Posted by Berlin gets dress in Christmas colours for December – and there are a lot of markets spread across the city. One of the biggest markets in the city is on the Gendarmenmarkt square in the center of the city with a church at each end of the square and the Berlin Concert hall on the side. The market is placed on one of the most beautiful squares in all of Berlin and it attracts a lot of visitors.
The market is so popular it is actually only one charging an admission fee – of 1€ per person so it won’t break the budget – but if you want to avoid the charge and the biggest crowds it is free to visit from 11 to 14 on Monday to Friday. When you get in the market it is very crowded at night – too crowded for our liking. We wonder around the area and there are a lot of small houses selling different goods and lot of places selling a food off different sorts. And getting a bite to eat and a glass of glühwein the ever present German mulled wine.
On the middle of the market is a stage where there are dance performances probably performed by the staff at the Berlin Koncerthaus which is located right at the square and the stage is actually on the stair up to the theater. If you can actually manage to get a decent spot you can watch the performance while you eat your bratwurst or drink your glühwein.
The market got a pretty wide selection of goods and food so I can see why it is popular. But I prefer some of the other markets around the city which are a bit less busy than this overcrowded market. If you want to visit Gendarmenmarkt you could consider coming early – we went there for a second look at the market and lunch on a Monday shortly after the opened at 11. There were still people around the market – but it wasn’t crazy as it had been at nighttime.
I guess part of the reason why so many people go here is because of the central location – it is an easy walk from the Museum Island or Brandenburger gate and you can reach it by the U2 underground line at Stadtmitte station.
FrejaTravels 
Lovely Christmas-y pictures, but I absolutely understand the crowdedness, considering it is in Berlin. I also went to the one in Cologne in a weekend (big mistake!) and it was packed to the point of being very uncomfortable…. the food is amazing, however! ❤
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The food is very German and a bit seasonal as well. And it is fairly cheap to fill up on the different foods and the glüewein 🙂
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We used to visit a different Christmas Market every year but we thought they were becoming less traditional and more commercial and they were all beginning to look alike. Last Christmas Market that we really enjoyed was in Tallinn.
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I guess the German markets do have a Commercial element. But they do tend to focus a lot on having a bite to eat and drink some mulled wine. I think this is fairly traditional – though a bit Commercial as well.
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I think most Christmas markets are now commercialised the last one I visited was some 15 yrs ago the Rüdesheim Christmas Market I also still have my pretty mug which the gluwein was served in…Lovely images and good information on the Berlin market …Merry Christmas
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You welcome – you never returned the mug 🙂 today they will take a 3€ deposit of the mugs and glasses so they can get most of them back.
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We didn’t have to.. the mug came with the drink don’t forget that was some 15 plus years ago 🙂
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Ok today you pay almost the same in deposit for the mug as you pay for the glüewein. I found the German markets a lot cheaper than the markets we have in Copenhagen and actually less commercial than the ones in Copenhagen.
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Again it has been a few years since I visited Copenhagen and that was one Easter but I did get some lovely wooden items …I am sure I would notice many differences if I visited those markets again 🙂
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Oki – I don’t really remember Christmas Markets in Copenhagen 15 years ago – they have come later I think. There are a lot now and it is growing every year it seems.
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I enjoy Christmas markets. Thank you for sharing these pictures and lovely post.
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You welcome Christy. We love Christmas markets as well. I hope have a great week:)
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