Berlin Christmas markets 2026: dates and times

Berlin has a huge number of Christmas markets – the official city portal lists dozens across all districts. The short answer for 2026: most of the big ones open on Monday 23 November, including Gendarmenmarkt, Charlottenburg Palace, Potsdamer Platz and the Rotes Rathaus. The market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Breitscheidplatz starts earliest, on 13 November, and several stay open until 3 January 2027.

Berlin Christmas markets 2026: all dates

Season: calendar days from the first to the last day, including closed days. All dates from berlin.de, the official city portal (see sources), as of October 2026.

A few smaller markets with confirmed dates: the historic Christmas market on the RAW site in Friedrichshain (12 November – 22 December), the Spandau old town market (23 November – 22 December) and the Alt-Rixdorf market in Neukölln, which only runs for one weekend (4–6 December). The Wintertraum at the main station does not take place in 2026, and the dates of the market on Alexanderplatz had not been announced yet.

Opening times and entry

The markets at a glance

Gendarmenmarkt. The WeihnachtsZauber is Berlin's most elegant market, on the square between the Konzerthaus and the French and German Cathedrals. It is known for its arts and crafts: in a large tent, woodcarvers, comb makers and tailors show their work, according to berlin.de. It is the only big market that charges a small entry fee – part of the money goes to cultural and social projects in Berlin, according to berlin.de. Come on a weekday before 14:00 to get in free.

Charlottenburg Palace. In front of the baroque palace, which is lit up in the evening – one of the most beautiful settings in the city. It opens only in the afternoon on weekdays and is a short bus ride from the City West.

Memorial Church (Breitscheidplatz). The classic market of the West, around the ruined tower of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at the end of the Kurfürstendamm. It opens earliest and stays until January.

Rotes Rathaus. Between the Red Town Hall, the Neptune Fountain and the TV tower, with an ice rink around the fountain and a big wheel – according to berlin.de you can see as far as Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate from its heated gondolas.

Humboldt Forum. On Schlossplatz and in the Schlüterhof courtyard of the rebuilt Berlin Palace – calmer, with a special atmosphere in the courtyard.

Berlin's markets after Christmas

Between Christmas and New Year, four of the big markets stay open: Gendarmenmarkt until 31 December, and the Memorial Church, the Rotes Rathaus and the Humboldt Forum until 3 January 2027. Charlottenburg closes on 27 December and Potsdamer Platz on 26 December. Watch the closed days: Rotes Rathaus is closed on 24 and 31 December, and Charlottenburg and the Humboldt Forum on 24 December.

A Christmas market route through Berlin

• Afternoon in Mitte: Humboldt Forum on Schlossplatz, then a few minutes across the Spree to the Rotes Rathaus under the TV tower.
• Early evening: walk or take the U5 to Gendarmenmarkt, about 15 minutes on foot from the Rotes Rathaus.
• Another day in the west: Charlottenburg Palace in the afternoon, then by bus to Breitscheidplatz and the Memorial Church in the evening.

Berlin's public transport makes it easy to hop between districts; our three-day plan for Berlin connects Mitte, the Museum Island, the Berlin Wall sites and Kreuzberg, and fits around the markets. Guided walks and museum tickets in Berlin^* are on Tiqets.

Getting there and where to stay

BER airport is connected to the main station by regional and airport express trains in about half an hour. From London, Berlin is about two hours by plane. Within Germany, ICE trains reach Berlin from Hamburg or Dresden in about two hours; compare train connections to Berlin^* on Omio. For a late arrival, a transfer from Berlin airport^* can be booked with Welcome Pickups.

For the markets, Mitte is the most central base – Gendarmenmarkt, the Rotes Rathaus and the Humboldt Forum are all within walking distance. Charlottenburg suits the markets of the City West. If you have a few hours before your train, you can use luggage storage in Berlin^* (Radical Storage).

Weather in December

Berlin is cold and grey in December: on average about 5.6 °C by day and 1.2 °C at night, with 51 mm of rain and snow over the month (ERA5, 2015–2024). It gets dark around 16:00, which is when the markets look their best. Warm shoes and gloves matter more than a heavy coat if you walk between markets.

For how long to stay, see how many days in Berlin. If you want to combine Berlin with another city, the Dresden Striezelmarkt 2026 is about two hours away by train; our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe and the guides to the Cologne, Munich and Vienna Christmas markets 2026 have more ideas.

Berlin trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Also for the same trip: Warsaw Christmas market 2026, Wrocław Christmas market 2026.

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