10 things to do in Munich in Winter

Curling in the open air

What you can do: Practice a Bavarian winter sport. When it's frozen long enough, the Nymphenburg Schlosskanal turns into Munich's longest curling rink. Thanks to the shallow water, an icy blanket quickly forms on the 500 meters between Gerner Brücke and Hubertusstraße. Beginners and experts in curling are equally welcome here, and equipment can be rented on site. There is also room for ice skating at both ends of the canal.

Where? 

• Nymphenburg Palace Canal, 80638 Munich, U1 Gern / Tram + Bus Schloss Nymphenburg ( more details )

Take a walk through the Christmas markets

What you can do: Enjoy the Advent season at the Christmas markets. The traditional Christmas market on Marienplatz is always worth a visit. In addition to mulled wine and treats, you can also buy handicrafts or Christmas decorations there at more than 150 stalls. Around 2,500 lights illuminate the huge Christmas tree in front of the town hall every year. There are markets, to name just a few, in almost all parts of the city. The quirky Pink Christmas in the Glockenbachviertel, for example, ensures a good mood, while the Schwabing Christmas market mainly features arts and crafts.

Where and when?

• Christkindlmarkt am Marienplatz, 80331 Munich, U3 / U6 Marienplatz ( more information in German ) 
• Pink Christmas, Stephansplatz, 80337 Munich, U1 / U2 / U3 / U6 Sendlinger Tor
• Schwabinger Christmas Market, 80802 Munich, U3 / U6 Münchner Freiheit

Travel through the city with the Christmas tram

What you can do: Take a cozy sightseeing tour of Munich in the Christmas tram. During Advent every year, the MVG (Munich Transport Company) sends this quaint tram on trips round the city center. A perfect way to explore Munich without freezing. Mulled wine, children's punch, tasty delicacies and festive music are provided - creating the perfect conditions for a jovial atmosphere amongst the passengers.

Where and when?

• Sendlinger Tor (starting point), 80336 München, U1/U2/U3/U6 Sendlinger Tor

Relax in the indoor pool or the sauna

What you can do: Go swimming, indoor and even outdoor! From the art nouveau gem at Müller'sches Volksbad, to the Nordbad with its 33-meter lanes for sporty swimmers, the 10 indoor pools operated by the city of Munich leave nothing to be desired. You can even train in the warm outdoor pool at Dantebad during the winter. Most of the swimming pools also have saunas, which helps you to quickly forget the cold weather outside. With regular sauna visits, steam and masks, you won't be needing that trip to a spa resort.

Where?

• Müller'sches Volksbad, Rosenheimer Str. 1, 81667 München, S-Bahn Isartor (more details)
• Nordbad, Schleißheimer Str. 142, 80797 München, Tram 12/27 Nordbad (more information)
• Dante-Winter-Warmfreibad, Postillonstr. 17, 80637 München, U1 Westfriedhof (more details)
• More about saunas in Munich

Discover nature at the Botanical Garden and at Sea Life

What you can do: Observe nature. Orchids, cacti and palms grow in the tropical warm greenhouses in the Botanical Garden. You can also admire some carnivorous plants. A highlight is the annual exhibition of real tropical butterflies fluttering about freely. In the Olympic Park, the Sea Life Center offers "experiencing nature" in a completely different way. Sea creatures swim in the aquariums - from zebra sharks to octopuses, but also native species from German rivers and lakes.

Where?

• Botanical Garden Munich, Menzinger Str. 65, 80638 München, Tram 17, Bus 143 or 180 Botanischer Garten (more details)
• Sea Life Center, Olympic Park, 80809 München, U3 Olympiazentrum (more details in German)

Visit the zoo (Tierpark Hellabrunn)

What you can do: Watching animals in the snow as they are much less finicky than people when it comes to temperatures. That's why, though fewer people may visit the Hellabrunn Zoo in winter than in summer, there is still a lot going on. Elks, yaks, polar bears and sea lions come through during the cold weather and provide a great deal of fun. The heated monkey and elephant house or the jungle world are also quite comfortable - even for humans.

Where?

• Tierpark Hellabrunn, Tierparkstr. 30, 81543 München, U3 Thalkirchen (more information)

Explore museums of art

What you can do: Immerse yourself in the world of art. The highlight at the Lenbachhaus is the world-famous art of the German group "Blauer Reiter". Modern art of the 20th century by Andy Warhol, among others, can be seen at the Museum Brandhorst. The adjacent Pinakothek der Moderne is devoted to painting as well as photography, design and architecture. In the Haus der Kunst there are exclusively changing exhibitions of contemporary artists, here are always new works of art to discover.

Where?

• Lenbachhaus, Luisenstr. 33, 80333 München, U2 Königsplatz (more information)
• Museum Brandhorst, Theresienstr. 35a, 80333 München, Tram 27/28 Pinakotheken (more information)
• Pinakothek der Moderne, Barer Str. 40, 80333 München, Tram 27/28 Pinakotheken (more information)
• Haus der Kunst, Prinzregentenstr. 1, 80538 München, Bus 100 Königinstraße (more information)

Watch the latest cinema highlights

What you can do: Go to the cinema. There are many cinemas in the center of Munich that are easily accessible and show movies in the original version. The largest cinema center in the city is the Mathäser Filmpalast with 14 screens near the main train station, here you can often see blockbusters in English. Only films in the original English sound are shown at the Cinema, which has two halls. In the middle of the pedestrian zone is the program cinema Theatiner Film, which focuses on film art from all over the world, generally in the original with subtitles.

Where?

• Mathäser Filmpalast, Bayerstr. 5, 80336 München, U4/U5 Stachus
• Cinema, Nymphenburgerstr. 31, 80335 München, U1 Stiglmaierplatz
• Theatiner Film, Theatinerstr. 32, 80333 München, U3/U4/U5/U6 Odeonsplatz

Have a look on the winter from above

What you can do: When the streets and roofs of Munich are dusted with snow, you've got to overlook them from above. From the tower of Old St Peter's Church or the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), you can see the entire city center and even some of the Alps in the background, on some days too. Visibility can be quite good in winter - that's when it is worth taking a trip to the Olympiaturm (Olympia Tower). You are also protected from the cold by a pane of glass.

Where?

• Olympic Tower, 80809 München, U3 Olympiazentrum (more information)
• Old Peter (St. Peter), Rindermarkt 1, 80331 München (more information)
• New City Hall, Marienplatz 1, 80331 München (more information)

Let loose while ice-skating and sledding

What you can do: Ice skating outside and inside. Between mid-November and mid-January, the "Münchner Eiszauber (Munich Ice Magic)" opens in the middle of the Stachus (Karlsplatz), here you can skate until the evening hours - and also rent skates. In the Prinzregentenstadion you can turn your rounds to music open-air. If you prefer to stay indoors, you can skate in the hall of the Olympic Ice Sports Center, where you can also watch games of the local ice hockey team EHC Red Bulls Munich.

Where?

• Münchner Eiszauber, Stachus, 80331 München, U4/U5 Stachus (more information)
• Prinzregentenstadion, Prinzregentenstr. 80, 81675 München, U4 Prinzregentenplatz (more information in German)
• Olympia-Eissportzentrum, Olympic Park, 80809 München, U3 Olympiazentrum (more information)