13 Things to Do in Berlin in December

The German capital is a great destination in any season, including December. In the last month of the year, you can enjoy different things to do, such as a museum in the morning and a sleigh ride in the afternoon. And all this without leaving the city.

Read on to find out what to see and do in the City of the Wall!

Christmas is just around the corner, and what better time to immerse yourself in the magic of the season? If you like romantic scenes and the charms of a historic town, I recommend a visit to the Spandau Christmas market. It is held every year in the vicinity of St. Nicholas Church, a Gothic church with three naves. You can get here by underground (line 7, fermata Rathaus Spandau).

If you don't have time or prefer to stay in the centre, I recommend a visit to the Gendarmenmarkt flea market. At the foot of the German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom) and the French Cathedral (Französischer Dom) you will find dozens of stalls with typical food and handicrafts. Every day, artists play classical, jazz or gospel music while jugglers attract the attention of the little ones. Open every day of the week from 11am to 8pm.

A good way to explore the centre of Berlin and discover its streets and monuments is to take one of the city tours.

Winter in Berlin can sometimes be a challenge. With an average temperature of 5°C, you'll want to find somewhere warm and enclosed. Museums are always a good option and the German capital has a few destinations worth a visit.

• Tickets to Berlin's Neues Museum: If you're passionate about ancient history, this is your best bet. It has more than 6,000 archaeological artefacts from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, including the sculpture of Nefertiti.
• Tickets to the Berlin Wall Museum: A must-see to learn about the history of the Berlin Wall and delve deeper into the division between West and East Germany.
• Berlin Museum of Illusions: A fun, immersive experience with different exhibits based on optical illusions.
• Madame Tussauds in Berlin: And of course, Berlin also has its own wax museum with more than 120 replicas. Ideal for a fun day out with the family.
• Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection: It has an important collection of surrealist works of art by such popular artists as Max Klinger, Odilon Redon, Alfred Kubin, Max Ernst, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francisco de Goya, Victor Hugo and Jean Dubuffet.
• Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum of Contemporary Art: Apart from the incredible collection of art it houses, the place where it is located, a former neo-Renaissance train station, is also worth mentioning.
• Gemäldegalerie: More than 1,500 works of art from the 13th to 18th centuries by influential German artists await you in this museum.
• Alte Nationalgalerie: Renowned artists such as Manet, Cézanne and Monet are some of the protagonists of this museum with more than 1,800 paintings and 1,500 sculptures.

The Berlin Ice Bar is undoubtedly one of Berlin's most unusual attractions. It's located in the city centre and no matter what time of year you go, the temperature is below freezing.

Even so, my recommendation is that you go during the winter months. In fact, December is an ideal month- why is that, you ask? As you can imagine, it is essential to be very warm, obviously with a coat, gloves and even a hat, and visiting this bar at another time of the year is quite uncomfortable, especially if you are on holiday and are going to spend the whole day sightseeing, as you will have to carry all this extra clothing all the time.

Another option is to end the day with a visit to the ice bar and enjoy a cool cocktail.

With your ticket for the Die Welt balloon ride you will enjoy incredible panoramic views of Berlin's most important monuments from no less than 150 metres above the ground.

You will also be accompanied by a team of pilots and guides who will show you around during the entire ride, which lasts approximately 15 minutes.

An unrepeatable experience in which you can take the best photographs of your trip to be the envy of all your family and friends.

The month of December, with the city lit up for Christmas, is an incomparable time to enjoy a helicopter flight over Berlin. An ideal plan to let yourself be dazzled by the breathtaking views of the capital of Germany, as well as all its monuments. The Berlin Wall, the TV Tower, the Brandenburg Gate and the Cathedral are just some of the many sights you will see as you would never have imagined.

Throughout the tour, which lasts approximately 20 minutes, you will wear a headset to communicate with the professional pilot who will accompany and guide you.

And a fun fact: after this flight experience, you will be given a tourist flight certificate.

When Christmas approaches, German breweries bring out special brews. Generally, Christmas beers are fuller-bodied and their flavour is characterised by ingredients such as cinnamon, cloves or vanilla.

It's not unique to Germany - it's also common in Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of France - but as a country with a long tradition, there's no shortage of options when it comes to ordering a good pint.

They are called Weihnachtsbier and are brewed with fresh first malt and hops harvested in autumn. In colour, they range from dark amber to hazelnut brown. They have a higher alcohol content than usual - around 8° - and go well with traditional desserts such as gingerbread.

When the cold weather sets in, warm and hearty German cuisine comes to the rescue. Unlike other cities in the country, Berlin is a multicultural city and its gastronomic offerings are geared towards international cuisine. However, there is no shortage of characteristic places that are steeped in tradition. The following list covers all budgets and brings together the best restaurants specialising in German cuisine:

• Zur Letzten Instanz, the doyen of Berlin. It has occupied the same location since 1621 and its most famous guests include figures such as Napoleon, Beethoven and Charly Chaplin. Its famous Buletten (pork and beef meatballs) and Bratwurst sausages are made with meat from local producers (Waisenstraße 14/16).
• Henne, another of the capital's historic restaurants. Since 1908 it has been serving crispy fried chicken prepared according to a secret recipe. It is located in the Turkish quarter (Kreuzberg) and is often busy. Reservations are therefore recommended (Leuschnerdamm 25).
• Schneeweiß, the Alpine restaurant. Its white walls and decorations create an open and elegant atmosphere. Specialities include Wiener Schnitzel (a breaded pork tenderloin or veal cutlet) and Spätzle, a typical southern German gnocchi. Located in the Friedrichshain district (Simplonstraße 16).
• Die Stulle, a good choice for an energetic start to the day. As the name suggests, the focus is on Stulle, a Berliner term meaning "coated slice of bread". You can choose from dozens of fresh and seasonal ingredients. It is located within walking distance of the Zoo (Carmerstraße 10).
• Schwarzwaldstuben, an establishment focusing on the cuisine of Swabia, a region in southeastern Germany. The speciality - only available in season - is the savoury asparagus and onion tart (Tucholskystraße 48).

