20 Best Things to Do for Christmas in Berlin

Widely considered Berlin's most beautiful Christmas market, this festive village offers high-quality crafts and gourmet food. Note: In 2024 it remains at Bebelplatz due to construction, returning to Gendarmenmarkt in 2025.

A breathtaking 1.5-kilometer trail featuring over 30 light installations, 3D figures, and synchronized soundscapes. It transforms the Dahlem Botanical Garden into a glowing fairytale landscape.

Dedicated to the Swedish Queen of Light, this Scandinavian-inspired market features Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian specialties set in the romantic brick courtyard of a historic brewery.

The center of Berlin's winter sports, featuring a 12-meter-high mobile toboggan run and a skating rink. It is one of the earliest markets to open, often starting in late October.

A royal holiday experience set against the magnificent backdrop of the illuminated palace. Visitors can enjoy traditional wooden crafts and an upscale culinary selection under the palace dome.

Europe's largest zoo is bathed in millions of lights, featuring a circular path around the Friedrichsfelde Palace with light art and festive animal-themed installations.

A family favorite featuring a 600-square-meter ice rink surrounding the Neptune Fountain and a 50-meter-high Ferris wheel with panoramic views of the city.

A medieval-themed market set in a former train repair station. It features fire shows, blacksmiths, archers, and hand-driven wooden carousels for a rustic, alternative Christmas vibe.

Experience Berlin's landmarks from the water on a festively decorated and heated ship. Cruises offer mulled wine and seasonal snacks while passing the Government District and Museum Island.

Home to the largest walk-through Christmas pyramid in Europe, this market offers a traditional festive atmosphere with over 5,000 lights and a massive party hut for holiday music.

An edgy, techno-inspired light installation by artist Christopher Bauder. Featuring 300 hanging Christmas trees and 100,000 lights synchronized to a 3D soundscape, it brings club culture to Christmas.

Located in the historic Bohemian Village of Neukölln, this market is famous for its petroleum lamp lighting and charitable focus, featuring over 200 stalls run by non-profit organizations.

A beloved holiday tradition celebrating its 20th anniversary in Berlin. The show features world-class acrobatics, poetic clownerie, and a live orchestra in the iconic tent-like Tempodrom.

Set in Germany's oldest tree nursery, this rustic market features a fairytale forest, bonfires, and a stage with live brass music and seasonal theater performances for all ages.

Experience the grandeur of the Berliner Dom with its festively decorated interior. The cathedral hosts traditional Christvesper and Christmetten services with world-renowned choir performances.

Berlin’s highest Christmas market, located on the rooftop of a parking garage in Neukölln. It offers an alternative vibe with DJs, sustainable gifts, and panoramic views of the winter city.

A fairytale-themed market at Berlin's oldest palace. Figures like Mother Holle and Hansel and Gretel walk among the stalls, and night watchmen guide visitors through the forest at dusk.

While a year-round shop, the Berlin branch becomes a pilgrimage site in December. Its elaborate displays of traditional German nutcrackers and ornaments are a festive world of their own.

Berlin's famous shopping boulevard is illuminated with kilometers of fairy lights and giant light sculptures, including a massive Santa and reindeer, perfect for a crisp evening walk.

For those seeking activity, this traditional run through the Grunewald forest on December 31st features runners in costumes and ends with the classic Berlin 'Pfannkuchen' (doughnut).