If you are planning a trip to Munich during the Christmas season, you are in for a treat. This city is brimming with holiday cheer. With its long list of Christmas markets, decorations, and festive vibe, Munich is one of Europe’s most enchanting destinations. 2 days in Munich is the perfect amount of time to visit a few of the city’s top attractions, plus mix in visits to Christmas markets.
This itinerary includes a few of Munich’s most notable attractions: the BMW Museum, Nymphenburg Palace, the iconic Rathaus building, and Munich Residence Palace, plus a few towers to climb. But the highlights of this trip are the Christmas markets.
How Much Time Do You Need in Munich at Christmas?
You could easily spend five days in Munich, to visit its landmarks and historic buildings, plus its long list of Christmas markets.
However, there are many wonderful towns and cities near Munich to explore. We visited Munich as part of a bigger trip through Bavaria, and some of these smaller towns were the highlight of our trip.
Nuremberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Regensburg are beautiful cities to visit during the Christmas season. Neuschwanstein and Zugspitze are must-have experiences while in Germany. Plus, you have the option to add on Salzburg, Innsbruck, or Vienna. We’ve done all of these, and they are incredible.
So, 2 days in Munich allows you to see a few top attractions and the city’s best Christmas markets. And then it’s off to Regensburg, Nuremberg, Salzburg, or Neuschwanstein, to continue your holiday European adventure.
The Christmas pyramid at the Christmas Village at Residence Munich
Christmas Markets in Munich
There are an incredible number of Christmas markets in Munich, ranging from huge, busy market squares filled with stalls and people, to smaller markets with a more local vibe.
On our most recent trip to Munich, which was December 2024, we dedicated most of our time to visiting these markets. We’ve written a guide to the Munich Christmas markets and have included our favorites in this itinerary.
Munich Christmas Markets 2024 | The Ultimate Guide
In this guide, learn about the long list of Christmas markets in Munich, plus find out the best ones to add to your trip to Munich.The Munich Christmas markets are open from the end of November through December 22/23. If you are planning a visit to Munich on or around Christmas day, most of the markets will be closed.
2 Days in Munich Itinerary
Day 1: Munich City Center: Frauenkirche, Marienplatz, Munich Residenz & Several Festive Markets
Note: All of the times listed in this itinerary are rough estimates, just to give you an idea about timing throughout the day.
10:00 am: The Frauenkirche
With a 10 am start, sleep in, have breakfast, go for a walk…but it will be a busy day.
The Frauenkirche, also called Münchner Dom, is Munich’s most famous church. It is identified by its two towers each with a green dome. It is the largest hall church in the world.
The Frauenkirche (photo taken from the tower of New Town Hall)
The main reason to visit the Frauenkirche is for the aerial view of Munich. These towers loom over the city and on a clear day, you can even see the Alps.
The tower opens at 10 am. You can purchase your tickets in advance (this is what we did) or arrive just before opening time. When we were here, there were just a few other people, so crowds are light this time of day.
To get to the observation deck, you’ll climb 89 steps and then ride an elevator the rest of the way. The viewing area is completely indoors with information panels that share a brief history on some of Munich’s most popular landmarks.
Before leaving the church, look for the devil’s footstep at the entrance to the nave.
10:45 am: Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz
This Christmas market is Munich’s largest. More than 130 stalls can be found on and around Marienplatz, the main market square in Munich. This is one of Munich’s main attractions all year. Marienplatz is surrounded by several of Munich’s most famous buildings, including Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), Altes Rathaus, and St. Peter’s Church.
Most of the market stalls sit right on Marienplatz, but they overflow onto the side streets of Kaufingerstraße, Weinstraße, and Kripperlmarkt, and even out to Rindermarkt. There are also a few market stalls in the courtyard of the Rathaus building.
This market opens at 10 am and closes between 8 and 9 pm, depending on the day of the week. Kara and I spent 3 hours at this market, since there is so much to see, do, eat, and buy. And no, 11 am is not too early for glühwein (hot mulled wine). 😊 Cheers!
On this itinerary, you have about an hour and a half at this market. Not to worry, you’ll be back here again this evening, with the option to return on day 2.
For lunch, you can sample some foods at the market stalls on Marienplatz. I highly recommend the short walk to Rindermarkt. The flammlachs sandwiches (fire roasted salmon) are the #1 thing to get here. The line midday is short but very long in the evening. This tiny market also has local Bavarian fare and feuerzangenbowles.
