Christmas time has arrived and in Munich that is a very special time of the year. Because, Munich is famous for her beautiful Christmas markets. In order for you to be perfectly informed about the situation of the Munich Christmas markets in 2021, we gathered all relevant information here. So, happy strolling!
Update: Due to the increasing number of Corona cases, the Christmas- and Christkindl markets in Munich are cancelled!
Süddeutsche Zeitung (16.11.2021)
Will the Christmas Markets in Munich of 2021 happen?
At this point in time it can’t be said for sure, if the Christmas markets in Munich will happen, but so far it looks very good! If the Christmas markets in Munich will happen in 2021 depends on the development of the COVID-pandemic. If the numbers rise drastically and the hospital traffic light has to be changed then it could be that Christmas markets in Munich will have to be cancelled.
What restriction apply for Munich’s Christmas markets in 2021?
That depends, too, on the situation and development of the COVID-numbers. So far, you don’t have to buy tickets to get onto the Christmas markets in Munich, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change. Stay informed, but most of all: Stay healthy! On the Christmas markets themselves there will be with the highest possibilities a mask-obligation in place. The most recent news has been, that the entry is only allowed according to the 2G-rule: Only vaccinated and / or recovered people are allowed to enter.
The Christmas Markets in Munich start in the end of November 2021
Most of the Christmas markets in Munich will open around the 25th of November and will be open to the public until the 24th or 23rd. Enough of the general information, which Christmas markets will happen in and around Munich anyway? We will give you an overview over the Christmas markets that have been announced so far, and will happen by the end of November, if the COVID-numbers don’t rise drastically.
The Christmas Market on Marienplatz
The Christmas Market on Marienplatz will happen from the 22nd of November 2021 until the 24th of December in front of the new city hall. Both, Marienplatz and new city hall, are two of the Top 10 Sights in Munich. The Christmas Market in Marienplatz is the biggest and most famous Christmas market in Munich, and it is visited every year by thousands of people.
This year too, we can probably count on a huge amount of people attending, which is why the organizers have greatly widened the space on which the Christmas market will happen to not have too many people in one place. There again will be a stage with live-music and a “heavens workshop” will also be there and entertain the children. More specific can be found on muenchen.de.
The Swedish Christmas Market next to Gustav-Adolf-Church
If this would be the year 1632, the name of this church would probably put fear in the hearts of the inhabitants of this suburb. Because, the evangelic (back then: protestant) Gustav-Adolf let his soldiers pillage the villages around Munich, after the city had been surrendered to his Swedish army by the city council. Unquestionable, it would be holding a grudge very long to still think of that today. Now, Gustav-Adolf-Church is just a very nice little evangelic church in the east of Munich in one of the oldest pilgrimage villages of Bavaria.
On this Swedish Christmas market, you will have the chance to marvel at traditional Swedish art handcraft. Three days before the luciafest, the celebration of light honoring the holy Lucia, who was proclaimed holy, because, she brought light to catholic prisoners in Roman cells. This celebration is even more important in Swedish culture than Christmas. The Swedish Christmas market start on the 10th of December and ends on the 12th, the lucia celebration are normally on the 13th of December. In the Internet, we, so far, didn’t find any hints to celebrations of the luciafest, but we can assume with quite a high certainty that there will be something happening. In these celebration, young boys and girls traditionally wear white robes and carry candles, while one girl wears a crown of candles on her (mostly blonde) head.
The Artsy Schwabing Christmas Market close to Münchner Freiheit
The Schwabing Christmas market on Münchner Freiheit is definitely something special. Because, the whole Christmas market is built around art. The Christmas market is not only basically an open-air exhibition for many different artists from Munich and around the world, but also the shops are artistically designed and decorated. If you are looking forward to the summer and then you can check out the 10 best outdoor pools in Munich.
