In 1984, Germany was divided between East and West.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun and I Just Called to Say I Love You were two of the best selling singles.

The first Apple computer went on sale.

And my aunty spent five weeks travelling around Europe on a Topdeck trip.

Things were a little different in those days. Men had impressive moustaches, passengers slept, cooked and cleaned on the bus and trips operated on a flexible itinerary.

Let the adventures begin!

Let the adventures begin!

Despite the changes in today’s trips the spirit of the Topdeck adventure remains the same.

As all good kiwis did (and still do) my aunt Maria was busy working at a pub in Paddington, London.

Once she had settled in and saved up a bit of money she decided to take time out and do a tour of Europe.

“After some research I decided that the Topdeck tour called ‘Central Europe 5 Weeks’ was the one for me. “

Maria thought the idea of travelling around on a bus was fun and knew she would meet like minded people on the trip as well.

Back in 1984 the trip cost £497 which included £85 pounds.

“It was a great itinerary and good value for money,” she says.

Early one September morning the group met at the Enterprise in Earls Court to climb aboard the bus that would be their home for the next 5 weeks - called Platt.

Back then Topdeck travelled on double-decker buses. The lower deck was fitted out with tables, seats, a cooker and sink while the ‘top deck’ had bunks and space for luggage.

“Whisper was our driver (named for his soft voice and quiet nature). He was a safe and reliable driver. The tour leader was an experienced and confident guide.”

While on today’s trips expert Topdeck Chefs rustle up tasty local cuisine, in 1984 everyone had to take a turn at cooking and housekeeping.

Maria buy supplies for her turn as trip cook.

Maria buy supplies for her turn as trip cook.

“This meant we had to go shopping in foreign cities and turn out a meal from the bus’s cooker. That was a fun challenge all by itself!”

As with today’s trips the majority of travellers were Aussies and Kiwis, with a couple of South Africans on board as well.

“I enjoyed the team spirit of the trip - it is still one of the best times of my life.”

The trip went through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands before returning to London.

“The highlight for me was Florence. I adored it, still do.”

Like today’s trips that pass through Germany in September, Maria’s trip visited Beerfest in Munich.

“It was awesome – the biggest event I have ever been to – cannot believe how many people can get drunk in one place at the same time.”

The hyjinx haven't changed, but the facial hair certainly has!

The hyjinx haven't changed, but the facial hair has! Oh, and you could smoke on the bus!

Maria says the bus was a refuge for anyone who was sick or tired or simply too lazy to go anywhere

“We felt safe leaving our belongings on the bus too which was a bonus. No dragging suitcases around Europe, our hotel came with us!”

“I always tell people to go on a Topdeck trip as they are guaranteed to have a good time.”

***

Follow the next generation of Topdeck travellers as the Tadpoles crew make their way from London to Sydney in true old school style!

An old school brochure from 1984

An old school brochure from 1984

Tadpoles from London to Sydney - a Topdeck adventure

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

by Kara Segedin

Imagine spending over 100 days driving from London to Australia retracing the steps of the original Topdeck pioneers?

For one group of young travellers this dream is about to become reality.

Jealous much?

We are!

***

Early on Monday morning, eleven young people from all over the world left London to travel 10,000 miles to Australia in a vintage double decker Topdeck bus.

Making their way through Europe, the Middle East, Central and South East Asia, they plan to roll into Sydney in January 2012.

Tadpoles' new crew ready to hit the road!

Tadpoles' new crew ready to hit the road!

The Originals

Way back in the in the early 1970s, Aussie expats Bill James and Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner bought a 1958 double-decker to take eager young travellers across Europe.

The duo started out providing trips along the hippie trail to Morocco and Kathmandu and the rest was history.

The New Crew

Now, 40-something years later, the brains behind the project is Canadian Jordan Cross.

Jordan was inspired to make the epic journey after reading the appropriately named Top Deck Daze, Bill James’s hilarious account of the company’s early days.

“It’s such an incredible story of how these guys came over here with nothing and didn’t always play by the rules and stumbled their way through a lot of things,” he said.

“All their success hasn’t changed them – they are just amazing guys with amazing stories.”

Tadpoles in all its glory!

Tadpoles in all its glory!


The Ride

The legendary Tadpoles is a Bristol Lodekka (a type of double-decker bus for the non-bus spotters among you) and started life working on the Isle of Wight for the Southern Vectis bus company in 1958.

After 20 years of service the bus was bought by Topdeck and fitted it out with bunks and a kitchen and soon Tadpoles was making tracks across Europe and Asia including travelling from London to Nepal more than 20 times.

The last double decker running for Topdeck, Tadpoles was taken out of service in May 1998 and given to the Isle of Wight Bus Museum on permanent loan.

But Tadpoles’ adventure didn’t end there. In 2010 it was brought out of retirement to carry a new generation of travellers over the historic route.

