Carnival.

Munich’s carnival cannot compete with the carnival in the Rhineland and Cologne, but thousands of Munich residents celebrate the traditional Munich carnival in the city center every year. The highlight for many Munich residents is Shrove Tuesday at the Viktualienmarkt with the Market Women’s Dance.

The event usually begins on the morning of Shrove Tuesday between nine and ten o’clock. The program includes a welcome by the Mayor of the City of Munich, music, performances by the Carnival Guard, and the farewell of this year’s Prince and Princess. The highlight is the performance of the market women, who delight the audience every year with their rehearsed dances. For more than 30 years, the women have been dancing in their colorful costumes to the delight of visitors – first in front of the stalls and now on stage. According to the police, about 10,000 carnival fans come to the Viktualienmarkt, depending on the weather, so the square is well filled. So if you want to see the market women dancing in safety, get there early – the police close the square if it gets too crowded for safety reasons. Sometimes it’s worth going to a nearby entrance.

Many of the stalls at the Viktualienmarkt offer food and drink for carnival fans. Musical entertainment is provided not only on the stage, but also at the various market stalls in all areas of the Viktualienmarkt.

In addition to the Viktualienmarkt, the Munich Carnival also takes place between Stachus and Marienplatz. Admission is free – just to be on the safe side, avoid bringing large bags and glass bottles. Nothing stands in the way of a fun day at Munich’s Viktualienmarkt. We do not recommend traveling to the Viktualienmarkt by car. We wish you a lot of fun!