Darren Cooper, travel editor for Beige Magazine gets into the festive season in Berlin's sparkling Christmas markets.Being a typical bloke (when it comes to Christmas shopping that is) I was delighted to get the chance to hit the shops early this year to find a few perfect little Christmas gifts. My usual frantic dash down the Kings Road has become something of an annual tradition and one that I could well do without the stress of repeating this year.
Thankfully Lufthansa have come to the rescue and whisked me to Berlin to experience the festive season, which gives me the chance to scour the city for some original and inventive gifts for my nearest and dearest.
What better place to start than Berlin’s Christmas markets, yes there’s more than one. In fact a quick visit to the Berlin Info Store informs me that there are over 50! First stop is the market located at the beginning of the Kurfurstendamm, which as luck would have it is also one of West Berlin’s most famous shopping streets too. The Weihnachtsmarkt an der Gedächtniskirche (Christmas Market at the Memorial Church) really evokes the traditional spirit of Christmas, the centre piece of the market is an enormous Christmas tree that looks over the 100 or so stalls.
There’s all manner of scrumptious treats on offer, colourful sweets and food, all beautifully packaged and traditional wooden toys and crafts destined for lucky kids. The whole nostalgic atmosphere is topped off by the spicy aroma of mulled wine, hot apple pies and hot chocolate. The perfect Christmassy accompaniment to browsing the stalls.
I am reliably informed by some in the know locals whilst browsing that the Weihnachtsmarkt in Opernpalais on Unter den Linden should definitely be the next stop on my Christmas bonanza and who am I to argue? The trip over to what was East Berlin takes me past the beautifully illuminated Brandenburg Gate and down Friedrichstrasse, another up market shopping street lined with tempting, top end boutiques and brasseries. My stroll up Friedrichstrasse also takes me past the WeihnachtsZauber on Gendarmenmarkt, another Christmas market which also seems worth exploring, despite the 1Euro entrance fee.
Luckily I am not disappointed; the Gendarmenmarkt is possibly the most beautiful public square in Berlin flanked by the concert hall and both the German and French cathedrals. The square’s beauty is only enhanced by the cheery illuminations and an immaculate, sparkling white Christmas tree. The vendors stalls here prove no less impressive as there’s an emphasis on art, photography and sculpture as well as elegant toys, gifts and jewellery too. There’s also respite from the winter chill in the heated craftsmen tent where you can watch toymakers, goldsmiths, and wood carvers at work, well worth the small entrance fee which also seems to have kept the crowds to a manageable throng too.
Detour over, I carry on up to another of Berlin’s famous streets, the wide boulevard of Unter den Linden. This wide avenue is named after the Linden trees that run its full length and have been wrapped with lights for the winter making the perfect backdrop to the market itself. Either side of the road are the majestic buildings of Humboldt University, the State Opera and numerous Embassies too. The atmosphere is indeed nostalgic with horses pulling carriages and puffing huge plumes of steam as they do, and a Ferris wheel that gives an excellent panorama of the city skyline.
The stalls here are also laden with local crafts and gifts not only from all over Germany but also the Czech Republic too offering an overwhelming choice of Christmas goodies, knick-knacks and stocking fillers. The Käthe Wohlfahrt Company which sells its famous and unique brand of kitsch Christmas treats is particularly hard to resist.
The largest of the Christmas markets in Berlin though is located in the large square of Alexanderplatz, next to the main train station. It’s possibly the most child friendly market with a whole host of rides and carrousels to enjoy, there’s certainly no age limit though and the atmosphere seems to bring out the big kid in everyone. There’s also an ice skating rink which seems like the ideal place to soak up the atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that I won’t be needing to get my own skates on my return to London.
A quick check of my Christmas list reveals that I have found some great pressies for just about everyone, even those notoriously difficult to please individuals (you know who you are.) It’s a great, yet unusual feeling of relief.
I wonder if they’ll miss my traditional yet manic last minute dash around London this year?
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