Best Things to do in Munich in Christmas

Despite the winter and cold temperatures, this German city still maintains a festive spirit during the Christmas season. With its flea markets and ice rinks, food stalls and Christmas trees, there are plenty of activities to add to the usual things to see and do in Munich during the festive season.

The city's atmosphere changes radically and the whole city dresses up to welcome Christmas. Markets take over the streets of Munich, trams make public transport magical and the snow makes the city centre look like a branch of the North Pole.

There are many Christmas markets in Munich, but Christkindlmarkt stands out as the largest in the city and one of the most important in Europe. It has been held every year since the 14th century and is estimated to attract more than three million visitors each year. Christkindlmarkt stands out for its food stalls, the permanent Bavarian music shows and the huge Christmas tree that is set up in front of the town hall.

As Germany's oldest and largest Christmas market, it is a Christmas eve landmark and a meeting place for locals, who come to eat typical food and drink glühwein, a spiced mulled wine consumed in Europe during the Christian Advent. During Christmas Eve, most tours of the city end at Christkindlmarkt, so taking a guided tour of Munich and then visiting the flea market is an excellent option.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the flea market is free.
• Opening hours... From the last week of November, the stalls are open from 10.00 to 21.00 Monday to Saturday and from 10.00 to 20.00 on Sundays. On 24th December the opening hours are from 10.00 to 14.000 hours.
• Location... The flea market is located on Marienplatz in the centre of Munich.
• How to get there... By Metro lines U3 and U6 and by train S1 and S8 to the Marienplatz stop.

A visit to the Viktualienmarkt food market, one of Munich's most famous landmarks, is a must. It is an open-air fair with more than 100 stalls offering fruit, poultry, spices, vegetables, flowers, cheeses and other traditional products.

Unlike most of the city's markets, Viktualienmarkt is open all year round, but changes its profile during the festive season: at Christmas the market is decorated with Christmas trees and festive colours. Although Viktualienmarkt is a food market, there are stalls with Christmas gifts, carol singing and a focus on Christmas food.

There is also a beer garden, which is often included in Munich's best food tours, and an Italian food section.

Interesting facts

• Price... Admission is free.
• Opening hours... The flea market is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 3pm.
• Location... Located at Viktualienmarkt 3, behind St. Peter's Church.
• How to get there... By underground lines U1, U2, U3, U6, U7 and U8, getting off at Sendlinger Tor station.

The Nativity Market or Kripeermarkt is one of the largest markets specialising in nativity scenes and focuses specifically on Christmas tree decorations and nativity scenes. Here you will find more than ten shops offering handicrafts, Christmas decorations and dioramas of all sizes. The market has been a local tradition since 1757 and opens its doors overnight every year during the Christmas period.

Kripeermarkt is a small place with the pure essence of a Christmas market. Due to its size, you will be able to visit it in a short time and it is easy to access, because it is located in a central point of the traditional circuit of Munich, where the tourist buses and also the bicycle tours that go around the city pass by.

Interesting facts

• Price... Admission is free.
• Opening hours... The flea market is open daily from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm.
• Location... Rindermarkt 1, next to St. Peter's Church.
• How to get there... By underground lines U3 and U6 from Marienplatz station or by train on lines S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8, S27, SP1 and SP2.

This is one of the most interesting things to do in Munich during the winter, as it is only available between November and January and on Christmas Eve it is lit up with trees and Christmas motifs, while the restaurant offers a special menu with crepes and mulled wine.

MünchnerEiszauber is one of the most fun attractions in Munich during Christmas time and also an ideal plan to do with children. Its central location in the city centre ensures easy access and it is also a regular stop on the Munich sightseeing buses.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the rink is around six euros. You can also rent skates for another six euros.
• Opening hours... The rink is normally open daily from 10.30am to 10pm.
• Location... The rink is located on Karlsplatz, a street leading to the historic city centre.
• How to get there... By underground lines U4 and U5 to the Karlsplatz stop and by train S1, S2, S4 and S8.

The Munich Residenz was the royal palace of the kings of Bavaria and is now one of the most representative decorative museums in Europe, with its leafy courtyards. In one of them, during Christmas, a flea market is set up that recreates the Alpine village of Weihnachtsdorfs, making it an ideal place to enjoy music and performances.

Weihnachtsdorfs is a family space, so it is a must for activities to do with children, and it also has food and drink stalls and stalls selling Christmas gifts. And because it's located in the inner courtyard of the Residenz Palace, the walls keep out the cold.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission to the flea market is free.
• Opening hours... The stalls are open daily from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm.
• Location... The flea market is located at Residenz, Residenzstrasse 1, Munich.
• How to get there... By underground lines U3, U4, U5 and U6 to Odeonsplatz and by train S3, S4, S6 and S8.

