While the inside of the beer tents offers incredible photo backdrops, some of the most viral-worthy Oktoberfest content happens outside the canvas walls. From towering carnival rides to historic monuments, the festival grounds themselves are a photographer's paradise waiting to be discovered.
If you want Instagram photos that truly stand out—the kind your followers stop scrolling for—you need to venture beyond the tents and explore these must-photograph locations across the Theresienwiese.
1. The Bavaria Statue: The Ultimate Landmark
Why it's Instagram gold: The 60-foot-tall bronze Bavaria statue is the iconic symbol of Oktoberfest. Designed in 1850 by Ludwig Schwanthaler and commissioned by King Ludwig I, it's older than the Statue of Liberty and represents the ultimate "I was here" photo.
Most visitors simply photograph the statue from ground level, but here's what separates good Instagram content from great: climb inside. A spiral staircase winds up to the statue's head, where viewing platforms offer absolutely stunning 360-degree views of the entire festival—the tents, the Ferris wheel, the crowds, the Alps in the distance. This is the money shot.
Best photo spots:
- Ground-level shots with you and friends posed in front (classic and essential)
- Close-ups of the statue's details: the oak wreath, the bear fur, the lion at her feet
- The hall of fame (Ruhmeshalle) behind the statue, especially at sunset
- The view from inside the statue's head looking down at the chaos below
- Wide-angle shots showing the entire Theresienwiese from the viewing platform
Instagram tip: Visit the statue viewing platform during golden hour (late afternoon). The setting sun bathes the entire festival in warm, flattering light. The combination of the panoramic view plus the golden lighting creates genuinely awe-inspiring content. Also: the viewing platform is €5 per person and typically less crowded than the beer tents, making it easier to get clean shots. Most visitors don't bother climbing up, which works to your advantage.
Pro hack: Visit early morning for quiet shots, or late afternoon for golden hour magic. Avoid midday when harsh overhead sun washes out details and creates unflattering shadows.
2. The Willenborg Ferris Wheel: Night and Day Magic
Why it's Instagram gold: The Willenborg Ferris Wheel, standing 50 meters tall, is one of Oktoberfest's most photographed attractions. It's instantly recognizable—a soaring skeleton of lights that dominates the festival skyline.
During daylight, the wheel offers thrilling elevated shots of the festival grounds and, on clear days, views of the Bavarian Alps. At night, the illuminated wheel becomes a glowing centerpiece framed by twinkling carnival lights. Both perspectives are Instagram gold.
Best photo spots:
- Ground-level shots of the illuminated wheel at night
- Inside the wheel looking down at the festival (during a ride)
- Close-ups of the intricate ironwork and lights
- Wide shots showing the wheel against the evening sky
- Boomerang or video content of the wheel spinning
Instagram tip: Evening and night shots vastly outperform daytime photos. The illuminated wheel against a twilight sky creates a magical, romantic atmosphere. Arrive around 7 PM to capture the transition from day to night—this "golden hour" moment when the wheel's lights come alive against a still-purple sky is absolutely stunning.
Plan to ride the Ferris wheel. Yes, queues can be long (20-40 minutes typical), but the aerial perspective you gain is worth every second. Those shots looking down at the festival with the wheel car in the foreground are genuinely special.
Pro hack: Video content performs especially well here. Capture the wheel spinning, the view rotating, the lights twinkling. Create a Reel or TikTok showing the POV from inside the wheel. These dynamic shots get way more engagement than static photos.
3. The Entrance Gates: "Willkommen Zum Oktoberfest"
Why it's Instagram gold: The iconic "Willkommen Zum Oktoberfest" (Welcome to Oktoberfest) signs at the festival entrances are essential photo locations. They're the perfect opening shot for your Oktoberfest Instagram story arc.
What most people don't realize: on the reverse side of the signs is "Pfüa Gott – Auf Wiedersehen!" (Goodbye – See you again!), the perfect closing shot for when you leave. This bookend approach creates a compelling narrative across your Instagram content.
Best photo spots:
- Individual portraits under the sign
- Group photos with the entire entourage
- Close-ups of the sign with the festival blurred in the background
- Wide-angle shots showing the sign with crowds and festival behind you
- Evening shots when the signs are illuminated
Instagram tip: These signs get extremely crowded during peak hours. Arrive early (before 10 AM) or late afternoon (after 5 PM) for cleaner shots with fewer people in the background. Evening shots with the festival lights coming alive behind you are particularly dramatic.
Pro move: Post your entrance photo as one of your first stories, then end your Oktoberfest content series with a photo under the "Auf Wiedersehen" sign on your final day. Your followers will love the narrative closure.
