Tag: Christmas

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Japanese Christmas Market in Berlin

Japanese Christmasmarket

In Japan live about 2 per cent of Christians. For sure, it would not be the first country you would associate with Christmas. But this fact doesn’t keep Berlin from organising a Japanese Christmas market. What you can find there? Please scroll down …

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At the weekend of the second advent, I visited the Japanese Christmas market together with my flatmates (sometimes we’re Asia nerds). The market was in a big hall in Alt-Treptow in Berlin. The first look wasn’t really Christmassy (neither the second). There were a lot of different booths with typical Japanese stuff like soft toys, pictures, little action figures and accessories. We did also find hand-made kimonos and self-made art. The vendors were different people from Germany or Japan, who came to the market to present and sell special things.

Japanese food at a Christmas Market in Berlin

And of course, there were many different booths with Japanese food. Berlin is also really famous for offering a lot of Vegetarian and Vegan food, so there were also a lot of possibilities to have dishes without animal products. Of course, they had a lot of meals with rice like Japanese Curry or Thuna Don. The last one is a rice bowl with marinated tuna Sashimi. Other little things were Yakitori (chicken) or different crepes with Salmond-Teriyaki, Kimchi-Cheese or Matcha-Atzuki. They also sell all kinds of Hot Dogs with specific dishes like Kimchi, Wasabi and Teriyaki. Okonomiyaki reminded me of a big pancake, I think you could compare it with each other. Of course, you could eat typical food like Sushi and Japanese soup. They also sell Zenzai. It’s a sweet red bean soup. 

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My Gyoza

It was really hard to choose only one dish from the big offer. I decided to try Gyoza. It’s thinly rolled pieces of pastry filled with meat (pork) or vegetables (vegetarian). If you know the German “Maulentaschen” you will know, what I mean. You eat it with soy sauce. It was really delicious, but I waited for one hour to get them because the food needed a lot of time and many people wanted to eat them. But I was lucky because the seller gave me one Gyoza more. Thanks to the hospitable Japanese.

Click here to find more blog posts about different Christmas markets in Berlin

First written on Monday, December 14th, 2015, you have read the blog post Japanese Christmas Market in Berlin on My Travel Journal-Blog.

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Christmas Markets at Alexanderplatz in Berlin

Christmas Pyramid at Alexanderplatz in Berlin

Two other famous Christmas markets are the one at Alexanderplatz and just a few metres from there at Rotes Rathaus. I will tell you where you find a rink for ice skating, real snow, which doesn’t depend on the weather and meet Santa Claus.

Snow at the Christmas pyramid at Alex in Berlin

💡 WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS MARKET?
Christmas markets are street markets held during the weeks of Advent and originate from Germany. Therefore, Christmas markets are very typical for Germany, as well as Austria, South Tyrol (Northern Italy), and some eastern regions in France. The history dates back to the Late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe. Christmas markets feature a variety of different stalls selling all kinds of items, including typical Christmas dishes such as German gingerbread (‘Lebkuchen’), candied almonds, various sausages (‘Bratwurst’) and hot mulled wine (‘Glühwein’).
Three Christmas markets at Alex

Alexanderplatz is the most famous square in Berlin with its TV tower and named after the Russian Tsar Alexander I. No wonder it also hosts three different Christmas markets around the area. The one directly on the actual square is full of different booths (more than 100) – and the favourite food of Germans (which you can find at basically every Christmas market) are German sausages, French crêpes and sugared almonds.

Let it snow

Right next to the World Time Clock is a Christmas pyramid designed with over 5,000 lights. Not only is it Europe’s biggest one but actually is also accessible to enjoy your hot mulled wine (“Glühwein”) inside. But also the small fireplaces around the pyramid offer a bit of warmth in Germany’s cold winters.  But the highlight is the snow which falls down from the pyramid every full hour. And this snow will fall no matter if it’s cold enough or not (the snow is foam).

