Updated October 2026. All dates below are for the 2026 season.
Short answer: Munich’s main Christmas market on Marienplatz runs from Friday 20 November to Thursday 24 December 2026. Most of the city’s other markets open between 16 and 24 November and close on 22 or 23 December. Every market in the city of Munich is closed on Sunday 22 November (Totensonntag, a quiet day of remembrance). A handful, like the Viktualienmarkt and the Feuerzangenbowle, keep going into early January.
Servus from Kiefersfelden! đź‘‹ Brian here. We live about an hour south of Munich, and the city is where we go when we want the full Christmas market evening: the big tree on Marienplatz, brass music from the town hall balcony, and enough food stalls that everyone in the family finds something. Here’s how the markets differ, so you can pick the ones that suit you. 🎄
Munich Christmas markets 2026 at a glance
| Market | Where | 2026 dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christkindlmarkt | Marienplatz & pedestrian zone | 20 Nov – 24 Dec | First-timers, nativity figures, the classic look |
| Weihnachtsdorf in the Residenz | Kaiserhof courtyard, entrance Residenzstraße | 16 Nov – 22 Dec | Families with small kids |
| Medieval Christmas Market | Wittelsbacherplatz | 20 Nov – 23 Dec | Something different, food cooked over fire |
| Chinese Tower market | English Garden | 19 Nov – 23 Dec (Wed–Sun) | A cozy park setting, curling, carriage rides |
| Tollwood Winter Festival | Theresienwiese | 24 Nov – 23 Dec | Organic food, crafts, shows |
| Pink Christmas | Stephansplatz | 20 Nov – 20 Dec | Evenings out with friends, music and shows |
| Christkindlmarkt am Sendlinger Tor | Sendlinger-Tor-Platz | 20 Nov – 22 Dec | A small market by the old city gate |
| Winterzauber | Viktualienmarkt | 20 Nov – 5 Jan 2027 | A Glühwein stop between sights |
| Münchner Feuerzangenbowle | Blumenstraße 22, behind the Schrannenhalle | 23 Nov – 6 Jan 2027 | The flaming rum punch |
| Christmas & Winter Market | Munich Airport | 13 Nov – 27 Dec | Long layovers, ice skating |
Want all the dates in one place, including markets outside Munich? Our German Christmas market calendar has every market we track for 2026.
Is the Marienplatz market worth it?
Yes, and I’d go even if you only have one evening in Munich. This is the city’s original Christmas market, with roots going back to the 17th century, and it’s set right in front of the New Town Hall with its towers and arches lit up after dark. The stalls spread from Marienplatz along the pedestrian streets toward Karlsplatz, so it feels bigger than it looks on a map.
Opening hours 2026: Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 21:00, Sunday 10:00 to 20:00, and Christmas Eve 10:00 to 14:00. It’s closed on Sunday 22 November.
A few things make this one special:
- The Kripperlmarkt. Munich has held a separate nativity market since 1757, and today it’s one of the biggest in Germany. You’ll find everything for a nativity scene, from tiny lanterns for the stable to the gifts of the Three Kings. If you collect ornaments or want a meaningful souvenir, this is the place.
- Music from the town hall balcony. Bavarian folk musicians, brass groups and choirs play live from the Rathaus balcony every day. Grab a hot drink and stand still for a song or two. That’s GemĂĽtlichkeit (that warm, cozy, take-your-time feeling) at its best.
- The Himmelswerkstatt. A free craft workshop for kids aged 6 to 12, so the kids get a turn too.
- The Krampus run. On Sunday 13 December from 15:00 to 17:00, around 300 Krampusse and Perchten parade through the market. Our Krampus run guide has the route and tips for kids.
My tip: Saturdays and the Krampus Sunday are the most popular times. For a calmer visit, go on a weekday morning or right after opening at 10:00, then come back for a quick GlĂĽhwein once the lights are on. It’s a different place after dark, and both are worth seeing.
Which Munich Christmas market is best for kids?
For little ones, I’d go to the Weihnachtsdorf in the Kaiserhof of the Residenz, Munich’s royal palace. It’s in an enclosed courtyard, so it’s sheltered from the wind and easy to keep track of everyone. It has a free fairy-tale forest (Märchenwald) with Hansel and Gretel scenes, more than 50 stalls, and craftspeople like glassblowers and goldsmiths working where you can watch.
- Dates: 16 November to 22 December 2026, daily 11:00 to 21:00 (closed 22 November; 22 December until 20:00)
- Free Kasperl puppet theater: 23 and 30 November, 8 and 14 December, 16:00 to 18:00
- Free face painting: 24 November, 1, 9 and 15 December, 16:00 to 18:00
- St. Nicholas visits with small gifts on 6 and 7 December from 17:00, while supplies last
The entrance is on ResidenzstraĂźe, a short walk from Odeonsplatz (U3, U4, U5, U6).
The Chinese Tower market in the English Garden is our other family favorite. It has a historic children’s carousel, a kids’ train, horse-drawn carriage rides through the park (Thursday to Sunday from 13:00), and brass players on the pagoda most afternoons. There are two Eisstock lanes for Bavarian curling, which you can book online. Remember that it’s only open Wednesday to Sunday (plus 21 to 23 December): Wednesday to Friday 11:30 to 20:30, weekends 11:00 to 20:30. Try the Ochsensemmel, a roast beef roll the market is known for. Vegans get a version too.