The Christmas pyramid at Rindermarkt
Flammlachs sandwich
A feuerzangenbowle, also called ‘fire tongs punch,’ is a must-try. It’s for sale in most markets. Mulled wine is served with a sugar cube, which is doused with rum, and lit on fire. The sugar melts and caramelizes, giving the feuerzangenbowle it’s unique taste. Sometimes it served in a special mug or goblet with a cut out for the sugar cube and then lit on fire before it is served to you. And sometimes the rum-soaked sugar cubes melt over a larger pot of mulled wine and served in a traditional mug, without the fire.
12:30 pm: Residenz Palace
From Marienplatz, it is a 7-minute walk to Residenz Palace. The entrance to the palace is at the Residenz Museum.
This large palace served as the seat of the Bavarian government and residence from 1508 to 1918. This palace was first constructed in 1385, but each Duke who resided here expanded the palace. Today it has 130 rooms, each uniquely decorated with paintings, furnishings, colorful patterned walls, gold accents, and decorated floors. Art collections span from the Renaissance to the Baroque period to Neoclassicism.
The highlight of the Palace is the Antiquarium, a lavish Renaissance hall intricately painted and lined with antique sculptures. This is one of the oldest rooms in the palace, constructed in 1571, and was largely used for festivities and banquets. There are also views from the palace to the Christmas market in the courtyard.
A visit lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how long you linger in the rooms. Get hours, pricing, and see the various ticket options on the official website (we opted for the basic ticket, but you can also add on the Treasury). Currently, tickets are not sold online in advance, only at the entrance.
2:00 pm: The Christmas Village at the Munich Residence
This is one of our favorite Christmas markets in Munich. Surrounded by the walls of the Munich Residence sits a lovely collection of market stalls selling local Bavarian delicacies, bratwurst, glühwein, jewelry, ornaments, scarves, and more.
To get here, exit the Munich Residenz, turn right onto Residenzstraße, and then turn right to enter the courtyard.
3:00 pm: Medieval Christmas Market
We LOVED this market. And 3 pm is the perfect time to get here. The sun is getting lower in the sky, crowds are still relatively low, making this a fantastic time to take some photos and try some new foods.
This is also the place to have one of Munich’s legendary feuerzangenbowles served in a clay goblet.
The markets in Munich sell some very cute, festive mugs. The most unique is the feuerzangenbowle goblet at the Medieval Market. This goblet has a cutout for the sugar cube, the rum is added, and then blowtorched, lighting the goblet on fire. The best time to capture the fire is once it gets dark, so you could wait until 4 or 4:30 pm until you purchase one, or just order a second one at that time, if you want the cool photo. This goblet has a higher deposit fee than the other mugs in Munich.
Christmas Mugs & Deposit Fees: When you order a hot drink at a market, you will pay for the drink plus pay a small deposit fee (pfand) for the mug. This fee ranges from 3 to 5 euros. You can keep the mug if you like it. If you return the mug at the stall, you will get a refund of the deposit fee.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you plan to collect mugs, it helps to bring along a bag to carry them, plus some paper towels or napkins to wipe them out, so the little bit of residual glühwein or hot chocolate doesn’t drip onto everything in your bag (spoken from a lot of experience).
The Medieval Market is designed to resemble what a market would have looked like in the Middle Ages. Wooden stalls are designed and painted to resemble medieval buildings and vendors are dressed in garments from this time period.
There are a lot of foods to try, from turkey and bread roasted on a stick to wild boar and flammlachs sandwiches. For sale are warm hats and gloves, swords, potions, and handmade crafts.
SUNSET IN MUNICH: Sunset in Munich in December is around 4:20 pm. The 45 minutes before and after sunset are my favorite times to be at the markets, when there is still a little bit of light in the sky, but you can also capture the warm glow of the market stalls in your photos.
4:30 pm: Take Your Pick
This afternoon, there are a few things you can do with your time. Choose one of these four options.
Wintertollwood Festival
Located on the historic Oktoberfest grounds is a circus-like Christmas market that hosts live performances. The main reason for visiting this market it to watch one of these live performances, which range from Cirque de Soleil to fire dances to circus acts. You can see what will be offered on the official website. To get here from the Medieval Market, take U4/U5 from Odeonsplatz to Theresienwiese (about 20-minutes travel time).
Chinese Tower Christmas Market
Located deep within the English Garden sits the Christmas Market at the Chinese Tower. A beer garden has been located at this same spot since 1974. We were here during the day, but I imagine that the Chinese Tower would be even prettier at night, when it is illuminated.
