Ho, ho, ho!
First, if this is your first Christmas in Berlin (or if you're a tourist here), keep in mind: these are very different days from regular Berlin days.
- Christmas Eve is on December 24th. on this day:
- Stores close at noon or are not open
- Restaurants are usually closed or offer special holiday meals. In the evening, it will be very difficult to find a restaurant spontaneously. What is often open? Asian food (Chinese / Vietnamese / etc.) If you have no choice but to eat outside (because you are a tourist, because the fridge is empty, etc.), try to reserve a place in advance or prepare yourself for an intense search for a meal
- Most museums are closed
- Public transportation works
- Christmas is celebrated on Saturday, December 25th and Sunday, December 26th. On these days :
- The shops are closed
- Some of the restaurants (mostly family-run) remain closed, but many are open
- Many (but not all) museums and palaces are open
- Few Christmas markets will be open, even though the holiday has already "entered"
- Yes, public transportation works.
So, Interesting things happening on December 24th
- Christmas Markets : The ones in the shopping centres (for example, Borsighallen in Tegel) will be usually open till 2 pm. ; Potsdamer Platz and Breitscheidplatz are also open until 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Most of the others are closed already or will be closed on the 24th; but the Christmas Gardens (both versions - Tierpark and Botanische Garten) will be open on the 25th-26th; so will Gendarmenmarkt. The Christmas market on Alice-Salomon-Platz is still open on December 26th (and until December 30th).
- Move your body:
- Lankwitz ice rink, Christmas Eve 12-16; 1st christmas day 12-21, 2nd christmas holiday 12-18); The Neukölln ice rink (closed on Christmas Eve; 25 + 26 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. / 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.), and Erika Heß (closed on Christmas Eve; 25 + 26 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. / 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.); the ice rink at the lido Grünau is closed on the 24th, but is open on 25 + 26, with even an ice disco on December 25th.
- Several swimming pools are open on Christmas Eve or on the holiday. You can find a full list here (PDF); The "T.U.R.M" indoor water park in Oranienburg is open on Christmas Eve (and Christmas days); In Potsdam, "blu" is only open in the sports area, the waterslides only on 26.
- Amusement: Karl Strawberry Village is open all three holidays, on Fridays, some of the attractions will be open until 18:00 (!), Most only until 14:00 (Saturdays / Sundays - holidays - open as usual all day but not addictive In the "store" they have there).
- Both Berlin Zoos are open on Christmas Eve and at Christmas.
- Stage:
- The Roncalli Christmas Circus, in the Tempodrom, also (but not only) on Christmas Eve.
- Also on December 24, enjoy the "Nutcracker" ballet at the Theatre am Potsdamer Platz (details / tickets)
- The THF Cinema offers a Christmas film marathon throughout the weekend, including on Christmas Eve. This includes the classic "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel", "It's a Wonderful Life" (in OV, that means, in English), "Love, Actually" and of course, Bruce Willis saving Christmas in Nakatomi Plaza.
(More) Christmas
- Music: If you happen to take a walk in the Tiergarten area on Saturday or Sunday around 2pm, you can enjoy a bell concert from the bell tower of the "House of World Cultures" (John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10), outdoors and for free
And more...
- Artist Adi Liraz will perform and guide at the Humboldt Forum on Winter and Light Holidays on Saturday (details)
- Looking for Corona suitable activity for kids in the Christmas holidays? SiVa-Kids are offering an online Scratch programming day-camp (details)
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