Living in Berlin, every December we go to the Christmas markets – in German Weihnachtsmärkte. Such markets are held before Christmas in many cities around the world, but the German capital simply has more of them, and each one has a slightly different atmosphere. Fairy lights, decorations, wooden stalls, a band and above all mulled wine – that is what German Christmas markets are all about. In this post I have gathered the ones we visited in 2019–2022, from the biggest ones in the centre to smaller, more atmospheric ones.
Table of contents
- Alexanderplatz – a market right in the centre
- The Red Town Hall – a Ferris wheel and an ice rink
- Gendarmenmarkt – between the Konzerthaus and the cathedrals
- Kulturbrauerei – a Scandinavian-style market
- RAW-Gelände – a historical market
- Charlottenburg – a market in front of the palace
- Practical information
Alexanderplatz – a market right in the centre
In 2021 it was unclear for a long time whether the markets would open at all. In the end they opened on 22 November – with restrictions, admittedly, and not all of them – and we did not wait long: that very evening we went to the one right in the city centre, at Alexanderplatz. Its trademark is a huge Christmas pyramid with a rotating propeller.
The stalls stand along the square all the way to the TV tower. The range is wide: from souvenirs, band T-shirts, football fan gear, handbags and winter clothes to pretzels, pancakes, sweets and various kinds of alcohol. Entry is free.
We came back a year later, in December 2022. The market was laid out very similarly, although it seemed smaller to me than the year before – and, unfortunately, the price rises were noticeable.
The Red Town Hall – a Ferris wheel and an ice rink
Next door, by the Red Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus), there is a separate market – we went there for the first time on 15 December 2022 and liked it a lot. Besides the obvious stalls with food, hot drinks, clothes and souvenirs, there is a Ferris wheel, merry-go-rounds and an ice rink around the Neptune Fountain.
Every now and then Santa Claus “flies off” on his sleigh above the market, and German party music plays in a large temporary hall. The whole thing – especially in the evening, when everything is lit up – looks really lovely.
Gendarmenmarkt – between the Konzerthaus and the cathedrals
In the winter of 2021/2022 we visited three more markets. The most elegant was the one on Gendarmenmarkt square – the white tents stand here between the illuminated Konzerthaus and the two twin cathedrals, the German and the French. It was one of the few with an entrance fee – €1.
Kulturbrauerei – a Scandinavian-style market
The market at the Kulturbrauerei – a former red-brick brewery in the Prenzlauer Berg district – has a completely different feel. It is arranged in Scandinavian style, with wooden stalls, Christmas trees and lanterns on the tables, and entry was free.
RAW-Gelände – a historical market
At the RAW-Gelände in Friedrichshain – former railway workshops – there is a historical Christmas market (Historischer Weihnachtsmarkt), styled on the olden days. Entry cost €3.
As at every Christmas market, the most important thing here is mulled wine, served in mugs with the market’s design. You usually pay a deposit (Pfand) for the mug – you can return it or keep it as a souvenir.
Charlottenburg – a market in front of the palace
Back in December 2019 we visited several Berlin Christmas markets, and the one that stuck in our memory most was in front of Charlottenburg Palace. We had been to the palace before, in summer, and I can say it is a great place for a Christmas market: the Baroque palace in the background gives it a unique atmosphere. A band plays, the lights change colour, and among the stalls you can find lots of treats and beautifully made items – unfortunately very expensive.
Practical information
- When: the markets usually open in the last week of November (in 2021 – on 22 November) and run until the end of December; some stay open until early January (in the winter of 2021/2022 the last ones closed after the first weekend of January).
- Opening hours: they close fairly early – around 22:00 at the latest; drinks stalls are sometimes open longer.
- Entry: free to most markets. Of the ones we visited, Gendarmenmarkt (€1) and RAW-Gelände (€3) charged a fee – prices from the 2021/2022 season.
- Prices: food, drinks and handicrafts are expensive, and in 2022 they went up even more.
- Another good reason to go out in the evening: in autumn Berlin is lit up by the Festival of Lights – projections on the Brandenburg Gate, the cathedral and many other buildings.
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