Get Festive: A Guide to Berlin at Christmas

Berlin is one of Europe's liveliest cities, and the German capital throws itself into the Christmas spirit like no other. Visiting Berlin over Christmas is the ideal chance to experience the city's fusion of history and modernity in the festive glow of the holiday season.



Germany has been a major destination for Christmas breaks for centuries, and national traditions such as Christmas markets are well represented in Berlin. The city's popular Weihnachtsmarkt at Schlossplatz unter den Linden runs from 26 November to 26 December, giving plenty of time for visitors to buy their Christmas gifts and enjoy festive food, drink and entertainments under the shadow of a 20-metre tall Tannenbaum (Christmas tree) and 40-metre Ferris wheel. The Weihnachtsmarkt has more traditional fairground entertainments to keep younger visitors busy too, including an old-style carousel and stage shows.



Many of the most entertaining activities in Berlin over Christmas are fabulously free, such as toboggan riding at Winterworld, in Berlin's Potsdamer Platz. This free event runs from early November to early December each year, and riders can bring their own toboggans or rent ones at the site to head down the 70-metre run. If you're not lucky enough to enjoy a white Christmas on your Berlin break you don't have to despair either, as the toboggan run is coated in 15 tons of artificial snow every day to guarantee ideal conditions.

If ice skating is more your winter sport of choice, Berlin's free ice rink at the Marlene-Dietrich-Platz is located close to Winterworld for convenience, and once again you'll have the option to rent skates or bring your own pair. If you're looking to improve your skating abilities, you can also find dedicated classes for your age group - with kids aged four to seven years old learning for free.



The excitement doesn't stop once Christmas is over though, especially if you're staying in one of the many Berlin hotels for New Year. As a major international city, Berlin's New Year celebrations compete with the best in the world, and in addition to fireworks and street parties, you can also take part in events such as the annual New Year Run, held on New Year's Eve at Devil's Mountain. Runners can choose to compete in a 9.9km, 6.3km, 4km or 2km race depending on their ability and age, and the event can be a great way to get a head start on those New Year's resolutions to get in shape.