4. The Carnival Rides: Dynamic Action Shots
Why it's Instagram gold: Oktoberfest is famous for hosting some of the world's largest transportable carnival rides. These mechanical giants create incredible backdrops and dynamic content opportunities.
The Bayerntower (Bavaria Tower) is an 80-meter swing ride that offers thrilling angles. The Skyfall is a 50-meter drop tower with dramatic visuals. The historic Toboggan offers quirky charm. Each creates unique photographic opportunities.
Best photo spots:
- Boomerang content of you on a swing ride mid-swing
- Wide-angle shots showing the ride's scale against the Oktoberfest backdrop
- Close-ups of the ride's mechanics and details
- Video content of rides in motion
- Selfies from inside the ride cars showing the view
Instagram tip: Action shots and video content perform exceptionally well from carnival rides. Capture the adrenaline rush, the height, the movement. Boomerangs of people on swing rides suspended against the sky are incredibly eye-catching.
Visit rides during different times of day for varied lighting. Daytime rides offer bright, colorful content. Evening rides with their illuminated structures offer moody, dramatic alternatives.
Pro hack: The Toboggan (the historic wooden slide) offers both ride content and spectator content. You can laugh at tipsy people riding it, or ride it yourself and capture the chaos. Either way, it's comedy gold.
5. Lebkuchenherzen Stands: Colorful Tradition
Why it's Instagram gold: Scattered throughout Oktoberfest are charming vendor stands selling Lebkuchenherzen—elaborately decorated gingerbread hearts with colorful icing, flowers, and German sayings. These iconic treats have been an Oktoberfest tradition for decades and are some of the most visually striking items at the entire festival.
The gingerbread hearts come in every size, from small personal treats to massive styrofoam decorations, adorned with vivid icing in reds, blues, whites, and golds. Messages range from romantic declarations like "Ich liebe dich" (I love you) to playful Bavarian expressions. The stands themselves are equally photogenic, with hearts hanging from strings creating a wall of color and tradition.
Best photo spots:
- You holding a colorful Lebkuchenherz in front of the stand
- Close-ups of the heart's intricate icing details
- Wide shots showing dozens of hearts hanging from the stand
- The stand itself with the backdrop of the festival
- Flat-lay shots of your heart with other Oktoberfest props (beer, pretzel)
- The ribbon-wearing style (Lebkuchenherzen hang from long ribbons for wearing)
Instagram tip: These hearts are absolutely Instagram gold because they're so visually striking and colorful. The combination of the hand-decorated icing, the vibrant colors, and the authentic Bavarian cultural element makes for genuinely excellent photography.
Visit stands during daytime for the brightest colors and clearest details. Morning light bounces beautifully off the icing decorations. Photograph your heart with the festival blurred in the background to provide context.
Pro move: Get a Lebkuchenherz with a personalized message or a funny Bavarian saying. The message becomes part of your story—people will ask what it says. Consider getting one that says something like "Gruss vom Oktoberfest" (Greetings from Oktoberfest) or a playful local saying.
Pro hack: The stands are often less crowded during midday, making it easier to get clean shots without dozens of other visitors in frame. Evening shots with the hearts and stand illuminated create a warm, festive atmosphere that photographs beautifully.
6. The Beer Mugs and Pretzel Stands: Flat-Lay Heaven
Why it's Instagram gold: Oktoberfest food and drink photography doesn't require fancy composition—it just requires the right framing. Giant pretzels, massive beer steins, and traditional Bavarian food are naturally photogenic.
Best photo spots:
- Flat-lay shots of beer steins with pretzels arranged artfully
- Overhead shots of your meal with the tent atmosphere blurred in the background
- Close-ups of the "Stein & Pretzel" classic combination
- Detail shots of food (Hendl, Schweinshaxe, Kaiserschmarrn)
- Your hands holding an enormous pretzel against the festival backdrop
Instagram tip: Food photography is among the most universally popular Instagram content. Don't skip it. Pro tip: shoot food during natural light (afternoon/early evening) rather than under artificial tent lighting, which can make food look unappetizing.
The "hands holding food" pose with the festival in the background performs exceptionally well. Angle the camera so you see your hands, the food, and the tents/crowds behind. It tells a complete story of your Oktoberfest experience in a single frame.
7. The Crowds and Atmosphere Shots
Why it's Instagram gold: Sometimes the most compelling photos aren't of specific landmarks but of the festival's energy itself. Wide-angle shots showing the sheer density of people, the sea of dirndls and lederhosen, the chaos and joy—these capture Oktoberfest's essence.