Besides the pyramid is traditionally a big children’s carousel. In the stalls around are even more Christmas-themed articles – a lot of them handcrafted. 

Ferris wheel at the Chirstmas market at Alexanderplatz

Christmas Market at Rotes Rathaus

If you follow the square in the direction of the TV tower (Western part of the Alexanderplatz) you will reach the next Christmas market at the Rotes Rathaus. The famous red building is the town hall of Berlin, the home of the mayor and partially even open to the public. 

This Christmas market offers a 50m high Ferris wheel (it is actually the same you can find at the Octoberfest in Munich) and a skating rink around the fountain (Neptunbrunnen) for ice skating. Three times a day Santa Clause flies over this fountain in his slide and of course with his reindeers. Furthermore, here you can taste a special menu of Berlin – warm green cabbage (usually served with sausages). Another particular dish they sell is Lángos from Hungary, as well as roasted apples, homemade baked bread from the medieval bakery and hot mead (honey wine). 

The third Christmas market is more like an amusement park right behind the shopping mall Alexa. 

Click here to find more blog posts about different Christmas markets in Berlin

First written on Sunday, December 13th, 2015, you have read the blog post Christmas Markets at Alexanderplatz in Berlin on My Travel Journal-Blog.

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City-Christmas Market at Zoo in Berlin

The next Christmas market I visited was the one around the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at the Breitscheidplatz in Charlottenburg. The Christmas market is right next to the famous shopping street of Kurfürstendamm. You can reach it by subway getting out at “Zoologischer Garten” or “Kurfürstendamm”.

💡 WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS MARKET?
Christmas markets are street markets held during the weeks of Advent and originate from Germany. Therefore, Christmas markets are very typical for Germany, as well as Austria, South Tyrol (Northern Italy), and some eastern regions in France. The history dates back to the Late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe. Christmas markets feature a variety of different stalls selling all kinds of items, including typical Christmas dishes such as German gingerbread (‘Lebkuchen’), candied almonds, various sausages (‘Bratwurst’) and hot mulled wine (‘Glühwein’).
The location

One of the most famous churches in Berlin is the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche at the Kurfürstendamm in Charlottenburg. The original church was built in 1890 but was damaged in a bombing raid during the Second World War. Nowadays the church is an important landmark of (former) West Berlin.

Thousand lights

I really enjoyed the mood of the Christmas market here, because of the thousands of beautiful lights in the trees and on the stalls as well as a carpet of lights above the heads of the visitors. A popular photo setting is also the huge Christmas baubles decorated with even more lights. Really typical for the markets in Berlin are the big Christmas pyramids with candles and figures from the nativity scene.

Christmas lights at Christmas market at Zoo in Berlin

The Christmas market is way bigger than it seems at first glance because the stalls are spread all over the square and some even continue along die Kurfürstendamm. Usually, it even has a pop-up restaurant with traditional German cuisine.

Click here to find more blog post about different Christmas markets in Berlin

First written on Sunday, December 13th, 2015, you have read the blog post City-Christmas Market at Zoo in Berlin on My Travel Journal-Blog.

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Christmas Market at the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin

Berlin offers more than 50 Christmas markets, including one located at Charlottenburg Palace. Charlottenburg is one of the most expensive districts in Berlin, and in my opinion, also one of the fancier ones. This Christmas market in front of the castle can be reached with a ten-minute walk from the train station ‘Westend’, or alternatively, there is a bus stop right in front of it.

💡 WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS MARKET?
Christmas markets are street markets held during the weeks of Advent and originate from Germany. Therefore, Christmas markets are very typical for Germany, as well as Austria, South Tyrol (Northern Italy), and some eastern regions in France. The history dates back to the Late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe. Christmas markets feature a variety of different stalls selling all kinds of items, including typical Christmas dishes such as German gingerbread (‘Lebkuchen’), candied almonds, various sausages (‘Bratwurst’) and hot mulled wine (‘Glühwein’).
What to find on the market

This Christmas market is quite extensive and includes a little section for children, featuring different carousels, a small roller coaster, and a special train.

