EVERY year, an airport in Europe is transformed into a charming Christmas market with two ice rinks and over 50 stalls.
Holidaymakers who have time to kill before a flight will want to visit Munich Airport Christmas Market.
Located at the Munich Airport Center, an area that connects the two terminals, visitors can expect to find two ice rinks and 50 market stalls.
This year, the Christmas market has over 50 stalls that sell a range of handmade items and local festive delicacies like lebkuchen (gingerbread), wurst (sausage) and reibekuchen (potato pancakes).
Both of the ice rinks are open to the public, with unlimited ice skating at one of the rinks starting from €5 (£4.14) per person, including skate hire.
A weekly disco will also take place at the ice rink.
At the other ice rink, visitors will be able to try their hand at eisstockschießen (German curling).
Renting the second ice rink costs €25 (£20.70) per hour, with advanced bookings available online.
Traditional folk musicians, local choirs and rock bands will perform at the market every evening.
Children’s activities like magic shows, gingerbread decorating workshops and appearances from Father Christmas will also take place at the market.
Other attractions include figure skating shows, ice carving events, Alpine horn blowing and other winter shows.
Munich Airport Christmas Market opened on November 15 and will run until December 29, 2024.
In addition to the huge Christmas market, the German airport will also run its popular winter light tours, where visitors can experience the airport from a behind-the-scenes perspective with an expert guide.
Munich Airport is the only airport in Europe with a five-star rating from Skytrax.
The airport was given its five-star rating back in 2020 thanks to its response to the covid-19 pandemic and its facilities.
I’ve flown through Munich Airport three times and on each occasion, I’ve made sure to visit the on-site brewery for a swift beer.
Airbräu opened in 1999 and became the first airport brewery in the world.
Munich Airport is also home to several lounges, including a VIP lounge with service from plane to airport, along with spas, shower access and hairdressers.
There are also several play areas for kids like Kinderland and an outdoor play zone and an observation deck overlooking the tarmac.
Both the S1 and S8 S-Bahn lines connect Munich Airport to the city centre, with journeys taking around 40 minutes.
HERE are three other unusual Christmas markets to visit in Europe.
Kerststad Valkenburg, the Netherlands
The award-winning Christmas market covers every corner of the town, with events at several locations, including several underground caves. One of those is the Velvet Cave Christmas Market, which is situated underneath Valkenburg’s ruined castle. It is home to more than 50 stalls that sell handmade gifts and other items.
Fraueninsel Christmas Market
Every winter, the island of Fraueninsel (also known as Frauenchiemsee), in Bavaria, Germany is transformed into a festive attraction thanks to its Christmas market. Fraueninsel is the second-largest island on Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria and is the only island in Germany with its very own Christmas market.
Fraueninsel Christmas Market has been described as one of the “most wonderful” in Bavaria by The Best Places to Visit in Germany. The Christmas market spills across the entirety of the island with both decorations and lights hung from trees and lampposts. There are over 90 wooden stalls at the market that sell handmade gifts, mulled wine, and local delicacies.
Winter Wonder Weeks, the Netherlands
Each year, Leiden in the Netherlands is transformed into a picturesque winter wonderland. The award-winning Christmas Market covers the entire city, with attractions held outside Hooglandse Kerkgracht (a gothic church) and Garenmarktplein (a square in the city).
Known as Winter Wonder Weeks, the Christmas market was previously named the best in Europe in 2016. The Christmas market spans across the entire town, with one of its most unique features being its floating ice rink.
Meanwhile, this travel writer thinks their hometown has the best Christmas attraction in the UK.
A city in Germany has been dubbed “Christmas city” because it has one of the world’s oldest and most famous Christmas markets.