Best photo spots:
- Elevated shots from balconies or ride platforms showing the crowd density
- Wide-angle shots of tent interiors packed with celebrants
- Candid shots of spontaneous moments (people dancing, laughing, clinking steins)
- Slow-motion video of crowds moving through the festival
- Overhead shots from the Bavaria viewing platform or Ferris wheel
Instagram tip: Video and Reel content showing movement performs better than static photos for atmosphere shots. Capture people dancing, the flow of the crowd, the energy. These dynamic pieces convey the festival's spirit better than any single photo can.
Reels showing the contrast between quiet morning shots and packed evening shots tell a compelling time-lapse story.
8. Sunset and Twilight: The Magic Hour
Why it's Instagram gold: Golden hour—the 20-30 minutes around sunset—transforms Oktoberfest into something magical. The warm, angled sunlight flatters everything: architecture, people, food, landscape. Nearly everything looks good during golden hour.
Best photo spots:
- Any elevated vantage point (Bavaria, Ferris wheel, balconies) with the sun setting behind the festival
- Ground-level shots of people silhouetted against the setting sun
- The moment when carnival lights begin twinkling as twilight deepens
Instagram tip: Set phone reminders for golden hour times throughout your Oktoberfest visit. Prioritize being outside (not in tents) during these magic windows. The difference between a mediocre photo and a genuinely stunning one often comes down to lighting, and golden hour lighting is essentially free professional photography equipment.
Plan your tent visits around golden hour. Spend golden hour outside capturing the festival's beauty, then head into tents for evening/night content when artificial lighting takes over.
9. Your Outfit: The Tracht Close-Up
Why it's Instagram gold: Dirndls and lederhosen deserve their own photo moments. These traditional outfits are visual masterpieces—embroidered details, vibrant colors, intricate lacing. Your outfit alone is Instagram-worthy content.
Best photo spots:
- Full-body mirror selfies showing your complete tracht outfit
- Close-ups of embroidered details
- Slow-motion outfit twirls showing the dirndl's movement
- Side-by-side comparisons of your outfit with friends
- Detail shots of accessories (apron, brooches, hat)
Instagram tip: The dirndl's bow placement tells a story (right side = in a relationship, left side = single, center = widow/widower). Post a caption explaining this cultural detail. These educational captions dramatically increase engagement.
Pro move: Post a "before and after" carousel showing you in regular clothes, then in full tracht. Your followers will love the transformation.
10. Late Night: The Neon and Lights Show
Why it's Instagram gold: After sunset, Oktoberfest transforms. Carnival lights, tent illuminations, and neon signs create a completely different aesthetic from daytime photos. This is where you capture Oktoberfest's party energy.
Best photo spots:
- Neon-lit carnival game booths
- Glowing tent structures after dark
- Illuminated Ferris wheel and rides
- Street-level shots showing the lights and crowds
- Close-ups of individual light details
Instagram tip: Late-night photography is challenging due to low light, but modern phone cameras handle it better each year. Keep your phone steady (lean against something or use a small tripod). Shoot in night mode if your phone has it.
Video content thrives at night—the movement of lights, crowds, and energy translate better to video than static photos.
General Photography Tips for Oktoberfest
Charge your phone constantly: You'll be taking hundreds of photos. Bring a portable battery pack.
Shoot vertically and horizontally: Mix portrait and landscape orientations for Instagram variety (Stories prefer vertical, feed posts work with both).
Candid over posed: Forced smiles in front of landmarks are fine, but candid shots of genuine laughter and fun perform better.
Video over photos: Reels, TikToks, and Stories get more engagement than static photos. Prioritize capturing video content alongside photos.
Edit ruthlessly: Delete mediocre shots. Only post your best 10-20% of photos. Quality over quantity dramatically improves how your Oktoberfest feed is perceived.
Tell a story: Rather than random festival photos, curate your content to tell a narrative arc—arrival, tents, food, rides, late night, departure. This narrative structure performs better and keeps followers engaged.
The Bottom Line
The beer tents are incredible, but they're just one part of Oktoberfest's visual story. The real Instagram magic happens outside the tents: the Ferris wheel glowing against the twilight, the Bavaria statue commanding the landscape, the crowds dancing under carnival lights, the food and outfits and energy.
By strategically hitting these photography locations—especially during golden hour—you'll create an Oktoberfest Instagram feed that captures not just the party, but the festival's history, culture, architecture, and magic.
Your followers won't just double-tap these photos. They'll save them. They'll ask about them. They'll book their own Oktoberfest trips inspired by your content.
And that's the true measure of Instagram-worthy content.
Prost!