As November draws to a close, Munich comes alive with the magic of Christmas markets, transforming the city into one of Europe’s most enchanting destinations. From iconic Marienplatz to smaller markets brimming with local charm, there are quite a few festive places to visit in Munich.
The Munich Christmas markets are located in and around the city center. These range from enormous, busy markets to quieter markets located in small neighborhoods. It takes days to visit all Munich’s Christmas markets, plus climb its towers and visit its must-see sights.
In this guide, we take you through Munich’s top Christmas markets and let you know our favorites, to help narrow down the long list of places to visit.
About the Munich Christmas Markets
The Munich Christmas markets open in mid to late-November and close a few days before Christmas. So, if you will be in town on Christmas day, most markets will be closed by then. The perfect time to visit Munich to see the Christmas markets is from late November through December 22.
Every market is different. Some markets have a medieval theme, some markets focus on food or wine, and others are perfect for kids. Most markets sell a mix of food and drinks, plus souvenirs and holiday gifts.
Many markets sell at least one distinctive holiday mug. We love collecting the holiday mugs at the European Christmas markets and Munich has some of the best. When you order mulled wine (glühwein) or a hot drink, you will pay a small deposit fee (this ranges from €3 to €5). You’re welcome to keep the mug, but if you return it, you’ll receive a full refund of the deposit fee.
In our experience, the Munich Christmas markets were busiest from 3 pm to closing. For the best lighting and overall experience, visit the markets at sunset, which is at 4 pm in December.
Our visit, and our photos throughout this guide, were taken on our visit to Munich in December 2024.
Munich Christmas Markets
This list is ordered geographically, starting with the markets that are in or near the city center and then extending to those on the outskirts of Munich.
Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz
Open: November 25 to December 24, 2024
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday 10 am to 8 pm; December 24 10 am to 2 pm
Location: Marienplatz
Website: christkindlmarkt-muenchen.de
What Makes It Unique: This is Munich’s largest Christmas market. It’s location on Marienplatz, surrounded by several of the city’s most iconic buildings, makes it very photogenic.
In the heart of Munich, Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz is the city’s most well-known market. Over 130 decorated stalls sit in and around Marientplatz and they are surrounded by beautiful architectural landmarks: the Neues Rathaus, St. Peter’s Church, and the Altes Rathaus.
Most of the stalls are located on Marienplatz, but there is some spillover 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 was our introduction to the amazing collection of German Christmas markets. Fresh off the plane, we made Marienplatz our first stop in Munich. We were greeted with a magical site of decorated stalls, the sounds of holiday music, and the sweet smell of glühwein. What a wonderful way to start our trip.
Kara and I spent 3 hours here trying spaetzle, bratwurst, glühwein, and chocolate-dipped waffles on a stick, as well as taking photos and browsing the handmade items sold by the uniquely decorated stalls.
If collecting holiday mugs is your thing, this is a great market to visit. There are quite a few stalls selling glühwein and holiday drinks, each offering a different mug.
Here are some of our favorite photos of the Marienplatz Christmas market.
The courtyard of the Rathaus building
Aerial View of Marienplatz
For an elevated view of the market, there are three towers to visit.
The Rathaus Tower is the easiest to visit, as an elevator whisks you to the top, no stair climb required. There is a small fee to do this and it is best to make a reservation in advance, which you can do on the official website. It is open all day, from 10 am to 8 pm.
The view from the Rathaus Tower
The tower of St. Peter’s Church is located a few steps from Marienplatz. From the top of the tower, you get a fantastic view of Marienplatz and the iconic Rathaus building. Tickets are purchased at the base of the tower (no advance reservations are possible but when we did this on an afternoon in December, there was no line). It is 306 steps (no elevator this time) to the observation deck.
The view from St. Peter’s Church
Another view from St. Peter’s Church
The South Tower of Frauenkirche is a little farther away from Marienplatz but you still get a very nice view of the city. Like the Rathaus tower, book your tickets in advance. To get to the observation deck, you’ll climb 89 steps and then ride an elevator to the top.