The Journey

The guy at the wheel of Tadpoles on its latest adventure is Australian Mitch Turner.

Mitch previously worked driving trucks in Western Australia’s mining industry so is no stranger to operating large vehicles.

As a warm up, Mitch and the new crew took Tadpoles on a short training trip around several small European cities to get the hang of driving the 53-year-old bus.

The double-decker’s size proved to be a challenge on Europe’s old, narrow streets and it sometimes took a dozen attempts to get it around any tight corners.

“There’s no power steering and it’s very heavy so corners and parking are difficult,” said Mitch.

“Even with all the work that’s been done to it 45 miles an hour will be our max speed.”

Tadpoles is sure to get plenty of honks from fellow motorists, let’s just hope it’s in appreciation of this unique vehicle and not for holding up traffic on Germany’s Autobarn on their way to Oktoberfest!

Jordan said the main idea of the project is to see how people change over the duration of the trip and how one experience can impact you for life.

“We want to do it as real as Bill and Skroo did back in ‘75 and track their route as much as we can.”

Just like the original crew, all the cooking, eating and sleeping will be done right on the bus.  Also like the originals they are operating on a rather fluid schedule – unlike today’s organised itineraries.

So while the style of travel may have changed a little (okay, a lot!) over the years the Topdeck spirit is still alive and kicking.

***

Follow Tadpoles’ progress through the team’s website, facebook and twitter.

Topdeck will also track the journey on our blog, facebook and twitter along with other old-school Topdeck titbits.

PS If you, your parents or maybe even grandparents would care to share any memories from Topdeck in the 70s and 80s please comment below.

Oktoberfest - the best festival in the world?

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

by Kara Segedin

One of the largest and best known festivals in the world, Oktoberfest, is nearly upon us.

Topdeck designer Brett shared some of his tips, insights and memories (well, what he could remember) of Munich’s Beerfest.

“I first went in 2006 and then again in 2009,” says Brett.

“The experience was amazing - it was a real party atmosphere.”

The beer tents close around 10-11pm and he says everyone goes back to their campsites or hostels and keeps on partying.

The 16–18 day festival runs from late September with more than 5 million people attending every year and almost 7 million litres of beer is served.

Known as the largest Volksfest (People’s Fair) in the world, Oktoberfest has been held in Munich since 1810.

The festival is right in the heart of the city on a huge ground with rides, food stands and of course, beer.

“The majority of the time is spent in the beer halls because that’s where you get the unique experience,” says Brett.

The Beer Halls at Oktoberfest

There are about a dozen beer tents ranging in size some holding thousands of people.

Only locally brewed, Bavarian beers are allowed to be served at Oktoberfest. Each tent serves one brand of beer, sometimes with variations such as a lager or weissbier.

Brett first visited the Löwenbräu and then the Hofbräu. Hofbräu is possibly the most famous beer hall and is open all year round.

Brett says the best beer he sampled at Oktoberfest was made by a small brewery called Spaten.

“It was just so crisp, it was a really good beer, and it was a much smaller tent and the majority of the patrons were locals and I think that’s where you get the better experience from”

Inside the halls are lined with picnic-type tables with a stage in the centre where bands play music all day long.

“On the hour they’ll play a song to cheers everyone called Prost,” he says.

Brett recommends dressing for all sorts of weather. It can get ridiculous cold outside the tent, but once inside the temperature rises.

The local residents really get behind the event and many Germans (and tourists) get dressed up in traditional outfits.

Brett & a friendly local Bavarian

“The Bavarian women! The outfits! The Dirndl is absolutely incredible. It is one of the sexiest traditional outfits in Europe.”

Like a restaurant, each girl has her own serving section and they come around taking drinks orders.

“You don’t get served unless you are sitting at a table - they are quite strict with that, the beer wenches”

Besides the beer, food is a big thing at Oktoberfest.

A mix of hot meals and snacks, a number of traditional German and Bavarian delicacies are on offer including Würstl (sausages), Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes) and, of course, Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage).

“The chickens are absolutely sensational, it’s a bit expensive, but it’s some of the best chicken I’ve ever had,” says Brett.

Towards the afternoon and early evening local Germans start arriving at the festival from work.

“That’s one of the best things about Oktoberfest,” says Brett. “ It’s not just drinking the beer, but because you’re on communal tables your sitting with, Americans, Germans, French, anyone and everyone, and it’s such a friendly atmosphere, you end up talking to the rest of the table and cheering and dancing around with them.”

“I’ve done a few festivals before and this is the one I’d keep going back to.”

TIPS

  • The tents open between 9-10am so get there early to get a seat.
  • Try smaller tents and go in the evening to mix with locals.
  • Eat a lot of local food.
  • Wear layers – outside it can get very cold while the tents get warm.
  • Have fun!

