WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt at the Berlin Staatsoper – Berlin Christmas Market:
Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market
The WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt is one of Berlin’s most popular and stylish Christmas markets during the festive season and for a very good reason. This centrally located upmarket Christmas market is usually set in Gendarmenmarkt, framed by the Französischer Dom, the Konzerthaus and the Deutscher Dom. With more than 1,000 strings of fairy lights sparkling in the evenings, it is truly romantic.
Change of Location
For the years 2022 – 2024, WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt has a new home on Bebelplatz as Gendarmenmarkt is being renovated.
WeihnachtsZauber at the Berlin State Opera
WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt Bebelplatz
The WeihnachtsZauber Gendarmenmarkt is in great company at Bebelplatz. It is opposite Berlin’s Humboldt University, Berlin’s Alte Bibliothek and St. Hedwig’s Cathedral. The new location more than matches Gendarmenmarkt in style and elegance. Also on the Bebelplatz is the grand Hotel de Rome. Their snowfall projection on the front of the building is romantic and atmospheric.
WeihnachtsZauber Berlin
WeihnachtsZauber
Berlin’s WeihnachtsZauber is one of our favourite Christmas markets and is a regular stop on our German Christmas market visits. This trendy and more more upmarket Christmas market attracts some 600,000 visitors from around the world each year. The market stalls are housed under their trademark white tents transforming Bebelplatz into a small tent city. There is a small admission fee of €2 during the weekends, but the money goes to a good cause.
What to Buy at WeihnachtsZauber
Arts & Crafts
The expanded Arts & Crafts section of the WeihnachtsZauber has had a huge image uplift at the new location. Traditional artisans at the WeihnachttsZauber include glassblowers, porcelain and ceramics craftsmen, a wood carver from Oberammergau, as well as goldsmiths and silversmiths. There’s also textile design and unique pieces of clothing and accessories as well as leather – the lady who makes customized belts, bags and clothing was particularly good. It’s no wonder they call her the “Queen of Leather”.
Christmas Treats
One of the best parts of visiting Christmas markets is to see what Christmas specialities are on offer at the market stands.
Traditional Christmas Foods
Stalls stacked with stollen, marzipan breads and cakes, nougat, etc. are a delight for people like me, who love these German sweets.
Mutzenmandeln
On a previous trip here our friend Stephan introduced us to mutzenmandeln. These almond-shaped little snacks are deep-fried, then rolled in confectioners sugar and served piping hot. They are very popular with Berliners especially at festival time, but we didn’t think it was a taste sensation.
Music and Entertainment
The Gendarmenmarkt Christmas market is busy during the day with acrobats, angels on stilts and stage shows. When night falls, it gets even busier with locals calling in after work. On the large stage, there is entertainment by renowned artists who help put the crowds into the festive spirit.
WeihnachtsZauber Berlin
Brass bands, jazz bands and choral groups provide ongoing entertainment and add to the Christmas spirit. With a mug of gluhwein in hand, we join the locals in enjoying the music.
Food at WeihnachtsZauber
There are stalls selling the traditional bratwurst and other snack foods. But if you want to take refuge from the cold, some of the restaurants offer fine dining in covered and heated tents.
Food tent at Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market
The restaurants include Dolden Mädel Weihnachtshütte, German-Rheinish cuisine at Ständige WeihnachtsVertretung, Bavarian cuisine at Erdinger am Gendarmenmarkt, Tyrolean specialties at Kasermandl and German-Austrian specialties at Lutter & Wegner. But the one that we like best is Edelweiss – believe it or not, it is an Italian restaurant.
We had a great meal at the Edelweiss Restaurant previously and decide to dine here again as they have all our favourite Italian dishes.
Dining at Edelweiss Restaurant
A Christmas Wish
If you hang around till a little later, Christmas angels make an appearance and grant visitors little wishes, if they’ve been good.
Christmas angels at Gendarmenmarkt
2024 Bebelplatz Christmas Market
The markets operate from November 25, 2023 to December 31, 2024 and the opening hours are:
12:00 noon to 22:00 Sun-Thurs
12:00 noon to 23:00 Fri & Sat
12:00 noon to 18:00 Christmas Eve, and
12:00 to 01:00 am New Year’s Eve
Note: For security reasons, backpacks and suitcases are not permitted. Dogs are not permitted as well, except for guide dogs.
See more photos of our visit to WeihnachtsZauber Here.
Address:
WeihnachtsZauber
Bebelplatz
Unter den Linden
10117 Berlin Mitte
Places to Stay
For your Christmas Market visit there is a huge range of Berlin hotels to choose from. At the Gendarmenmarkt and Bebelplatz Christmas market, we’ve tended to stay at the Clipper Berlin which is within easy walking distance to the Gendarmenmarkt. See our review of the Clipper Berlin Here. For the new Bebelplatz location, you might want to treat yourself to the 5-star luxury at Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome, Hotel Luc, Titanic Gendarmenmarkt or Regent Berlin.
Christmas & Classical Concerts
Französischer Dom, the Konzerthaus and the Berliner Dom are popular venues for Christmas and classical concerts. See what’s on and book your tickets here.
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