One of the best parts of Christmas, for me, is seeing the festivities and decorations light up the cities and shops as families get ready to celebrate the big day. When it comes to festive spirit however, nothing comes close to the traditional German Christmas market...so where better to go than the capital itself, Berlin!
We touched down at Schonefeld airport and made our way to the hotel in the Mitte district of the city- directly in the centre of Berlin and in easy walking distance to all the major sights and attractions. After plenty of research, I had booked the Winters Hotel in the historic Checkpoint Charlie area- you can get more information about the hotel here. The rooms were clean, comfortable and had a distinct modern and minimal style of furnishing that was perfect for a city break. Prices on the website are around €59 per room per night including a continental breakfast. This breakfast included cereals, breads, yoghurts, fruits and muffins as well as a welcome surprise of bacon, sausages and eggs...more full English than continental but we weren't complaining! The hotel was fantastic value for money and I cannot recommend it enough!
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| Checkpoint Charlie- a crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. |
Before travelling I had researched the must-see sights of the city and a frequent mention was the Reichstag or Bundestag- the German government building with an iconic reflective dome that visitors can scale. As someone completely obsessed with making the most out of time, I applied to visit the site a month before our trip in order to secure tickets (which are free) and you can do this by clicking here. Tickets are now available on the door however the queues were long and there is no guarantee of entry so it's definitely well worth applying online!
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| The outside of the Reichstag Building |
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| Inside the dome in the world's warmest winter coat |
There were guided and audio tours on offer, pointing out the city's landmarks as we climbed the reflective spiraling dome. After an easy fifteen minute walk, we reached the highest viewing point and overlooked the entire city, watching snow fall onto the Fernsehturm-the highest structure in Berlin. As the time ticked on and the city began to grow dark, we made our way through the festively lit streets towards one of the major Christmas markets...
We passed huge Christmas trees and followed our map towards Potsdamer Platz- one of the main squares and supposedly one of the best markets in the city.
As we arrived I was in Christmas heaven! The city centre had been transformed into a traditional and twinkling array of log cabins selling homemade lebkuchen and handmade wooden toys, There was an old carousel whirling and a German choir caroling, serenading us as we explored the rows and rows of festive goods on offer.
We wandered the market and stumbled across a Haagan Dazs cafe...which for a dessert lover like myself could not be missed! We warmed up with amaretto hot chocolate and shared some cake before walking back to our hotel- only around 20 minutes walk away. I have to mention how safe I felt in Berlin- as a female with or without a male with me it can often be intimidating walking around large cities late at night but Berlin was nothing but friendly to me and I fell in love with the city.
Have you ever been to Berlin? Do you have any recommendations for my next city break?
Catch up soon for more on my Germany trip and the other sights the city holds!
G x
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