Munich - Christmas Markets and Magical Castles

It’s Christmas time so we decided to take a trip to our first Christmas market in Munich, with its’ long held reputation dating back to the 14th century it certainly lived up to our expectations and got us into the festive spirit.

We broke this trip down into 3 parts. Firstly and most importantly the Christmas market itself; the beautiful scenery and architecture in and around the city of Munich; and the much anticipated Neuschwanstein Castle also known as the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” castle.

We stayed in a hotel a little outside the city centre called Leonardo Hotel München City West . The hotel itself was pretty average but gets its bonus points from being right next to a metro station making it easy to get around. The room was clean and tidy, a decent size and reasonably priced. We would recommend this hotel if, like us, you are using it to dump your stuff and sleep. If you want anything more than that you should look into other options.

Day 1: Christmas Markets

Marienplatz, Christmas Market

The main Christmas market is in the centre of town at the Marienplatz. Entrance is free for everyone and the market is typically open from 10am to 8pm. There are two observations we made from visiting the Christmas markets. Firstly, the best time to visit is in the evening. Although it is pretty and Christmassy in the daytime, the lights and festivities really come alive once the sun goes down. Secondly, be mentally prepared because it will be busy! And I mean really busy. There is plenty to explore so make sure you move away from the main streets as there are lots of smaller hidden areas where you can sit more peacefully and enjoy your Gluvein or Bratwurst, which seemed to be sold everywhere we looked.

Day 2: Sights and Landmarks

Englischer Garten

We spent a day exploring around the main city centre. Having heard about Munich’s very own English Garden, Englischer Garten, this was a must-see for us. Situated between the city centre and the Isar river, the garden was picturesque and tranquil, the perfect setting for a morning stroll. In the middle of the gardens is a Chinese pagoda, home to even more Christmas markets at this time of the year. At the southern edge of the park the man-made river Eisbach flows, a popular surfing destination and fun spectacle for passing tourists. Unfortunately we missed this ourselves but would definitely recommend a stop by if you’re in the area.

Englischer Garten

One of the most popular and beautiful squares in Munich has to be the Marienplatz, it is the heart of the city and home to the Old and New Town Halls as well as the towering St Peters Church. We headed back this way for a spot of lunch and more exploring before heading out to the Olympic Park, known as Olympiapark. Although the park feels a long way out in the Oberwiesefeld area (especially at this time of year when it’s bitterly cold) you cannot appreciate the impressiveness of the entire site until you are actually stood there in person. The park was originally constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympics, which sadly saw the terrorist attack on the Israeli team and is now referred to as the Munich massacre. The park now serves as a venue for cultural, social and religious events. It is a remarkable place. A world cup final was played here, a message of peace and unity. Yet a mere 6 miles away is an old concentration camp; this area has lots of history, both good and bad.

Olympiapark

Day 3: The Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

The main event for me was the Neuschwanstein Castle! We ended up at the Tollwood Winterfestival the night before. Only a few stops from our hotel, it was a fun alternative to the Christmas markets with arts and crafts, live music and global cuisine. Despite the late night we managed to leave relatively early and embark on our 2 and a half hour journey south, from Central Station Munich to Fussen.

Alpsee Lake

From Fussen station we boarded a shuttle bus that took us to the Schwangau region where the Castle is. The journey itself was easy, the train ride was comfortable and scenic with the convenience of a shuttle bus departing and arriving in the car park directly behind the station. From the shuttle bus you could either get a horse and carriage to the top of the hill or walk. We choose to walk. The weather was extremely misty that day so unfortunately the pictures we captured do not do the location or castle justice but the history and magnitude of the place was breath-taking. Again extremely touristy as you would expect but a magical place to visit especially if you love the film like I do.