Winter 2026/27 Events in Berlin: Christmas Markets, Holiday Fun, Film, Art and Festivals

Best things to do in Berlin Winter 2026/27

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 things to do in Berlin this winter season. 

What to do for 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 – November 23 to December 31, 2026

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 Glühwein 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 craftspeople 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 18, 2026 to January 10, 2027

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 seasonal tidings of peace and magic that the whole family can enjoy.

Holy Shit Shopping – November 28 & 29, 2026

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, 2026

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 2026 to January 2027

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  Müggelsee, a lake in the southeast of Berlin.

Winter Art Events in Berlin

Transmediale – January 27 to 31, 2027

Transmediale is a festival exploring the intersections of art, culture, and technology, attracting artists, activists and thinkers from all over the world. Celebrating 40 years in 2027, this year’s festival, with the theme of “Ground States & Fragile Currents,” considers the human scale of technology, the communicative nature of errors, and looks back on the early days of the internet.

Winter Music Events in Berlin

Classical Concerts on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – December 31, 2026 & January 1, 2027

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 a selection of seasonal works by Venetian composers 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.

Louis Lewandoswki Festival – various locations, December 17 to 20, 2026

Named after the German-born Jewish composer Louis Lewandsowki (1821-1894), this festival celebrates his work and legacy, as well as other Jewish composers who emigrated from Germany. Most renowned for reforming synagogue music, the former musical director of Berlin’s Neue Synagogue composed his best works while in that position. His compositions focus on choral music, elevating the human voice to heavenly proportions. This festival makes for a perfect alternative to traditional Christmas music as Berlin enters the darkest days of the year.

Ultraschall Berlin: Festival for New Music – various locations, January 20–24, 2027

The Ultraschall Festival for New Music showcases both established and up-and-coming composers in the contemporary classical music scene. With a mix of grand orchestral works and minimalist ensemble pieces, this festival reveals the range of music being produced in the classical music world today.

Winter Film Events in Berlin

Berlinale – February 10–21, 2027

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 26 to December 5, 2026

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. While we await the program announcement for 2026, last year’s edition, the 20th, featured the Berlin premiere of the Norwegian film “Sentimental Value,” which won the Grand Prix in Cannes and was Norway’s submission for the 2026 Academy Awards.

Doc.Berlin – December 8–12, 2026

Berlin’s documentary film festival features excellent new entries into the canon of European documentary filmmaking. This year’s screenings include entries from Poland, Germany, and the Ukrainian diaspora.

British Shorts Film Festival – January 21–27, 2027

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 20th edition, both a jury and audiences will judge what is the best British short film from the selection.

Fashion Events

Berlin Fashion Week – January 29 to February 1, 2027

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. Polish designer Mariusz Przybylski, slow-fashion brand Marie Louise Müller and experimental Mexico-city based label Barragán  are among the dozens of featured fashion houses.

Winter Exhibitions in Berlin

Genghis Khan and the World of the Mongols at the James Simon Gallery  – ongoing

The year 2027 marks the 800th anniversary of the death of Genghis Khan, the notorious leader of the Mongolian empire. In commemoration of this notable anniversary, an exhibition showcasing archaeological treasures from the Mongols, including from the era of the height of the Mongol Empire, from about 1250 to 1350. Tickets are 14 euros for adults, 7 euros reduced.

Abstraction as resistance? At the Neue Nationalgalerie – until January 31, 2027

During the 1930s, the Third Reich decried and demeaned the existence of so-called “degenerate art,” which basically encompassed the entirety of the German avant garde, particularly non-representational abstract art. Artists such as Willi Baumeister, Hannah Höch and Alexej von Jawlensky, who continued or developed their non-representational work in Nazi Germany in the 1930s despite artistic defamation and exhibition bans.

Portraits! Surprising Encounters from Botticelli to Lempicka at the Gemäldegalerie – until March 14, 2027

This unique exhibition pairs portraits across centuries and art styles, highlighting their remarkable similarities as much as their differences. Works by painters such as Botticelli and Lempicka, Dürer and Giorgione, and Rembrandt and Lepsius are set side by side in ways never before seen in a museum environment. With 80 portraits organized in four chapters, this exhibition explores the commonalities in form, theme, and presentation of the fundamental art form of the portrait.

Maurizio Cattelan: Night at the Neue Nationalgalerie — until March 7, 2027

Contemporary art fans may know of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, named the winner of the 2026 Nationalgalerie Prize. Known for his hyperrealistic sculptures and installations, Catellan creates works meant to interact with the space around it and invite meditations on themes of collective trauma and memory. This special exhibition celebrates the 2026 National Gallery Prizewinner’s works, both old and new, and includes a special site-specific installation. Tickets are 26 euros regular, 8 euros reduced.

Food and Drink in Berlin

Markthalle Neun – Open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 6:00 PM, Saturdays 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

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.

Eat! Berlin — February 27 to March 7, 2027

One of Berlin’s biggest food festivals is back this February. Celebrating gourmet food from across the world, Eat! Berlin features renowned chefs, high-end cuisine, and unique tasting menus in restaurants all across the city. Sample some of the finest wines, cheese and pastries at special tastings and watch cooking demonstrations from some of the top chefs in the nation. The 2027 program has yet to be announced to stay tuned for more info!

If you’re in Berlin to take in its cultural and culinary 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.