Christmas market at Munich airport gets around 30.000 visitors daily and to my surprise, many of the visitors are actually the locals, living in Munich. What is so special about this Christmas market that even people, who have no travel plans, come to see it? No wonder it caught our attention too.
Christmas markets originate in Germany and the first ones are more than 600 years old. Nowadays Christmas markets in Germany are still one of the bestselling products in tourism industry, which attracts from 80-90 million visitors each year and employ around 190.000 people.
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Amazing Christmas market at Munich Airport
Most Christmas markets are set in the city center, but we do know few exceptions too – one of them is the Christmas market at the Munich airport for sure. The Christmas market there is not a new thing, as it ‘s celebrating already his 21st anniversary this year.
You will find the Christmas market at the Munich airport right at the exit/entrance of the Terminal 2 building. You cannot miss it as the big open-space area boost with 45 stands / cottages, where you will find everything what the big players have. Christmas decorations, warm socks and hats, mulled wine, hot punch, gin, caipirinha, traditional sausages, sauerkraut, always popular burgers and a stand with Asian food too.
You will not get the Christmas spirit just because of the stands, but also because of kid’s carousel, stage with life music and a nice looking ice skating ring. You can rent the ice-skates for a deposit (25 EUR), but otherwise the use of ice-skate ring is free of charge. There’s even a special area along the ice-skating ring, where you can test yourself in curling.
Every Christmas market can brag with a big Christmas tree and you will find one, 15-meters high, at the Munich airport Christmas market too. But that is not all – the Christmas market actually has 450 Christmas trees in total, what sure makes the place even more charming and fairy-tale alike.
Even though this Christmas market at the Munich airport does not have the typical location, it still gets you in the right Christmas mood. We really liked the fact, how foreign travelers, with their suitcases, from all over the world are curiously zig-zagging among the local visitors. You can immediately realize what a big additional value this Christmas market is to the Munich airport and to everyone flying in and out of it too.
First steps in the foreign place immediately become festive, full of lights and magic, or the last few hours before your flight taking you back home, can still longer your Bavarian feel. Not to mention how great is being able to visit a real German Christmas market when you are waiting for your connection flight and instead of feeling bored, you are enjoying some Christmas feel.
Most of the Christmas markets in Europe offer beautiful clay mugs, for which you pay a deposit. You can either take the cup home as a souvenir or return it and get your deposit back. This practice is the same at the Munich airport Christmas market too. The only difference is, that normally only one design is featured at each Christmas market, but you will find several different ones here. I really took a shine on the red boots mugs.
If the culinary diversity is not really to your liking and still want something more traditionally Bavarian, you will find airport brewery at the corner of the area too. The brewery is actually the world’s only, where the beer is brewed literally at the airport.
What are the prices at the Munich airport Christmas market?
Airports are known to be more expensive, but luckily for you, the prices at the Munich airport Christmas market are similar to the other Christmas markets in Germany. To name a few – you will pay 4 EUR for a mulled wine, food is around 8 EUR, fruit covered in chocolate costs 4 EUR.
What time is the Christmas market at the Munich airport open?
The Christmas market at the Munich airport is one of the earliest in Germany. It opens on 15th November and take place until 29th December, between 11 am to 9pm.
How to reach the Christmas market at the Munich airport?
As already mentioned the Christmas market at the Munich airport is set in front of the entrance/exit of the Terminal 2 building. So you actually need to walk pass it to reach the S-Bahn – railway, taking you to the city center. This is also a great way to connect both Christmas markets in Munich – the one at the Marienplatz and this one at the airport. The S-Bahn line is S8 and you need 40 minutes between the two markets.
The Christmas market at the Munich airport is not as big as the city’s one, so you can easily walk around it in 30 minutes, but have in mind you can stay much longer – we were there for 4 hours.
If you will be stopping at the Munich airport Christmas market having your own car, you have a free parking, up to 5 hours, available in the parking garage P20. Confirm your ticket at one of the stands.
What is a good accommodation option?
If you have an early departure or a late arrival flight, you might want to have a rest – especially if you are jet-lagged, at one of the airports hotels. We stayed at the lovely Hilton Munich airport hotel. Its location, steps away from Christmas market and Terminal 2, is perfect.
Hilton Munich airport has 551 rooms, some are executive and offering you some more luxury, peace and quiet. Staying at the executive room grants you also access to the executive lounge, where breakfast is served and where you can get different snack and drinks during the day too.
The Hilton Munich airport has one of the largest hotel pools in Munich and also privately available offices, to get some work done if needed.
You can find more reviews of the hotel here.
Traveling to Munich for sure will not be just because of the Christmas market at the Munich airport, but if you are already flying in or out from there, make sure to take some time for visiting it too. I am always fascinated how such events can join so many different people from all around the world, all enjoying in the same thing.
Nothing is best than seeing the christmas spirit of the Munich airport Christmas market in a video too – check it out here.
Our trip to the Christmas market was sponsored by the Munich Airport, which organize many different kind of events for their passengers and visitors all year round. If you will be flying from or to the Munich Airport, make sure to check their event page, to see, how you can make your journey even more pleasant and fun (don’t miss the big screen during the EURO 2020).
