Twinkles and merriment: Alexanderplatz Christmas market in Berlin

It’s a family tradition to go to Berlin for Christmas. The Kid is still in an age where she loves being among family and relatives during Christmas and Hubby’s side of the family all live in Berlin. One year we made the mistake of spending the holiday in South Africa, she forlornly told us that Christmas was not the same without the big family, even if it meant we could have our Christmas dinner on the beach. After that, we made sure we’re with at least one side of the family for Christmas.

Berlin itself is a joy to be in around the Holidays. They took the festivities way more seriously than the comparably somber Dutch, and on a few lucky years, we got some snow too. One of the charms of the winter season throughout Germany is the abundance of Christmas markets. Every little towns has at least one, and in a big city like Berlin, there are many to be found and enjoyed. One of the biggest venue is the famous Alexanderplatz weihnachtsmarkt. A tad more expensive than the smaller venues, and more crowded, we somehow still always ended up here. It’s quite huge, with a lot of noisy thrill rides of all kinds, along with tamer rides for smaller children. The best parts of this market was the circular ice skating rink and the view from the Ferris wheel. Located in the middle of a lot of East Berlin’s most iconic landmarks, such as Berlin’s TV Tower, the Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church), Rotes Rathaus (Red Townhall), the ride offers the sight of Berlin that you might not get from any other time of the year. It’s best to arrive a bit earlier in the evening, before the pack gets too crowded. The skating rink also stops renting out their skates an hour before they close.

For a more old-school Christmas market vibes without screaming teenagers, the Gendarmenmarkt is another famous Berlin’s Christmas market. They’s got some gentler rides, probably more suitable for younger children, and the market has more stalls, with more eye candies (as well as real candies) to offer.

Wherever you go in Berlin during this season, you will be hard pressed not passing through one of these Christmas markets, in all kinds of location. I’m not someone who enjoys roaming around marketplaces, but on these dark days, I do enjoy going browsing through the Christmas markets of Berlin, seeking out some twinkling light, the festive atmosphere, the smell and taste of bratwurst and other German delicacies, and having some bites of my favourite snack; caramelised almonds.

This post is inspired by the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge theme of the week: Twinkle.