Christmas markets 2026: November 20 to December 24
The best Munich Christmas markets
Marienplatz, the Christmas village in the Residenz, the medieval market, Pink Christmas and Tollwood, with the 2026 dates and hours. Here are the markets and the tours worth booking, with honest advice on the crowds, which markets feel less touristy, and staying warm on a long evening outside.
See our 6 picks
Yes, Munich has a Christmas market. The main one, on Marienplatz, runs from November 20 to December 24, 2026. It opens at 10 am every day and closes at 9 pm Monday to Saturday, 8 pm on Sunday and 2 pm on Christmas Eve. It is shut on Sunday, November 22. A guided tour adds food stops and the stories behind the stalls; our top pick is a 3-hour food and drink tour from €55.
Munich Christmas market tours you can book
Three well-rated market tours first, then two with few and mixed reviews, then one new tour. A daytime Old Town walk pairs well with an evening market tour. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026.
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from €55 per person Our top pick 3 hours 4.6 (50) reviews on GetYourGuide
Christmas markets food and drink tour
A 3-hour tour of Marienplatz, the Christmas village and the nativity market. You taste gingerbread, roasted almonds and two kinds of mulled wine, with an alcohol-free option. Public transport tickets are included.
Best for First-timers and food lovers
Check availability: Christmas markets food and drink tour on GetYourGuide -
from €59 per person 3 hours 5.0 (7) reviews on GetYourGuide
Christmas market tour with Glühwein
A 3-hour walk through 5 to 6 markets, including the medieval-style market and Tollwood. You get two Glühwein, one Feuerzangenbowle and Christmas treats. Bring cash for the stalls.
Best for Mulled wine fans who want many markets
Check availability: Christmas market tour with Glühwein on GetYourGuide -
from €50 per person 2 h 30 min 4.7 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
Christmas market hopping with sightseeing
A 2.5-hour walk past the main sights between the markets, with a Christmas quiz. One hot drink and a sweet souvenir are included; food is not. It starts at the Fischbrunnen on Marienplatz.
Best for Small groups who want sights too
Check availability: Christmas market hopping with sightseeing on GetYourGuide -
from €99 per person 1 hour 3.4 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
Christmas market walk with a local
Few and mixed reviews. A 1-hour walk with a local host for up to 8 people, with a hot drink and a treat. The route adapts to your interests and pace.
Best for A short walk with a local
Check availability: Christmas market walk with a local on GetYourGuide -
from €25 per person 3 hours 3.2 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
Christmas Day Bavarian dinner and beer cellar tour
Few and mixed reviews. For Christmas Day: a guided visit to a historic underground beer cellar, reserved seats in a beer hall and one drink. Curling on the ice lanes costs extra. The listing does not say that dinner is in the price.
Best for Visitors in Munich on Christmas Day
Check availability: Christmas Day Bavarian dinner and beer cellar tour on GetYourGuide -
from €108 per person 3 h 30 min New, no reviews yet
Christmas market food and wine tour
New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. A 3.5-hour tour with all food tastings and drinks included. Tips, extra food and souvenir cups are not. It starts at Marienplatz 11.
Best for Food lovers who want everything included
Check availability: Christmas market food and wine tour on GetYourGuide
Munich Christmas market tours side by side
| Tour | From | Duration | Food and drinks included | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas markets food and drink tour | €55 per person | 3 hours | Gingerbread, almonds, 2 mulled wines | First-timers and food lovers | The most reviewed market tour: 4.6 from 50 reviews, with food and drinks included. |
| Christmas market tour with Glühwein | €59 per person | 3 hours | 2 Glühwein, 1 Feuerzangenbowle, treats | Mulled wine fans who want many markets | The most markets in one evening, rated 5.0 from 7 reviews. |
| Christmas market hopping with sightseeing | €50 per person | 2 h 30 min | 1 hot drink, a sweet souvenir | Small groups who want sights too | Sights and markets in one, for up to 8 people. Rated 4.7 from 4 reviews. |
| Christmas market walk with a local | €99 per person | 1 hour | 1 hot drink, a treat | A short walk with a local | The shortest tour here, but only 4 reviews, averaging 3.4. |
| Christmas Day Bavarian dinner and beer cellar tour | €25 per person | 3 hours | 1 drink; extra food costs more | Visitors in Munich on Christmas Day | Something to do on Christmas Day, after the main market has closed. Only 4 reviews, averaging 3.2. |
| Christmas market food and wine tour | €108 per person | 3 h 30 min | All food tastings and drinks | Food lovers who want everything included | All tastings and drinks included, but no reviews yet. |
Christmas markets food and drink tour
€55 per person3 hours 4.6 (50)
Details
- Food and drinks included
- Gingerbread, almonds, 2 mulled wines
- Who it suits
- First-timers and food lovers
- Why we picked it
- The most reviewed market tour: 4.6 from 50 reviews, with food and drinks included.
