Berlin doesn’t have one Christmas market; it has dozens, and each has its own character. In a weekend you can browse craft tents on the Gendarmenmarkt, skate round a fountain by the red town hall, wander a palace market in Charlottenburg and finish with mead at a medieval fair in Friedrichshain. It suits groups, couples and anyone who wants variety, with a big city’s museums and history around it.
Why go
Berlin’s markets range from polished to scruffy. The Gendarmenmarkt is the elegant one, set on one of the finest squares in Europe. The palace markets at Charlottenburg and the Humboldt Forum have baroque façades for a backdrop. Further out, the neighbourhood markets in Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain have a younger, more relaxed crowd.
Several markets also run past Christmas. The Rotes Rathaus, the Humboldt Forum and Breitscheidplatz stay open to 3 January 2027, and the Gendarmenmarkt ends with a New Year’s Eve party and fireworks. Our Berlin weekend guide covers the city’s sights and neighbourhoods if you want to mix markets with the Wall and Museum Island.
Berlin
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Marek Heise Fotografie, Berlin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt
White tents and lights fill the square between the French and German churches and the Konzerthaus, with glassblowers and goldsmiths at work in a heated craft tent and performers on the stage.
Free entry on weekdays from 11am to 2pm.
Fridolin freudenfett / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Humboldt Forum winter market
Potters, carvers and glassblowers work at their stalls in front of the rebuilt palace and in the Schlüterhof, while video mappings play across the illuminated baroque façades.
Opens earliest, from 18 November; closed 22 November.
Ansgar Koreng / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 de Rotes Rathaus and the Neptune Fountain
An ice rink circles the Neptune Fountain beside the red-brick town hall, and a 50-metre Ferris wheel with closed gondolas looks out to the TV tower and the Brandenburg Gate.
Closed on 24 and 31 December.
ernstol / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Charlottenburg Palace
Around 100 stalls set up in front of the illuminated baroque palace, decorated with natural materials rather than plastic, with carousels and a small Ferris wheel for children.
Opens at 1pm Monday to Thursday; closed 24 December.
Perituss / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Breitscheidplatz
More than 100 stalls gather around the broken spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at the top of the Kurfürstendamm, West Berlin's classic Christmas scene.
Kaspar Metz / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Lucia market, Kulturbrauerei
A Nordic-themed market fills the red-brick courtyards of an old Prenzlauer Berg brewery, with Swedish fires, glögg, kötbullar and Finnish waffles.
Opens at 3pm on weekdays.
RAW medieval Christmas market
Torches, jugglers and blacksmiths turn the old railway works in Friedrichshain into a medieval winter fair, with hot mead, Feuerzangenbowle and a hand-turned Ferris wheel.
Open from 12 November; closed 22 November.
Berlin Christmas market 2026 dates and hours
These are the dates published on berlin.de, the city’s official portal, and visitBerlin. Most of the big markets open on Monday 23 November 2026, the day after Totensonntag.
WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt
- Dates: 23 November to 31 December 2026.
- Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11am to 10pm; Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm; Christmas Eve noon to 6pm.
- Entry: A ticket is needed, except for children under 12 and for everyone on weekdays from 11am to 2pm. The free lunchtime window does not apply on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December.
- What’s special: A heated craft tent with glassblowers, goldsmiths and candle makers, heated restaurant tents, daily shows on the stage in front of the Konzerthaus, and a New Year’s Eve party with a DJ and fireworks.
Charlottenburg Palace
- Dates: 23 November to 27 December 2026, closed on 24 December.
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 1pm to 10pm; Friday to Sunday noon to 10pm.
- Entry: Free.
- What’s special: Around 100 regional and international traders in front of the illuminated palace, natural decorations instead of plastic, two children’s carousels, a small Ferris wheel and heated tents for meals.
Rotes Rathaus
- Dates: 23 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on 24 and 31 December.
- Hours: Monday to Friday noon to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 10pm; 3 January until 8pm.
- What’s special: An ice rink around the Neptune Fountain, used for skating by day and ice shows, and a 50-metre Ferris wheel with closed gondolas.
Humboldt Forum
- Dates: 18 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on 22 November and 24 December.
- Hours: 11am to 10pm.
- Entry: Free.
- What’s special: Craftspeople at work, historic rides and video mappings on the palace façades, on the Schlossplatz and in the Schlüterhof.
More markets with 2026 dates
- Breitscheidplatz: 23 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, around the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Free entry and more than 100 stalls; hours not yet published.
- Spandau Old Town: 23 November to 22 December 2026, from the town hall to St Nicholas’ Church, with a Renaissance fair alongside the stalls. Hours not yet published.
- Lucia market, Kulturbrauerei: 23 November to 22 December 2026 in Prenzlauer Berg. Monday to Friday 3pm to 10pm, weekends 1pm to 10pm. Free entry.
- RAW medieval market: 12 November to 22 December 2026 at Revaler Straße 99, Friedrichshain. Monday to Thursday 3pm to 10pm, Friday 3pm to 11pm, Saturday noon to 11pm, Sunday noon to 10pm; closed 22 November.
