Berlin Christmas Markets

For my husband and I, this trip to Berlin was all about visiting the Christmas Markets as it was our third time to the city. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the markets on our last visit as the weather was so bad, most markets were closed! We were with my son and his girlfriend on their first trip, so we followed their lead on the attractions to visit. The Christmas Markets don’t generally open until about midday and come into their own when it’s dark, so there’s plenty of time to see other attractions too. Berlin is a fascinating city – we spent a couple of hours in The Checkpoint Charlie Museum and could have spent a lot longer, there was so much to see. It’s home to the Reichstag, the German Parliament Building where visitors can pay to visit the dome in the centre and view the city from a different aspect. The Brandenburg Gate is a must-see attraction, which now represents the reunification of Berlin following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The Holocaust Memorial is a sobering reminder of WWII as are some small parts of the Berlin Wall which have been left standing. There are over 80 Christmas Markets in Berlin and we chose three to visit (although we stumbled into another couple – they’re on virtually every street corner). We’ve found over the years that each market has a slightly different feel. Although all markets have items for sale, people tend to visit to eat, drink and socialise. It’s an age-old German tradition that locals completely buy into, leading to a truly Christmassy experience that I feel is lacking in the UK. The largest market we visited in Alexanderplatz, was also our favourite. Santa Claus flew his sleigh high above the crowds and gave the children a Christmas message (in German, so I don’t know what he said!). The big wheel gave us a beautiful night-time view over the market and the mulled wine warmed our cold hands. The Medieval Christmas Market offered a different ambience, with a hand turned Ferris Wheel for small children, and archery and axe throwing for large children! The mulled wine (with or without alcohol) was always welcome as it was bitterly cold the whole weekend! The one place my husband did ask to visit is the Hofbräuhaus, where it’s all about the ambience. Listening to a live band, drinking beer from an enormous stein and eating giant pretzels – what can be more German than that? If you find you’re lacking the Christmas spirit in 2023, I can’t recommend a visit to a German Christmas Market highly enough. It’s not about how many presents or how much you spend – it’s being together with people you care about – enjoying their company and having fun along the way – priceless!!