A tip: order Eisbein, the famous German pork knuckle. It is obtained after a long cooking of a leg of ham. Other dishes worth eating in winter are Kassler (smoked pork with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes), Königsberger Klopse (veal and anchovy dumplings) and Apfelstrudel, an apple pie. And if you want to delve even deeper into German gastronomy, don't hesitate to book a food tour.

Kurfürstendamm - nicknamed Ku'Damm by the locals - is the German capital's most elegant boulevard. It starts at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and runs all the way to the residential area of Halensee.

In December it is full of colour thanks to the Christmas illuminations: Father Christmas and his reindeer, snowmen and decorated trees await you in this area of the city.

It is located in the western part of the city and can be easily reached by underground (stop Kurfürstendamm).

The department store Kaufhaus des Westens - often nicknamed "KaDeWe" - has eight floors dedicated to different types of merchandise. You'll find clothes, jewellery, perfumes, delicatessen and much more. The particularity of this place is the attention to luxury and the services provided which include currency exchange, tailoring services, luggage storage or a personal shopper who will guide you through the shops of the KaDeWe.

It is within walking distance of the Berlin Zoo. It's open every day of the week from 10am to 8pm and the quickest way to get there is by underground to Wittenbergplatz station (Tauentzienstraße 21-24). It's an ideal place to buy the last Christmas presents, renew your wardrobe or sample gourmet food.

In December, the Berlin Botanical Garden hosts the Christmas Garden. It is an approximately 1.5 kilometre long route enlivened with illuminations and 3D figures. This green space is well worth a visit, with more than 20,000 plants and one of the largest greenhouses in the world. Open daily from 9 am to 8 pm.

If you have four days in Berlin (or more), it is worth spending a day in Dresden. The cities are well connected by train: regional and high-speed trains(both direct and non-stop) will take you from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central Station) to Dresden-Neustadt or Dresden Hauptbahnhof. Alternatively, you can opt for the bus. Major bus companies operate from Alexanderplatz, the airport and Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

Berlin is modern and cosmopolitan while the capital of Saxony is a baroque gem. Both were bombed in World War II, but the latter was rebuilt with respect for traditional architecture. The Frauenkirche (Lutheran Church of Our Lady), the Zwinger (18th century baroque palace) and the Semperoper (opera house) rose from the ashes thanks to the efforts of the citizens.

In addition, Dresden can boast Germany' s oldest and most famous Christmas market: Striezelmarkt, where you can find not only stalls with sweets, handicrafts and souvenirs, but also a step pyramid, a large candle arch, a skating rink and the Pflaumentoffel, a prune statue representing a chimney sweep.

Did you know that the German capital has a toboggan run? Yes, sledding down the hills is a local tradition, and when winter comes, Berliners flock to the city's reliefs. I'm guessing you haven't checked in a sled as special luggage, but that's OK - many bike hire companies will rent you one. One of the best places to visit is Teufelsberg, the Devil's Mountain.

It's made up of post-World War II rubble and before it became a leisure destination it was a crucial Cold War site, towering over the former US listening station at its summit. It is easily reached by taking a train from Central Station.

Other sledging spots include Viktoriapark (Katzbachstraße), Humboldthain (Brunnenstraße) or Insulaner, a 75-metre hill near the Planetarium.

Before you go home and get back to your normal life, you can devote a morning to your wellbeing. In December, temperatures don't get too far below freezing and a relaxing spa is the ideal way to escape the cold. Like any self-respecting capital city, Berlin also has a few options to restore your energy. Read on to discover the top 5:

• Vabali, a corner of Bali in the heart of Berlin. It is very extensive and has 2 and 4 hour passes as well as a daily ticket. It is located inside the Fritz Schloß Park and within walking distance of the Central Station (Seydlitzstraße 6).
• Liquidrom, the futuristic wellness centre. From the outside it resembles a stylised Indian tepee, but the extravagance doesn't end there. The flagship is the heated saltwater pool with light effects and a classical or electronic music thread (Möckernstraße 10).
• Stadtbad Oderberger, the capital's former public baths. The building was designed by Ludwig Hoffman, the architect of the Pergamon Museum and the Fairytale Fountain, among others (Oderberger Straße 57).
• Louisa's Place, a boutique hotel near Adenauerplatz. It is housed in a Prussian-style building and has a good-sized swimming pool, sauna and massage rooms (Kurfürstendamm 160).
• Hamam, the Turkish bath for women. Open every day except Mondays (Mariannenstraße 6).

In the last month of the year, the average daily temperature is around 1°C. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying all that Berlin has to offer. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying everything there is to see and do in Berlin. However, you should be aware of the possibility of snow**, so I advise you to bring something practical: gloves, a hat and a pair of well-soled shoes are essential to avoid getting cold.

Despite all this, it's still a good time to visit Berlin. If a blanket of snow covers the surface, the city becomes even more enchanting. And there's no shortage of indoor activities to keep your holiday fun going.