Stuart Forster heads to Germany to visit the Christmas markets in Munich and taste seasonal food and drink.
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A heady aroma of cinnamon, blended spices and warm booze wafts through the crisp winter air at the Christmas markets of Munich in southern Germany.
The nights grow longer as midwinter approaches. Munich residents meet at the Advent markets to socialise over post-work mugs of Glühwein (mulled wine). The Christmas markets in Munich are not held only to attract visitors to the city.
Christmas markets in Munich
Some nibble from cone-shaped packs of warm nuts roasted in sugar and a blend of spices. Others share sweets such as Pfeffernuss or Magenbrot, varieties of spiced gingerbread traditionally associated with the season.
The cinnamon-led scent drifts away, replaced by the delicious, temptation-infused aroma of sausages grilling.
Stamping my feet against the cold, I look around at the relaxed, smiling faces of the market’s visitors. Noticing the plumes of condensation spiralling from their mugs of mulled wine, I decide to have one. I order a serving ‘mit Schuss’, that’s with a dash of rum, before setting off to tour the city’s seasonal markets.
Christmas markets in Germany
Some people see Germany’s Advent markets as the ideal solution to their Christmas shopping needs. They visit seeking opportunities to buy hand-crafted gifts and souvenirs. I view them mainly as an opportunity to enjoy seasonal gastronomic treats.
Rather than sitting down to a single hearty meal, I enjoy mooching around the stalls and browsing for snacks. Walking between the stalls means I’m burning off the calories I take on, right? Maybe not, but wishful thinking is all part of the season.
I pick up a bag of roasted chestnuts from a stall crowned by a sign saying ‘Maroni’, the German name for the delicacy. Then I tuck into Reiberdatschi, a type of potato fritter served with pureed apple. It’s a popular Bavarian delicacy.
Food at Munich’s Christmas markets
I still haven’t moved 50 metres forward since deciding to explore, and I could do with a refreshing cup of tea. A stall in front of me serves a special form of Alpine tea, Jägertee. Sipping it, I note it’s a potent cocktail of warm, herb-infused alcoholic spirits. It’s tasty and helps put the merry into a visit to the Christmas markets in Munich.
The stalls are a well-established seasonal attraction, drawing people from around the world. Munich’s main Christkindlmarkt has been held annually since 1806. Since 1972, the year the city hosted the Olympic Games, it’s been held on Marienplatz.
As I stand munching yet another snack, I hear Italian, Spanish and Russian being spoken. Since the 1970s, when Christmas market tourism began to boom, the Christkindlmaerkte have been responsible for drawing millions of winter visitors to Munich.
Almost three million people visit Munich’s Advent markets. Some, like the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz, in front of the Neo-Gothic new town hall, are geared up for tourists. Others, such as the market at Rotkreutzplatz, have a distinctly local feel.
Marienplatz Christmas market
The stalls on Marienplatz, Munich’s biggest Advent market, resemble traditional Alpine huts. Over 100 of the wooden stalls pack onto the square.
Seasonal decorations and hand-crafted goods from places such as Oberammergau, South Tyrol and the Iron Mountains are offered for sale on the stalls. A couple of ornate candles prove too attractive to resist as presents.
Marienplatz’s Christkindlmarkt is most magical as dusk turns to darkness, especially following snowfall. Each evening, choirs sing and musicians perform on the town hall’s balcony. Locals describe the blend of atmosphere and charm as altbairisch, meaning ‘traditional Bavarian’.
A 30-metre (98-feet) tall fir tree dominates the centre of the square. Some 2,500 lights twinkle among its branches. This tradition dates from 1830. That’s the year Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, the wife of King Ludwig I, brought the first decorated Christmas tree into the royal palace.
History of Munich’s Christmas markets
Over the years, Munich’s seasonal markets have changed.
The city annals of 1642 record that the Nikolaidult, meaning ‘Nicholas Market’, was held on the centrally located Kaufinger Strasse. That is the first written record of any such market. Yet historians believe a version of it existed in the 1300s.
By the mid-16th century, stalls were being set up by local traders each 5th and 6th of December, the eve and Feast of St Nicholas.
Gradually, the belief that St Nicholas delivered presents gave way to the idea that the Infant Jesus did. Known as the Christkind in German, that explains how the seasonal market’s name evolved into the present form, the Christkindlmarkt.
Would they have sold Bratwürste – grilled sausages – at those medieval Advent markets? I’m off to find a stall, to try some of its produce and to ask the vendor if she knows the answer.
Christmas markets in Munich, Germany
Munich hosts more than 20 Christmas markets. Each has a unique character. It is enjoyable to move from one to the next, getting an overview of the Christmas markets in Munich. They are open from late November until the 23rd or 24th of December.
The markets include the Tollwood Winter Festival at the Theresienwiese, traditionally the site of the Oktoberfest. The market has an environmental focus and sells goods from around the world. Food served at the market is organic.
A Medieval Christmas Market is held at Wittelsbacherplatz, a square dominated by an equestrian statue of Maximilian I.
The Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz is the best-known Munich Christmas market.
Munich Airport Christmas Market is a reason to arrive at the transport hub well before a scheduled take-off.
Nymphenburg Palace hosts a Christmas market in its expansive grounds and is a beautiful place to visit.
The Pink Christmas Market takes place at Stephansplatz in Munich’s Glockenbachviertel.
Visiting the Schwabinger Weihnachtsmarkt (Schwabing Christmas Market) at Münchner Freiheit means you’re well placed for a night out in nearby cafés and bars.
Additionally, there are markets at Rotkreuzplatz in the Neuhausen district, Weissenburgerplatz in Haidhausen and other locations in the city.
Travel to Munich
Air France, British Airways, KLM and Lufthansa are among airlines operating flights between UK airports and Munich Airport in the winter.
Enjoy rail travel? The fastest rail connection between London St Pancras International and Munich Hauptbahnhof, the city’s central station, takes under nine hours. Tickets are available from the Trainline website.
Hotels in Munich
Search and book accommodation in Munich using the map below:
Books about Munich
Planning a trip to the Christmas markets in Munich? You may enjoy the following books, which are available to purchase from Amazon.co.uk:
DK Top 10 Munich guidebook.
The Shortest History of Germany by James Hawe.
Munich, a tale of espionage set during the Munich Conference of 1938, by Robert Harris.
Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas.
Information about Munich
The Munich Travel website has information about things to do and see in Bavaria’s state capital.
The Bavaria and Germany websites also have information about Munich and the surrounding area.
Further information
Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about the Christmas markets in Munich. You may also enjoy posts about Hamburg Christmas Market in Germany and going naked at a sauna in Germany.
Stuart Forster is an award-winning travel writer who speaks fluent German. His work has been published in newspapers including The Telegraph, The Independent and The Guardian.
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A version of this post was originally posted on Go Eat Do on 20 November 2013.
