Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas!
Read on to learn about my recent weekend enjoying Munich’s Christmas markets.
Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt:
Standing in Marienplatz, surrounded by the Gothic facades of the City Hall, the square resembled a fairytale with its dozens of wooden huts bedecked with twinkling fairy lights. This is Munich’s oldest and most traditional market — and should definitely be a must visit during your Munich winter break.
We visited Marienplatz both during the day and after dusk as the market is in full swing throughout the day. At both 11.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon the famous Glockenspiel chimes and the figures come to life. With necks craned and our phones at the ready we were transfixed as the wooden figures began to move. From knights jousting to dancers spinning and festive music filling the square, it was truly magical and became one of my favourite moments of my visit to Munich.
It was fun to wander among the stalls with deliciously comforting mugs of glühwein. On offer were hand carved wooden nativity sets, decorative baubles, candles and all manner of Bavarian crafts. We couldn’t resist the aroma of bratwurst sausages cooking on the grill and savoured the first of many during our weekend away.
The Medieval Mittelaltermarkt
Located just a short walk from Marienplatz lies the Medieval Christmas Market which is best visited in the evenings as it is more atmospheric after dark with candle lights casting a golden glow over the stalls. Although themed, I still found this market to be very tasteful with medieval minstrels serenading the crowds dressed in traditional costumes.
What made this market even more appealing was that we could watch demonstrations of artisans forging metal and carving wood alongside the usual inviting little wooden huts. Here we sampled kebabs and naturally sipped more mugs of hot, comforting glühwein.
The English Garden Christmas Market
Near the Chinese Tower, we discovered a quaint Christmas market tucked into in the peaceful atmosphere of the English Garden. We visited during the day and enjoyed strolling through the park’s winding paths to reach the festivities. Between the sparkling stalls we paused to observe a game on the ice (a Bavarian take on Scottish Curling) known as Ice Stock Sport and then chatted to fellow travellers from all over Europe whilst we sampled freshly prepared crepes dusted with sugar and cinnamon. The English Garden Christmas market felt like a small world of winter magic as it was so peaceful and enchanting.
The Residenz Christmas Market
This is yet another of Munich’s atmospheric Christmas Markets as it is tucked inside the grand walls of the palace courtyard. As we wandered around, the aroma of mulled wine and roasted almonds instantly put me into the festive mood.
We moved from stall to stall, taking time to look at handmade ornaments, carved wooden figures and all the other little gifts lit up beneath warm strings of lights. The market felt very cosy with soft music drifting through the courtyard and people chatting quietly over steaming cups of mulled wine. The Residenz is a peaceful, festive haven right in the city centre.
Munich Airport Christmas Market
Even though we’d said farewell to the city centre festive markets, there was a surprise in store for us at Munich Airport as located between Terminals 1 and 2, the airport boasts its own Christmas Market complete with cosy wooden cabins, festive music and an ice skating rink. It’s the first airport I’ve been to with its own festive market and we were pleasantly surprised how big it was.
A huge Christmas tree stood in the centre surrounded by wooden stalls selling baubles, roasted almonds, gingerbread, sausages, crepes and mulled wine. We were so glad that we’d arrived back at the airport early to enjoy one final crepe and mug of glühwein. I’d highly recommend ending your weekend here too if time allows.
Recommended foods to try at Munich Christmas Markets
- Glühwein – Hot mulled wine that warmed me instantly.
- Gebrannte Mandeln – Caramelized almonds that made the air smell heavenly.
- Kartoffelpuffer – Crispy potato pancakes with apple sauce.
- Dampfnudel – A fluffy steamed bun filled with vanilla sauce.
- Bratwurst im Brötchen – Classic German sausage, simple and perfect.
Tips from my trip: How to make the most of Munich’s Christmas Markets
- Bring cash—many stalls still don’t accept cards and although we had taken a small amount of euros with us, we needed to find an ATM to get more.
- Come hungry— we learned quickly that resisting the food was impossible.
- Wear warm layers—Munich nights can get chilly.
- Keep your Glühwein mug—you pay a €5 deposit; return for a refund or retain as a souvenir.
Final Thoughts: Why Munich at Christmas stole my heart
Every market had its own personality — and experiencing all of the above, felt like stepping through different chapters of a festive fairytale. If you’re dreaming of a magical European Christmas, Munich is exactly where that dream becomes real – it certainly put us into the festive spirit during our mid-December visit!
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