Winter 2024 Events in Berlin: Christmas Markets, Holiday Fun, Film, Art and Festivals
Spending the winter in Berlin needn’t be cold and gray as the forecast may suggest — as a thriving international hub of art, technology and culture, Berlin offers up a wealth of ways to brighten those longer nights. With exhibitions, concerts, festivals and Christmas markets, the city has a crowded calendar of events all winter long. Below we’ve curated a list of the best events to check out in Berlin this winter season.
Christmas and New Year’s in Berlin
Being a cosmopolitan capital and melting pot of various cultures and religions, Berlin may not be known for its Christmas feel, but you can still find the spirit here during the season – and it won’t be hard to look. We’ll explore some of the best Christmas events and traditions that make the holiday season special in Germany’s capital.
Christmas Markets in Berlin – until December 31, 2024
If you’re in Berlin during the Christmas season, there’s no better way to partake in Christmas cheer than to visit one of the many Christmas markets in Germany’s capital. With over 100 options to choose from, you can easily find a festive market wherever you’re staying in Berlin. And all that competition means markets may have to make a special effort to stand out, beyond simply offering the best bratwurst and Gluhwein in town.
One of our favorites is the Christmas market at Alexanderplatz for its unconventional Christmas pyramid decorated with more than 5,000 lights, skating rink and mixture of Christmas festivities with the occasional techno party. At Potsdamer Platz, the market is dubbed Winter World, complete with a 12-meter-high slide, with skating lesson on the weekends. The Christmas market at Bebelplatz includes an artisans’ tent where you can watch expert crafstpeople make art, ceramics, wood carvings and more.
If you’re feeling like making more of a journey outside the center, check out the Christmas markets in Potsdam, a bustling suburb of Berlin and more off the beaten path for tourists. The Old Town Christmas market is a favorite for its fairytale charm, with the surrounding booths and buildings adorned with traditional Christmas decor of wreaths and lights.
While Christmas markets offer the classic street foods of sausages, roasted almonds, and gingerbread, you’ll have to reserve a table at a local restaurant for a traditional Christmas dinner. What constitutes “traditional” depends on the day (as well as the region). On Christmas Eve, the traditional dish is a simple meal of sausages and potato salad, while on Christmas Day, many Germans around the country tuck in to a much heartier meal: roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings. Many restaurants are closed on December 25 and 26, but some are open with special holiday menus.
Take a tour with Insight Cities
If you’re in Berlin this winter for the first time, let us introduce you to the city! Insight Cities’ introductory tour of Berlin will take you to several major landmarks, such as Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, and the Holocaust Memorial, while an expert guide will share the dramatic stories behind them. All our guides have bona fides in relevant fields, making them certified experts on Berlin’s eventful history. Book with us today and we’ll match you with the perfect guide.
Christmas Garden Berlin – November 20, 2024 to January 12, 2025
Each Christmas, the Botanical Garden in Berlin is decked in lights and transforms into a winter wonderland. Along this relaxing magical stroll you’ll find reindeer, a Singing Tree, and prismatic light installations. The Christmas Garden brings season’s tidings of peace and magic that the whole family can enjoy.
Holy Shit Shopping – November 30 and December 1, 2024
Berlin doesn’t have the reputation of being the world’s hipster mecca for nothing. And keeping in line with its reputation, the city’s young designers transform an unused heating plant into a fun-filled Christmas market, making holiday shopping way more fun. Taking place the first weekend that hits December, this special edition market has everything you can imagine a hip young Berliner desires – music, food, cosmetics, fashion, drinks, and lots of Christmas gifts.
New Year’s Eve at Brandenburg Tor – December 31, 2024
Berlin is a place to party, so what better place to be than Berlin on the biggest party night of the year? The festivities stretch across a mile along Strasse de 17. juni to Brandenburg Tor, with twenty live music acts, a food truck festival, light shows, and of course, fireworks. At 10 euros a ticket, it’s a reasonable price to pay for ringing in the new year Berlin style.
Ice skating – various locations, December 2024 to January 2025
Europeans love going outside all times of year, and winter is no exception. Ice skating rinks are the perfect place to warm up and get some movement in on the coldest, darkest days of the year. Like many other European cities, Berlin has outdoor ice rinks set up all over town for the winter. Skate around the Neptune Fountain in front of City Hall, at the open-air stadium near Tempelhof, or make the trek to the 600-square-meter ice rink at Friedrichshagen lido with a view of Muggelsee, a lake in the southeast of Berlin.
Art
Transmediale – January 29 to February 2, 2025
Transmediale is a festival exploring the intersections of art, culture, and technology, attracting artists, activists and thinkers from all over the world. Last year’s theme, “You are doing amazing, sweetie,” focused on how the mechanisms of content production affect our relationship to technology. Next year’s program is yet to be announced, so stay tuned!