To get here, it is a relatively long walk from the Medieval Market (about 30 minutes, most of this in the park, but remember, it will be dark this time of day). Taking the bus saves you the walk and shortens the journey to about 20 minutes.
Chinese Tower Christmas Market
Märchenbazar
The Märchenbazar is a fairytale-like market geared towards children. There are rides, a fairytale hour, a puppet theater, and arts and crafts for kids, even candle making. So, if you are in Munich with kids, this a must-visit market. It is located in Olympiapark, which is on the outskirts of the city center. You also have the option to visit this market tomorrow, if you choose to visit the BMW Museum.
Marienplatz, Rathaus Tower, and Dinner
If journeying out to Tollwood, the English Garden, or Märchenbazar does not interest you, return to Marienplatz for more shopping, eating, and drinks.
This is also the perfect time to get another bird’s eye view of the Marienplatz Christmas market. You have two options.
From the tower of the Town Hall, you can look right down on the market. It is best to purchase your tickets online in advance, but you can also purchase them at the tourist information center on Marienplatz. We did this several times and it was never busy. It’s an elevator ride to the top, no stair climb required.
The view of the Marienplatz Christmas Market from Rathaus tower
Option #2 is the tower of St. Peter’s Church. It’s 306 steps to the top, no elevator this time. But the view is amazing, as you can look down on the Christmas market in Marienplatz with the backdrop of the New Town Hall. Tickets are purchased outside of the tower and are not sold online in advance. We did this at 5 pm.
For dinner, you can get food at Marienplatz or Rindermarkt, or have dinner in one of the restaurants in the city.
Day 2: Nymphenburg Palace, BMW Museum or Dachau, Plus More Christmas Markets
Today starts with a day trip outside of the city center, with three places to choose from. The afternoon will be spent hopping from Christmas market to Christmas market.
Morning: Take Your Pick
Choose one of these three attractions: Nymphenburg Palace, the BMW Museum and BMW Welt, or Dachau Concentration Camp.
Nymphenburg Palace
Nymphenburg Palace (Schloss Nymphenburg) was the main summer residence of the former rulers of Bavaria. A visit here is similar to Versailles in Paris or Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna.
During the winter months, the palace opens at 10 am. The castles in the gardens are closed in December. Confirm hours, get pricing, and purchase your tickets in advance on the official website.
Nymphenburg Palace is located outside of the city center, west of Munich. Traveling by the S-bahn, it takes about 35 minutes to get from Marienplatz to the palace.
BMW Museum & BMW Welt
Sitting to the north of Olympiapark are two state of the art buildings that house exhibits about the history and engineering of the BMW brand.
BMW Welt is an architectural masterpiece. Inside are the latest models of BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce.
The nearby BMW Museum has exhibits on the history of BMW, with vehicles and historical artifacts on display from the past 100 years.
A visit to BMW is a must for car aficionados. It takes about 20 minutes to get here using public transportation. Get pricing and hours on the official website.
CHRISTMAS MARKET ADD-ON: The BMW Museum is near Olympiapark. In this park is the Märchenbazar, a fairytale Christmas market that is geared towards kids. It’s a nice add on to the day, before heading back to the city center.
Dachau Concentration Camp
A visit to Dachau Concentration Camp is a somber experience, but worthwhile for those with an interest in World War II history. It’s one of the most popular day trips from Munich.
It’s free to visit Dachau Concentration Camp but guided tours cost a few euros. It takes about 45 minutes to get here using public transportation. Learn more on the official website. You can also read about our experience at Dachau Concentration Camp.
1:00 pm: Lunch
For lunch, we have two recommendations.
The Viktualienmarkt is a farmer’s market in Munich, just a short walk from Marienplatz. This is also the location of yet another Christmas market, so you can get food and drinks at both the Christmas market stalls and the farmer’s market stands. It’s a great option for foodies, beer lovers, and those traveling on a budget.
Viktualienmarkt
Option #2 is to visit on of Munich’s famous beer halls. The Hofbräuhaus is the most famous. It’s uber touristy but we’ve done it twice and had a fun experience both times. If you are a small group, simply walk in, find an open table, have a seat, and a waitress will be with you shortly. It’s conveniently located in the city center.
If you want the beer hall experience at a less touristy place, go to Augustiner-Keller (this is located west of the city center, near the train station) or Weisses Bräuhaus im Tal.