- Sophienstraße: A sustainable Christmas market near the Hackesche Höfe on every Advent weekend.
Alexanderplatz and Winter World on Potsdamer Platz: 2026 dates not published yet. Check berlin.de nearer the time.
The 48-hour route
Day 1
Morning: Start at the Humboldt Forum, which opens at 11am and has the earliest season of the big markets. Cross to Museum Island or walk down Unter den Linden.
Afternoon: Reach the Gendarmenmarkt on a weekday before 2pm, when entry is free. Spend time in the craft tent, then walk east to the Rotes Rathaus for the ice rink and the Ferris wheel.
Evening: Ride the Ferris wheel after dark for views of the TV tower, then take the tram or U-Bahn up to Prenzlauer Berg for glögg at the Lucia market in the Kulturbrauerei.
Tip: The Gendarmenmarkt is busiest on Friday and Saturday evenings. A weekday lunchtime visit is calmer, and free.
Day 2
Morning: Head west to Charlottenburg. Walk round the palace gardens while it is still light, before the market opens.
Afternoon: The palace market opens at noon from Friday to Sunday and at 1pm from Monday to Thursday. Browse the stalls, then take the U-Bahn or bus to Breitscheidplatz and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
Evening: Cross the city to Friedrichshain for the RAW medieval market, with torches, jugglers and hot mead in the old railway yards.
What to eat and drink
- Glühwein: Mulled wine, usually served in a market mug you can keep or hand back.
- Feuerzangenbowle: Mulled wine with a rum-soaked sugar cone set alight over it, a speciality at the RAW market.
- Glögg and kötbullar: Scandinavian mulled wine and Swedish meatballs at the Lucia market.
- Bratwurst and currywurst: Grilled sausage in a roll, or Berlin’s own sliced sausage with curry ketchup. Konnopke’s Imbiss in Prenzlauer Berg and Curry 36 in Kreuzberg are the classic stops outside the markets.
- Gebrannte Mandeln: Warm sugar-roasted almonds, sold in paper cones.
- Berliner Pfannkuchen: The jam-filled doughnut the rest of the world calls a Berliner.
Where to stay
- Mitte: Walk to the Gendarmenmarkt, the Humboldt Forum and the Rotes Rathaus. Best for first-timers.
- Prenzlauer Berg: Cafés, quiet streets and the Lucia market. Best for couples.
- Charlottenburg: Elegant West Berlin, near the palace and Breitscheidplatz. Best for a calmer stay.
- Friedrichshain: Bars and nightlife, near the RAW market. Best for groups.
Getting around
The U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses all use the same tickets. Zones A and B cover the city, and the airport is in zone C. The Mitte markets are walkable from one another; Charlottenburg, Breitscheidplatz, Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain are quick rides by U-Bahn or S-Bahn.
Getting there: From Berlin Brandenburg Airport, take the FEX Airport Express to Hauptbahnhof or the S-Bahn into the city. Dresden is a direct train away, so you can add our Dresden Christmas market 2026 guide.
Good to know
- Totensonntag: Sunday 22 November is a quiet holiday in Germany. The RAW and Humboldt Forum markets close that day, and most others open the day after.
- Christmas Eve: Charlottenburg, the Rotes Rathaus and the Humboldt Forum close on 24 December; the Gendarmenmarkt closes at 6pm.
- Into January: The Rotes Rathaus, Humboldt Forum and Breitscheidplatz run to 3 January 2027. See our Christmas markets open in January 2027 list.
- Hours still to come: Breitscheidplatz and Spandau had not published 2026 hours at the time of writing.
- More markets: Our best Christmas markets in Europe hub and best Christmas markets in Germany have more ideas.
FAQ
When do the Berlin Christmas markets open in 2026?
Most of the big markets open on Monday 23 November 2026, including the Gendarmenmarkt, Charlottenburg Palace, the Rotes Rathaus and Breitscheidplatz. The RAW medieval market opens earlier, on 12 November, and the Humboldt Forum on 18 November.
Which Berlin Christmas markets are open after Christmas?
The Gendarmenmarkt runs to 31 December, Charlottenburg Palace to 27 December, and the Rotes Rathaus, Humboldt Forum and Breitscheidplatz to 3 January 2027.
Which Berlin Christmas markets are free to enter?
Charlottenburg Palace, the Humboldt Forum, Breitscheidplatz and the Lucia market at the Kulturbrauerei are free. The Gendarmenmarkt is free for under-12s and for everyone on weekdays from 11am to 2pm, except 24, 25, 26 and 31 December.
What is the best Christmas market in Berlin?
For atmosphere and crafts, the Gendarmenmarkt. For a palace setting, Charlottenburg. For something different, the Nordic Lucia market or the medieval market at RAW.
Is the Alexanderplatz Christmas market on in 2026?
Its 2026 dates had not been published at the time of writing. The market at the Rotes Rathaus, a few minutes’ walk away, runs from 23 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