Christmas market tour with Glühwein
€59 per person3 hours 5.0 (7)
Details
- Food and drinks included
- 2 Glühwein, 1 Feuerzangenbowle, treats
- Who it suits
- Mulled wine fans who want many markets
- Why we picked it
- The most markets in one evening, rated 5.0 from 7 reviews.
Christmas market hopping with sightseeing
€50 per person2 h 30 min 4.7 (4)
Details
- Food and drinks included
- 1 hot drink, a sweet souvenir
- Who it suits
- Small groups who want sights too
- Why we picked it
- Sights and markets in one, for up to 8 people. Rated 4.7 from 4 reviews.
Christmas market walk with a local
€99 per person1 hour 3.4 (4)
Details
- Food and drinks included
- 1 hot drink, a treat
- Who it suits
- A short walk with a local
- Why we picked it
- The shortest tour here, but only 4 reviews, averaging 3.4.
Christmas Day Bavarian dinner and beer cellar tour
€25 per person3 hours 3.2 (4)
Details
- Food and drinks included
- 1 drink; extra food costs more
- Who it suits
- Visitors in Munich on Christmas Day
- Why we picked it
- Something to do on Christmas Day, after the main market has closed. Only 4 reviews, averaging 3.2.
Christmas market food and wine tour
€108 per person3 h 30 minNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Food and drinks included
- All food tastings and drinks
- Who it suits
- Food lovers who want everything included
- Why we picked it
- All tastings and drinks included, but no reviews yet.
- Small groups: Christmas market hopping with sightseeing (up to 8 people); Christmas market walk with a local (up to 8 people).
- None of the 6 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 6 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Munich Christmas market 2026 dates: when it opens and closes
Does Munich have a Christmas market? Yes. The main one, the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz and Rindermarkt, runs from Friday, November 20, to Thursday, December 24, 2026.
It opens at 10 am daily. It closes at 9 pm Monday to Saturday, 8 pm on Sundays and 2 pm on December 24. It is closed on Sunday, November 22, a day of remembrance.
| Market | Where | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christkindlmarkt | Marienplatz, Rindermarkt | Nov 20 – Dec 24 | 10 am – 9 pm (Sun 8 pm, Dec 24 2 pm); closed Nov 22 |
| Christmas village in the Residenz | Residenz, Kaiserhof | Nov 16 – Dec 22 | 11 am – 9 pm (Dec 22 until 8 pm); closed Nov 22; free entry |
| Medieval Christmas market | Wittelsbacherplatz | Nov 20 – Dec 23 | 11 am – 9 pm; closed Nov 22 |
| Tollwood winter festival | Theresienwiese | Nov 24 – Dec 23 | Mon–Fri from 2 pm, Sat–Sun from 11 am |
| Eiszauber ice rink | Karlsplatz (Stachus) | Nov 13 – Jan 10, 2027 | 10:30 am – 10 pm |
| Pink Christmas | Stephansplatz | Nov 20 – Dec 20 (city calendar) | Check the city calendar |
| Christkindlmarkt am Sendlinger Tor | Sendlinger Tor | Nov 20 – Dec 22 (city calendar) | 10:30 am – 9 pm (city calendar) |
| Chinese Tower market | English Garden | 2026 dates not yet published | – |
Where the main Christmas markets are, and a walking route
The main markets sit close together in the Old Town, so you can walk between them. Start at Marienplatz, which you reach by U3, U6 or any S-Bahn from S1 to S8.
