Winter Market Opens @ Munich Airport

The popular Winter Market at Munich Airport Center opened on Saturday.

Since the inaugural event in 1999, the winter wonderland at the heart of Munich Airport has been a bigger hit every year, drawing large crowds of international visitors.

A visit to the market, with its more than 50 market stalls, has become a pleasant pre-Christmas ritual for travelers as well as visitors from the airport's neighboring communities. And it's not only the outdoor Christmas shopping that attracts them. The event also features a large outdoor rink for ice skating and Bavarian curling as well as some live entertainment. A total of 40 bands and musical acts from the region are scheduled to appear.

The stage show will be different every day, featuring every genre from rock, pop, blues and jazz through to swing and salsa. While taking it all in, visitors will not go hungry. All kinds of treats will be on offer, from traditional Bavarian cuisine to Asian dishes. In keeping with the season, visitors can wash down these treats and keep themselves warm with mulled wine: either Bavarian glühwein or Swedish glögg.

To spread Yuletide cheer, the MAC forum will be decorated with more than 400 Christmas trees. There is also plenty on the program for children. They can take in the antics of a traditional Kasperl play, try their hand at baking, decorate a gingerbread house or make their own decorations.

Again this year, skating and curling will be open to everyone free of charge. Ice skates can be rented right next to the rink for a small charge.

Starting on 1 December, there will be attractive flights to be won in the online advent calendar contest, available on the Munich Airport website. After the first of the month, tickets for flights departing from Munich Airport will be tucked away behind every second door of the Advent calendar. Just click on today's door, answer the questions and hope for the best. Other prizes to be won include hotel, restaurant and shopping vouchers as well as exclusive VIP services at Munich Airport. The players who answer the questions correctly on every day of Advent will be entered in the draw for the grand prize: two return flights to Johannesburg with South African Airways. A giant advent calendar on the Meta Twist Tower also has a treat in store for visitors: every day it will announce special discounts at airport shops.

During the Christmas period from 22 December 2012 until 6 January 2013, except on Christmas Eve, three daily Twilight Tours of the airport will depart at 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. On 24 December at 1:15 p.m., an A380 Christkindl Tour will take place. Tickets are available at the airport's Visitors Park and can be reserved by calling 089/975-41333.

The Munich Airport Winter Market, which will continue this year until 30 December, is open daily from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., except on 24 December when the market and the airport shops will close early, at 5:00 p.m. Visitors coming to the Winter Market by car can present their parking ticket at any market stall to obtain a special voucher for up to five hours of free parking in the P20 car park.

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