Enjoying the season at the Weihnachtstmarkt in Berlin

Earlier this month I was in Berlin for a weekend with my family. Berlin has become somewhat a city of family lore because some years ago, we missed a flight to Berlin for a similar weekend, albeit in springtime.

When I booked those tickets, the airline was scheduled to fly from one Roman airport, and when I checked in on-line, I took note of the slightly changed departure time but completely failed to note that the airport had changed as well. Zheesh …

Needless to say, I never lived that one down, with constant jibes from my kids about our failed trip to Berlin.

This year I decided to give it another try.

I’m glad we did, even if it was freezing cold. Still, we had fun warming up at the numerous Christmas markets peppering the city.

The one we stopped off at each day was close to our hotel, right off Alexanderplatz. The kids loved it there – eating sausages, piping hot donuts, crepes with nutella and candy-covered apples, watching the skaters and the crowds, the Ferris wheel, and wandering about to admire the crafts.

My husband and I loved it for the Gluehwein that helped stave off the biting cold. I always love Gluehwein – mulled wine – when I’m back up for northern Christmases. Sadly, we don’t have it here in Rome.

There was an even more (aesthetically) beautiful WeihnachtsZauber (Christmas Magic) Christmas market on the Gendarmenmarkt. It was dramatic framed by the beautiful, illuminated buildings and the gigantic Christmas tree.

There were also nightly performances the kids enjoyed watching, but it was so crowded and the Gluehwein just didn’t taste as good. So we did enjoy stopping by at this elegant market but we always found our way back to “our neighborhood” hangout on Alexanderplatz each day.

Good luck finding your favorite places, too. There are plenty from which to choose as the Christmas season kicks off, and they are a great place to relax, unwind and warm up on bracing December days.

I’m glad to have made multiple stops at the Christmas markets during our long weekend in Berlin … it’s already managed to put me in the holiday state of mind.

If you’re as much of a Christmas market fanatic as I am, see my earlier posts on the markets not to be missed in Vienna, Toulouse and Nice.