Don’t miss out on Oktoberfest 2011! We have a few spaces left so book now http://www.topdeck.travel/festivals/oktoberfest-tours

Seven Ways to Spend Your Summer

Friday, July 15th, 2011

By Kara Segedin

Moping around the office on dismal grey London day (isn’t it supposed to be summer already?) I was wishing for some ruby slippers so I could click my heels together and say ‘I wish I was on the Med, I wish I was on the Med!”

A girl can dream, can’t she?

So I settled for the next best thing - picking the brains of Topdeck’s travel experts for some daydream inspiration!

So here goes - the London Topdeck Team’s ‘7 Suggestions for Summer’….

Sailing in Croatia

Eat, swim, tan, sleep, party and repeat.

Sign up for the ‘Pomalo’ way of life - the Dalmatian philosophy of relax, take your time and have fun. Why hurry, there’s no rush!

Where else in the world can you sit around drinking cup after cup of coffee for hours on end, simply watching the day stroll by.

Fantastic fresh food can be found all along the coast – pizza and seafood to Germanic meals and ice cream!

The best way to take in all the Adriatic has to offer is aboard a sail boat! Visit all the top island destinations including Korcula, Hvar and Mljet as well as the coastal cities of Split and Dubrovnik.

Eat, drink and sunbath until the heat gets the better of you. Finish by rolling into the clear blue waters then dry off and start all over again!

Eat Your Way Through Italy

From gelato in Venice, pizza in Rome, steak in Florence and al fresco dining and wine tasting in Tuscany, Italy is a foodie’s paradise. You’ll be pressed to find a better setting for your meals!

Originally from Naples, the world famous pizza is served throughout the country. Your mission is to find the best!

Pizza in Venice

Adrenalin in Austria

Try sky-diving, mountain biking or white-water rafting in one of the Europe’s most beautiful settings.

Austria’s famous Tyrol region has adventure activities abound.

For the slightly less adventurous hire a mountain bike and explore at your own pace.

Shot Vodka in Russia

Toast the Tsars and Commissars from St. Petersburg to Moscow. It’s your chance to get behind the Iron Curtain - checkout Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin. Oh, and make sure you sample the local vodka & caviar!

Star-spotting in the French Riviera

The Côte d’Azur is dripping with glitz and glamour. Yachts, casinos and super cars - live like the rich and famous on the Mediterranean.

The Jolie-Pitts, Johnny Depp, Bono & Elton John are just some of the A-List stars who have holiday homes in this coastal resort.

Get lazy on the beach and stroll the promenades by day then try your luck at the casinos of Monaco at night!

Don Your Lederhosen for Oktoberfest

Steins, pretzels and pork knuckles. Some 6 million litres of beer will be served during the celebrations in 16 beer tents over a 103 acre site. Get your fill at Europe’s biggest festival!

Dating back to 1810, Oktoberfest was first held to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. All of Munich was invited to festivities held on fields in front of the city gates called the Theresienwiese – known locally as ‘Wies’n’.

Besides the beer and Bavarian treats, there is a fairground and state-of-the-art rides and roller coasters.

Party Day and Night in Mykonos

The most cosmopolitan of the Greek Islands, Mykonos is a 24 hour party-people paradise! Groove to beach beats with the beautiful people on this amazing island.

Also, there’s plenty of relaxing, eating and shopping to be done when you need to recharge your batteries.

Get in the mood with a romantic sunset of the windmills of ‘little Venice’ or head out to the nearby island of Delos – the birthplace of the sun god Apollo.

WIN a trip to OKTOBERFEST for you and a friend!

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Topdeck is offering an awesome prize:

Just become a Topdeck Facebook fan for the chance to win an Oktoberfest trip for two!
Competition EXTENDED! Now ends 5 May 2010! ”

What’s included?

  • 3 nights accommodation in twin-share pre-erected tents with air matresses
  • 3 fully cooked breakfasts
  • Frequent free shuttles to the beer halls
  • Oktoberfest information guide
  • Topdeck crew

How do I enter the competition?

Simple! Just follow these 3 easy steps…

Munich Beerfest 2009 - Save 10%!

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Any plans for September/October? Did you know that the World’s BIGGEST BEER FESTIVAL is taking place then? Of course you did. But, are you going?

You can rightly ask back - why would I? Well, here are just a couple of reasons:

  • Approx. 6 million people think it’s a good idea
  • Great Beer - 69,400 hectolitres (1=100 ltrs)!
  • Good Food - 14,2000 pairs of sausages or delicious pork knuckles
  • Great Location - 14 huge beer tents!
  • Somewhere to sit - 100,000 seats
  • Somewhere else to sit - 980 toilets
  • Lederhosen! Dirndls!

* UPDATE *
We now have 2 special offers on our 8-Day Beerfest trips: book now and save 10%! Use promo code TDBEERFEST09 when booking the 8-Day Oktoberfest Grossmeister trip, or TD EUR09 DEK10 when booking your 8-Day Oktoberfest Megameister trip!