Berlin Christmas Markets 2026: 7 Worth Visiting

Berlin has no single main square, so every district runs its own Advent celebration. Skate beneath a 50-metre Ferris wheel, browse handmade gifts, then finish with organic mulled wine on a neighbourhood square. These are the seven Berlin Christmas Markets I’d pick.

Berlin Christmas Market 2026

Dates – Confirmed

1. Gendarmenmarkt: 23rd November to 31st December 2026
2. Charlottenburg Palace: 23rd November to 27th December 2026
3. Kurfürstendamm: 23rd November to 3rd January 2027
4. Alexanderplatz: 23rd November to 26th December 2026
5. Rotes Rathaus: 23rd November to 3rd January 2027
6. Prenzlauer Berg: Sundays – 29th November to 20th December 2026
7. Potsdamer Platz: 31st October to 31st December 2026

Last checked: October 2026

Update: The schedule was finalised in September. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.

Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via the City of Berlin.

Plan Your Visit

Click on any of the links below to find detailed information for each event:

1. Gendarmenmarkt – High-end crafts and gourmet food stalls in a historic square.
2. Charlottenburg Palace – Romantic setting at the palace.
3. Kurfürstendamm – Upscale shopping area.
4. Alexanderplatz – One of Berlin’s largest central markets.
5. Rotes Rathaus – Ice skating in the city centre.
6. Prenzlauer Berg – Family-friendly with eco crafts and organic food.
7. Potsdamer Platz – Austrian specialties at Winter World.

Before discussing each market in detail, here are some convenient hotel options and recommended tours to help you make the most of your visit to Berlin.

Convenient Hotels

Berlin has many incredible and diverse neighbourhoods, but staying centrally in Mitte is the most convenient area to stay.

Mitte: Cafes, shopping and Museum Island.
Recommended: Casa Camper Berlin.

Gendarmenmarkt: Beautiful square in the city centre.
Recommended: The Mandala Suites.

Read our guide to hotels in Berlin for additional options in key areas.

Recommended Tours

Third Reich and Cold War Tour: Great introduction to Berlin’s historic sights.

Hidden Backyards Walking Tour: Perfect for repeat visitors looking for unique experiences.

Secret Food Tour: Explore the culinary side of the city. 

1. Gendarmenmarkt

Framed by the French and German Cathedrals and the Konzerthaus, this is Berlin’s most elegant market. Inside the heated white tents, artisans including glassblowers, goldsmiths, candle makers and tailors sell handmade and personalised gifts. The food leans Bavarian and Austrian, with Neuburger Rahmbrot (a toasted cheese open sandwich) and Kaiserschmarren (torn pancakes) among the highlights.

Read the complete Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market guide.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 31st December 2026
Location: Gendarmenmarkt
Opening times:
Sunday to Thursday: 12pm to 10pm.
Friday and Saturday: 12pm to 11pm.
Christmas Eve: 12pm to 6pm.
Christmas Day: 12pm to 10pm.
New Year’s Eve: 12pm to midnight.

Admission:
Monday to Friday, 12pm to 2pm: free
24th to 26th and 31st December: €2
All other times: €2
Children under 12: free
Santa: No.
Ice skating: No.
Accessible: Yes.
Pet-friendly: No. Only guide dogs are allowed.
Public transport:
Underground: Stadtmitte, Museumsinsel, Hausvogteiplatz, and Französische Straße.

2. Charlottenburg Palace

With the illuminated baroque palace as a backdrop, more than 100 stalls sell handcrafted gifts and German sweets such as stollen, spritz biscuits and marzipan. Two children’s carousels and a small Ferris wheel make it an easy pick for families, and the stalls are dressed in natural materials rather than plastic.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 27th December 2026
Location: Charlottenburg Palace
Opening times:
Monday to Thursday: 1pm to 10pm
Friday to Sunday: 12pm to 10pm
Christmas Eve: Closed
Christmas Day: 12pm to 10pm
Boxing Day: 12pm to 10pm

Admission: Free
Santa: No
Ice skating: No
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: No
Public transport:
Underground: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz
Bus: 309 and M45

3. Kurfürstendamm

In the middle of the Kurfürstendamm shopping district, more than 100 stalls gather around the war-damaged tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Look for Thuringian Rostbratwurst (grilled sausage), sweet waffles and candied fruit, plus a carousel, a children’s Ferris wheel and daily visits from Santa. Mulled wine from the charity stand supports the German Red Cross and its winter bus that takes help to homeless people.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 3rd January 2027
Location: Breitscheidplatz in Charlottenburg.
Opening times:
Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 9pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Christmas Eve: 11am to 2pm
Christmas Day: 1pm to 9pm
New Year’s Eve: 11am to 8pm
New Year’s Day: 1pm to 9pm

Admissions: Free
Santa: Yes
Ice skating: No
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Public transport:
Underground: Kurfürstendamm and Zoologischer Garten.

4. Alexanderplatz

At the heart of the old East, the Alexanderplatz market gathers around the Fountain of Friendship between Nations, a few steps from the World Clock. Expect German classics alongside international specialities, crafts and decorations at one of Berlin’s busiest markets.

Read the complete Alexanderplatz Christmas Market guide.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 26th December 2026
Location: Alexanderplatz
Opening times: 11am to 10pm

Admission: Free
Santa: No
Roller skating: Yes
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Public transport:
Underground: Alexanderplatz.
Tram: Alexanderplatz/Memhardstraße.