The view from the South Tower of Frauenkirche
Rindermarkt
Open: November 25 to December 24, 2024
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday 10 am to 8 pm; December 24 10 am to 2 pm
Location: Rindermarkt
What Makes It Unique: The highlight of this small market is its food. The flammlachs are a must-try, but also for sale are local Bavarian foods, feuerzangenbowles, and mulled wine, of course.
Technically, this is part of the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz. We are listing it separately because it’s about a 4-minute walk from Marientplatz and has a much different look and feel to it than the Christkindlmarkt.
Rindermarkt (photo taken from the tower of St. Peter’s Church)
This is a very small market. Food and drinks are the main thing for sale here, with little in the way of holiday gifts and souvenirs.
The hottest stall in the market is the Flammlachs stall. This market sells salmon that is roasted over an open flame and then served as a sandwich or on a plate with spaetzle or potatoes. The sandwich is delicious and one of our favorite market foods in Munich, definitely something to try. This is also a very popular stall to visit. There tends to be a line all afternoon, but come 6 pm, it really grows, and it can take 30 minutes or longer to place an order. We think it’s worth it.
At Rindermarkt they also sell sausages, spaetzle, potatoes, and feuerzangenbowles.
What is a Feuerzangenbowle? A feuerzangenbowle, or ‘fire tongs punch,’ is mulled wine (glühwein) that is served with a sugar cube that is doused with rum and then lit on fire. The sugar melts and caramelizes, giving the feuerzangenbowle it’s unique taste. These are for sale in the majority of Christmas markets in Bavaria. 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.
Here are a few photos of Rindermarkt.
The Christmas pyramid
Flammlachs sandwich
The Munchner Feuerzangenbowle
Open: November 25, 2024 to January 6, 2025
Hours: 11 am to 10 pm (open to 9 pm on Sundays)
Location: Blumenstraße 22
Website: muenchner-feuerzangenbowle.de
What Makes It Unique: To try a steaming hot feuerzangenbowle, aka fire tongs punch.
The smallest market of them all is also one of the best to have a feuerzangenbowle. The centerpiece of this tiny market is 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.
This market is a 10-minute walk from Marienplatz. The location tends to change from year to year, so check the link above for updates before your visit to Munich. This is a great market to combine with the Christkindlmarkt, Rindermarkt, and Viktualienmarkt.
Viktualienmarkt
Open: November 22, 2024 to January 4, 2025, closed on Sundays and holidays
Location: Viktualienmarkt
What Makes It Unique: This small Christmas market pops up next to Viktualienmarkt, a farmer’s market and beer garden. For foodies, this is a good one to mark on your map, to also sample the food and beer in the farmer’s market.
On the opposite side of the Altes Rathaus gate from the Marienplatz market is the Viktualienmarkt, a farmer’s market held daily since 1807. It It is here you will find fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, fish, meat, and urban Bavarian goods. There is also a beer garden.
During the Christmas holiday season, Viktualienmarkt gets a festive face lift, with lots of Christmas décor and lights. A small Christmas market opens up nearby.
Viktualienmarkt, the farmer’s market, is best to visit in the daytime, as more stalls will be open. When we visited at 5 pm, more than half of the stalls were closed and the market was pretty empty.
The Christmas market is open later in the day, and it has a few stalls selling local foods, mulled wine, and gifts. It is not much different from what you will find on Marienplatz or other markets in Munich, so we don’t think this one is a must-see, unless you also want to check out the farmers market while in town.
Christkindlmarkt at Sendlinger Tor
Open: November 25 to December 22, 2024
Hours: 10:30 am to 9 pm
Location: Sendlinger Tor Platz
Website: sendlingertor.com
What Makes It Unique: This tiny market has a stunning setting, next to one of the historic city gates, making it one of the most beautiful Munich Christmas markets.
The Sendlinger Tor market is very small, with only about 12 stalls, however it was one of our favorites for the setting. This market sits alongside the oldest city gate, first built in 1318, and the old brick watchtower brings reminders of the historic history of Munich.
