Maximilianstrasse / Residenzstrasse / Theatinerstrasse
These streets around the opera nationaltheater in the city center are the place to go if you are looking for high end luxury goods. all of the usual international suspects and some local designers and clothiers are present. a few art galleries are left despite the high rents.
Kaufingerstrasse / Neuhauserstrasse
This pedestrian zone stretches from karlsplatz/stachus to marienplatz and is the primary shopping zone for mid-priced goods. numerous department stores, chain and a few remaining independent boutiques line the corridor. the side streets are less crowded and offer some less homogenized shopping. plenty of restaurants, open air cafes and beer gardens offer the weary tourist a rest. foot traffic is amongst of the highest of any shopping zone worldwide. warning: during the summer and on saturdays, this area will be jam packed with locals and tourists alike and can be unpleasantly crowded.
Shopping Centers
For a collection of shops under one roof, go to the shopping centres pep u-bahn stop: neuperlach zentrum, u5, oez u-bahn stop olympia-einkaufszentrum, u1 and u3, riem arkaden u-bahn stop messestadt ost, u2 or the brandnew and pleasantly uncrowded mira u-bahn stop dã¼lferstrasse, u2
Hohenzollernstrasse
This street has a collection of clothes shops, such as: mazel, vero moda and especially during the summer in the months approaching the oktoberfest, numerous shops selling comparatively cheap traditional german clothing lederhos'n and dirnd'l. you can reach it by getting out at the u2 stop hohenzollernstr and then walking in the direction of mã¼nchner freiheit the locals will be able to tell you which direction that is, or by going one stop on the 53 bus going towards mã¼nchner freiheit that's the final stop, displayed on the front of the bus. from then on continue going in that direction, until you start seeing the shops. you can walk down there in about 15 minutes, and that then brings you to the next shopping zone.
Leopoldstrasse
This busy boulevard can be reached by the u-bahn u6 or u3 at the stops mã¼nchner freiheit, giselastraãe or universitã¤t, and has chain stores such as the body shop, fast food joints, inexpensive restaurants, cinemas, sidewalk cafes and coffee shops, such as starbucks. in the side streets you can find a wide selection of boutiques and lesser known local designers. on warm summer evenings along the sidewalks dozens of local artists will be showing and selling their works.
Gärtnerplatzviertel
The area around beautiful gã¤rtnerplatz u-bahn stop marienplatz or frauenhoferstrasse, u2 is a haven for vintage lovers. you can find local designers and other quirky shops.
Schellingstrasse
The neighbourhood around the main university campus u-bahn stop universitã¤t, u3/u6 offers nice studenty clothes shops, small book stores, hip cafã©s and eats e.g. the pommes boutique in amalienstrasse with their fantastic belgian fries (http://www.pommesboutique.de/)
Markets
Viktualienmarkt
(http://www.muenchen.de/ma...) — famous market in the city centre, where you will find any imaginable sort of fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, spices, and so on. also plenty of places to get a quick bite to eat as well as its own little biergarten when the weather's warm enough.
Elisabethmarkt
(http://www.muenchen.de/ma...) — a smaller and less touristy i.e. cheaper market, it has cute stalls, a good selection of fruits, vegetables and delicacies, a quaint beergarten seasonally and an original feel. it is located at the tram stop elisabethplatz of the tram 27. this is a good starting point to explore the less commercial parts of schwabing, there are quite a few interesting boutiques and designers on elisabethstrasse between elisabethplatz and leopoldstrasse.
Christmas markets
Münchner Freiheit
There is an artisan market at the subway stop in schwabing.
Wittelsbacher Platz
Close to odeonsplatz, there is a medieval christmas market where you can buy medieval clothes, food and drinks, swords / bows, and arrows and watch the performances of medieval dances and music.
During Christmas time, there are many of these Christkindl Märkte, or Christmas Markets (http://www.muenchen.de/Ra...), including the large Tollwood, but also smaller markets, where you can buy Christmas biscuits Lebkuchen, souvenirs, and the typical Glühwein. Although pronounced glue-vine, it is mainly hot red wine with spices and different secret flavouring.
Marienplatz
A bigger market, very commercial, it stretches across the shopping street, so you can mix christmas market shopping and eating with "normal" shopping. if you walk south towards sendlinger tor, you'll reach more traditional woodcarvers' stands.
Chinesischer Turm
At englischer garten has a nice christmas market in a pretty park surrounding. highly recommended if there's snow! it can conveniently be reached from u/bus station mã¼nchner freiheit on the bus 54, which has a stop chinesischer turm.
Residence courtyard
A christmas town with fairytale stories for kids.
Christkindltram
(http://www.spurwechsel-mu...) — a christmas tram that runs only during advent through the city center every half an hour departure is from sendlingertor. the tram is nicely decorated, where people can enjoy christmas songs and mulled wine glã¼hwein. one-way ticket costs â¬1.50.
Seasonal and flea markets
Hofflohmärkte
This is where particular munich city quarters encourage their residents to open up their courtyards whereby entire sections of the city become a combination flea market and private courtyard siteseeing - very interesting for viewing corners of the city one usually would not see. event dates are coordinated by the city; inquire at local information centers for dates.
Throughout the city one finds occasional markets that are well worth the visit when they are taking place and a Saturday-morning must when the sun is shining!. The flea markets in Munich can be exceptional in that they are generally genuine private citizens selling their unwanted belongings with a minimum of commercial interest. In addition to the weekly offerings, you'll find several neighborhood 'courtyard fleamarkets' events in the summer months.
Auer Dult
(http://www.auerdult.de/en...) are week-long market/fests that take place 3 times a year spring, summer and autumn in haidhausen primarily dealing in household goods and antiques but also offering beer and amusement rides. definitely try to see this if you haven't seen oktoberfest!
Theresienwiese
(http://www.brk-muenchen.d...) this has to be the largest annual fleamarket in europe, taking place on the first saturday of the frã¼hlingsfest spring festival - occurs in the middle of april on the same site as the oktoberfest, there are generally several thousand citizens offering up their second-hand goods while dealers of new wares are forbidden! a yearly highlight for fleamarket and antique lovers if the weather is reasonable.
Messegelände Riem
(http://www.flohmarkt-riem...) at the site of the former airport, where in recent years the new convention grounds and residential neighborhood has bloomed, one also finds the current longest running weekly fleamarket. although it's at the edge of town, the underground u2 will take you almost directly there. saturdays 6am-4pm provided there is no convention fair taking place!
Olympiapark
(http://www.brk-muenchen.d...) fine weekly flea market throughout the year, breaking only when there are olympia stadium events. taking place in the nicely tree-shaded parking lot of the stadium on fridays and saturdays from 7am to 4pm.