5. Rotes Rathaus (Town Hall)

Between the red-brick Town Hall and St Mary’s Church, this market recreates a 19th-century Berlin street, with craftspeople making jewellery, leather goods and glassware, plus street performers and puppeteers. The 50-metre Ferris wheel has heated gondolas, and children can ride historic carousels or a miniature train through a snowy fairytale forest. Skaters circle the Neptune Fountain on a 600-square-metre ice rink, and Santa flies over in his sleigh three times a day.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 3rd January 2027
Location: Rotes Rathaus, Mitte
Opening times:
Monday to Friday: 12pm to 10pm
Saturday and Sunday: 11am to 10pm
Christmas Eve: Closed
Christmas Day: Open
30th December: 12pm to 9pm

Admission: Free
Santa: Yes
Ice skating: Yes. Skate rental: €5
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Public transport:
Underground: Rotes Rathaus and Alexanderplatz.
Tram: Spandauer Str./Marienkirche.

6. Prenzlauer Berg

The Advent Eco Market is Prenzlauer Berg’s answer to the big commercial markets. More than 60 stallholders take part, and each has to prove their goods are organic or fairly produced. Food comes from organic farms, butchers and bakeries in Berlin and Brandenburg, so expect organic sausages, vegan waffles and Christmas biscuits, with organic mulled wine or hot mead to keep you warm.

Status: Confirmed
Advent Eco dates: Sundays – 29th November to 20th December 2026
Location: Kollwitzplatz, Prenzlauer Berg
Opening times: Sunday: 12pm to 7pm

Admission: Free
Santa: No
Ice skating: No
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: Yes
Public transport:
Train: Hackescher Markt
Underground: Senefelderplatz.
Tram: Weinmeisterstraße/Gipsstraße.

7. Potsdamer Platz

Part of the Winter World event, the market at Potsdamer Platz serves Austrian specialities from Salzburg-style wooden huts. If you’re feeling adventurous, the 12-metre-high, 70-metre-long winter slide and toboggan run is available for a small fee.

Status: Confirmed
When: 23rd November to 26th December 2026
Winter World dates: 31st October to 31st December 2026
Location: Potsdamer Platz
Opening times: 11am to 10pm

Admission: Free
Toboggan run: €2.50
Santa: No
Ice skating: Yes
Accessible: Yes
Pet-friendly: No
Public transport:
Underground: Potsdamer Platz.

What to Expect

Read our list of the best German Christmas Markets.

Alternatively, our European Christmas Markets guide lists an interesting range of destinations.

Almost every Berlin district runs its own winter market, and each draws a different crowd. Some are built around families, some fill up after work, and others have a theme, from organic and fair-trade stalls to the Scandinavian Lucia market at the Kulturbrauerei.

If you’re staying centrally, Gendarmenmarkt and Alexanderplatz are my top picks. In the west of the city, Kurfürstendamm in Charlottenburg is another excellent choice. The big names deserve their reputation, but it’s worth fitting in at least one smaller neighbourhood market for a more local evening.

At the Food Stalls

• Currywurst: Berlin’s own street snack, sliced pork sausage smothered in curry-spiced ketchup and served with chips or a bread roll.
• Thuringian sausage (Thüringer Rostbratwurst): A long, herby pork sausage grilled over charcoal and served in a roll with mustard.
• Feuerzangenbowle: Mulled red wine with rum, oranges, lemons, cloves and cinnamon, finished with a rum-soaked sugarloaf set alight so it caramelises into the drink.
• Glühwein (mulled wine): Spiced, heated red wine, the winter staple at every Berlin market.
• Eierpunsch (egg punch): A warm, creamy punch made with egg liqueur and white wine, often topped with whipped cream.
• Baumkuchen: “Tree cake”, baked layer by layer on a spit so each slice shows rings like a tree trunk, usually glazed or coated in chocolate.
• Stollen: A rich, fruit-filled loaf dusted with icing sugar, originally from Dresden.
• Handbrot: A bread roll baked around melted cheese with ham or mushrooms, served hot and torn open at the stall.
• Lebkuchen: Spiced gingerbread biscuits, often topped with almonds.
• Candied almonds (gebrannte Mandeln): Almonds roasted in a sugary, cinnamon-scented coating, sold warm in paper cones.
• Vegan and vegetarian options: Easy to find across Berlin’s markets, from vegan currywurst to vegetarian potato pancakes.
• International snacks: Berlin’s markets reflect its mix of cultures, so you’ll also find Hungarian lángos (fried flatbread) and Dutch poffertjes (mini pancakes).

Sustainability Tips

• Shop the Advent eco market at Kollwitzplatz: Run by the environmental group Grüne Liga Berlin, it only admits traders with organic certification or proof of fair production. Food and drink must be served on reusable dishes, and cans and single-use bottles aren’t allowed.
• Go to the Alt-Rixdorf market in Neukölln: For a single weekend in Advent, only charities and non-profit groups run the stalls around Richardplatz, and a shared reusable dishware system replaced disposable cups and plates long ago, earning recognition from Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Aid).
• Eat regional at Markthalle Neun: This restored market hall in Kreuzberg hosts weekly market days built around producers from Berlin and Brandenburg, an easy lunch stop between markets.
• Walk between the Mitte markets: Rotes Rathaus and Alexanderplatz are about five minutes apart on foot, and Gendarmenmarkt is roughly 20 minutes further west.
• Take bus 100 west: It runs from Alexanderplatz along Unter den Linden and through the Tiergarten to Zoologischer Garten, a short walk from Breitscheidplatz, and an AB ticket covers every market in this guide.
• Check holiday rentals for a registration number: Berlin restricts short-term apartment rentals to protect housing for residents, and legal listings must display a registration number. If a listing doesn’t show one, book a hotel instead.