Berlin holiday guide 2024: Our curated recommendations

Will you indulge in fine dining with family and friends, enjoy enchanting Christmas-themed experiences like the Christmas Garden, or hunt for bespoke gifts for loved ones? Or maybe a tranquil winter getaway is calling your name?

Our specially curated Holiday Guide, created in partnership with our friends at The Columbist, is your compass for navigating the festive spirit in style. From lavish dining options to unique gift ideas and extraordinary experiences, we’ve ensured you won’t miss a single holiday moment.

Dining out in style

Kick off your festive celebrations with the glamorous holiday meal or night out in Berlin’s finest venues. Whether it’s a Christmas dinner, a chic work party, or simply treating yourself, these are our top recommendations:

Scirocco Brasserie

Start your day with a delicious brunch at Scirocco Brasserie. Whether reuniting with friends over the holidays, or celebrating with family or coworkers, enjoy a festive Christmas menu featuring dishes like Pumpkin Parmigiana, confit duck leg, and sticky toffee pudding. Choose from three holiday menu options or group sharing-style menus.

Scirocco Brasserie, Kurfürstendamm 27, Charlottenburg, details.

PAPILLON

At PAPILLON, the 70’s New York glam vibe sets the perfect mood for a festive meal. Enjoy a curated Christmas menu for €100 per person, featuring dishes like burrata with pistachios, poached monkfish with tarragon foam, and a show-stopping Christmas tiramisu. Custom group menus are also available, offering dishes such as tuna carpaccio and sirloin steak with Shaoxing pepper sauce.

PAPILLON, Hardenbergpl. 15, Tiergarten, details.

Dry Gin & Beef Club

Gin is one of the most refined festive drinks, and what better way to complement it than with premium beef? This holiday season, Dry Gin & Beef Club combines the art of exceptional gin with the luxury of sustainably sourced beef for a truly indulgent experience. With over 600 gins from around the world, the restaurant pairs each gin with dishes like Bombay Sapphire-marinated salmon and Dry Aged Rumpsteak. On Christmas Day, enjoy a special menu featuring a Gintini and Black Angus Beef.

Dry Gin & Beef Club, Oranienburger Str. 60, Mitte, details.

Sicilia – Restaurant & Wine Bar

*Photo: Sicilia Dinner, Lottermann & Fuentes*

Craving Italian in Berlin? Sicilia brings authentic Italian charm to the Spree, reinterpreting traditional “la cucina della nonna” (grandmother’s cuisine) with a modern twist. Sourcing local ingredients, the restaurant offers delights such as homemade truffle pasta in creamy sauce with freshly sliced truffle and chives, and Vitello Tonnato – tender veal with creamy tuna sauce, capers, and lemon, often hailed as the best in town.

Sicilia, Knesebeckstr. 29, Charlottenburg, details.

Crackers Berlin

*Photo: Crackers Christmas 2024 by @pewpew.productions*

“A former hip nightclub turned sexy restaurant” – this is how reviews describe the exquisite Crackers restaurant, the legendary Cookies Club reborn. The venue still carries the iconic atmosphere and attentive service it’s known for. Whether you’re joining for a festive Christmas party or welcoming the New Year in full glam, you’re sure to have a marvelous time. For a chance to end the year at Crackers, enter our exclusive Christmas Calendar giveaway and enjoy an unforgettable evening with a loved one.

Crackers Berlin, Friedrichstr. 158, Mitte, details.

Experiences to spark the holiday spirit

Create lasting memories with festive experiences that go beyond the usual. Perfect for showing loved ones you care or for creating magical moments together:

Christmas Garden Berlin

For its eighth season, the Botanical Garden is transformed into a magical winter wonderland at the Christmas Garden Berlin, featuring 30 stunning installations like the “Italian Garden” light show and the captivating “Water Symphony” at the Amerikasee. Bring along your friends or family and unleash your creativity at the interactive “Sing Dein Licht!”—a light and sound installation where your voice creates dazzling visual effects.

Christmas Garden Berlin, Botanical Garden Berlin, Königin-Luise-Str. 6, Dahlem, details.

Lucia Weihansmarkt

Escape the traditional Christmas markets and experience something new with a Nordic twist. Named after Lucia, the goddess of light, Lucia Weihansmarkt brings Scandinavian holiday traditions to life. Enjoy treats like Swedish Glögg, Danish Æbleskiver, and Finnish salmon grilled over an open fire. Try your hand at balancing on the Star ladder, and visit the Santa Claus throne with a wish mailbox to send your letters straight to Santa.

Lucia Weihansmarkt, Kulturbrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, Prenzlauer Berg, details.

Auszeit Tollensesee

The Christmas holiday is the perfect time to escape the city’s hustle and bustle for a more peaceful festive experience. Auszeit offers a tranquil retreat just outside Berlin, where you can relax in eco-friendly cabins surrounded by snow-covered trees in the Nonnenhof nature reserve, with the twinkling Tollensesee nearby. This winter, Auszeit takes relaxation up a notch with private saunas in every cabin, making it the ultimate serene Christmas getaway.

