Berlin Germany A Festive Four-Day escape
Berlin at Christmas? Oh yes. Add fabulous friends, comfy boots, overflowing beer steins, and a very ambitious step count, and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect long weekend. We flew out Friday and floated home Monday, full of memories, mulled wine and hot eggnog and mildly sore feet.
Friday: Getting Our Bearings (and Our First Beer)
Friday was all about settling in and soaking up the vibe. After arrival at our hotel, we headed out to get our bearings — and by “bearings,” we mostly meant finding Christmas markets. Berlin doesn’t do things by halves, so before we even realised it, we’d already ticked off several markets, each twinkler than the last.
The night ended on a high at the legendary Hofbräu Bar — and what a way to start the weekend. Think phenomenal hospitality, steins flowing freely, hearty food, dancing, laughter, and that infectious beer-hall atmosphere where strangers become friends and everyone’s having the best time. If Berlin had a “welcome party,” this was it.
Saturday: Explore, Eat, Repeat (22,500 Steps Later…)
Saturday was our BIG explore day — and boy, did we explore. Clocking up a whopping 22,500 steps, we started with a visit to the remaining sections of the Berlin Wall, a powerful and humbling reminder of the city’s past.
From there, we followed the river towards Berlin Cathedral, stopping nearby at a traditional cafe overlooking the river. Refuelled and ready, we continued our wander along the river to choose a river boat trip — a wonderfully relaxed way to see the city glide by.
As the sun began to set, we headed to Checkpoint Charlie, ticking off another iconic landmark before making our way to dinner at the highly rated Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt. No reservation, nearly every table marked reserved. We fully prepared ourselves for rejection… only to be met with the magical words: “We can fit you in.”
WOW. Just wow. Incredible service, huge portions, an excellent beer selection, and food that absolutely lived up to the hype. Ann's pork knuckle meal will be one of those meals we will still be talking about years later.
With darkness fully settled, Berlin’s Christmas markets truly came alive. On our long walk back, we visited as many markets as humanly possible — warming up with glühwein and hot eggnog, laughing, chatting, and admiring the lights and stalls. Cold hands, warm hearts, and slightly rosy cheeks.
Sunday: Underground Adventures & Iconic Sights
Sunday was another 18,500-step special, though this time we sensibly mixed walking with taking the underground. The day was packed with Berlin’s most famous sights:
Brandenburg Gate
The Jewish Memorial
Reichstag Dome, with views across the city
And the elegant Charlottenburg Palace
Mixed in with of course exploring the nearby Christmas markets in the early evening.
After a short refresh at the hotel, we decided a return visit to Hofbräu Bar was fully justified for our last night. Its infectious beer-hall atmosphere delivered again — endless laughter, good food, and once again a Bavarian live band that had the dance floor buzzing.
Monday: Homeward Bound
Monday morning arrived far too soon. One last breakfast, and a final toast to a city that gave us everything — history, sparkle, laughter, amazing food, and beer served properly in proper steins.
Berlin at Christmas is magical. It’s vibrant, historic, festive, and full of life — especially when shared with fabulous friends. Great restaurants, endless christmas markets, iconic sights, and more beer than strictly necessary…
Cheers, Berlin — you were unforgettable 
#robandann