Black Hole Berlin – Unseen Worlds (ongoing)
Walk through a labyrinth of dazzling digital media installations inside gallery PS 61. Each of the 20 installations, completed by a total of 40 artists, has a spin on the broader theme of technology and its influence on the human experience.
Music
Classical Concerts on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – December 31, 2024 & January 1, 2025
If you prefer to spend your New Year’s Eve in a more sophisticated setting, Berlin has not one but three options for you. For a traditional concert experience go to the New Year’s Eve concert from Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin featuring Beethoven’s Symphony number 9. On New Year’s Day, the RIAS Kammerchor will perform Handel’s “Israel and Egypt” at the Berlin Philharmonic.
For a concert with some theatrical flair, see the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester play with Circus Roncalli, where acrobats will be performing to various symphonic pieces.
Film
Berlinale – February 13–23, 2025
The Berlin International Film Festival, known as Berlinale, is one of the biggest film events of the year in Berlin, attracting thousands of film lovers from around the globe. Up to 400 films are screened each year, in just about every genre you can name, representing a diversity of languages and countries. The program is revealed only in the lead-up to the big event, so be sure to follow Berlinale for program updates.
Around the World in 14 Films – November 29 to December 7, 2024
If you can’t make it to the Berlinale in February, going Around the World in 14 Films is a decent substitute. Showcasing 14 feature films, each from a different country, and nine short films, Around the World in 14 Films presents remarkable cinematic works from filmmakers across the globe. For a taste of what to expect, last year’s event included the German premiere of Polish film “The Green Border” and four Berlinale Spotlight: WCF films from Africa and Asia.
Doc.Berlin – December 9–12, 2024
Berlin’s documentary film festival features excellent new entries into the canon of European documentary filmmaking. This year’s screenings include entries from Hungary, Norway, Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
British Shorts Film Festival – January 23–29, 2025
British film geeks will want to check out the British Short Films Festival in Berlin, showing 150 films across five different venues in Berlin. In its 18th edition, both a jury and audiences will judge what is the best British short film from the selection.
Fashion
Berlin Fashion Week – January 31 to February 3, 2025
Fashion aficionados flock to Berlin every February for Berlin Fashion Week to celebrate innovations in fashion. Given that it’s Berlin, expect to see some alternative and avant-garde styles that pushes the boundaries of high fashion. Kitschy Couture, Lueder, and Olivia Ballard are among the 17 exhibitors.
Exhibitions
Nan Goldin: This Will Not End Well — November 23, 2024 – February 16, 2025
Nan Goldin’s work, revealing candid portraits of people often cast out by society, remains significantly impactful to this day, and though she is best known for photography, this exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie brings it back to her artistic roots and aspirations as a filmmaker. Across six rooms, her work will be presented via slideshow and film projections, adhering to Goldin’s original vision of how audiences would interact with her work. Covering her entire artistic career, this exhibition will be a truly unique experience of Nan Goldin’s work.
Kandinsky’s Universe: Geometric abstraction in the 20th Century – opens February 15, 2025
Held at the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, this exhibition explores the development of geometric abstraction and expressionism in the early 20th century, with artist Wassily Kandisky at the center. Over 70 other artists are featured, each experimenting with color, shape, and line to convey abstract themes. With more than 100 works on display, this exhibition serves as a comprehensive overview of this odd and influential artistic movement.
The Temporary Bauhaus Archive and Museum – Ongoing
The Bauhaus Museum – Berlin’s engrossing tribute to the design philosophy that shaped the modern face of continental Europe – may be closed for renovations, but you can still view some of the best of the permanent exhibit in an incredible popup museum at the Haus Hardenberg. In addition to the remarkable examples from the permanent exhibition, the Temporary Bauhaus includes some insightful temporary exhibits.
Food and Drink
Markthalle Neun – Open daily (timings vary)
The center of Berlin’s food scene in the fast-gentrifying Kreuzberg district is a hip, modern tribute to the heydays of the old German beer and market hall. Markthalle Neun plays both roles – of regular marketplace for locally sourced fruit and veg and gourmet foodie paradise with fancy cheeses, exotic wares, wines and charcuterie on offer. Highlights include its Street Food Thursdays, when dozens of vendors battle for your taste buds and wallet.
If you’re in Berlin to take in its cultural offerings, why not take Insight Cities unique Kaleidoscopic Kreuzberg tour which can be done on foot, or by bike if you dare to brave the winter. This fun and deeply insightful tour provides perspective on the Kreuzberg district, Berlin’s creative center, explaining how its multicultural melting-pot character lies at the heart of its success.
We work all year round and have flexible options and tour accommodations, so whether you want to join a small group, have a private tour, or have special requests, we’ll be happy to show you around. Contact us to organize your tour today.