After lunch, you will have a little bit of free time. You can return to your hotel for a quick break (maybe a power nap), return to Marienplatz, or have a long, leisurely lunch. Keep in mind that there are several more markets to visit this afternoon, including the option to add on the Glühwein Festival.
4:00 pm: Sendlinger Tor Christmas Market
This tiny market is one of the most beautiful in Munich. Sunset is the perfect time to be here, for photography. This market only has a few stalls and all sell food and drinks, emphasis on the drinks. We only spent about 30 minutes here, sipping on Eierlikör, which is German egg liqueur, similar to egg nog.
The closest metro stop is Sendlinger Tor, a 2-minute walk from the Christmas market.
4:45 pm: Pink Christmas
From Sendlinger Tor, it takes about 8 minutes to walk to Pink Christmas. This is Munich’s LGTBQ Christmas market and it gets its name for its vibrant, pink lights. It’s another small market, with a big focus on drinks (prosecco and glühwein are the main things for sale here), but don’t miss the shop selling the merman ornaments and figurines.
This market does not open until 4 pm on weekdays, so if you alter this itinerary, keep that in mind.
Evening: Dinner or More Christmas Markets
At this point, you could call it a day. Have dinner and a quiet night.
But there are a few more Christmas markets to visit, if you are interested. These aren’t absolute must-sees, but they are a bit different from the traditional Christmas markets.
Munchner Feuerzangenbowle
The easiest to get to is the Munchner Feuerzangenbowle. This market is centered around a large tent with a bowl of flames rising from the top. Giant pots of glühwein, with the roasting rum-soaked sugar cubes dripping into them, are served to patrons. You won’t get a goblet or a fiery mug of glühwein here, but the small setting is very nice.
This tiny market has a local feel to it, and it is perfect if you are looking for an escape from the crowds in the larger markets. There are a few stalls selling food but don’t expect a lot of choices. However, it’s a short walk to Eataly, if you are craving Italian food or pasta.
This market is located on Blumenstraß3 22, near the Viktualienmarkt.
The Glühwein Festival
We did this and liked it, but did not love it. However, I’m listing it as an option, because it is a cool idea. This market sells more than 35 flavors of glühwein, in small tented, cozy rooms. There are also a few food stalls.
It’s a great idea, but it takes some time to get here, as it is located northeast of the city center, next to the Cosima Bad pool (it’s a 20-minute tram ride from the city center). Taking into account the time to get here, it’s not worth it for most people, in my opinion. However, for some it could be fun to spend the evening in this cozy setting, trying different types of glühwein.
How to Get Around Munich
Munich has an excellent public transportation network. It’s cheap and easy to link together the trams, trains, and buses to zip around the city, without putting in a lot of steps.
Day 1 of this itinerary keeps you within city center, and everything listed is within walking distance, unless you visit Tollwood, the Chinese Tower Christmas market, or the Märchenbazar. If you add these on, the most cost-effective way to visit them is to pay for individual journeys on the bus, tram, or train. Tickets can be purchased right from your phone on the MVV app.
On day 2, you will use public transportation to get to one of the three day trip options and then to travel around the city. The best option for this day is to purchase a Single Day Ticket for the farthest zone you plan to visit. The MVV website and app have a zone calculator, so you know which ticket to buy.
Where to Stay in Munich
We stayed at the Cortiina Hotel and loved it. It is in the city center, 5-minutes from Marienplatz, giving it an unbeatable location. It was just a quick walk to drop off mugs, take a bathroom break, or even rest and warm up, before heading back out into the city again. I would not hesitate to stay here again on a future trip to Munich.
Two mid-range hotels that are within easy walking distance of Marienplatz are Hotel Schlicker and Hotel Deutsche Eiche (this one is a bit farther away but gets slightly better reviews).
Hotel Torbräu and Platzl Hotel are two upscale hotels with an excellent location near Marienplatz.
If you are traveling on a budget, Hotel Falkenturm is a 2-star hotel with an excellent location that gets very good reviews.
For the ultimate in luxury, take a look at Rosewood Munich or the Mandarin Oriental.
Planning a Bavaria Christmas Trip
We visited Munich as part of a 13-day train and road trip through Bavaria and the Alsace Wine Region in France. Our trip started in Munich and from here we traveled north to Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and then on to Stuttgart. We also visited the Ravenna Gorge Christmas market before a quick visit to Strasbourg and Colmar.
In the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing our guides to each of these cities, so stay tuned!
If you have any questions about this Munich Christmas itinerary, let us know in the comment section below.
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