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Features
- Mayday in Kreuzberg: protests and parties
- Berlin travel basics
- Film Festivals in Berlin
- Sachsenhausen Memorial
- Festival: Long Night of Opera & Theatre
- Berlin In Your Pocket in iPaper
- Wellness
- Prenzlauer Berg
- Where to find the Berlin In Your Pocket city guide
- The Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Events in Berlin
- Charlottenburg
- Mitte in the middle
- Embassy architecture
- Berlin in books
- Cold War Berlin
- Fast food
- The German Menu
- Berlin's districts
More features:
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The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall - that unique moment in history when the most powerful symbol of the Cold War was peacefully made redundant, literally overnight.... -
Charlottenburg
This western district of Berlin, both the beautiful whitewashed mansions and the brassy advertising signs that sometimes mar their facades, has had its pride a bit bruised since the fall of the Wall.... -
Berlin's districts
Berlin is four times the size of Paris, and with 12 administrative districts subdivided into 23 Kiez neighbourhoods, it's a good idea to grasp the geography of the city before wandering around.... -
Where to find the Berlin In Your Pocket city guide
Seen the website, downloaded the PDF... now you need the real thing: Berlin In Your Pocket. On arrival ... -
Cold War Berlin
If families in Washington and Moscow felt threatened by the Cold War – and by the missiles that ... -
The German Menu
So you can't tell your weisswurst from your schinken? That's where our handy menu decoder comes in.... -
Berlin in books
An overview of fiction and non-fiction books on Berlin that can be considered as essential reading.... -
Wellness
With over 40 wellness centres now listed, Berliners are learning to spoil themselves while taking care of their bodies with a variety of spas and high-luxury fitness centres.... -
Sachsenhausen Memorial
While African-American sprinter Jesse Owens was kicking dust in the face of Hitler’s master race at Berlin’s 1936 Summer Olympics, slave labourers were building their own concentration camp roughly 35km north of the cheering international spectators.... -
Prenzlauer Berg
Broad sidewalk cafes, Berlin’s oldest beer garden and the boutiques between restaurants and bars make the former working class district of Prenzlauer Berg, or Prenzl’berg, a great place to people-watch.... -
Film Festivals in Berlin
Apart from the huge Berlinale film festival in February, Berlin has over 40 smaller international film festivals throughout the year, often focused on a country or theme.... -
Berlin travel basics
The travel details that are good to know.Basic dataPopulation of Germany: 81,751,602; Berlin: 3,460,725Longest river in Germany: Rhine, 1319km.... -
Events in Berlin
Berlin events, April-May 2012Find the venue details at the bottom of the list.Classical music5 April, ... -
Mayday in Kreuzberg: protests and parties
For 25 years, the first of May, Labour Day, has been a day of left-wing protests in the eastern part of Kreuzberg....
Christmas & New Years' Eve
Christmas & New Years' Eve
Berlin's many outdoor Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets) bustle with both tourists and locals. There's music, food, drinks and great gift shopping, as the markets offer mainly handicrafts and decorations such as the popular wooden trinkets from the Erzgebirge mountains. Then there are also huge fruitcakes (Stöllen) and nutcrackers (Nussknacker), scarves, hats, and gloves of richly coloured felt. Wrap up warm and stay tanked up on the Glühwein, hot mulled red wine, sold at all markets in souvenir mugs.
Berlin has nearly 60 Christmas markets for you to enjoy. The most picturesque ones are on Gendarmenmarkt (until 31 Dec, open 11:00-22:00, 24 Dec until 18:00, New Years Eve until 01:00), the Nostalgischer Weihnachtsmarkt am Opernpalais off Unter den Linden (see below), the market in Spandau’s old town (until 23 Dec, Sun-Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri 11:00-21:00, Sat 11:00-22:00), and the Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in the Kulturbrauerei complex (see below). There‘s a huge ‘winter world’ at Potsdamer Platz (until 26 December, open 10:00-22:00, 24 Dec until 16:00).
Germans make Christmas a far less commercial holiday than some other nationalities, and instead whip themselves into a frenzy with classical music concerts. This year the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (www.staatsoper-berlin.de) presents Cinderella (Aschenputtel) as their Christmas show.
Nostalgic Christmas Market
The 20th edition of the 'Nostalgischer Weihnachtsmarkt' next to the Opernpalais in Berlin‘s historical centre presents over 220 stands with gifts and artisans at work and selling their products. Traditional food and drinks are available, and children can enjoy special punch and rides on a century-old carousel and a 1926 Ferris wheel. Come at 16:00 for the daily cultural programme of
music and acts on the market stage, and for romantic horse cart rides around the city centre.
Until 26 December. Opernpalais, Unter den Linden 5, MI, www.berliner-weihnacht.de. Open 12:00-21:30, Fri/Sat 11:00-22:30, Sun 11:00-21:30. Closed 24 Dec; 25-26 Dec 11:30-21:00.
Lucia Christmas Market
Until 22 December, the Kulturbrauerei courtyards host one of Berlin’s cosiest and funkiest markets. The Scandinavian-themed Christmas village amidst the red brick former brewery buildings has food, drinks and handicrafts. Have a mulled wine while you warm yourself in oversized heated coats, or bring your fingers back to life beside the Finnish candles, vertically placed logs that burn from the inside out. Events at the market include visits by Santa Claus daily at 17:00 and stilt walkers performing daily from 20:00, and many activities for children in the afternoons.
Kulturbrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, U-Bahn Eberswalder Str, www.lucia-weihnachtsmarkt.de. Until 22 Dec; open Mon-Fri 15:00-22:00; Sat-Sun13:00-22:00.
New Years' Eve
While Christmas might be a mellow affair in Berlin, the days preceding New Year’s (Silvester, named after the saint whose name day falls on January 1) suggest a war-torn city that hasn’t quite given up its arms yet – that’s what happens when the corner store sells fireworks to naughty twelve-year-old boys. The city throws a fantastic 2km-long 'Welcome 2012' party that stretches from the Brandenburger Tor at Pariser Platz all the way to the Siegessäule column in the centre of Tiergarten park. You won't be celebrating alone – up to a million people show up, making this the world's largest New Year's Eve party. You’ll see some of the best fireworks around Golden Else, on top of her victory column. Shake off 2011 and warm up at the same time in one of several the dance floor tents or at the various stages. For detailed information see www.silvester-berlin.de.
Opening times
Many larger stores and malls will open on the Sundays (from 13:00-20:00) leading up to Christmas and remain open till late at night on weekdays. Museums are largely open during the holidays. The Hauptbahnhof tourist office is open daily during the holidays, but may close earlier on the 24th. Public transport operates as on Sundays on 25 Dec and 1 Jan, and has extra services running throughout the night on New Years' Eve.
Berlin's many outdoor Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets) bustle with both tourists and locals. There's music, food, drinks and great gift shopping, as the markets offer mainly handicrafts and decorations such as the popular wooden trinkets from the Erzgebirge mountains. Then there are also huge fruitcakes (Stöllen) and nutcrackers (Nussknacker), scarves, hats, and gloves of richly coloured felt. Wrap up warm and stay tanked up on the Glühwein, hot mulled red wine, sold at all markets in souvenir mugs.
Berlin has nearly 60 Christmas markets for you to enjoy. The most picturesque ones are on Gendarmenmarkt (until 31 Dec, open 11:00-22:00, 24 Dec until 18:00, New Years Eve until 01:00), the Nostalgischer Weihnachtsmarkt am Opernpalais off Unter den Linden (see below), the market in Spandau’s old town (until 23 Dec, Sun-Thu 11:00-20:00, Fri 11:00-21:00, Sat 11:00-22:00), and the Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in the Kulturbrauerei complex (see below). There‘s a huge ‘winter world’ at Potsdamer Platz (until 26 December, open 10:00-22:00, 24 Dec until 16:00).
Germans make Christmas a far less commercial holiday than some other nationalities, and instead whip themselves into a frenzy with classical music concerts. This year the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (www.staatsoper-berlin.de) presents Cinderella (Aschenputtel) as their Christmas show.
Nostalgic Christmas Market
The 20th edition of the 'Nostalgischer Weihnachtsmarkt' next to the Opernpalais in Berlin‘s historical centre presents over 220 stands with gifts and artisans at work and selling their products. Traditional food and drinks are available, and children can enjoy special punch and rides on a century-old carousel and a 1926 Ferris wheel. Come at 16:00 for the daily cultural programme of
music and acts on the market stage, and for romantic horse cart rides around the city centre.
Until 26 December. Opernpalais, Unter den Linden 5, MI, www.berliner-weihnacht.de. Open 12:00-21:30, Fri/Sat 11:00-22:30, Sun 11:00-21:30. Closed 24 Dec; 25-26 Dec 11:30-21:00.
Lucia Christmas Market
Until 22 December, the Kulturbrauerei courtyards host one of Berlin’s cosiest and funkiest markets. The Scandinavian-themed Christmas village amidst the red brick former brewery buildings has food, drinks and handicrafts. Have a mulled wine while you warm yourself in oversized heated coats, or bring your fingers back to life beside the Finnish candles, vertically placed logs that burn from the inside out. Events at the market include visits by Santa Claus daily at 17:00 and stilt walkers performing daily from 20:00, and many activities for children in the afternoons.
Kulturbrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, U-Bahn Eberswalder Str, www.lucia-weihnachtsmarkt.de. Until 22 Dec; open Mon-Fri 15:00-22:00; Sat-Sun13:00-22:00.
New Years' Eve
While Christmas might be a mellow affair in Berlin, the days preceding New Year’s (Silvester, named after the saint whose name day falls on January 1) suggest a war-torn city that hasn’t quite given up its arms yet – that’s what happens when the corner store sells fireworks to naughty twelve-year-old boys. The city throws a fantastic 2km-long 'Welcome 2012' party that stretches from the Brandenburger Tor at Pariser Platz all the way to the Siegessäule column in the centre of Tiergarten park. You won't be celebrating alone – up to a million people show up, making this the world's largest New Year's Eve party. You’ll see some of the best fireworks around Golden Else, on top of her victory column. Shake off 2011 and warm up at the same time in one of several the dance floor tents or at the various stages. For detailed information see www.silvester-berlin.de.
Opening times
Many larger stores and malls will open on the Sundays (from 13:00-20:00) leading up to Christmas and remain open till late at night on weekdays. Museums are largely open during the holidays. The Hauptbahnhof tourist office is open daily during the holidays, but may close earlier on the 24th. Public transport operates as on Sundays on 25 Dec and 1 Jan, and has extra services running throughout the night on New Years' Eve.