From the last weekend in November until right after Christmas, the Berlin is “inundated” with some of the most magical and enchanting Christmas markets. In fact, there are more than 60 of those throughout the city. Locals gather together to celebrate and get cozy while drinking mulled wine, beer and eating some of the most yummy German street food. Another favorite activity at Christmas Markets in Berlin is, of course, shopping for hand made Christmas decorations and trinkets. Several vocal and musical groups provide for a fun entertainment program.
Not all Christmas Markets in Berlin are alike, so it’s totally worth exploring a few during the season. Some of them are more exclusive and posh. Others are very popular and feel almost like Carnival fairs. Some are located in stunning landmarks like Charlottenburg Palace, Gendarmenmarkt Square or in little old neighborhood/village centers. Others take place on city’s open spaces, old factories and squares. The past couple of years has seen a surge of “specialty” Christmas Markets in Berlin and they range from Greek, Japanese, Vegan, you name it. These, even if fun, tend to feel less “Christmassy” as the traditional ones, so we decided this year to focus on the ones that will give you a true satisfying Christmas experience.
Of course it’s impossible to visit all of them in one season, so we hope our Best Christmas Markets in Berlin list will help you decide where to focus on. Most markets start on November 25th and go up to Christmas. For more details visit the markets’ pages below. Enjoy!
Weihnachtszauber at Gendarmenmarkt
Perhaps Berlin’s most beautiful Christmas market. It’s also one of the “poshest” and most visited. The food, drinks, arts & crafts are all catered to a more upscale audience. There’s a small entrance fee (1 euro). Totally worth it even it it feels a bit commercial at times. Daily.
Lucia Christmas Market at the Kulturbrauerei
A must visit. Located in an old brewery complex, this market is super picturesque. It’s super family friendly and unique. The Christmas market is named after the Lucia festival, celebrated in the Scandinavian countries. Therefore the market focuses on Nordic traditions. Daily.
Advent Christmas Market at the Domäne Dahlem
The small farm in the southwestern Dahlem neighborhood turns into a very atmospheric Christmas market on all four Advent weekends. It’s a family-with-children favorite – and also of ours! The quality of the products is exceptional and so is the food: most of the specialties are not only delicious but also organic. The kids can join carriage and pony rides, while their parents can enjoy a quince punch listening to the lovely Christmas brass band music!
Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace
The baroque Charlottenburg Palace is an amazing backdrop for this Christmas market. The lighting installations/effects here are possibly the prettiest in town. Atmosphere, food, the wooden huts and decorations are top notch. Daily.
Traditional Spandau Christmas Market
So traditional. So authentic. The small streets and squares of old town Spandau transform every December into a large, unique Christmas market. The long pedestrian zone is taken by 250 market stalls (Mondays to Fridays) and up to 400 on weekends.
Alt-Rixdorfer Christmas Market
This traditional Christmas market on Richardplatz in Neukölln-Rixdorf is perhaps one of the most atmospheric. It only happens during the second weekend of Advent and has a definite “crafty small town” feel. The charming gas lamps give it a distinct romantic air.
You may also want to visit the following locations with great Christmas markets: Nikolaiviertel, Potsdam old town, Köpenick old town, Ku’damm (Weihnachtsmarkt am Gedachtniskirche), Zehlendorf, Grunewald, Kollwitzplatz, Sophienstrasse, Potsdamer Platz, St. Michaels Heim.
This article was written by Tulio Edreira and edited by Domingos Lepores.
