We visited Munich in late November and we were so excited to visit the holiday markets. Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz is huge and there are many vendors both in the main area, as well as along nearby streets. This market is very popular and the crowds back this up. If you visit during the day it's slightly less crowded, and in the evening it's packed with people drinking gluhwein up until the market closes. The booths offer a variety of items, food and drinks and you'll find a lot of gluhwein options with a variety of mugs. If you purchase gluhwein there will be a pfand charge that you can get back if you return the mug. You'll be able to find ornaments, soaps, honey, crafts, decorations, toys, and more as you browse. There are some booths that have similar items, as well as some booths with unique items. It's worth looking through all of them if you're looking for gifts. The food offerings are also great, you can find sausages, spätzle, sweets, and more. It's all delicious and there are multiple booths offering these things so you can find a shorter line to make your purchases. Other than the market, the city center itself is gorgeous. If you're there at the right time you'll be able to hear the clock chime and see the animatronics in action. It's very cool to see. We walked through this area multiple days, both to shop and also just to enjoy the lively energy as we were headed to our next location. read more

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This was our first Christmas market during our trip and it did not disappoint. It honestly had the most mug selection that we saw during our entire trip. You cannot go wrong at this market. There's so much to eat, see, and buy. I definitely picked up a bunch of cute ornaments here. I would recommend going earlier in the day to get your shopping and exploring done and then coming back later in the night for the lights and the vibes. It gets pretty crowded at night. read more

We went during the day and it was crowded. I'm sure it would be even more so in the evening. The market set with the backdrop of the town hall had many stalls. I was tempted to buy some ornaments, but refrained myself. We did eat at some food stalls. The food came on wafer bowls. The bowl is edible, but not too tasty. They are biodegradable though. Many people walked around with mulled wine to keep warm. It is served in little mugs that require a 5€ deposit, but most people keep the mug as a souvenir. read more

Christkindlmarkt am Marienplatz - Christmas Markets Near Me - Munich, BY

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Absolutely marvelous The lights the hot wine the ornaments and the Christmas cheer It's beautiful a one of a kind experience read more

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This market really gets you into the Christmas spirit. It has everything you can think of, crafts, ornaments, variety of food including plenty of vegetarian options, gluhwein, etc. It's so fun and magical, I highly recommend taking the time to visit. read more

This is a beautiful market in the center of the old town. But it's so tight and so crowded and as soon as the clock starts moving and dancing every tourist stops in their tracks, takes out their phones and just stands there for 20min. They should create a little viewing area for those that want to stand still and watch the clock dance. This way, there can still be a flow of traffic for all the people interested in stopping by the stands and shopping. It's a wonderful experience that I highly recommend if you're in Munich during the holidays. But, please time your visit correctly! We made the mistake of arriving in Munich on the 24th of December and leaving on the 27th. Munich's markets close at 2pm on the 24th and are closed all day on the 25th & 26th. Luckily some museums were open, but I was super bummed that I couldn't shop. I LOVE TO SHOP!!! read more

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Christkindlmarkt was our very first Christmas Market, and it was love at first sight for me. We strolled through the market every day and night for the five days we were in town, and I didn't regret a second of it. There are so many stalls with crafts, food, beer and glühwein to discover, experience and sample. The sheer number of stalls can make it a bit easy to get turned around, but there really aren't so many places one could get lost. The smell of the market - the roasted meat, the tang of spilled red wine, the overly-sweet candied nuts - will stay with us forever. The other thing that will stay with us forever? The many insanely cute glühwein mugs we purchased and transported over the course of our trip, and which now have a spot of honor in our kitchen. They're so cute! The market was crowded most nights, but I didn't mind it. I loved discovering the different foods and drinks, and the crafts. We made it a point of visiting as many stalls as possible, to see what they had for sale, and to compare prices (highly recommended to do so - I was able to save some Euro by finding the best prices on some of the trinkets I brought home). This was the largest market we visited on our travels, but it was also my first, and will forever be one of my favorites. And did I mention the choir, singing to the crowds, from the balcony of Neues Rathaus? It was magical, and perfectly cemented our holiday trip. read more

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One of my favorite memories visiting Germany has to be the Christmas markets. There are many located throughout the country and this one in Munich is one of the best. Basically it's a street fair with the festive atmosphere turned up a few notches. Lots of people, food, music, and things to buy. Most of what you'll find is not commercial but handcrafted, making for unique gifts. I saw a lot of toys, figurines, ceramics, marionettes, wood carvings, and candles. Alright, and let's not forget about the hot wine. You'll find many booths offering you a glass of delicious mulled wine. What I like about the wine, beside the fact that it's good on a cold (really cold) Winter's night, is that they sell it in these ceramic decorated mugs that you get to keep. And each seller has their own personal unique mug. And as you're walking, the aromas will hit you; hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, gingerbread biscuits, baked apples and roasted peanuts. Yes, there's lots of chocolate to be had. You'll enjoy just walking around soaking up the holiday atmosphere. The music was provided by a chorus of carolers perched way up above the crowds and their sound could be heard throughout the square. read more

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A lovely Christmas Market in Munich's city center. The famous large clock in the square is here with the animatronics that goes off at 11am and 12pm. Had the sausage here and looked at all of the cute christmas ornament stalls. It was a beautiful day with it lightly snowing. read more

