Munich is not a carnival stronghold – and yet with the market women on the Viktualienmarkt it has something unique to offer. Those who already dream of summer holidays and outdoor sports in February will get the best inspiration at the travel and leisure fair “f.re.e“.
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All children who want to try their hand at dancing, singing, drumming and various other instruments are cordially invited to this two-day music festival at Gasteig HP8. From picture book readings for the little ones to join in, musical detective stories for children aged 5 and up and power dancing for teenagers, there is something for everyone. The motto of this year's music festival is “Sounds of the whole world“. The date for 2.50 Euro tickets follows soon.
“The Gasteig is buzzing!“, date follows soon, Gasteig HP8
Even before the peak of the Munich carnival at the end of February and beginning of March, there will once again be a whole series of traditional carnival balls in the city's ballrooms in 2026. The carnival strongholds include the Deutsches Theater, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof and numerous pubs. You can find all balls and dates for Munich carnival here.
The Oide Wiesn Bürgerball opens the ball season at the Deutsches Theater. A ball for all those who love traditional costume and the flair and tradition of the Munich Oktoberfest.
Oide Wiesn Citizens' Ball, date follows soon, Deutsches Theater
Highlights of the soirée in the Deutsches Theater are the Prince Waltz by the carnival prince and princess of the state capital Munich, the dance performances by the Narrhalla Prinzengarde and the guard dance by the flag regiment. This year, the Karl Valentin Medal will be awarded to TV presenter and entertainer Günther Jauch. Friend and colleague Thomas Gottschalk will give the laudatory speech.
Grand Narrhalla Ball “Soiree Münchner Leben“ with presentation of the “Karl Valentin Order“, date follows soon, Deutsches Theater
When the Künstlerhaus on Karlsplatz-Stachus opened at the beginning of the century before last, legendary carnival costume parties were celebrated throughout Munich. Great Munich artists such as Franz von Lenbach and August Kaulbach were busy organising huge carnival parades. The Künstlerhaus celebrates its opening 125 years ago with the Gauklerball in the style and costumes of the time, the so-called Belle Époque.
Jugglers' Ball: The jugglers around 1900, date follows soon, Munich Künstlerhaus
At the carnival ball for children and families, the dance guards of the Carnival Order perform. There are also lots of fun games, surprises, great music and something to win. Of course, Pumuckl is not to be missed.
Pumuckl and the carnival prince: Family carnival ball, date follows soon, Festsaal Bayerischer Hof
The Super Bowl broadcast in the Werksviertel-Mitte at Munich's Ostbahnhof has been a tradition for decades. This year, fans can look forward to a great supporting programme, delicious BBQ and draught beer. Thanks to a video cube, the best view is guaranteed for all tickets, the Munich Ravens football team will be on site, there will be competitions and the best entertainment from the. cheerleaders. If anyone gets a little tired during the night - coffee will also be served.
Super Bowl Party, February 6, 2026, WERK7
Shindy is a German rapper and producer who now lives in Munich. On February 21, 2026, Shindy will play the penultimate concert on his Blüte 2 Tour at Zenith, die Kulturhalle.
Shindy - Blüte 2 Tour, February 21, 2026, Zenith, die Kulturhalle
Perfect for the cold season - small, uncrowded museums in the heart of Munich.
When it comes to small, special museums, the Valentin-Karlstadt-Musäum in the towers of the Isartor is a must. It is dedicated to the comedian couple Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt, who lived and worked in Munich at the beginning of the 20th century. Since its opening in 1959, this special museum in the old town has been making both locals and visitors laugh.
No other museum in Munich is as centrally located as the Toy Museum: in the tower of the Old Town Hall between Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt there is a fantastic collection of historical toys. Dolls, stuffed animals, model trains and tin toys from Europe and America, some of which are up to 200 years old, are exhibited on four floors. Older museum visitors are sure to recognize one or two toys from their childhood. The historical setting of the Old Town Hall fits in well with the exhibition - it feels a bit like being in a doll's house!
You can find an overview of small and special museums in Munich here.
More than 400 tropical butterflies are once again fluttering around freely in the small aquatic plant house in the Botanical Garden. This is possible because of the warm tropical atmosphere in the greenhouse. Here you can enjoy a blaze of colour before spring arrives outside again.
Tropical butterflies in the Botanical Garden, date follows soon, Botanical Garden
At the trade fair f.re.e from 18 to 22 February 2026, people will be mentally on holiday, in the mountains, on the water and on their bicycles. The largest travel and leisure fair in Bavaria inspires in camping, cruising, health and wellness, water sports and everything to do with outdoor activities. On site at the Messe München, visitors can climb steep rock faces, try their hand at stand-up paddling and even take a taster diving course.
Trade Fair f.re.e, February 18 to 22, 2026, Messe München
Winter in Munich without any skiing or snowboarding? Unimaginable! After all, the city has the mountains right on its doorstep. Brauneck mountain, for example, is around an hour away in the car or on the train. Lenggries ski resort offers a variety of pistes and a long valley run. However, its best snow conditions come during high winter. Sudelfeld Bayrischzell is Germany's largest continuous ski resort and is known for being particularly family-friendly. The lifts have been undergoing expansion and renovation measures for a number of years. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has not one but two resorts in its direct vicinity. One the one hand, you have the Garmisch resort with its local mountain, Alpspitze, Kreuzeck and the legendary Kandahar run. And on the other hand, you have Zugspitze, Germany's highest ski resort. Up there, the peak is still covered in snow when the beer gardens back down in the valley are opening for the season. However, the terraces on Zugspitzplatt (plateau) are also an ideal spot to enjoy the first warm sun of the new year.
If the sledging slopes in Munich's parks are too small for you, why not try heading to a proper mountain. The best place is Wallberg mountain in Rottach-Egern, a 1722-metre-high peak in Bavaria's Alpine foothills. Starting at the mountain station for the Wallbergbahn cable car, a 6.5-kilometre-long natural sledge track winds its way down the valley. The route is one of the longest and sportiest in Germany. Sledgers need around 30 minutes to cover the 825-metre drop in altitude from the top to the bottom. Sledges are available to rent from the Wallbergbahn cable car. The sledge route is open daily if there is enough snow; the track is then prepared overnight ready for the next day. After your descent, relax with a beer or snack at Herzogliche Braustüberl Tegernsee or a trip to the lakeside sauna Seesauna Tegernsee. The highlight of any trip to the sauna is a round in the Irmingard sauna ship, a 15-tonne steam boat from 1925 that was once used to train captains.
Schmalznudeln – also known as Auszogne or Kiachl in Bavaria – literally means “shortening noodles”, though these deep-fried pastry treats have little to do with pasta. Auszogne are a traditional part of Alpine cuisine. They are made from a yeast-based dough, cooked in fat and then dusted with icing sugar. These little discs are thick around the edges and exceptionally thin in the middle. The Bavarian name Auszogne comes from the traditional technique used to make the pastries. The dough used to be pulled out (“ausgezogen” in German) by hand and stretched over the knee to make rings. Auszogne are sold in plenty of bakeries, though the undisputed number one choice when it comes to Schmalznudeln is Café Frischhut on Viktualienmarkt. In the 1970s and 80s, no sooner had the discos closed for the night than the city’s night owls arrived at the café for a Schmalznudel and cup of coffee. Nowadays, the café's most loyal customers are the stall owners at the Viktualienmarkt.
A detailed calendar of events can be found here.
More about this: New arrivals talk about where to find a taste of home in Munich. Hélène Badault from Paris (aufildelene.com) talks about popular pastries, chatty restaurant owners, and lamb that tastes of summer. Bonjour Munich.
