In Berlin there are numerous Christmas markets, one for every need. What unites them all is the lively atmosphere with shows and performance matched to the markets. Berlin attracts millions of tourists every year, but at Christmas it becomes even more special. In Germany, preparations for Christmas begin as early as November, although the true holiday falls on December 6, the day of St. Nicholas, which they call here Nikolaustag. On the night of 5, the day before, the children put their shoes outside the door, a tradition practiced in many other European countries. According to a German legend, the spirit of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, on this night, go from house to house with the book of sins, in which are transcribed all the actions of children.
It is said that St. Nicholas fills the shoes of all the good children with sweets and delicious twigs. Who wants to experience the incomparable charm of a magical winter must choose Berlin. Perhaps few people know that the real tradition of Christmas markets, fanned out in various capitals of Europe is German and Berlin, the capital of Germany offers the best of this tradition.
If you prefer a Christmas market that is contemplative and magical or lively and hectic, the city offers a choice of about sixty markets with the scent of cinnamon and cloves, the handmade decorations, Christmas carols, traditional cookies and hot drinks frame the major Christmas events.
It has not yet turned off the echo of the celebrations for the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall that the city continues to vibrate with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Be captivated by the magic of the German Christmas, the Nordic charm, living along the grand boulevards and famous squares of the city, but also for the back roads and small picturesque villages.
The Christmas markets have a long tradition in Germany and Berlin really becomes a city dedicated to the Christmas spirit. The small outdoor kiosks (Weihnachtsmärkte) open their doors between the hustle and bustle of tourists and locals. There is music, food, drinks and shopping and, like all markets, mainly handicrafts and local mold decorations, such as the popular wood pendants from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). Then there are also huge fruit cakes (Stollen) and Nutcrackers (Nussknacker), scarves, hats, gloves and colored felt. Covered with cold, around the stalls, after shopping, all that remains is to drink a hot red wine Glühwein, sold in all markets in souvenir cups.
The market in front of the Charlottenburg Palace to the memorial along the nineteenth century church Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, remain in our opinion the most striking. It will be for the carriage rides that occasionally glimpsed between the paths of the castle and the special lighting, which refers to the fascinating era of the early nineteenth century. Along the remains of the church there are also the big Christmas tree, stuffed with gifts, Christmas decorations, toys, accessories, punch and mulled wine and again, candied fruit, grilled sausages and classic spicy scents of Christmas.
The market of Weihnachtszauber is another classic that deserves a mention. We find the square of Gendarmenmarkt, one of Europe's most beautiful, perfect scenery from Christmas atmosphere. Surrounded by old buildings lit festively, this market has become one of the best known of the city. We find all the traditional Christmas sweets like gingerbread, but also sausages and mulled wine and a section dedicated to food and wine, in a heated tent.
A heated tent also allows visitors to see craftsmen carve wood, creating toys and other local products. Musicians, jugglers and acrobats from the road, entertain adults and children. We find it open from November 24 to December 31 (to enter it is expected to pay a symbolic fee of 1 euro). Venue: Gendarmenmarkt (Mitte).
The market of Chanukkah is festively lit at the new glass courtyard of the Jewish Museum . Inside you can find various local handicrafts, books, decorations and products of gastronomic tradition of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, which commemorates the consecration of a new altar in the Temple of Jerusalem. We find it open on weekends, throughout the month of December (except 31).
The heart of Berlin's Christmas button pounding along the Potsdamer Platz and at 4000 square meters of the Sony Centre, which takes place another Christmas market. Small wooden chalets with local crafts, gifts, food and sweets. Open from November 29 to January 1. Venue: Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz, Mitte. Nearby are also the areas covered with Ice and Legoland Discovery Centre.
The Nostalgischer weihnachtsmarkt am Opernpalais, right on Unter den Linden and Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt is at the center of Kulturbrauerei. Do not miss the Christmas markets of Alexanderplatz, Weihnachtsmeile in Rathausstraße and in particular that of Berliner Umwelt und Weihnachtsmarkt and Kollwitzplatz with its ecological and natural products from around the world.
The Spandau Christmas Market, with its 200 stalls on weekdays and 400 on weekends, offers drinks and tasty food, crafts, Christmas decorations and other products. In addition, a special attraction is the great Nativity scene with real animals, in front of the Nikolai Church. Everyday visitors can enjoy a cultural program with Santa Claus, a choir of angels, fairy tales and brass bands.
The Germans love to make Christmas shopping a lot less festive than other nationalities and their frenzy is unlike that seen in tourists. In fact, it focuses on cultural events that the city has to offer during the whole period, such as the classical music concerts. The Staatsoper Unter den Linden presents the classic Christmas ballet, the Nutcracker (Nussknacker Der) with music by Tchaikovsky on various dates in December.
It just has to leave you with a classic of Berlin's Christmas menu, including traditional roast pork, white sausages, the reisbrei (a sweet cinnamon) and many other regional dishes. Christmas Eve is here called Dickbauch, which means fat belly. The myth has it that those who do not eat well on Christmas Eve will be haunted by demons during the night. There remains, therefore, that fill you to the fullest.
Christmas in Berlin is a particularly beautiful time to enjoy the city. Starting in November, the capital starts to prepare for the event, dresses up, turns on the lights and comes alive with events, markets and installations with that sense of magic that adults have forgotten about marzipan, artisan booths, smell of cinnamon, chocolate shapes, wooden toys, carousels and all the rest.