This market sells mostly alcoholic drinks, plus a little bit of food. We tried the Eierlikör, which is German egg liqueur, similar to egg nog.
Pink Christmas
Open: November 25 to December 22, 2024
Hours: Monday to Friday 4 pm to 10 pm; Saturday and Sunday 2 pm to 10 pm
Location: Stephensplatz
Website: pink-christmas.de
What Makes It Unique: Visit Munich’s queer Christmas market. Drink prosecco under twinkling pink lights. Enjoy live music which starts at 6 pm each evening.
Tucked away in a small square, the Pink Market gets its name for its vibrant, pink lights that can be seen from afar. This market is another tiny one, with just a few stalls. Mostly, you will see prosecco, glühwein, and food for sale, but there are a few stalls selling gifts and souvenirs. As this market is geared towards an LGBTQ audience, so are the shops! One sells teddy bears to support the AIDS community, and another sells merman Christmas ornaments and figurines, not to be missed.
In the evenings starting at 6 pm, there is live music.
The Pink Market is only a 10-minute walk from Sendlinger Tor, so it is best to do these together.
The Christmas Village at the Munich Residenz Palace
Open: November 18 to December 22, 2024
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm
Location: Courtyard of the Munich Residenz Palace
Website: dasweihnachtsdorf.de
What Makes It Unique: This market is one of the most beautiful in Munich. It has a lovely setting in the courtyard of the Residenz Palace.
In the Imperial Courtyard of the Residence Palace lies a fantastical Christmas Market. This was immediately one of our favorites.
We got here soon after opening at 11am, and already Christmas lights were lit, music was playing, and many people were walking through the stalls. These decorated stalls sell a variety of bratwurst, sweets, glühwein, local Bavarian delicacies, ornaments, jewelry, scarves, and more.
The festive atmosphere and unique palace setting made this one a joy to visit.
This one gets crowded later in the day (we liked it so much we also returned in the late afternoon), so we recommend visiting this one before 3 pm, if you want to avoid the crowds.
Medieval Christmas Market
Open: November 25 to December 23, 2024
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm
Location: Wittelsbacherplatz
Website: mittelaltermarkt-muenchen.de
What Makes It Unique: To visit a medieval Christmas market and enjoy a flaming goblet of mulled wine…aka a feuerzangenbowle.
The Medieval Christmas Market immediately became our favorite in Munich with its unique medieval setting.
Stepping into this market feels like walking into the pages of a medieval fantasy book.
Wooden stalls are designed and painted to resemble medieval buildings. Vendors are dressed in garments from the Middle Ages, flaming goblets of mulled wine are served to patrons, wild boar is roasted on spits, and swords, potions, and handmade wares are for sale throughout the market.
We first came here at noon, a good time to visit to avoid the crowds, though by evening it was not too much busier. The fried bread and turkey on a stick was a nice treat, but we really enjoyed the roasted wild boar served with potato salad.
The highlight of this market is the feuerzangenbowle goblet. This clay goblet is filled with mulled wine. The goblet has a cut out for a sugar cube which is doused with a shot of rum and then lit on fire. These goblets have a larger deposit fee than other mugs in Munich but if you are collecting mugs, this is a unique one to add to your collection!
Eiszauber at Karlsplatz-Stachus
This is an ice rink, not a Christmas market. It can change location from year to year and in 2024 it is located on Karlsplatz-Stachus. A two-level building is erected next to the ice rink, with a viewing platform and numerous stalls selling food and drinks. This is only worth adding to your list if you like the idea of ice skating while in Munich.
Wintertollwood Festival
Open: November 26 to December 23, 2024
Hours: Monday through Friday opens at 2 pm; Saturday and Sunday opens at 11 am
Location: Theresienweisse, the Oktoberfest grounds
Website: tollwood.de
What Makes It Unique: To visit a Christmas market on the famous Oktoberfest grounds and to watch live performances.
This is a mix of a Christmas market and live performances, with fire dancers, Cirque de Soleil performances, and circus acts. It is a very large venue, with multiple stages and tents.