Christkindlmarkt am Marienplatz - Christmas Markets Near Me - Munich, BY

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This was my first German Christmas market and I loved it so much. It's a great sized market, spread out with lots of shops for gifts and food. We had sausages and sauerkraut (yum), mulled wine (alcoholic and non alcohol) also yum, and cheese noodles (triple yum!). Most food shops reuse their plates & mug so you pay a deposit (about 2 euro) and get it back when you return the plate/mug. We ended up keeping 2 mugs as a souvenir. There were also so many great Christmas gifts for purchase. I brought home some hand made German ornaments and a little LED light with Munich buildings on it. It was so much fun to hang out at this market and wishing I can go back soon! read more

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I love the Christmas markets in Munich. This is the third time I have been to them and, they never cease to captivate me with the wide array of beautiful stalls, gift and Christmas decorations, food and of course drinks like Gluhwein and punches. The markets also change with the weather and I like coming back to experience them in sunshine, rainy and snowy days. I specially love it on snowy days as the scenery just transcends you instantly into the Christmas spirit. My favourites at the markets are of course the wide array of food stalls and I love the smell of roasting chestnuts (maroni) and the smell of caramalised and candied nuts. I simply cannot resist the temptation to try this stuff :-) I have not been to other markets around Germany so cannot compare this one to others but, as far as Christmas markets go this is a great one and a must do activity if you live in town or visiting. read more

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This feels more like a Christmas market you stop into on your way somewhere, and hardly as a destination of its own. The fact that it's sort of out in the open, rather than enclosed, and that there aren't many places to congregate, combined with people who pass by on their actual way somewhere, the magic is a little bit broken. Some of the lines we experienced were also a little annoying. But it's happy, and there's drink and crafts, so it's not bad. Just not as special as some of the other markets in the city. read more

An all-around good Christmas market. There's a lot of fun stuff, good food, souvenirs, and Glühwein everywhere. It goes beyond just Marienplatz down several blocks, but Marienplatz is where most of the booths are. It's also very easy to get to on the U-bahn and S-bahn (Marienplatz station, duh!). This Christmas market even has an ice skating rink! Just in terms of general all-around awesomeness, I think the Stuttgart Christmas market has it beat, but this is a strong 2nd place! read more

I think this is the biggest of the Christkindlmarkts in Munich. And, it's hard to tell where this one stops and some others begin. The market just seems to extend down the various streets connected to Marienplatz. I really liked the variety of merchandise available. Of course, there are numerous stands with different Christmas ornaments and decorations. This, to me, is what the Christkindlmarkt is all about (other than gluhwein!), so I love that part. But there were some other wares as well. Of note, one of my favorite purchases from the 2012 market was a sculptural wall hanging done by a local artist. There are also numerous stands to get gluhwein or punch, many with different souvenir mugs. I brought quite of those home as well. My only gripe about this market is the crowds. On Friday and Saturday, there were so many people it was not really enjoyable. My friend and I walked around a bit, but didn't feel compelled to push our way through to see all the offerings in the various stands. On Sunday morning, there was actually space to walk around and enjoy the market. So my advice is try to go early or not on a weekend if you truly want to get the full experience. read more

This is a great Christmas Market to go to if you can only go to one, because it's positively huge, and/or connected to several other Christmas markets. it's quite likely to be REALLY crowded almost all the time, and especially when the shops are open. but it's positively fantastic to browse around and have a Gluhwein (warm spiced wine) or a snack while you're out doing your shopping in the Marienplatz & surrounding shopping area. read more

The Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz is not to be missed! It is always part of our holiday trips to Munich. Spend at least an hour and wander past the stalls to shop for handicrafts, holiday decorative items, tons of tasty goodies and (most definitely) the Glüwein. It's not Christmas in Munich without experiencing the joy of the Christkindlmarkt ! Stay late to experience the beauty of the holiday lights after dusk and into the evening. Don't let the throngs of tourists dissuade you. That's part of the charm and it adds to the festive atmosphere. read more

There are better Christmas markets within walking distance of Marienplatz, and this one is just waaaaaay too crowded for me ever to really enjoy. Also, I find this market to be extra focused on Christmas decorations. Sorry, but my house can only take so many carvings of Jesus and Company before I want to see other wares, like scarves and candles and other Christmasy shtuff. You will, however, be able to get your fix of roasted nuts and Glühwein here. If you literally only have time to get off the S-Bahn for one mug of Glühwein on your way to the airport, then okay, but otherwise I would head either to Sendlinger Tor (which is also right off the U-Bahn), or to the Weihnachtsmarkt an der Residenz (which is basically right next to the Odeonsplatz U-Bahn), and both of which are easy walks from Marienplatz (one stop either direction). read more

The Christkindlmarkt in Munich is located in the Marienplatz below the clock tower of the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall.) More than 100 stalls surround a magnificently lit Christmas tree for this Yuletide fair. The first Christkindlmarkt in Munich dates back to 1642. The market offers steaming cups of gluhwein which you need to stay warm and you can pair with advent treats such as pfeffernusse, magenbrot cake, pretzels, or a German brat. Stalls sell handcrafted figures, paper decorations, children's toys, chocolates, and other fun gift items. Adding to the festive spirit, carols are sung from the Neues Rathaus balcony every evening at 5:30. Very festive and fun but expect big crowds. read more

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