Munich Christmas Market 2026: dates, opening hours and where to stay
Munich's Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz runs from 20 November to 24 December 2026 and is closed on 22 November. Verify the official programme first, then choose a walkable or transit-connected base for the dates you will actually visit.
When is the Munich Christmas market in 2026?
Checked on 21 October 2026: the City of Munich, which organises the market, lists the 2026 Christkindlmarkt from Friday 20 November through Thursday 24 December at Marienplatz and Rindermarkt, with more than 130 stalls, closed on Sunday 22 November. Its published 2026 opening hours are 10 am to 9 pm Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm on Sundays and 10 am to 2 pm on 24 December. The Krampus run through the old town is on 13 December 2026, and the nativity market stands beside St Peter's. Programme details and operational notices can still change, so check the official pages before fixing travel plans.
| Christkindlmarkt 2026 | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Dates | 20 November – 24 December 2026 |
| Closed | Sunday 22 November 2026 |
| Opening hours | Monday to Saturday 10 am–9 pm; Sunday 10 am–8 pm; 24 December 10 am–2 pm |
| Where | Marienplatz and Rindermarkt, in the Altstadt |
| Getting there | U3 or U6, or S-Bahn lines S1–S8, to Marienplatz; there is no parking around the square |
| Krampus run | Sunday 13 December 2026, 3–5 pm |
Dates, closing day, opening hours, transport and Krampus run: City of Munich, the organiser, which has now published its 2026 opening hours. Checked on 21 October 2026.
Other Christmas markets in Munich in 2026
Munich has more than one Christmas market, and they do not share the Marienplatz calendar. These are the central and best-known markets with 2026 dates published by Munich Tourism. Check the market you plan to visit before fixing an evening around it.
| Market | Where | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Christkindlmarkt (the main market) | Marienplatz and Rindermarkt | 20 November – 24 December 2026 |
| Christmas Village at the Residenz | Residenz, Kaiserhof courtyard | 16 November – 22 December 2026 |
| Christmas market at the Chinesischer Turm | Englischer Garten | 19 November – 23 December 2026 |
| Christkindlmarkt at Sendlinger Tor | Sendlinger-Tor-Platz | 20 November – 22 December 2026 |
| Medieval Christmas market | Wittelsbacherplatz | 20 November – 23 December 2026 |
| Pink Christmas | Stephansplatz, Glockenbachviertel | 20 November – 20 December 2026 |
| Neuhausen Christmas market | Rotkreuzplatz | 20 November – 23 December 2026 |
| Münchner Feuerzangenbowle | Blumenstraße, behind the Schrannenhalle | 23 November 2026 – 6 January 2027 |
| Tollwood Winter Festival | Theresienwiese | 24 November – 23 December 2026 |
| Schwabing Christmas market | Münchner Freiheit | 25 November – 24 December 2026 |
| Märchenbazar | Olympiapark | 26 November – 28 December 2026 |
Source: Munich Tourism market overview, checked on 21 October 2026. According to the City of Munich, all Christmas markets stay closed on Sunday 22 November. The Haidhausen market on Weißenburger Platz opens on 24 November 2026; its last day had not been announced.
Use Marienplatz as the anchor, not the whole plan
The historic market centres on Marienplatz in the Altstadt. A central stay makes early and evening visits simple; a base on a direct U-Bahn or S-Bahn line can offer better value while keeping the market, Hauptbahnhof and the rest of Munich connected.
Plan for Advent demand
Late-November and December weekends bring concentrated day-trip and overnight demand. Compare live rooms only after choosing the base, keep cancellation terms visible, and leave room for weather, crowding and current transport notices rather than building the trip around a rigid market-hour assumption.
Keep the seasonal plan honest.
Assuming every Munich Christmas market follows the Marienplatz calendar.
Booking a room before checking the exact route to Marienplatz.
Treating an accommodation click or map load as a confirmed booking.
Complete the Munich plan.
Where to stay in Munich for a first trip
Choose where to stay in Munich by Altstadt walkability, Hauptbahnhof logistics, U-Bahn and S-Bahn access, Oktoberfest-season pressure, and day-trip plans toward the lakes and Alps.
Getting around Munich: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and the airport
Plan Munich transport around the MVV network, U-Bahn and tram lines, S-Bahn links to the airport and lakes, a walkable Altstadt core, and realistic limits for Alpine day trips.
Best time to visit Munich: seasons, Oktoberfest, and Christmas markets
An evergreen guide to when to visit Munich: spring and early autumn for the most legible city, summer beer-garden and Isar season, the late-September Oktoberfest surge, Advent Christkindlmarkt season, and Alpine winter context.
Dates and operations belong to the responsible sources.
- Munich Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz (official)Official 2026 dates at Marienplatz and Rindermarkt, more than 130 stalls and the programme; see the Munich Tourism calendar for the 22 November closure and opening hours.
- München TourismusDestination-level Munich framing, Altstadt orientation, districts, events context, and current visitor information.
- MVV — Münchner Verkehrs- und TarifverbundIntegrated Munich transit network, zones, tickets, and day passes across U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, and bus.
- Christkindlmarkt calendar — Munich TourismThe 20 November–24 December 2026 dates, the 22 November closure, daily opening hours and the 13 December Krampus run.
- Münchner Christkindlmarkt — organiser's siteThe organiser's 2026 dates, 22 November closure and 2026 opening hours, the Krampus run on 13 December and public transport to Marienplatz.
- Christmas markets in Munich 2026 — Munich TourismThe 2026 dates and locations of Munich's other Christmas markets, and which markets had not yet announced dates.
Before you confirm a booking
Check the dates, location, cancellation terms and final price on the booking provider’s website. Your booking is complete only after the provider confirms it.