Note that this market has a later opening than most other Munich Christmas markets on weekdays. We got our timing wrong, arriving at noon on a Wednesday, so we could not enter the market. From our view outside of the fence (yes, it is surrounded by a fence, unlike most other markets), it looks like a large collection of tents and stalls, similar to a state fair in the USA.
We never had time to return in the afternoon or evening, and I only think it would be worth venturing out to this market if you plan to attend one of the performances here. This market lacks the setting that you get in many of the other markets in Munich, with the backdrop of market squares and historic buildings.
Haidhauser Weihnachtsmarkt
Open: November 26 to December 23, 2024
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm
Location: Weißenburger Platz
Website: haidhauser-wiehnachtsmarkt.de
What Makes It Unique: To visit a small market with a local vibe.
Numerous websites tout this one as being one of the most beautiful in Munich. It is a lovely market, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is one of the most beautiful in Munich (the Christmas Village at the Munich Residenz Palace, Christkindlmarkt at Sedlinger Tor, and even the market on Marienplatz would make this list).
The Haidhausen market is a small circular market with an assortment of stalls selling jewelry, arts and crafts, and clothing. Food stalls sell flame-grilled salmon, roasted sausages, käsespätzle, and mulled wine.
We arrived right when the market opened at 11 am, when the market was very quiet. This market is less touristy since it is located outside of Munich’s historical section. However, there was little that made this market stand out to us, so we don’t think it is worth going out of your way to visit this one.
Neuhausen Weihnachtsmarkt
Open: November 25 to December 23, 2024
Hours: 11 am to 8:30 pm
Location: Rotkreuzplatz
Website: weihnachtsmarkt-muenchen-neuhausen.de
What Makes It Unique: Small market with a local vibe. Not worth going out of your way to visit unless you are on a mission to visit every market in Munich.
This small market is located outside of the historic center of Munich. It has a very local feel to it.
The Neuhausen Christmas market sells a variety of trinkets, food, and glühwein. Our favorite thing here was trying some foods that were different from the typical Bavarian fare: Asian noodles and a mozzarella corn dog, with a hot mug of glühwein, of course!
This is a nice market, but like the Haidhausen Market, nothing really stood out about this one to us, other than its local vibe. We recommend only heading out here if you have plenty of time to spend or just want to hit up as many Christmas markets as possible. Again, we were here at noon so it may not have been as festive as if you came in the evening.
Märchenbazar
Open: November 28 to December 29, 2024 and December 31
Hours: Hours vary by day of the week (see the official website)
Location: Olympiapark Süd
Website: maerchenbazar.de
What Makes It Unique: To visit a fairytale bazaar. This market is geared towards children, with its rides and children’s programs each day.
Located on the outskirts of the city center, in Olympiapark, is a fairytale-themed Christmas market. While it takes much longer to get to, we found this market to be much more unique, with tents lined with stalls selling a wide variety of foods and gifts. If you want a change from bratwurst and käsespätzle (although you can get that here, too) are Ramen noodles and Indian food.
The activities for children (rides, candle making, crafts, a puppet theater, and fairytale hour) are what makes this market different from the others in Munich.
If you are visiting Munich with kids, this is a market to add to your list. However, if you don’t have kids, we don’t think it is worth traveling the distance to get to this small market.
Christmas Market at the Chinese Tower
Open: November 27 to December 22, 2024
Hours: 11:30 am to 8:30 pm; on Saturday and Sunday the market opens at 11 am
Location: English Garden
Website: chinaturm.de
What Makes It Unique: To visit a beer garden in the English Garden, next to the iconic Chinese Tower pagoda.
Within Munich’s English Garden sits a Chinese Tower surrounded by a large Christmas market. A beer garden has been located at this spot since 1974 and in late November, a Christmas market makes the area even more festive.
This market has quite a few food stalls and shops, which were very similar to other markets we saw in Munich. It can be a long walk to get here, as it is located within the park, but it is a pleasant walk and a nice break from the city streets.
