Munich Christmas markets 2026: dates and times

The Munich Christmas market on Marienplatz is one of the oldest in Germany: according to the city, its roots go back to the 14th century, and it has stood in front of the New Town Hall since 1972. In 2026 it opens a few days earlier than in previous years. The short answer: the Christkindlmarkt runs from Friday 20 November to Thursday 24 December 2026, is closed on Sunday 22 November, and is open daily from 23 November. The big alternative, the Tollwood winter festival on the Theresienwiese, runs from 24 November to 23 December.

Munich Christmas markets 2026: dates

All dates from the City of Munich (muenchen.de), as of October 2026.

Two things to note. Sunday 22 November 2026 is Totensonntag, the Protestant day of remembrance of the dead: the Christkindlmarkt opens on the Friday before and then closes for that Sunday. And the market ends at 14:00 on Christmas Eve – there is no market on Marienplatz between Christmas and New Year, although the Christmas tree on the square stays lit until 6 January.

The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz

The market fills Marienplatz and the neighbouring Rindermarkt with stalls selling decorations, crafts, roasted almonds and mulled wine, below the neo-Gothic façade of the New Town Hall. Its large Christmas tree stands in the middle of the square. Things not to miss:

• Advent music from the town hall balcony: brass ensembles, choirs and folk musicians play from the balcony of the New Town Hall, from Sunday to Thursday.
• Singing under the Christmas tree on Neuhauser Straße: on 25 November and on 2, 9 and 16 December 2026, each at 16:30 for about half an hour.
• The Kripperlmarkt by the church of St. Peter (Alter Peter): the nativity market, with figures and accessories for cribs, open at the same hours as the Christkindlmarkt.
• The large nativity scenes, which the city highlights as worth seeing.
• The Himmelswerkstatt, a workshop for children aged 6 to 12, from 26 November to 13 December, daily in two sessions.

Weekday mornings are the quietest time. On Saturday afternoons and evenings in December, Marienplatz is very crowded.

Tollwood and the Krampus run

Tollwood is Munich's alternative Christmas market: a festival on the Theresienwiese, the Oktoberfest grounds, with a market of ideas, international food stalls, art and shows in large tents. Admission to the grounds is free; some shows need tickets. In 2026 it runs from 24 November to 23 December, opens at 14:00 on weekdays and 11:00 at weekends, and stays open late – until 23:30 from Tuesday to Saturday. The U4 and U5 stop at Theresienwiese.

The Krampus run is on Sunday 13 December 2026, from 15:00 to 17:00 in the city centre: hundreds of people in fur costumes and carved wooden masks as Krampus, the dark companion of St Nicholas in Alpine tradition, parade with bells through the Christmas market. Impressive and loud; small children may find it scary.

More Christmas markets in Munich

Munich has more markets than these, each with its own character: a medieval market on Wittelsbacherplatz, a market in the courtyard of the Residenz, one at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden, and smaller neighbourhood markets, for example in Schwabing and Haidhausen. Their 2026 dates are published by the organisers; check muenchen.de before you go.

How to see the markets in one day

• Morning: Marienplatz and the Rindermarkt while it is still quiet, the Kripperlmarkt by St. Peter, a climb up the tower of the Alter Peter for the view over the stalls.
• Afternoon: along Neuhauser Straße (on a Wednesday with the singing under the tree at 16:30), then the market in the Residenz courtyard.
• Evening: U-Bahn to the Theresienwiese for Tollwood, which stays open later than the markets in the old town.

If you arrive or leave on the same day, you can use luggage storage near Munich's main station^* (Radical Storage).

Getting there and where to stay

From the UK, Munich is about one and a half to two hours by plane from London. From the airport, the S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 run into the city; for a late arrival with luggage, a transfer from Munich airport^* can be booked with Welcome Pickups. From within Germany and from Austria, the train is the obvious choice: Munich Hauptbahnhof is a few minutes from Marienplatz by S-Bahn, and train connections to Munich^* can be compared on Omio.

For a market weekend, stay in the Altstadt – everything on foot, but expensive in Advent – or in the Maxvorstadt or near the main station, a few stops away. Hotels fill up early for Advent weekends, so book ahead.

Weather in Advent

Averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo), rounded.

Munich is cold in December: about 5.5 °C by day and just below freezing at night. Snow is possible. Warm boots, a hat and gloves make an evening at the market much more pleasant, and a mulled wine helps too. YesTrip shows you the forecast for your actual travel days and suggests matching clothes in the packing list.

More than markets: a weekend in Munich

Between the stalls, Munich has plenty to fill an Advent weekend: the Residenz, the Alte Pinakothek, the Frauenkirche, and the Viktualienmarkt, which is open in winter too. Guided city walks and museum tickets in Munich^* are on Tiqets. Our three-day plan for Munich combines the old town, the museums and Nymphenburg; more in our article how many days in Munich.

If you want to combine Munich with other markets, the Vienna Christmas markets 2026 are about four hours away by train, and our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe compares twelve cities.

Munich trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Also for the same trip: Regensburg Christmas markets 2026, Bolzano Christmas market 2026.

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