The first batch of Berlin Christmas cookies markets had us in 4 different neighborhoods, each with a vibe of its own. This was the one thing that surprised me especially: that each of the markets we visited had their own distinct personality and felt perfect for the spots they were held in.

Winter-Filmfest und Winterzauber im Nikolaiviertel

As the first Christmas Market of the year, I had high hopes for this one. However, to be honest, it did not stack up to those hopes. It was quite small, with only a handful of stalls, and the crowd was nearly nonexistent. However, the market had two things really going for it. First, the theme is Feuerzangenbowle, a hardy mix of German mulled wine and flaming rum-soaked sugar which was absolutely delicious. The second, was the location. This market takes place right in the heart of Berlin’s oldest neighborhood.

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Vibe:
Ba humbug|———⭐️——————|HoHoHo
Glühwein:
Sicker|———————⭐️——|Liquor
Size:
Quaint|—⭐️————————|Carnival
Crowd:
Deserted|—⭐️————————|Dense

Traditioneller Weihnachtsbasar im Finnland-Zentrum

Berlin is a fully multi-cultural city. And this was clearly evident in the theme of this market. Put on by the Finnish cultural society here in Berlin, this market featured all you know and love about Finland, including traditionally-cooked salmon and Glögg. Where part of the market took place, inside of the historical Passionskirche was an extremely pleasant surprise.

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Vibe:
Ba humbug|———————⭐️——|HoHoHo
Glühwein:
Sicker|————————⭐️—|Liquor
Size:
Quaint|——⭐️———————|Carnival
Crowd:
Deserted|————————⭐️—|Dense

Adventsmarkt im Ökowerk

Outside of the city center is Grünewald, famous for Teufelsberg and the CIA spy headquarters sat on top of it. Just in the shadow of that small mountain, lies the Ökowerk, now an event space in the middle of the forest. While not quite a traditional Christmas Market, this was one of my favorites to visit because of the general vibe and that we got to build our own wreath.

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Vibe:
Ba humbug|————————⭐️—|HoHoHo
Glühwein: (there was none)
Sicker|—————————|Liquor
Size:
Quaint|—————⭐️————|Carnival
Crowd:
Deserted|——————⭐️———|Dense

Advent Lichter Genuss im Natur-Park Schöneberger Südgelände

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A visit to a quaint Christmas Market in the train yard turned nature park in the under-hyped Berlin neighborhood of Schöneberg. In the near-freezing cold, it was a treat to drink steaming hot non-traditional assortments of Glühwein while watching the lights dance around on the trees. The one drawback is that the early closing time and hidden areas meant we missed out on a lot of what was there.

Vibe:
Ba humbug|————————⭐️—|HoHoHo
Glühwein:
Sicker|——————⭐️———|Liquor
Size:
Quaint|———⭐️——————|Carnival
Crowd:
Deserted|———⭐️——————|Dense

Next up: Potsdam