Magical Munich at Christmas

Munich was the 2nd stop on our 2017 Christmas Market road trip after we had enjoyed a couple of days in Strasbourg.

After Munich, we were then heading north to Frankfurt and then on to Cologne.

It was great to be back in Bavaria, on the few occasions we have visited the region before, we had loved it, the people, the history, the food and the beer.

So how was the Bavarian capital going to differ from our other German Christmas market experiences, there was only one way to find out….go & discover.

What Munich is certainly not short of, are markets, we only visited a handful, but there are many more scattered around the city, for you to sample.

Nestled in the heart of the city with the stunning backdrop of the neo-Gothic Rathaus, is the rambling market of Marienplatz, arranged all amongst the pedestrian streets around.

This lovely traditional Bavarian market dating back to 14th century is full of sparkle, glühwein and bratwurst.

Strolling past the stalls there is a beautiful scent of roasting chestnuts, gingerbread and Christmas spices.

It’s difficult to resist the temptation to indulge.

What we found different in Munich to Cologne, is that the stalls often have one mug per stall rather than per market….you are spoilt for choice.

Sternenplatzl at Rindermarkt is the Starry Night market.

This has an intimate, friendly atmosphere and is lovely and compact, with a range of traditional antique decorations & old-fashioned toys.

The centrepiece is the towering pyramid, that is also home to the bratwurst stall, and a must try for any visitor.

Just along from the Marienplatz is Kripperlmarkt – Germany’s largest Manger market.

This little market has 12 unique stalls selling a large selection of nativity scene gifts.

However, with most festive markets in Germany, it is never complete without the obligatory glühwein hut. Here we found a kirsch glühwein, complete with cherries in the bottom….I let Gary try this one.

Just a short hop from Kripperlmarkt is Munich’s Christmas ice rink.

We were there on a Monday, so it was a bit quieter, but the evening before you struggled to even get to the viewing platform.

It’s a fun atmosphere. However, I saved my dignity and left it to the people who could stay upright.

Taking a stroll north of Marienplatz to Kaiserhof of the Residenz (Munich City Palace) is another charming traditional market. Set within the courtyard of the Kaiserhof, this little village is full of fun for young and old.

The sparkling wooden pyramid is what first caught our eye, however, the intriguing stalls and the Hansel & Gretel fairy-tale forest is hard to resist.

It was here though that Gary tried Gluhbier (hot beer) & I tried the apple wine (it would have been rude not to)

Your comfy shoes and warm clothing

The Medieval Christmas market in Wittelsbacher Platz was one of our favourites. Every detail was perfectly thought through, the huts, the mugs, the characters the whole theme was great fun.

While wandering around people were dressed up in historical costumes, falconers were strolling around with birds of prey & there was even a guy on stilts accompanied by a fire-breathing dragon (you don’t see that every day).

Of course, we had to sample the feuerzangenbowle in the clay mugs.

Our next stop was onto the Weihnachtsmarkt am Chinesischer Turm, the Christmas market under the Chinese Tower.

This market felt very family orientated, with the Christmas huts being centred around the Chinese Tower. There were horse-drawn carriages to take you on a trot around the park and lanes for playing Ice Stock Curling.

What we also enjoyed here, was that there was plenty of seating around the tower, which was gratefully needed after being on our feet all day.

When you bought a glühwein, you were given a token with your mug. Instead of returning the mug to the stall you bought it from, you took it to a central station for your refund along with the token.

There are great things to eat around the markets especially if you have a sweet tooth. We found Apfelschmarrn, apple pancakes with nuts and a plum sauce, you were even able to eat the bowl that it came in (it tasted like an ice cream cone).

Although there are glühwein stalls throughout the markets, it is surprising how much they can differ in flavour, some sweeter and some spicier. But all very good, I hasten to add.

Visited any German Christmas markets, we’d love you to share them with us?

Not that we needed an excuse, but the snow started to head in, and this was a good reason to go and find a Brauhaus (beer hall).

The most famous and one of the oldest in Munich is the Hofbrauhaus, we were lucky to get a seat near the band and enjoyed an evening amongst other revellers, drinking beer from steins and eating pretzels.

While chatting to a German couple from Koblenz, they gave us some tips on other towns to visit in Germany, which were Aachen, Trier & Cochem.

Our accommodation for the three nights in Munich was at the Mercure Altstadt. Very central and extremely friendly staff, the buffet breakfast was a must.

Start creating your own Christmas Market adventure and discover the culinary delights for yourself, easyJet & British Airways are just a couple of options.

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Does the the heart of Bavaria tempt you?

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