itinerary help
 

My husband and I were planning on going to Prague, Vienna & Budapest in September and spending 3-4 days in each city. A friend just pointed out we would be there over Oktoberfest & that we should stop in Munich to check it out. We have a total of 12 days (2 of which are travel days). Is it possible to do all 4 cities? or should we cut one out? or skip Oktoberfest? I was very excited to visit these other cities and this will be our last trip to Europe for several years and last trip with no kids along for a very long time! Just trying to make the most out of it!

Any advice plus tips or things to do in those cities is appreciated!

Oktoberfest in Munich is definitely an acquired taste and not to everybody's liking. If you think you'll get your money's worth with beer and more beer (not refined craft brews, just regular swill in big Steins), silly songs ad nauseum played obnoxiously loud, generally human behavior that is, well, not exactly grown-up - if that attracts you, then by all means sacrifice days out of your otherwise excellent (if a little tight) schedule.

But as you can tell, I wouldn't - your schedule involves some of the best history and art and sightseeing in cultured Europe, and Munich's Oktoberfest is just about the exact opposite.

My asbestos suit is firmly in place - I can see the flames coming...

Remember that it takes 4 nights to get three full days. I certainly wouldn't add another city to your itinerary. You have three cities and likely just 9 full days, which would mean you would have just two full days in each of your cities. Indeed, my recommendation would be to cut one city so you have a bit more time in each. Fly into your first city and out of the last.

Trains are best if just doing cities - for lots of info on cenetral European trains check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com.

Octoberfest was real highlight of my previous visits there -especially if you can time your visit with the elaborate opening weekend parades and ceremonial hauling a huge keg of beer to the festival grounds and seeing it tapped - let the beer flow!

This is very tight as it is. You couldn't pay me to do Octoberfest, now or when I was younger. If you like loud beer swilling crowds and oompah bands, maybe you would.

See Germany when you have the time. O'fest isn't Germany anyway - and if that's all you see, it just fuels stereotyping.

Oktoberfest is not an item one just throws into an itinerary without much research. You are visiting the city during a super high peak season. Before boxing yourself into a fixed itinerary, confirm acceptability of including Munich through actual web searches instead of relying on an ipse dixit.