"Eat, eat, drink, drink shop and be merry” would be the perfect motto for a quick trip to Munich’s marvellous Christmas markets.

Most of us have visited the export versions of these annual festivals of German jollity, be that in Bradford or other cities.

The local format is normally the same – a wintry civic square beneath a gothic Victorian town hall with a whiff of damp bratwurst and stalls full of baubles and wooden nick-nacks.

And in the Bavarian capital, it seems to be a similar recipe in the throng of the Marienplatz below the towering gargoyled Rathaus where a brass band plays carols on a balcony.

Except it’s not.

It’s totally different because it’s authentic, very real, and a hundred times better for that.

To use beer as an explanation – the most appropriate metaphor to swim in – it’s like a can of UK lagerpop compared to the fabulous work of purity that is a glass of pils served in the hallowed halls of Munich’s Hofbrauhaus.

It has to be said – they just do it so much better over there.

In Munich, eager Bavarian burghers from surrounding towns and villages compete for the honour of providing a giant tree its main market square.

Massive and stuffed with thousands of clean white lights, it is symbolic of the serious pride with which they handle the four weeks of Advent.

And that seriousness was a theme throughout our 24-hour trip to this southern German city, courtesy of Monarch Airlines, who are now offering an easy hop from Leeds Bradford Airport which takes less than two hours.

This Christmas experience is not a wild latin affair – although, historically, Catholic Munich did lean more towards holy Rome than to dour Protestant Hamburg. The first taste of calm efficiency comes with the silence of passing through Munich’s magnificent airport.

It is truly silent, no tannoys telling fools they’re late for flights, or to wipe their noses, or look after their bags, children or brains. Munich Airport assumes you are intelligent, educated and can at least read.

Therefore, you will be able to use its amazing range of information outlets, including touch screens and virtual interfaces with real staff in order to get from Gate A to B without upset.

Equally refreshing is the fact the airport has its own brewery. An excellent lunch of suckling pig and Bavarian potato dumplings in the smart Airbrau restaurant was washed down with the welcome taste of its own home-made lager.

A pleasing and also rare fact is that all prices in the airport bars, shops or its own mini-Christmas market are controlled and guaranteed to be no more than in town.

After dumping bags at the smart, well-run Marriott Courtyard hotel three rail stops from Munich centre, it was on to the business of the day: Eat, eat, drink, drink, shop and be merry.

On a guided march around the Marienplatz, we began with an insight into why Munich treats Christmas so grandly. It believes it owns it.

The story of Christkindl is central to the whole experience and simply told, Bavarian children believe that the Christ child lives somewhere in the lederhosen-wearing snow hills nearby. They write letters, not to softy Santa, but to young Christ himself.

In the Rathaus’ imposing entrance there is an efficient kiosk where waits not a slack-jawed elf, but an immaculate winged-angel who receives the missives. And every one posted gets a reply from Mary’s boychild.

There’s no mucking about when it comes to Christmas in Munchen. This calm authority means it is an absolutely delightful and peaceful experience to wander through the markets, eating sausages or sourdough pizza, stopping for a gluhwein or three, a beer then some gingerbread.

And that was on the night of football when Bayern Munchen took on Dortmund, their fiercest foe. Picture Piccadilly Square with booze and tinsel when City play United, to coin an image. Except in Munich all the fans, some drunk, all happy, mingled with the thousands of families enjoying the cold night out. I saw one uniformed policeman and no high-viz vests at all.

“There are undercover officers, but there is never any trouble in Munich,” said our guide.

We ducked into the Hofbrauhaus where the arched ceiling rang to burly men in team colours chanting tribal songs. Standing beside racks of stone beer steins, all neatly locked up for their owners’ return, it felt safe and exciting in a way we have almost forgotten.

There are other Munich tours, some much darker than ours. Dachau is only 20km away.

We bustled through the bright streets to the Hackerhaus restaurant for more fine food.

Massive cuts of slow-roast pork with dumplings are part of the traditional rustic food beloved by Bavarians, harking back to love of hunting which provides the city with its own museum dedicated to the chase.

But I went for what was laughingly called a half duck. It was a duck-filled plate.
More fantastic beer, which seemed more like a health drink with every glass, then it was off to catch the train to the hotel.

Snow began to fall in a gentle, almost ordered way.

Everything in Munich at Christmas is crisp and clean. And even a bit deep.

TRAVEL FACTS

Monarch launched Munich flights from Leeds/Bradford airport this week, with a lead in fare of £39.49.
These continue until summer 2013. For more details visit monarch.co.uk.
Munich Christkindlmarkt lasts until Christmas Eve.
Room prices at the Marriott Courtyard hotel vary. For details visit marriot.de.
Sample menus for the traditional Hackerhaus restaurant can be seen at hackerhaus.de.
For more about Munich, visit munich-tourist.de.