Munich’s first Advent markets are already open, and the big Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz follows on Friday 20 November. Families should check the dates early: free children’s workshops need registration, and booking opens before the market does.
What is open now, and what comes next
According to the city, “Alpenwahn” near the Viktualienmarkt (to 1 January), the Weihnachtszauberwald in Bogenhausen and Winter WunderWerk in the Werksviertel, with live music and ice skating, have been open since 12 November, and the airport’s winter market at MAC-Forum (to 27 December) and the “Münchner Eiszauber” at Stachus (to 10 January) since 13 November. On Sunday 15 November the Stachus rink is closed and only the food stalls are open; the same applies on 22 November. On Monday 16 November the Weihnachtsdorf in the Residenz (to 22 December) and Winterhof at the Alter Hof follow. For some markets the dates in the city’s overview and its event calendar differ, so check the organiser’s page before you go.
The city-run Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz runs from 20 November to 24 December: Monday to Saturday 10am–9pm, Sunday 10am–8pm, and 10am–2pm on 24 December. It is closed on Totensonntag, 22 November. The tree is lit at 5pm on opening day. Tollwood’s winter festival starts on 24 November, the Harry Potter market on the Praterinsel runs 28 November to 6 December.
Free for children
Children aged 6 to 12 can make Christmas gifts in the Neues Rathaus from 26 November to 13 December, daily at 2.30pm and 4.30pm. It is free, but registration through the Kindermuseum München is compulsory. It opens ten days before the chosen date, so for the first day, 26 November, from 16 November. Meet at the Fischbrunnen. Also free: “Singen unterm Christbaum” in front of the Michaelskirche at 4.30pm on 25 November and 2, 9 and 16 December. Advent music plays from the Rathaus balcony Sunday to Thursday from 5.15pm for about half an hour. The Krampuslauf passes through on 13 December, 3pm–5pm, which can be loud for small children.
Our view: with children, weekday afternoons are usually calmer at the main markets; weekends on Marienplatz tend to be crowded. Neighbourhood markets, such as Haidhausen (from 20 November), are quieter. Take the U3, U6 or S-Bahn to Marienplatz.
Sources: City of Munich: Christkindlmarkt, muenchen.de: markets and dates
