Christmas in Berlin: 1–4 Day Hour-by-Hour Itineraries

In Berlin 24 December is busy in the morning and quiet in the afternoon: shops close at 2 pm, most museums and markets are closed and most restaurants don’t open in the evening. Our routes put shopping in the morning, Gendarmenmarkt (open on 24 December) at midday and the evening on a service and Christmas dinner. There are two paces: relaxed and balanced–packed.

Plan with your own dates

Enter your arrival and departure; the route adapts to that day’s opening hours, markets and your flights.

Itineraries by length

What’s open on 24 December?

In Germany Christmas Eve is spent with family, and the city goes quiet in the afternoon. Our routes are built around that.

Gendarmenmarkt: Open noon–6 pm; entry €2.
Potsdamer Platz Winter World: Open until 4 pm.
Alexanderplatz and Memorial Church markets: Last year Alexanderplatz was open 11 am–6 pm and the Memorial Church market 11 am–2 pm; 2026 hours pending.
Other markets: The Red Town Hall, Humboldt Forum and Charlottenburg Palace markets are closed.
Services at the Berlin Cathedral: Listed at 2, 4, 6 and 10 pm and midnight (not yet announced by the cathedral); free and very crowded.
Shops and restaurants: By law, shops close at 2 pm. Most restaurants are closed; those that open serve set menus, so book in October or November.

When are the Christmas markets open?

Market	Dates	Hours
Gendarmenmarkt (WeihnachtsZauber)	23 November – 31 December	Sun–Thu 11 am–10 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm; 24 December noon–6 pm. Entry €2, free on weekdays 11 am–2 pm.
Red Town Hall (Berliner Weihnachtszeit)	23 November – 3 January	Mon–Fri noon–10 pm, Sat–Sun 11 am–10 pm; closed on 24 December
Humboldt Forum (Schlossplatz winter market)	18 November – 3 January	Daily 11 am–10 pm; closed on 22 November and 24 December
Memorial Church (Breitscheidplatz)	23 November – 3 January	Last year Sun–Thu 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm; 2026 hours pending
Alexanderplatz	23 November – 26 December	Daily 11 am–10 pm
Charlottenburg Palace	23 November – 27 December	Mon–Thu 1–10 pm, Fri–Sun noon–10 pm; closed on 24 December
Potsdamer Platz Winter World	Late October – late December (expected)	Daily 11 am–10 pm; until 4 pm on 24 December
Lucia (Kulturbrauerei)	23 November – 22 December	Mon–Fri 3–10 pm, Sat–Sun 1–10 pm

Open and closed over Christmas

Place	22–23 December	24 December	25 December
Gendarmenmarkt market	11 am–10 pm ✓	noon–6 pm ✓	not published !
Red Town Hall market	noon–10 pm ✓	closed ✓	noon–10 pm ◷
Humboldt Forum winter market	11 am–10 pm ✓	closed ✓	11 am–10 pm ✓
Charlottenburg Palace market	1–10 pm ✓	closed ✓	noon–10 pm ◷
Memorial Church market	11 am–9 pm ◷	11 am–2 pm ◷	1–9 pm ◷
Alexanderplatz market	11 am–10 pm ✓	11 am–6 pm ◷	11 am–10 pm ◷
Potsdamer Platz Winter World	11 am–10 pm ✓	until 4 pm ✓	11 am–10 pm ◷
Neues Museum (Museum Island)	10 am–6 pm ✓	closed ◷	10 am–6 pm ◷
Reichstag dome (registration)	8 am–midnight ✓	closed ✓	not published !
Berlin Cathedral	9 am–6 pm ✓	services only !	not published !
Shops	open ✓	until 2 pm (by law) ✓	closed (public holiday) ✓

Officially confirmed for 2026
Based on the last published season; the 2026 schedule is pending
Not published yet; check again before you go

Tips

In Berlin, shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays (25–26 December, 1 January) and by law close at 2 pm on 24 December. There’s no legal limit on 31 December, but most shops close early in the afternoon (KaDeWe at 3 pm). The Christmas markets are open on Sundays too.
The Reichstag dome is free, but you must register in advance at bundestag.de and bring ID; slots fill up early. Closed on 24 December; last entry 2:30 pm on 31 December.
Most markets open on 23 November. Lucia (Kulturbrauerei) ends on 22 December, Alexanderplatz on the 26th, Charlottenburg Palace on the 27th and Gendarmenmarkt on the 31st; the Red Town Hall, Memorial Church and Humboldt Forum markets stay open until 3 January. Most are closed on 24 December.
On Christmas Eve (24 December) most restaurants are closed or close early; book Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinner in October or November. The classic on 25 December is Christmas goose.
On New Year’s Eve the streets fill with uncontrolled fireworks; some places, such as Alexanderplatz, were firework-free zones (2025 arrangement). Prefer controlled areas (the Brandenburg Gate party, Gendarmenmarkt).
On New Year’s Eve the U-Bahn and S-Bahn run all night; Brandenburger Tor station is closed after 4 pm on 31 December (2025 arrangement). Public transport thins out on the evening of 24 December, so stay central.
The Neues Museum on Museum Island and Charlottenburg Palace are closed on Mondays; the Pergamonmuseum is closed for renovation. Neues Museum tickets
In December it gets dark around 4 pm and the cold bites: bring a warm coat, hat and gloves; you’ll be standing at the markets for a long time.

Frequently asked questions

What’s open in Berlin on 24 December?

Shops until 2 pm; Gendarmenmarkt noon–6 pm and the Potsdamer Platz Winter World until 4 pm. Last year the DDR Museum was open 9 am–4 pm. Museum Island, the Reichstag dome and most markets are closed.

When do Berlin’s Christmas markets start?

Most open on 23 November 2026 (the Humboldt Forum winter market on 18 November). Lucia ends on 22 December, Alexanderplatz on the 26th, Charlottenburg Palace on the 27th and Gendarmenmarkt on the 31st; the Red Town Hall, Memorial Church and Humboldt Forum markets stay open until 3 January.

Are restaurants open on Christmas Eve?

Most are closed or close early; in Germany Christmas Eve is spent with family. Those that open (hotel restaurants and some in Mitte) serve set menus; book in October or November.

Are museums open on 25 December?

Last year the museums on Museum Island were open 10 am–6 pm on 25 and 26 December. Charlottenburg Palace is closed on 25 December and open on the 26th (2026/27). Shops are closed on 25–26 December.

Can I go shopping on a Sunday?

No: in Berlin shops are closed on Sundays (except some tourist shops). The Christmas markets are open on Sundays too.

Is there an entry fee at Gendarmenmarkt?

€2; free on weekdays 11 am–2 pm (except 24, 25, 26 and 31 December) and for under-12s. Entry to the other big markets is free.

Sources

Hours compiled from official sources (21 October 2026). The marks in the table show each time’s status: confirmed for 2026, based on the last season, or not yet published. Holiday hours can change; check the official websites before you go.