However, the market offers numerous different stalls where their vendors sell Christmas decorations, candles, accessories, as well as arts and crafts. Additionally, there us a wide array of food available. Germany is renowned for its extensive selection of sausages, which you should give a try. Usually, there will be also some vegetarian or even vegan options. Moreover, the market offers a variety of traditional Christmas dishes such as German gingerbread (‘Lebkuchen’), bread baked in a wood stove, hot mulled wine, and pan-fried mushrooms.

Nativity play

Besides a Christmas pyramid, the market also features a nativity scene and, of course, a castle, which will be illuminated throughout the night in different colours.

Click here to find more blog post about different Christmas markets in Berlin

First written on Monday, December 7th, 2015, you have read the blog post Christmas Market at the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin on My Travel Journal-Blog.

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Lucia Christmas Market in Berlin

The carousel of the Lucia Christmas market

Berlin has over 50 Christmas markets, among them the Scandinavian Lucia Christmas Market featuring Glögg, ‘Feuerzangenbowle’ and the ‘Open-Air-Coat-Heater’. 

💡 What is a Christmas Market?
Christmas markets are street markets held during the weeks of Advent and originate from Germany. Therefore, Christmas markets are very typical for Germany, as well as Austria, South Tyrol (Northern Italy), and some eastern regions in France. The history dates back to the Late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe. Christmas markets feature a variety of different stalls selling all kinds of items, including typical Christmas dishes such as German gingerbread (‘Lebkuchen’), candied almonds, various sausages (‘Bratwurst’) and hot mulled wine (‘Glühwein’).
My first Christmas Market in Berlin

I just moved to Berlin a few weeks ago. The capital of Germany offers a variety of Christmas markets, and I want to explore some of them in the next weeks leading up to Christmas. The first market I visited was the Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in Prenzlauer Berg. It’s located at the Kulturbrauerei near the subway station Eberswalder Straße.

I just moved to Berlin a few weeks ago. The capital of Germany has a lot of different Christmas markets and I want to try to discover some of them in the next weeks until Christmas. The first market I visited was the “Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt” in Prenzlauer Berg. You can find him at the “Kulturbrauerei” at the subway station “Eberswalder Straße”.

 
 
 
 

The market gets his name from Lucia from Scandinavia, she brings the lights on the 13th December (in English it’s Saint Lucy’s Day). Of course, you will also get here some Scandinavian drinks like Glögg. But of course, you can also drink the typical hot mulled wine, you can buy at every German Christmas market. Or another choice could be “Feuerzangenbowle”. The drink is named after the pliers above it. It’s hot mulled wine with rum-soaked sugarloaf, which has a blue flame.  

When you easily feel cold you should visit the “Open-Air-Mantel-Heizung” (literally translated Open-Air-Coat-Heater). Visitors can wear one of the coats, which are combined with heaters, which get their warmth from an oven nearby.  

Saint Lucy’s Day

The market is named after Lucia from Scandinavia, who brings the lights on the 13th of December (known as Saint Lucy’s Day in English). Of course, you can also enjoy some Scandinavian drinks like Glögg. However, you can also drink the typical German hot mulled wine, that you can buy at every German Christmas market. Another option could be Feuerzangenbowle. The drink is named after the tongs used to hold a sugarloaf. It’s hot mulled wine with a rum-soaked sugarloaf that produces a blue flame.  

Open-Air-Coat-Heater
Open-Air-Coat-Heater from Lucia Christmas market

When you easily feel cold, you should visit the Open-Air-Coat-Heater. Visitors can wear one of the coats, which are equipped with heaters that provide warmth from an oven nearby.  



Click here to find more blog posts about different Christmas markets in Berlin

First written on Sunday, December 6th, 2015, you have read the blog post Lucia Christmas Market in Berlin on My Travel Journal-Blog.