There is nothing quite like a German Christmas market to get you in the spirit, so we hopped on a quick flight from London City Airport to Berlin. We were joined by our usual partners in crime, Ricky and Claire, for a weekend of brilliant food, “posh” Ubers, and more Christmas markets than you can shake a bratwurst at!
We stayed at the Titanic Hotel, which I have to say, was lovely. The room was spacious, decorated beautifully, and they even had a live pianist in the lobby—very classy! They even had a model of the hotel made entirely out of biscuits. It’s the little things, isn’t it?
We didn’t plan our meals, but we stumbled upon some absolute gems:
The Erdinger: This was a random find on our first night, and it was “absolutely banging.” Ricky’s beer was bigger than his head, and the burgers were phenomenally juicy. Even the sauce pots were edible ice cream cones!
Vietnamese at the Mall of Berlin: A solid choice for a quick lunch while we were out shopping for swimwear (more on that later!).
Medieval Market Snacks: I indulged in some fresh churros. Pro tip: stick to the churros and skip the “sticks”—they were a bit of a waste of time.
We visited about five different markets, but two stood out:
The Medieval Market: Ricky’s choice! It was a bit dingy and dark, and sadly, no jousting actually took place. It was packed, though, and had a great vibe, even if it wasn’t the most “Christmassy” spot.
Gendarmenmarkt (near our hotel): This was much more like it! The architecture reminded me of Rome, and it felt properly festive. This is the one I’d recommend if you’re looking for that traditional German Christmas magic.
If you’ve watched my other videos, you know I’m not a wine lover. But, being in Germany, I had to give Mulled Wine (Glühwein) a go. I even had a shot of rum added to it!
The verdict? Not for me. It tasted a bit like warm vinegar. I’ll be sticking to the Rum and Coke or a “Pawn Star” Martini from now on!
One of the highlights was the toboggan run—essentially sliding down a massive slope in a rubber ring. It’s all about technique and skill (which I obviously won!), and it was a right laugh.
We also managed to “gatecrash” a private function for the German Police! Claire managed to sneak in and snag us some drinks while we chatted with a local named Thomas. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do!
Predictably, we ended up “hanging” on the final morning after a very messy night that didn’t end until 5:00 AM. We surfaced at 1:00 PM and headed straight back to the Erdinger for recovery burgers before catching our Uber back to the airport.
Berlin, you were brilliant. It was cold, it was festive, and it was exactly the break we needed before the reality of work kicked back in.