Kaufingerstraße, Shopping street in Altstadt-Lehel, Munich, Germany.

Kaufingerstraße is a pedestrian shopping street in Munich's Altstadt that begins at Marienplatz and ends at the Färbergraben/Augustinerstraße junction, where Neuhauser Straße continues west. It is paved with light grey rectangular stones and a darker grey band along the centre. Tall pale grey and red-brown stone buildings line the left side, their ground floors shaded by large white canopy umbrellas; on the right, a cream-coloured stone building with rows of rectangular windows houses H&M and Zara.

The street's name likely derives from the patrician Chunradius Choufringer, first documented as a witness on 28 May 1239. Already part of the salt route from Salzburg and Reichenhall to Switzerland, it was called Chufringerstraße before 1316, making it one of Munich's oldest street names. In the 19th century, baroque merchant houses gave way to department stores; during World War II the buildings were largely destroyed and later replaced.

The street's name recalls a salt merchant from centuries ago, and today it serves as a central gathering place where locals and visitors walk side by side, stopping to window shop or chat in sidewalk cafés. The pace feels casual during off-peak hours, though crowds swell noticeably during afternoons and weekends.

The street is easy to walk and has clear pathways with few obstacles, though it gets crowded especially in afternoons and on weekends. Visiting early in the morning offers a more comfortable experience when shops are just opening and foot traffic is lighter.

The street's name lost the "r" of Kaufringerstraße in 1379 and has been written without it since the 17th century. A plaque at the Hirmer department store (Kaufingerstraße 28) marks the site of the Schöner Turm, a gate that once closed the street; its ground plan is traced in the pavement.