Munich Christkindlmarkt

Munich's city-run market fills Marienplatz and spills into the lanes toward St. Peter's and the Rindermarkt with 137 stalls. A 25-metre tree lit with 3,000 candles stands in front of the New Town Hall, and live music comes down from the balcony at 17:15 from Sunday to Thursday. Go for the balcony set, then walk round to the Kripperlmarkt by St. Peter's, where stallholders sell figures and will repair a broken shepherd.

2026 is the first year the market opens on the Friday before Totensonntag. That puts the start on 20 November, three days before the old Monday-before-Advent rule would have opened it, and the council paper behind the change says the square stays shut on Sunday 22 November before reopening the next day. On 24 December the stalls close at 14:00 after the Grünwalder Turmbläser play at noon.

Families get the Himmelswerkstatt in the town hall's Ratstrinkstube, where children aged 6 to 12 dress as angels and make candles for about an hour and a half. Sessions are free and fill up, so register through the Kindermuseum page before you travel. Several stalls sell vegan food and dishes for people who avoid gluten or lactose.