A visit to this Christmas market is could almost be as artsy as a visit to the MUCA (Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art). Another (Christian or at least Christmas-like) attraction on this Christmas market is the “Tree of cultural wishes”. Here you can enable people that don’t normally have the means to attend cultural events to go to one they like.
This year again, there will again be, with (great) certainty, live-music, performances, and child-care. The program is not yet finalized or online, but we can assume that, if the Christmas market happens again this year, it will be exactly as beautiful and calm as the past years. The Christmas market in Schwabing will start close to Münchener Freiheit on 26th of November 2021 and be open until the 24th of December.
The Mediaeval Christmas Market on Wittelsbacherplatz
The mediaeval Christmas market on Wittelsbacherplatz or rather on Brienner Straße 6 – 10 is a classic attraction of Munich’s winter. For many years this mediaeval-styled Christmas market has been happening and from all over the world people come to visit. We warmly recommend this spectacle with actors and artists in costumes and shops with a variety of uncommon foods.
Even though, the mediaeval age was struck with more deadly sicknesses, that is not a reason to not be careful in the 21st century in which deadly viruses still pose a threat. The Christmas market opens on 22nd of November and will be open until the 23rd. On the market you are asked to wear masks. So far, the program has not been published but you can check on the site of the mediaeval market Munich what will be happening exactly.
The Christmas Market in the Courtyard of the Residence
Not really mediaeval but still picturesque: The Christmas Market in Kaiserhof der Residenz is one of the best situated Christmas markets in Munich. Between the buildings of the old kind’s residence, on the one side the opera complex and on the other the court gardens. In the middle of the splendor of the old town. King Ludwig once wanted to make Munich the “Paris of Bavaria”, maybe didn’t quite make it, but the buildings from this period are beautifully impressive nevertheless.
The Christmas market in the court yard of the residence is, because of its location, automatically not very spacious. Therefore, you can assume that there will only be a limited number of people allowed inside. On the entrance you will be checked according to 2G-rule. On the Christmas market itself you will find beautiful shops with Christmas food, Glühwein (hot whine with spices) will be there, too, of course, don’t worry!
The Christmas Market next to the Chinese Tower
Right in the heart of the Enlish Garden stands the Chinese Tower, a classic Munich Sight. The whole year-round people come here to enjoy a cold beer. In the winter though, this cold beer gets exchanged with a warm Glühwine on the Christmas market.
On the Chinese Tower, on only warm wine is part of the repertoire of the Christmas market, but also traditional curling is possible. This market is particularly suitable this year, because the stalls were as always put up in fairly large distances from each other. Certain precautions to contain the spread of the coronavirus can therefore be implemented very easily.
The Christmas market at the Chinese Tower always radiates a romantic park ambience and since it is not located in the center of Munich as other Christmas markets, there is not so much hustle and bustle. So, for both the cautious and the hopelessly romantic, the Christmas market at the Chinese Tower is just right.
The great Truderinger Christmas Market
If you want it a bit more decentralized, then this and the next Christmas market is just right for you. If you don’t live in the middle of the city center, or if you prefer to look around a little bit outside the city, then there is also beautiful Christmas market here in Trudering. The large Truderinger Christkindlmarkt is located at Wasserburger Landstraße 32 and still offers you over 70 shops of professional artists and hobby artists. Of course, there is also warm wine, waffles, cakes, pastries and much more.
The Truderinger Costume club (Trachtenverein) also sets up a “living crib”. In this you will find living oxen, sheep and donkeys, whether the real Christ Child will also be present, we cannot promise, but we can hope. Christmas stories will be read to the little ones in the childcare center from 3 to 5 pm. The foundation “Kleine Hilfe” will also be present at the Christmas market and is happy to receive donations for sick children.
Winter Time in Munich
Munich has a very special charm in summer with its many green meadows. But in winter this charm changes and the green meadows as well as hills are used for sledging. Perfect for a Sunday trip in the west park, loo up to one of the hills. For sure you want to participate the sledging, and do try it out, on you trouser bottoms or a garbage bag if necessary!
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