Every year in December, the Tollwood Winter Festival is held on the Theresienwiese. During the event, the site is filled with tents with cultural, political, climatic and environmental themes, which also protect visitors from the cold. In addition, there are over fifty food stalls, children's attractions, musical shows and a wide range of activities, most of which are free of charge.

On New Year's Eve, the field opens to host one of the best parties in town to close the winter edition of the alternative festival. In fact, the Tollwood New Year's Eve party is one of the most visited attractions during Christmas in Munich and is when the festival receives the majority of the five hundred thousand visitors who come each year. If you are spending a Christmas night in the city, this event is definitely not to be missed.

Interesting facts

• Price... Admission to the grounds during the New Year's Eve party is free.
• Opening hours... The park is open 24 hours a day.
• Location... The park is located at Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21, Munich.
• How to get there... By underground lines U2 and U3 from Olympiazentrum station or by bus line 173.

During the Advent period, the ChristkindlTram, a tram from 1957 with wooden seats, travels through the historic centre of Munich, where mulled wine and gingerbread are served on board. The tram follows the same circular route as when it was in operation, and on Sundays the route includes magic shows and surprises for children.

The ChristkindlTram route includes Sendlinger Tor, Isartor, Maxmonument, the National Theatre, Theatinerstrasse, Lenbachplatz and Stachus, so it's also a great opportunity to visit Munich's most important sites on a historic tram, all bathed in the spirit of Christmas and coloured lights.

Interesting facts

• Price... Each tram ride costs about two euros and tickets can be purchased on the official website or at the ticket office at Sendlinger Tor, which is where the tram route starts and ends.
• Timetable... The tram runs several times a day between 15:30 and 19:30.
• Location... It departs from Sendlinger Tor metro station.
• How to get there... By underground lines U1, U2, U3, U6, U7 and U8, getting off at Sendlinger Tor station.

Pyramids are a Christmas tradition in Germany, and in Munich you'll find them at every turn, so you'll be able to see them in comfort if you book a guided tour of Munich or a seat on the sightseeing bus. They are made of wood and the top is crowned by the blades of a windmill. They come in different sizes and represent traditional characters from German folklore.

Christmas pyramids are an age-old tradition and wherever you find them they usually mark food and drink stalls, so if you're looking for a place to eat or drink just locate one of these particular tributes.

Munich's Krampus is a 16th century character who personifies the Christmas monster. Unlike Father Christmas, he does not reward well-behaved children but captures naughty children and drags them to hell, but adults are not safe either, because according to some interpretations of German folklore he could also take away the parents of misbehaving children.

The parade also includes a race, which has become very popular in recent years and in which the only condition for participation is to be dressed as Krampus, who is usually depicted with horns and tattered clothes. And you, would you like to participate in a marathon dressed as Krampus?

Interesting details

• Price... There is no registration fee for the parade and the race.
• Date... There is no fixed date for the Krampus Run, but it is usually during the first weeks of December.
• Location... The central convocation is at Marienplatz in the centre of Munich.
• How to get there... By Metro lines U3 and U6 and by train S1 and S8 to the Marienplatz stop or take the tourist bus, which makes one of its stops at Marienplatz.

During the Christmas period, Wittelsbacherplatz is home to one of Munich' s most beautiful Christmas markets. The stallholders are dressed as citizens of the Middle Ages, and the decorations are in the same style. The highlights of the Wittelsbacherplatz, apart from the setting, are the food and drinks on offer and the handicrafts that can be purchased at the stalls.

The aim of this flea market is to revive the main spirit of these places, which during medieval times began to be built as a tradition so that no one could wait for Christmas alone and feel accompanied.

Interesting details

• Price... Admission is free.
• Opening hours... The market is open from 10:00 to 19:30 every day.
• Location... Located on Wittelsbacherplatz in the Old Town of Munich.
• How to get there.... By underground lines U3, U4, U5 and U6 to the Odeonsplatz stop and by train S3, S4, S6 and S8.

Temperatures in Munich are low in winter and it snows all the time. December and January are the coldest months of the year, with a maximum temperature of five degrees Celsius. The minimum can reach minus four degrees Celsius.

Temperatures improve in February and March, with highs of ten degrees and lows of one degree. Snowfall is still frequent during the late winter months.

As the temperature drops significantly during December and most of Munich's plans are outdoors, it's important that you don't forget winter clothing when packing your luggage.

Here is a list of what I recommend you pack to make sure you are comfortable during your visit to Munich:

• Winter coats
• Waterproof and comfortable boots
• Warm socks
• Waterproof and tactile gloves
• Woollen hats
• Woollen scarves
• Woollen jumpers
• Fleece trousers
• Thermal fleece

In autumn and winter the number of visitors to the city decreases significantly, but this can pick up during the Christmas season, so don't be surprised if you have to wait in queues during your visit and experience the crowds.