A simple route: Marienplatz, then the nativity market (Kripperlmarkt) at Alter Peter, then the Christmas village in the Residenz, then the medieval market on Wittelsbacherplatz. Walk back via Karlsplatz for the ice rink.
For a short walk to the stalls each evening, pick a hotel near Marienplatz; see where to stay in Munich.
When a Munich Christmas market tour beats going alone
A tour is worth it if you want food stops planned for you and a guide who knows the stories behind the stalls. The markets themselves are free to walk.
The food and drink tour bundles tastings and mulled wine. The Glühwein tour fits the most markets into one evening, Tollwood included.
A daytime Old Town walk pairs well with an evening market tour; see our Munich walking tours.
What to eat and drink at the markets
Try Glühwein (mulled wine), Feuerzangenbowle (a hot punch with burning sugar), gingerbread and roasted almonds. These are what the tours serve.
Mulled wine comes in a cup with a deposit. The food and drink tour asks you to bring €15 in cash for the cup deposit, which you get back after the tour.
After the markets close, the beer halls stay open late; see our Munich beer tours.
The best Munich Christmas markets, one by one
The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz is the one to see first. It has more than 130 stalls and has stood on Marienplatz since 1972. On Sunday, December 13, 2026, there is a Krampus run from 3 to 5 pm.
The Christmas village in the Residenz courtyard is free to enter and opens a few days earlier, on November 16.
The Munich medieval Christmas market on Wittelsbacherplatz
The medieval market runs from November 20 to December 23, 2026, daily from 11 am to 9 pm. It opens with a ceremony on November 20 at 6 pm.
Pink Christmas market in Munich
Pink Christmas is on Stephansplatz. The city's events calendar lists it from November 20 to December 20, 2026.
How much time you need, and when to go
Plan one evening of 2.5 to 3.5 hours for the Old Town markets; that is how long the tours take.
To avoid the biggest crowds, our advice is to go on a weekday soon after the 10 am opening.
On Christmas Eve, the main market closes at 2 pm. Shops also close at 2 pm when Christmas Eve falls on a weekday.
If you would rather explore on your own, plan the rest of Munich in December around the market hours above.
Other markets outside the center
Tollwood is the big winter festival on the Theresienwiese, from November 24 to December 23, 2026. Entry to the grounds and its Markt der Ideen market is free; shows need tickets.
Take the U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese. Tollwood opens at 2 pm on weekdays and 11 am on weekends.
The market at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden has not published its 2026 dates yet.
The Eiszauber ice rink on Karlsplatz runs until January 10, 2027. Adults pay €8 to €14 for a 2.5-hour skate. For the U-Bahn, see Munich public transport.
Booking tips for Munich Christmas market tours
Dress warmly
The tours are outdoors. The Glühwein tour asks you to dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes.
Bring cash
Two tours ask for cash: one for the cup deposit, one for buying at the stalls.
Pick a small group for fewer crowds
The sightseeing tour and the walk with a local both cap the group at 8 people.
If a tour is cancelled or your plans change
All six tours show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Read each tour's own terms before you book.
Questions about the Munich Christmas market
When does the Munich Christmas market start?
When does the Munich Christmas market close?
Where is the Munich Christmas market?
Does Munich have a Christmas market?
More Munich Christmas market tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (9), facts checked on 28 October 2026
- muenchen.de: Christkindlmarkt Marienplatz
- muenchen.de: Christmas village in the Residenz
- muenchen.de: Münchner Eiszauber
- muenchen.de: Tollwood winter festival 2026
- muenchen.de: Pink Christmas
- muenchen.de: Christkindlmarkt am Sendlinger Tor
- muenchen.de: market at the Chinese Tower
- Mittelaltermarkt München (medieval market)
- Bavarian shop hours law (BayLadSchlG)
Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.