Base: Munich’s old town, two nights. The Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz runs Nov 20 to Dec 24, 2026, Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; walking it is free. Pace: easy: about 3 miles on foot around the old town, with a long lunch to fight the jet lag.
Coffee by Marienplatz
Where to eat: Dallmayr, the old delicatessen a few steps from Marienplatz, for coffee and something sweet; check its café hours.
The cold hits the moment you leave the U-Bahn, and the smell of roasting almonds is already drifting across the square. Drop the bags at the hotel, then sit somewhere warm for a while with a coffee and let the day begin slowly, the two of you planning nothing more than the next square.
The Frauenkirche and St. Peter’s
Walk the five minutes to the Frauenkirche, whose two onion-domed towers are the shape of the Munich skyline, and step inside the tall white brick nave. Then climb the tower of St. Peter’s, the old parish church just off Marienplatz, for the view over the market roofs to the twin domes and, on a clear day, the Alps. Expert tip: go up in early afternoon on a clear day, before the light fades; the stairs are narrow, so wear something you can climb in.
Lunch at the Klosterwirt
Where to eat: Augustiner Klosterwirt, at Augustinerstraße 1 beside the Frauenkirche, open daily from 9:30 a.m. with the kitchen serving from 11:30 a.m., for roast pork, dumplings and a Bavarian lunch.
Warm up properly here: wood-panelled rooms, a beer from Munich’s oldest brewery name, and a plate heavy enough to carry you through the cold evening ahead.
The Christkindlmarkt at dusk
Come back to Marienplatz as the lights come on, and the square changes completely. The tall Christmas tree glows in front of the dark arches of the Neues Rathaus, the stalls sell carved figures, glass baubles and straw stars, and the air smells of cloves and grilled sausages. Buy two mugs of Glühwein and stand by the tree while the crowd moves around you. Return the mugs for the deposit, or keep one as the first souvenir of the trip.
Dinner at the Hofbräuhaus
Where to eat: the Hofbräuhaus, on the Platzl a short walk from Marienplatz, for a loud, happy dinner in the great beer hall; check its hours.
It is crowded and touristy and still worth one evening: long wooden tables, a brass band, and a liter mug you will need both hands for. Walk back across Marienplatz afterward, when the stalls have closed and the tree still shines over the empty square.
Where to eat and stop
- Breakfast · Dallmayr — by Marienplatz; check its café hours. Why here: Coffee and pastry a minute from the square on the first morning.
- Lunch · Augustiner Klosterwirt — Augustinerstraße 1; daily 9:30 a.m. to midnight, kitchen 11:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Why here: A warm Bavarian lunch beside the Frauenkirche.
- Dinner · Hofbräuhaus — on the Platzl in the old town; check its hours. Why here: The great Munich beer hall, a brass band and a liter mug, once.
- Quick stop (other): Munich Christkindlmarkt — Marienplatz; Nov 20 to Dec 24, 2026; Mon–Sat 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Why here: The city’s main Christmas market under the Neues Rathaus tower.
Munich Airport → Marienplatz: about 40 minutes on the S-Bahn. Marienplatz → the Frauenkirche: about 5 minutes on foot. Marienplatz → the Hofbräuhaus: about 5 minutes on foot.
Where to stay
- A hotel in Munich’s old town (Altstadt), near Marienplatz — two nights, close enough to walk home from the market.
Dinner: the Hofbräuhaus, on the Platzl.
Tomorrow: a late-morning Weisswurst, the Viktualienmarkt and the Tollwood winter festival.
Bad-weather plan
Sleet over Munich? The markets carry on in rain and snow; wear a hat, stay longer at lunch, and spend an hour inside the Frauenkirche or a museum before the market lights come on.
Stay: Munich base · Anchor: Marienplatz · check the market hours
Good to know: The Munich Christkindlmarkt is closed on Totensonntag, Nov 22, 2026, and closes at 2 p.m. on Dec 24.
