I tried to arrange to be in Munich for King's Day on January 6th only to find out today that I screwed up and the big celebration is on January 7th...&quot;Fasching&quot;.<BR><BR>If anyone has been in Munigh for this celebration could you tell me your thoughts and impressions of it. I will have to rearrange my flight plans, days off work and miss another day of school. How much trouble is it worth to stay for Fasching?<BR><BR>Thanks

hope this gets answered.

I was in Dusseldorf in 1974 and had come in from Amsterdam on the train early on a Sunday morning. I had no idea that there was any sort of celebration and knew nothing of Fasching. It was very early in the morning and cold, and I saw several Mom and Dad types with kids dressed in what looked like Halloween costumes. <BR><BR>I went into a pub that had just opened and a couple of minutes later two guys dressed in clown suits with goofy hair and large red noses came in, had a quick shot and walked back out.<BR><BR>I kept seeing people in strange costumes for the rest of the morning and at about noon or so I rounded a corner and there were thousands of people lined up on either side of a boulevard street and there were &quot;float&quot; type vehicles pulling cages with people dressed as animals inside.<BR><BR>It was extremely bizarre. I told a buddy of mine who had lived in Munich and he said it was Fasching. However, this was in early February.<BR><BR>If indeed it was Fasching that I witnessed I would think it is certainly worth rearranging your stay. It was hilarious . . . and great fun. Particulary having no idea what was happening.

Fasching Dienstag is on March 4, 2003 (I think - same as Mardi Gras). January 6 is not an exciting holiday in Munich as most people celebrate at home. On Fasching Dienstag in Munich there's a HUGE party at the Viktualienmarkt. It's packed to the gills with people in costumes dancing, singing, drinking and partying even when it's cold and rainy. The whole city is pretty festive and a lot of people get off work early.

Can anybody clear this up? What are the Munich celebrations on January 6 and January 7? Fasching is most definitely in March, and can be compared to Mardi Gras. As with Mardi Gras, although one city has the big deal, you'll find people celebrating in costume all over... even while skiing, etc. <BR>

I live in Munich and I can tell you that January 6 is not an exciting holiday. It's called Heilige Drei Koenige (Holy 3 Kings) and I believe it's a celebration of when the 3 wise men went to Jesus. All the shops are closed and basically people are recovering from Christmas. The only notable thing I know that happens is that groups of carolers go door to door (I think mostly to people they know) and take donations for the needy. January 7 isn't a holiday and has no significance in Bavaria that I know of.

January 6 is Dreik&ouml;nigstag, to celebrate the three kings Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (Matthew 2.1-12). It is a public holiday in some European countries, including Bavaria, but not all of Germany.<BR><BR>Fasching is just another word for carnival (Karneval in German). The last 3 or 4 days of the carnival is called Fastnacht. Fasching Dienstag is Shrove Tuesday in English. Mardi gras is simply French for &quot;Fat Tuesday&quot;. Whatever you call it, it is the last day of the carnival. Next day is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Paige,<BR><BR>Since I will be in Munich on January 6th and you mentioned that most shops will be closed can you give me an idea of what will be opened and what would be a good idea of visiting on that day. Is it possible that I will only be able to go to church, eat at a restuarant and rest on this day? Also, I will have my 10 year old daughter with me so if you know of something special to do with a child on that day I would love to find out. FYI, neither of us speak German if that matters to any of your suggestions.<BR><BR>It seems like I should arrange my other free days in Munich based on what activies I can do on January 6th.

I was fasched once in Munich...hmm man it was one kinky time.

Hello! I think most (or all) museums will be open on Jan 6. Here's a link to the Munich tourist info:<BR>http://www.muenchen-tourist.de/englisch/index_e.htm<BR>Click on 'city information' then 'places of interest' then 'museums and galleries' then the type of museum you're interested in. There's a toy museum in the Altes Rathaus right by Marienplatz that your daughter might like (under 'special museums' it's 'Toy Museum in the Tower of the Old City Hall'. Some cafes and bakeries will be open as well as most restaurants. All shops and department stores will be closed. Neuschwanstein is probably open that day.