Local Expert
Noka Reyes
After graduating from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in May 2007, I packed my bags and moved to Munich two weeks later. With my Bachelors degree completed, I'm taking some time off…
After graduating from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in May 2007, I packed my bags and moved to Munich two weeks later. With my Bachelors degree completed, I'm taking some time off working and living in Munich before moving on to Graduate school. I live in the Maxvorstadt area of Munich, near Universität and feel very much at home in this gorgeous city. I'm Mexican, Greek and Irish so I guess that means I have a spectacular sense of humor.
Have a question/topic suggestion/feedback? Send it all to asknoka@googlemail.com and you'll either recieve a personal response from me or have the question and answer posted on the Munich Local Expert page!
pic: Me (left) and my best friend on her birthday!
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When it comes to visiting Munich's Christmas Markets, there are plenty of things to fill your Christmas stockings and wooden shoes. But how can you decide on the perfect thing to buy for your loved ones back home? Let me give you a few pointers. First of all, get yourself to Weinstrasse which is right off of Marienplatz and the U-Bahn. As you walk down this small, yet crowded street you will find a few of my favorite stands.
Stop off at the stand in front of the Dresdener Bank which sells more woolen goods than you could ever imagine! Booties, hats, gloves, slippers--it's all there! Last Christmas, I brought my brother a pair of their luxurious woolen boots, for only 20€ and he loved them! Then stop off right next to the U-Bahn stop at Marienhof to what I like to call the puzzle palace! There you will find hand crafted puzzles that will literally blow your mind! These brain teasers will keep whomever you had in mind, hard at work for hour on end. We're not talking your typical puzzle in a box, we're talking pieces of wood and metal bound together, where you have to figure out how to get the metal hoop out of the intricate work without breaking the wood. Fantastic!
Birkenstocks are a great present for that guy or gal in your life. Check out one of the many shoe stores on Weinstrasse and buy a pair for only 35€ versus the $120 that you'd spend at home.
These are a couple of my favorite gift haunts, so spend your time wisely and stock up on some great presents to bring home!
As you're in Munich, you should most definitely take advantage of the Christkindl Tram! Picking up at Sendlinger Tor, this aptly decorated tram takes you all around the city center with stops at the best Christmas markets, picture perfect scenes and serves you with Glühwein, Kid's punch and Christmas snacks throughout your ride! Costing only €1,50 per person, or just €0.50 for kids aged 6-14, this tram ride will be one of the highlights of your trip. Coming every half-hour, you can hop on Monday-Friday from 3:30pm to 7pm, or on the weekends from 11am to 7:30pm.
Hop on the U-bahn and navigate your way to Sendlinger Tor, which can be accessed by the U3, U6, U1 and U2! Make your way up to the surface and head over to the trams. Of course, you will be able to find maps to guide your way to the surface. If it's a bit confusing, feel free to ask anyone who works at one of the many kiosks or bakeries that are at the station.
Enjoy!
As you may have noticed, Munich is booming with Christmas excitement. You can't walk through Marienplatz without being ambushed by Christmas ornaments, Christmas slippers, Christmas cookies or even Christmas dog leashes. Marienplatz is the absolute city center, thus it is also where tourists will flock by the thousands to cash in on their little piece of German Christmas. Now let me tell you about a place where you will be hard pressed to find a tourist but, will still be able to enjoy the ambiance and comfort of an authentic Munich Christmas Market.
Right in the heart of Schwabing, you will find this hip and über chic neighborhood to be pulsing with Christmas spirit. Münchener Freiheit's Christkindl Markt is where you can get an authentic feel for what Christmas Markets used to be like, before the hype and crazy crowds. Right at the U-bahn station, you step out into a fabulous little market with every treat and treasure that the bigger markets can offer, but with a twist. Enjoy a steaming cup of spiced wine, otherwise known as Glühwein, as you browse the fantastic florist that hand-makes Christmas wreaths and arrangements. Hungry? Not only can you find your usual sausages and Christmas favorites, you can also chow down on Argentine steak! How about that for variety? Once you've had your fill, you should browse the many kiosks that make up this market and find those must have pieces for you to take home. So hop on the U6 or U3 and make your way to Münchener Freiheit.
Enjoy!
November 26th marks the opening of the Tollwood Winter Festival. Taking place on the Oktoberfest grounds of the Theresienwiese, you'll be greeted by enormous white tents tinted blue, orange, red and green. Tollwood offers an exciting array of international muscians, performances, drama groups and live music. Visit the food tent for an international feast from all corners of the world. The festival is also dotted with bars that serve hot cairpirihna's and glühwein along with booths that sell handmade good from various countries.
You'll definitely not want to miss Tollwood, which goes on until December 31st.
For any more questions, check out their website at www.tollwood.de.
Enjoy!
Where better to spend the Christmas holidays than Munich? Where did the Christmas trees, Santa Claus or Advent Calendars come from? You've guessed it! Germany. According to history, Munich's Christmas Market dates back to the 14th century, with records in the 1600s calling it the "Nicholas Market". In 1806, the name changed to the "Christkindlmarkt", which translates to the Christ Child Market.
You'll find a huge variety of hand-made Christmas ornaments, baked goods, toys, warm winter clothes and other Christmas must-haves! Don't hage a huge budget to buy everything you want? You can easily keep within any budget that you need to keep you'll be able to find something to fit all price ranges.
Opening on November 28th, you could probably notice that Marienplatz is starting to be taken over by tiny wooden houses. Those would be the beginnings of what soon will be a glowing, warm Christmas oasis in the middle of this cold harsh winter. On the streets connecting Marienplatz to Odeonsplatz, you will find more wooden huts selling a delicious spiced wine called Glühwein. Trust me, you will want to bear the cold with a few friends and have a few mugs.
While you're roaming the markets, you will be treated by live Festive music from the balcony of the town hall. Starting at 5.30 pm, you will feel more Christmas spirit than ever!
Enjoy!
Just because you have to eat at the airport does not mean that your meal has to be boring or cliché. Check out the Hofbräu Bistro in Terminal 1, which is a fantastic café filled with all of the delicious traditional snacks that you will be leaving behind. Spend your morning with a traditional weißwurst breakfast complete with a weißbier. Just a tip, take the skin off before you eat the sausage! Try out the Mangostin restaurant in Terminal 2, which serves up sushi, thai food, noodles and yummy cocktails! After you've had one too many cocktails, you can wake up with their great coffee. Airport Horizon in Terminal 2, which is a family time favorite complete with a huge buffet. Right off the Skywalk roof-top, you can enjoy Berlin-style currywursts, and various other sausages.
If you're looking for something a bit more posh, check out the restaurant Charles Linbergh at the Kempinski hotel. The white table cloths, chic atmosphere and intricate themes will insure an airport restaurant experience that you would never expect. Make sure that you have reservations made!
There are also many other various small eateries that serve up special sandwiches, paninis, soups amongst other things. You can also find a few sportsbars around, where you can relive a 1950s movie and befriend the bartender. Depending on where in the airport you are, as it really is HUGE, you can easily find something delicious if you just take a look around.
Enjoy!