For those who seek the very finest lagers in the world, Oktoberfest is arguably the place to go. Each year the German city of Munich hosts the marathon drinking event, which is attended by thousands of people from around the world – as well as in Germany.

While you can of course arrive at this legendary festival by public transport, many UK beer connoisseurs choose to drive down to Munich. Doing so gives them the freedom to explore the surrounding area – which is very attractive indeed – as well as travel at their own pace.

If you’re setting out from London, it will take you around 12 hours – which doesn’t include finding a parking spot once you arrive in Munich. As would be expected, locating parking near the site of the festival itself will be a real challenge, so you’re better off locating one of the large inner city parking lots located away from the site.

There are of course many routes you can take to reach southern Germany, but the most direct will take you through Belgium. It is advisable to keep some change in euros handy whilst in the car, as you will need to pay tolls in order to access some German autobahns.

Once you have arrived in Munich and found a car park, it is a good idea to rest up a while before heading off to the festival and starting to try the many German and international beers on tap.

Before you set out on this 700-plus mile journey, you would also be well advised to take out short term European cover, providing you with additional peace of mind as you travel to Munich. The festival began on 17th September and will finish on the 3rd of October.