Best Christmas Market in Berlin: Weihnahtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg

My family and I took a trip in December 2023 to four different cities in Germany just for the Christmas markets. My family has German descent and it has always been a dream of ours to go together to witness the amazing markets during Christmas time. Our first stop was Berlin. With over 60 Christmas markets during the holiday season, Berlin is the “capital” of German Christmas markets. For our first night and first ever German Christmas market experience, we had no idea which one to choose. After lots of searching and asking for recommendations, our first-ever German Christmas market experience was the The Christmas Market at Charlottenburg Palace (Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg). Let’s dive into why the Charlottenburg Palace is the best Christmas market in Berlin!

Just outside of Berlin’s bustling enter, this market is unlike the rest nestled in the majestic setting of the grand Charrlottenburg Palace. What makes it extra special around Christmas, is that the palace is illuminated with beautiful rotating Christmas displays. Here, amidst the historical splendor of the palace, visitors are transported into a winter wonderland filled with charming wooden vendors, glistening lights, and delightful aromas. This market truly feels like a Christmas fairytale.

The Charm of Tradition

My family knew we wanted to go to a traditional German market. There are so many in Berlin, we knew we wanted to find a true, authentic German market that wasn’t overpopulated with tourists. After lots of researching, we knew we had to go to the Christmas market at Charlottenburg Palace. Our hotel clerk at Intercity Hotel Berlin, also recommended this market to us, as she said it was beautiful but not overly populated with tourists. She recommended we take the S-Ban train from our hotel to the market. The train station was only about a five minute walk from our hotel and we were off!

When we arrived, we were enthralled by the beautiful lights, the rows of wooden stalls, and the beautifully illuminated Charlottenburg Palace in the background of it all. The best Christmas market in Berlin of course has to have a beautiful castle in the background! We couldn’t wait to get inside and experience everything the stalls were offering from handcrafted gifts to the most delicious food. Every aspect of the Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg created an atmosphere straight out of a Christmas fairytale.

What to Eat at the Weinachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg

One of the best parts about the Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg is ALL the delicious food! So much variety and all of the traditional treats. I was so excited to finally have Germknödel again, which is a fluffy, sweet dumpling filled with jam and covered in sweet and creamy vanilla sauce, topped with poppy seeds. The first time I had this dessert was after a long hike from Germany into Austria climbing Kaiserburg Mountain. At the top of the mountain, stood a little bakery where I tried Germknödel for the first time. It was by far the best, and sweetest way to end a hike.

We of course had many mugs of Glühwein, which is a hot, mulled, wine to keep us warm. The taste of this wine always reminds me of Christmas. If you live in a place that a has an Aldi or Lidl grocery store, they sell bottles of Glühwein around the holidays that you can bring home and warm up yourself. We tried a bit of everything–potato pancakes with applesauce, bratwursts, currywurt, goulash, Käsespätzle–and it was all delicious. The roasted nuts fill the air and it is impossible to not get a bag of these while you are walking around the market. I personally really like the walnuts or Walnüsse. To end the night, a Bailey’s tent caught our eye, and we indulged in a deaden Bailey’s hot chocolate with whipped cream to top it all off.

How to get to Charlottenburg Christmas Market?

The Christmas Market is right in front of the Charlottenburg Palace on Spandauer Damm in Berlin Charlottenburg. I recommend public transport to get there! We took the S-Bahn Train, which is overground. There is also a bus that runs fairly closely to the market as well. Berlin is also very walkable, and I’d recommend walking if its not too far!

Tips for Your Visit:

Keep your mug! The first mug you buy of glüwein or hot cocoa, save your mug because other vendors will refill it for you! This will save you money because most vendors will charge for the mug as well in case you keep it as a souvenir. When you buy a drink at a Christmas market, most vendors make you pay extra for the mug as a deposit. If you return it, you will get your deposit back otherwise the mug is all yours! I kept mine as a keepsake and will use it for my coffee!

Dress warm. The weather is cold in Germany when the Christmas markets are up! Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg is primarily outiside except for a few tents where you could sit and dine in. However, it’s always a good idea to layer so you can take things off if you get warm.

Bring cash. It’s always a good idea to carry cash in case some places are cash-only. Most of the food and drink vendors at the market are cash only so I recommend bringing some bills and change with you!