There is no better place to get some early Christmas magic and old world charm than traditional German Christmas markets. Whether in Germany, the US or elsewhere, most of the magic occurs after sunset when the holiday lights are shining and hot chocolate or Glühwein (mulled wine) keep us warm. This is of course also the season when safety reflectors are the most needed. We have written before about the Christkindlmarkt in Chicago and the Swedish Christmas market at the Swedish American Museum in Chicago. This year, we had the good fortune to spend Thanksgiving week in Berlin, Germany. There, we enjoyed an incredible variety of markets, each with a different style and character. Some are open from the last week of November until Christmas or New Year, others pop up for one or more weekends. Enjoy some virtual traveling to our favorite Christmas markets in Berlin!
Weihnachtsmarkt am Roten Rathaus
The Christmas Market at the Red Town Hall is family friendly and offers fun for young and old. Visible from afar is the Ferris wheel offering visitors a bird’s-eye-view from 150 feet (50m) in the air. The center piece of the market is the Neptune fountain surrounded by an ice skating rink. The day we were there was cold and cloudy, but glühwein, bratwursts, roasted nuts and candy kept us and other visitors in a good mood. Of course there are also booths with Christmas decorations, ceramics, gloves, hats, art prints and assorted gifts and trinkets. Near St. Mary’s church is one aisle, where you can watch medieval craftsmen creating ironwork, jewelry and other items.
The market at the red town hall is open daily until 10pm. On weekends, they open at 10am and weekdays at 11am, closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The market goes on until January 6th, 2020. The details are at their website: berlinerweihnachtszeit.de A list of vendors is available here.
Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market
Beautifully decorated white booths, each crowned with a golden Moravian star, give the market at the Gendarmenmarkt an elegant touch. The surrounding French and German Cathedrals and Berlin Concert Hall make a stunning backdrop to dining, Christmas shopping and entertainment. We found some nice quality Christmas gifts and delicious Thüringer Bratwurst in the classy booths.
The market is open daily 11am – 10pm and entry is €1 for adults after 2pm. The details are at their website: weihnachtsmarkt-berlin.de.
Christmas Market on Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is just a short walk from the red town hall. It is a hub for trams, U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (local trains) and regional trains and a popular shopping and meeting location for tourists and locals alike. This time of year, the iconic world clock is kept company by a colorful and bustling Christmas market. It is designed for some quick Christmas gift shopping, carousel rides and after-work hang-outs. One of the focal points is the creatively lit German Christmas Pyramid with food stands on the ground floor and a seating area on the second.
Christmas Market on Breitscheidplatz
One of the larger Christmas markets is on Breitscheidplatz where it wraps around the old and new Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (memorial church). It was surprisingly busy even early afternoon on a rainy day. With about 200 booths, you can find everything from handmade jewelry, traditional wooden ornaments to “I ❤️Berlin” sweatshirts and other souvenirs. After several days of the typical meat and carb diet, we enjoyed a falafel lunch from an Israeli vendor. Tragically, three years ago, a terrorist drove a truck into this Christmas market. The victims are honored with flowers and candles at a memorial on the steps leading up to the church. Of course, the security has been vastly improved and we felt safe.
Lucia Christmas Market
The Christmas market at the Kulturbrauerei is inspired by the Scandinavian Lucia culture and the need for lots of lights and glögg (Scandinavian mulled wine, often stronger that the German gluhwein) during the darkest days of the year. The market is located in the courtyard of an old brewery in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. The car-free area, with kid-friendly activities and lots of glögg stands makes it a popular hangout for families in the afternoon and others later in the evening. We met Estonian, Finish and Swedish vendors and got a venison bratwurst from a local vendor.
We were so excited about the Swedish licorice stand, where we got both salt and sweet licorice, that we forgot to take a picture. Oops. Oh well, here is a list of all the vendors and this is a great market, especially if you like Scandinavian and Scandinavian inspired food with a German twist. The market opens at 1pm Saturdays and Sundays, 3pm Monday through Friday and stays open until 10pm every day. The last day for 2019 is Sunday, December 22.
More Christmas Markets in Berlin
Believe it or not, these are just a few of all the Christmas market you can visit in Berlin in December! We had good use of this spread sheet(!). However, we also tripped over a few smaller markets, so not all neighborhood or weekend-only markets are listed there. The German-only website “Christmas in Berlin” is dedicated to Christmas activities in Berlin and a great help. If you plan to go to Berlin this time of year, we highly recommend picking out a couple of markets ahead of time.
Frohe Weihnachten 🎄 from the funflector team!