We only think it is worth venturing out this way if you like the idea of a nice walk in the park (literally), want to visit a beer garden in a garden-like setting, or will be here in the afternoons on the weekend, when there is live music.
Glühwein Festival
Open: November 12, 2024 to January 6, 2025
Hours: 3 pm to 9 pm
Location: Festival grounds in Bogenhausen, next to the Cosima Bad pool
Website: gluehwein-festival.de
What Makes It Unique: To try more than 35 types of mulled wine and hot drinks.
When I first heard about this market, it sounded like a great idea. More than 35 flavors of glühwein? Sounds like a fun evening!
In theory, it’s a great idea. However, this market is located far from the city center, so it takes some time to get here (it is a 20-minute tram ride from the city center). Once here, we found it to be rather quiet, almost a little too quiet. As we sampled a few different flavors of glühwein we realized we just like the original mulled wine the best (although the blueberry glühwein you can get in some markets is also very good).
The market has multiple tented rooms with bars and cozy seating. It is a little bit warmer here and the tents provide shelter, should it be raining or snowing. In an area between the tents, there are food trucks and rides for young kids.
We enjoyed our visit, but not as much as I expected to. The long travel time takes away from the overall experience. Again, this one is only worth it in our opinion if you have a lot of time on your hands in Munich.
Schwabinger Christmas Market
Open: November 30 to December 24, 2024
Hours: 12 pm to 8:30 pm daily; on Saturday and Sunday the market opens at 11 am
Location: Schwabing Art District
Website: schwabingerweihnachtsmarkt.de
This small market sells an assortment of handmade arts and crafts as well as food and drinks. If you want to visit a market with a local vibe, or you like the idea of shopping for beautiful hand-crafted items, from jewelry to ceramics to handbags, this is worth the visit.
Christmas Market at Airport
There is even a small market at the Munich airport. There’s nothing like stepping off of the airplane and getting your first taste of the Christmas markets! This is a small market and not worth going out of your way to visit, but if you happen to be arriving or departing Munich by plane, you could pop in here for a few minutes.
Munich Christmas Markets: On a Map
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.
To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
Our 5 Favorite Munich Christmas Markets
Medieval Christmas Market. This is our favorite Christmas market in Munich. We loved the medieval vibe, the food stalls, and of course, the flaming goblets of mulled wine.
Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz & Rindermarkt. This enormous market is not to be missed. With its stunning setting on Marienplatz, huge number of stalls selling food and drinks, enormous Christmas tree, and views of the Rathaus and historic buildings, it’s worth spending a few hours here. Don’t forget to walk out to Rindermarkt for some of Munich’s best food stalls.
Christkindlmarkt at Sendlinger Tor. This market may be tiny but it is gorgeous, especially around sunset.
The Christmas Village at the Munich Residenz Palace. This is a beautiful market and you’ll find everything here from local Bavarian foods to handcrafted gifts. It’s just a short walk from the Medieval Market so you can combine these together.
The Munchner Feuerzangenbowle. To sip on hot mulled wine in a more local setting, this is a great spot to combine with Viktualienmarkt or the Rindermarkt.
About Our Visit to the Munich Christmas Markets
Our visit to Munich was our third European Christmas trip. In December 2024, Kara and I went on a road/train trip through Bavaria, visiting Regensburg, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Ravenna Gorge, and numerous smaller towns along the way. We even spent a few days in the Alsace region of France.
On two prior trips to Europe in December, we visited London, Prague, and Vienna. Visiting these cities and their markets was wonderful, but the German Christmas markets are on an entirely different level. In most towns, the Christmas market stalls are decorated with elaborate décor, every market has something that makes it unique (whether it is the setting or what is for sale in the stalls), and the handmade crafts and local foods are fun to browse and eat.
Even 10 days into our trip, visiting these German Christmas markets did not get boring or repetitive…we were alway enthralled with the market squares filled with Christmas stalls, decorations, and holiday lights.
In the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing our guides to the German Christmas markets and towns we visited, which you can bookmark and use to plan your trip later in 2025.
If you have any questions about visiting these Munich Christmas markets, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.
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