After our amazing experience in Leipzig, we hooked on the German Christmas market experience. Berlin is a city we’ve always wanted to explore and it worked out to be on our way back west. When we did research on the Berlin Christmas markets, we found out that there are more than 50 markets in the city.
Our reason to visit wasn’t the Berlin Christmas markets so we decided we would just explore any that we came across while walking around the city. We ended up visiting five different markets and will share a few quick words about each one in case you are planning a trip to visit Berlin Christmas markets. More importantly, we will share some photos so you can pretend that you were there with us.
Five Berlin Christmas Markets We Visited
Potsdamer Platz
This area has become mostly built up since the Berlin Wall came down and is a popular place for tourists now. But it is definitely not a big, fancy Christmas market. The biggest attraction was the toboggan slide which we had not seen anywhere else. We also didn’t want to wait in the long line for the small slide. It did have our favorite tree here and a pretty wonderful photo backdrop of lights.
Gendarmenmarkt
This market is right in the middle of the city center and is definitely the busiest we have seen. There is an entry fee here of one euro, but it does very little to keep the number of people down. It was a little too hectic for us to enjoy for very long. Trying to hold a hot glass of gluhwein while getting constantly elbowed and run into turns out to be very difficult and frustrating. I would recommend visiting earlier in the day or being prepared for the crowds. The best part of this market was the live music. That was worth the visit.
Alexanderplatz
With a skating rink and a view of one of Berlin’s most famous landmarks, this market was perfect for a lunchtime visit. We were able to visit some of the stalls before the crowd arrived. Justin enjoyed his first taste of Eierpunsch and loved it.
Neptunbrunnen
This market was another nighttime visit for us and ended up being one of our favorites. We enjoyed some hot drinks while listening to a brass band play Christmas tunes. The lights of the Ferris wheel and decorations were incredible here, but the highlight was definitely seeing Santa Claus fly over us in his sleigh.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
Located in the square around the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, we found our favorite of the Berlin Christmas markets we visited. The church itself was bombed during World War II. It was not rebuilt and stands with it’s damaged towers and blown out windows. The market has stalls all around the church and was a perfect stop for food after walking through the Tiergarten. We finally got our hands on potato pancakes with applesauce. The layout was more open and easy to walk around.
Final Notes About Berlin Christmas Markets
The city itself is worth visiting for a whole bunch of reasons, but if you are searching for Christmas markets – I would move on to some of the smaller cities in Germany. Berlin has quantity over quality in terms of markets. We loved the city and can’t wait to return again in the future, but we will plan it for warmer weather.
Book this hotel for a good deal and a location that is in a quieter part of town. We loved our stay here.
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