Something different: medieval, alternative and pink
Medieval Christmas Market at Wittelsbacherplatz
Wooden booths, traders in historical costume, Flammbrot (a thin flatbread) baked fresh, and sausages grilled over an open beechwood fire. Drinks like “Drachenglut” (dragon’s ember) and spiced WĂĽrzwein are made from old recipes. It runs from 20 November to 23 December, daily 11:00 to 21:00, with free entry. It’s a two-minute walk from Odeonsplatz, so it pairs well with the Residenz market.
Tollwood Winter Festival
Tollwood takes over the Theresienwiese, the same field Oktoberfest uses, with big tents, a “Market of Ideas” full of crafts, and lots of organic food. Many of the shows and activities are free. The market runs 24 November to 23 December (weekdays from 14:00, weekends from 11:00), and the festival ends with a big New Year’s Eve party on 31 December. Take the U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese.
Pink Christmas
Munich’s queer Christmas market lights up tiny Stephansplatz in the Glockenbachviertel in bright pink, with a prosecco bar, a DJ from 18:00 Monday to Saturday, and drag shows at 19:00 on Sundays. Everyone is welcome. It’s open 20 November to 20 December, weekdays 16:00 to 22:00 and weekends 14:00 to 22:00. It’s about a four-minute walk from Sendlinger Tor.
The Feuerzangenbowle
Feuerzangenbowle is red wine punch with a rum-soaked sugar loaf set on fire above it. Munich serves it from a huge kettle with a crown of flames. In 2026 it’s in a new spot behind the Schrannenhalle at BlumenstraĂźe 22 (the usual Isartor site is under renovation), from 23 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. On New Year’s Eve the stalls stay open late.
A simple plan for one day
- Morning: Marienplatz market at 10:00, then up the New Town Hall tower or into St. Peter’s for the view over the stalls.
- Lunch: Viktualienmarkt (Winterzauber runs until 5 January) for a quick bite and a look at the nativity scene by the beer garden.
- Afternoon: Walk to Odeonsplatz for the Residenz Weihnachtsdorf and the Medieval market next door.
- Evening: Back to Marienplatz once it’s dark, or out to the Chinese Tower if it’s a Wednesday to Sunday.
Everything in steps 1 to 3 is walkable, about 15 minutes end to end. For step 4, the Chinese Tower is about a 20 to 25 minute walk through the English Garden from Odeonsplatz, or take the U3 or U6 to GiselastraĂźe and walk about 15 minutes.
Flying through Munich? There’s a market at the airport
Munich Airport holds its own Christmas and Winter Market in the MAC Forum between the terminals, from 13 November to 27 December 2026, daily 11:00 to 21:00 (24 December until 16:00). It has a covered area, an ice rink (€5 entry, no time limit, €5 skate rental) and live music. It’s a fun way to start or end a trip, especially with kids who need to burn off energy before a long flight.
Practical tips for Munich’s markets
- Mug deposits. Hot drinks come in a ceramic mug with a deposit (Pfand). Return the mug to any stall of the same market for your money back, or keep it as a souvenir. Mugs often differ from market to market.
- Bring some cash. More stalls take cards every year, but small purchases are still easier with coins and small bills.
- Kids’ drinks. Ask for Kinderpunsch, the alcohol-free fruit punch. It’s a big favorite in our family.
- Dress warm. You’ll be standing outside for hours. Layers, a hat and warm, waterproof shoes make all the difference. As Germans like to say, Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung (there’s no bad weather, only the wrong clothes).
- Use public transport. Parking in the old town is limited and expensive, and the U-Bahn and S-Bahn stop right at Marienplatz.
Staying overnight? If you want to walk back from the markets in the evening, look for a hotel in the Altstadt or near Odeonsplatz or Sendlinger Tor. The area around the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) is usually cheaper and very convenient for day trips.
Going beyond Munich
Munich makes a great base for smaller markets in the countryside. Rosenheim (where we spent our Christkindlmarkt evening back in December 2024 🥰), the island market on Fraueninsel in Lake Chiemsee, Kufstein and Salzburg are all easy by regional train. I’ve written them up in Christmas market day trips from Munich. For the big picture across Germany, from Nuremberg to Cologne, see our German Christmas markets guide, and for the city beyond December, our Munich travel guide.
Viel SpaĂź (have fun) at the markets, and Frohe Weihnachten (merry Christmas)! Pfiat di, Brian
FAQ
When do the Munich Christmas markets open in 2026?
The first markets open in mid-November: the Airport market on 13 November and the Residenz Weihnachtsdorf on 16 November. The main Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz opens on Friday 20 November 2026 and runs until 24 December. All markets in the city of Munich are closed on Sunday 22 November.
Are the Munich Christmas markets open on Christmas Eve?
The Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt is open on 24 December from 10:00 to 14:00. Most other city markets close on 22 or 23 December. The Viktualienmarkt Winterzauber (until 5 January) and the Feuerzangenbowle (until 6 January) keep going after Christmas.
Is entry to the Munich Christmas markets free?
Yes. The Marienplatz market, the Residenz Weihnachtsdorf, the Medieval market at Wittelsbacherplatz and the Chinese Tower market are all free to enter. You only pay for food, drinks and the mug deposit.
Which Munich Christmas market is best for families?
The Weihnachtsdorf in the Residenz courtyard has a free fairy-tale forest, puppet theater and face painting, and it’s sheltered from the wind. The Chinese Tower market in the English Garden has a carousel, a kids’ train and carriage rides.
When is the Krampus run in Munich in 2026?
The Munich Krampuslauf goes through the Christkindlmarkt on Sunday 13 December 2026, from 15:00 to 17:00. It’s free to watch.
