The Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Munich

Munich’s most famous beer hall is a great place to start for all beer-related gifts, and you don’t even have to head inside the crowded hall to get to the gift shop – it’s right at the door. They sell plenty of branded souvenirs with everything from Höfbrauhaus T-shirts to beer mats. If you’ve enjoyed drinking the ridiculously oversized beers in Munich, why not take home your very own stein. As well as simple Höfbrauhaus ones, they also sell beautiful old-style versions with intricate decorations and metal lids.

Though the airport will definitely rip you off (it’s €3.30 just for a regular bottle of Coke), the central train station is a great place to pick up some of those classic tourist souvenirs. Hauptbahnhof is an absolute labyrinth; to find the gift stores, stay on the street level and head to the main national train departures platform. Near the food court, you’ll find everything from rubber ducks in traditional Bavarian costumes to sweet stalls. You’ll also find the traditional Bavarian gingerbread heart cookies here, and some stores will add your own personal message in icing.

It might sound like a strange suggestion, but flea markets are a great place to find a unique souvenir at a bargain price. However short your trip, the good news is that Munich is flea market mad, and if your trip is on a weekend, chances are there’s a market happening. The most reliable one is Flohmarkt Olympiapark; on the 35,000-square-meter (376,737-square-foot) space, you’ll find over 450 stalls there bright and early every Friday and Saturday. Not a morning person? Once a month, the Flohmarkt Nachtkonsum comes to TonHalle. The indoor night market starts at 5 pm, with stalls open and bands playing until midnight.

If you enjoyed the knobbly knees proudly displayed in lederhosen or perhaps admired the retro dirndls, why not pick one up to take home? Between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz, Steindel Trachten is one of the cheaper places to find traditional German clothing. As well as a vast range of clothing and accessories for adults, they also have seriously cute kids’ clothing – if you’re going for the auntie or uncle of the year award, pick something up for your niece or nephew!

If you’re looking for something unique rather than the usual blue-and-white Bavarian souvenirs, try this colourful store near Sendlinger Tor. Pylones has everything from wine bottle coolers that look like penguins to a little stand for your glasses that makes it look like an adorable owl is wearing your oversized specs. It’s a perfect place for stationery geeks too – flamingo scissors anyone? If you’re looking for more of a birthday present, this is a great stop for a quirky souvenir.

Galeria Kaufhof is a well-known German department store chain. Though it’s based in Cologne, there are a couple of branches in Munich, including one right by Marienplatz. As well as having everything you’d expect a department store to have, it’s particularly good for edible souvenirs. Head downstairs to their food floor to find yummy chocolate slabs, posh biscuits, and many other things that will make you the colleague of the month when you take them back to the office!

That’s right – a whole store of Lindt chocolatey goodness. As well as the usual gift boxes and signature bunnies, you’ll find chocolate frogs, slabs of Lindt chocolate to buy from the counter, and – get ready for this – Lindt ball pick and mix. Grab a bag and pick exactly which chocolates and how many you want from the overfilled containers. Price is by weight, though, so be prepared for a surprise when you go to pay. Just in case you were feeling a little guilty, they give you a free one with each purchase to remind you that you made the right decision!