Planning to visit the Christmas markets in Berlin?

When I was a young girl, okay.. technically I’m still young. But, when I was a much, much younger girl.. (way before Pinterest existed), I would sit on my bed and flip through magazines, sip hot cocoa.. journal and pen in hand.. planning for my epic European Christmas.

I experienced the most magical sceneries I had never seen before…

Historic towns with twinkly lights and garlands decorating the streets, little bakeries and shops with big wreaths on the doors… snow-covered chalets and cottages…

As if that weren’t enough to enchant me for life… they topped it off with charming Christmas Markets complete with carousels, skating rinks, ornate steins of glühwein and hot cocoa, delicious sweets, and shops with handcrafted ornaments and nutcrackers.

And that’s when I fell in love with Christmas in Berlin, Germany.

Had I actually been to Germany? No… only through my magazines.. but, that’s basically the same thing, right?… lol. At least it was to me.. Then again, I was like..10. It was enough to inspire me.

If I came across something cutesy and Christmasy in the magazine, I’d scan the page for the name of the city and write it down.

As if I were planning a real trip.. ha! It’s more like a “When I Grow Up…” dream than an actual plan…

Remember when we were that adorable? I couldn’t wait for the day when I was grown up enough to actually plan a trip.

An American Girl Dreams of a European Christmas

I was living in sunny Southern California at the time. Which as you can imagine.. is the furthest thing from a White Christmas (my favorite Christmas movie btw). So, can you blame a girl for dreaming?

[This post was originally posted December of 2020. Updated December of 2021]

You look across the street and instead of seeing your friend build a snowman, you see her in her bikini, hosting a neighborhood carwash in her driveway or hopping in the car with her family to go to the beach.

Then, in my teens, I moved across the country to New York.. a whole different world.. practically a new country compared to Cali… But, I was excited thinking I’d finally get the holiday I had always envisioned…

But, as lovely as a NYC Christmas is (and it really is!)… is it a cozy Christmas town in Europe? Nope… Not even close.

Even New England (which is pretty much a bite sized replica of Europe) can’t do Christmas markets the way Europe can. Although, I will say… if you can’t go to Europe, New England Christmas markets are pretty much the closest thing you can get to actually experiencing the real thing. I would know… I have been a New Englander for the last decade plus after all.

Where were the storybook villages I had seen in my magazines when I was little? Did they even exist? If so, where the heck were they??

As it turns out, the adorable markets we’ve all seen in magazines and Hallmark Christmas movies actually do exist. Thank goodness… Imagine having to go back in time and tell “little me” that those scenes were just staged for a photoshoot. Well.. they are.. but at least not the Christmas markets.

“My Christmas present to myself each year is to see how much travel can open up the world and take me to places as far from sheltered California … as possible.”

Pico Iyer

And Then My Little Girl Dreams Came True…

With the holidays being in full swing, I thought I’d recap one of my best Christmas trips abroad that led into the New Year. It all started with my then-boyfriend and I visited his home in Germany for the holidays.

One of the great things about having a European boyfriend is that I always had many great opportunities to visit Europe, particularly Germany and at Christmastime. It’s so interesting to see how the US and Germany’s Christmas traditions compare to each other.

Not to mention, having him speak the language, everything was much easier.

Traveling to Berlin, Germany: Here I Come!

I was so excited at just the thought of going to Berlin. I had heard a lot about the city. And the Christmas markets I looked up online beforehand looked amazing.

Whether you enjoy arts & culture and want to stop by a gallery or museum, are a big foodie like myself and want to eat your way through every street vendor and Ratskeller in the city or, are a history buff and enjoy exploring the streets and its many historical sites, there’s something for everyone….  

I’ll get to all of that in another blog. Right now I’m just gushing about the Christmas markets in Berlin! 

The Flight to Germany

My boyfriend would fly over a week before me to get a head start on celebrating the holidays with his family in Germany and I would take a solo flight and meet them there.

I took a Delta / KLM flight from Boston to Dusseldorf via Amsterdam. I’ve always liked flying with Delta/KLM.

It’s not as luxurious airlines as Singapore Airlines or Lufthansa First-Class.. but I’ve found them to be better than the other airlines leaving from the US. Plus, Delta got me to my destination safely and on time over the holidays so no complaints.

I have so many horror travel stories I could tell you about Amsterdam.. just bad luck I guess.. I’ll save that for another time but let’s just say I was relieved at finally having a smooth layover… just 1 hour as promised.

When I finally arrived at Dusseldorf Airport, I was pleasantly surprised to find how festive it was! They even had a skating rink! 

Arriving in Germany at Last…

After visits with family in his hometown and catching up with all of his friends, we hopped on a train and headed to Berlin where we’d be staying for several days to celebrate the holidays and welcome the new year!

So, my Christmas Berlin story will start picking up here. But, I’ll already give you a little hint as to how it ended…

Pssst… Berlin is now my absolute favorite city in Europe!

How did we get to Berlin? By train of course! Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central Station) is Europe’s largest train station.

We caught a cab from the train station to the hotel which was only a few minutes away.

The train ride was comfortable. They also had a food counter with decent food actually. I got a curry sandwich and a beer. 

The train station was beautifully decorated for Christmas and very big! Lots of stores and food options. Located in the heart of Berlin, close to many tourist attractions on foot.

What are the Holidays like in Berlin Like?

Although I wouldn’t know from personal experience, I hear that Berlin is great any time of year… I can see why. It’s one of those cities I found myself not wanting to leave.

So much so that I found myself asking whether I wanted to become a Berliner one day…

But, Berlin over the holidays? Even more fun… and pretty. I loved how the city came to life with charming Christmas markets all over the city, each unique to its location.

