Magical Christmas market is so big there are guides to help you get around
A Christmas market that is 700 years old is so big tourists regularly need tour guides to show them around it.
Marienplatz has been at the centre of the city since Munich was founded by Henry the Lion in 1158. All distances are measured from its middle, which is where the big roads in the city meet and traffic makes way for a pedestrianised zone.
Since 1310 (by one count) the square's Christmas market - which is only slightly younger than Europe's oldest, Vienna - has been flogging festive Bavarian goodies to Christmas fans. These days, you can sit in the shadows of the New and Old Town Halls and enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee while wathcing the hustle and bustle around you.
Many people decide to let a professional show them around via a guided tour through the old town in the wonderful atmosphere of fragrant almonds and glittering lights.
"When the 25-metre-high Christmas tree with 3000 candles shines in all its glory, the mulled wine wafts its scent and angel hair glitters, pre-Christmas magic fills the centrepiece of the state capital Munich," the organises of the Christkindlmarkt promise.
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The market has been held in the centre of Munich for hundreds of years (Getty Images)Traditional features of the Christkindlmarkt include tempting grilled sausages and Advent sweetmeats such as spicy Pfeffernüsse biscuits and Magenbro cake. Roasted almonds and chestnuts are big features, as is mulled wine that'll set punters back around £4.
Part of the market is dedicated to a Germany specialty called the Kripperlmarkt. Here you can find everything you need for a genuine nativity set-up, including a stable lantern, chaff for the ox and donkey, and a cradle for Jesus.
The Kripperlmarkt comprises ten stalls offering just things to do with the nativity. Almost every Standl, as the stalls are called in Munich, has a unique item on offer, from large oriental nativity scenes to alpine mini versions.
Another tradition is the Krampus Run, which dates back around 500 years. Members of Sparifankerl Pass - Munich's first Krampus group - dress up in archaic costumes, run across the Christmas Market and hide among the stalls.
If you want to act like a true native of Munich, arrange to meet up at the fountain in front of the main entrance to the Neues Rathaus. From there you can visit the Glockenspiel in the tower of the New Town Hall, which is one of the largest in Europe with its 43 bells. Visitors can watch the figures dance daily at 11am and 12pm.
A great view of the Marienplatz and the entire city can be caught from above from the Alter Peter, which is 300 steps into the clouds.
If you do fancy checking out Munich's premier Christmas market, then catching a flight usually takes around two hours. At the moment the average return cost is about £150. The train from London takes 12 hours and will likely cost a little more, unless you book well in advance.
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