Auszeit Tollensesee, Nonnenbachtal, Groß Nemerow, details.

TEDxBerlin

For a truly enlightening gift, consider surprising your loved ones with tickets to the TEDxBerlin conference in 2025. Held annually, TEDxBerlin is a pinnacle event celebrating innovation, spirituality, and sustainability, featuring some of the most visionary speakers. It’s a thoughtful way to offer your loved ones a chance to gain fresh insights, expand their horizons, and foster meaningful connections in an unforgettable setting.

TEDxBerlin, location TBA, details.

Shibari Studio Berlin

For a unique and intimate holiday gift, treat your partner to a Tantric-Shibari workshop at Dan Carabas’ Shibari Studio Berlin. This beginner-friendly session blends Shibari art with Tantra to deepen connection and explore intimacy. Ideal for couples, it offers techniques focused on balance, control, and surrender. For a special keepsake, explore Dan’s art shop featuring Shibari-inspired sculptures and paintings.

Shibari Studio Berlin, Giesebrechtstr., Charlottenburg details.

Art Space Berlin

As soon as the snow falls, it’s the perfect time to dive into creative projects. For a unique gift, send a young talent to Art Space Berlin, where owner Yuliya Boldyrev has been sharing her passion for art with people of all ages for over 10 years. She offers a range of workshops, from painting to pottery, including parent-child sessions on Christmas themes. For adults, tailored team-building workshops are available, perfect for the holiday season, so make sure you book your event at Art Space Berlin.

Art Space Berlin, Dahlmannstr. 11, Charlottenburg, details.

Conscious and creative gifts

For meaningful gifts, think about shopping locally and supporting ethical businesses that add extra meaning to the holidays. Give presents that truly make a difference.

Keller Kreuzberg

Support LGBTQIA+ designers this holiday season by shopping at Keller Kreuzberg in the heart of Berlin. The store offers a wide range of products, from art to books, apparel, ceramics, and sexual wellness items. With over 100 queer-owned brands, it’s the perfect place to find gifts that celebrate love for all.

Keller Kreuzberg, Reichenberger Str. 48, Kreuzberg details.

LUCE

This Christmas, a candle from LUCE makes a thoughtful gift, with their food-inspired designs adding a touch of luxury. The festive LUCE x KLUB MAISON collection features playful creations like Martinis, Shrimps, Oysters, and Berlin Pancakes. The collection is available online at luce-luce.de and at LUCE’s Pop-Up in Berlin-Kreuzberg from December 6–8. LUCE’s candles are crafted in Italy and Spain, with figurines made by family-run businesses. Founded by Milena Kistenmacher in 2023, LUCE honors her grandmother’s legacy as a style icon and lover of the “sweet life.”

LUCE, pop-up at Besselstr. 14, Kreuzberg, details.

tHERAPY Berlin

Sisters Angie and Poli Aguirre create something entirely new and edgy by recycling old items. Their sustainable fashion brand, tHERAPY Berlin at RARE Store & Collective and champions inclusivity, body positivity, and gender fluidity. The brand’s latest collection, Antag o nia, draws inspiration from the organic world, featuring deconstructed garments with experimental designs, lacing, and ties. These pieces perfectly embody Berlin’s creative spirit and make for the ideal conscious holiday gift.

Visit the tHERAPY website for store locations.

Kaffee Kooperative

Shop for coffee with a clear consciousness from Kaffee Kooperative – a German-African social business, founded by a Ugandan and a German. The company revolutionizes the traditional coffee supply chain by placing responsibility for everything, from cultivation to packaging, directly in the hands of the farmers. This model empowers coffee farmers to transition from mere raw material suppliers to self-sustaining entrepreneurs. This holiday season, support local businesses with a cause, just like Kaffee Kooperative.

Kaffee Kooperative, details.

William Fan

William Fan is a treasure trove of gifts for those who appreciate beauty and modern aesthetics. Their handmade pearl bags collection, crafted from sea jewels in various designs and shades, offers a Carrie Bradshaw-inspired look with a contemporary twist. At their gift & souvenir store Fan Plaza, you can find unique gifts like Asian porcelain, candles by German artist Malte van der Mayden, leather bag charms, and more!

William Fan, Große Hamburger Str. 25, Mitte, shop by appointment only, details.

InJewels

For unique, sustainable luxury jewelry, InJewels is the place to be. Owner and designer Stella Owusu sources travels the world to find the most unique pieces, ensuring they are ethically crafted using “urban mining” to repurpose old gold and precious metals into bespoke creations. Stella’s curated collection blends beauty, quality, and sustainability, offering statement pieces, as well as wedding and engagement rings—perfect for a festive surprise.

InJewels, Anklamer Str. 38, Prenzlauer Berg, shop by appointment only, details.

For your furry friends

GroomRoom Berlin

Even your furry friends deserve holiday pampering. At GroomRoom Berlin, your furry friends get the royal treatment from master groomers who offer personalised care. Whether it’s a quick trim or a full spa experience, dogs and cats of all breeds will leave feeling pampered. It’s the perfect gift to help your pet friends look and feel their best—and their owners will love it too!