New Year’s Eve was equally spectacular but in a completely different way.

The city has a massive party at Brandenburg Gate every year that goes on for a mile! It’s basically the equivalent to watching the ball drop in NYC’s Times Square.. only, fireworks all over the city as well! It’s pretty spectacular.

A German Tradition: Christmas Markets in Berlin

A thing about the Germans? They know how to do Christmas! It’s an amazing spectacle to witness. They really value tradition, especially at Christmas. 

If you’re in Germany at Christmastime without having stopped by a Christmas market, were you even there at all?

Their Christmas markets have been around since the 16^th c. Many Germans argue about what constitutes an “authentic market”. It’s a whole east vs. west vs. south vs. north thing.

Whose Christmas markets are better in Germany? I can only speak for the ones I’ve experienced in Berlin… But would love to go to markets all over the country one day!

There are so many names for Christmas markets in Germany…

• Christkindlesmarkt
• Christkindlemarkt
• Adventmarkt
• Christkindlmarkt
• Glühweinmarkt
• Striezelmarkt
• or Weihnachtsmarkt…

In my blog, Chicago at Christmastime, A Train Stop in Chicago I talk about what I thought about Christkindl Market which was Chicago’s take on the real Christmas markets in Germany.

Now that I’ve been to the real thing, it’s silly to think how excited I was when I saw that one.

FUN FACT

Prior to 1920, each of Berlin’s districts were separate towns. Therefore, unlike other German cities that have 1 central Christmas market, Berlin has many scattered across the city.

This is what “little me” was dreaming about all those years ago… But, if someone you’re traveling with is not a Christmas enthusiast like you and me… (eye roll)… later in the blog, I mention Non-Holiday Related Activities Near Westin Grand Berlin that you can do.

I also share my Google Maps list as well so you can plan your trip.

I love how a lot of Berlin’s markets are open even after Christmas. If you’re like me, you enjoy stretching out the holiday for as long as possible! If you want a classy and elegant Christmas market…

Christmas Markets in Berlin, Germany

Can you say charming?! This market stole my heart and ended up being my favorite! It had a more classic, romantic feel to it. It’s the kind of storybook traditional Christmas village you’d expect Germany to have yet, it’s classy and sophisticated. I was in awe of it all.

Gendarmenmarkt is located on a lovely square that houses the German and French Cathedral as well as Shinkel’s Konzerthaus, Berlin’s national theatre, and a famous concert hall.

When is the Market Open?

From Advent until New Year.

Special Offerings:

The market had everything it seemed! From live performances like plays and a choir. Foodie finds like cafes and little popup fondue restaurants in heated tents with white fur throw blankets to keep you warm and tables set up nice.

They had a very cozy interior that made you feel like you were in a ski chalet. You’d never think it was a pop-up. There was no shortage of foodie finds in the market… fresh cheese assortments… desserts… cafes with traditional German fare and vendor booths throughout serving gluhwein.

I also saw rotating grills hanging over a fire which seems to be a popular thing throughout German Christmas markets. It had different meats.. bratwursts, schnitzel, krakauer (Polish sausage), etc… It all smelled so amazing.. like BBQ heaven.

They also had an abundance of craftsmen, dressmakers, and local artists selling hand-carved wood trinkets and signature German souvenirs. To go with it, I also got some Mutzenmandeln (little German almond donuts) a.k.a. “Mutz”.. which is far cuter to say, don’t you think?

They were warm, sugary, and delicious. Perfect chilly evening treat. I ate them while watching a show. They had cute Christmas performances you could stand and watch for free which was great! One of them was a funny dance routine.. and there was singing too. There was also a woman dressed in costume walking around the market on stilts and giving little gifts to children which was super cute.

For More Info

Visit their website here. If you want a Christmas market that’s less elegant and more fun and sporty.

My Official Review of Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market

I was really happy with this market. It was elegant, classy, festive and had many special offerings like foodie finds and Christmas shows. The square that the market is held in is lovely. The whole experience was charming.

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They’re both located right next to the Mall of Berlin and SONY Center (which is has a pretty cool setup in itself, more on that later). Potsdamer Platz used to be a wasteland. Now, it’s a popular nightlife and shopping district with lots to explore!

After taking a stroll, I stumbled upon their two-holiday attractions, Christmas Market and Winter World (“Winterwelt”). I absolutely loved the Wintery setup! It was a nice change in scenery from the Gendarmenmarkt.

When is it Open?

Beginning of December to the beginning of January.

Special Offerings

If the last market was charming, this market was sporty and fun! They had a lot of fun things to do. Like an open-air ice rink (free of charge), curling, a large toboggan which you better believe I did! It’s actually the largest toboggan in Europe!

It brought out the kid in me! Sadly, I did it all alone… Since my bf refused to act 5 years old with me. But, he did make up for it by getting some gluhwein, which you can’t get enough of at a German Christmas market.

It was just as delicious as the ones I had before. Of course, I saved the mug as a souvenir as well. The one thing each market had in common is gluhwein!!

The market also had a lot of foodie options to choose from.. schnitzels, pretzels, baked goods, sweets, candies, souvenirs.

You can hang around in the evenings for the apres-ski party and live DJ on the weekends. You could also enjoy Austrian delights in one of the Schmankerl or Salzburger Stiegl Alm wooden huts which were very authentic experience.

FUN FACT

Gluhwein literally translates to “glow-wine”. You’ll totally be glowing in the chilly night’s air after a mug of this delicious mulled wine.

They also had a very traditional German restaurant.. as well as food vendors and little shops that sold sweets and souvenirs.