Christmas Garden Berlin – Christmas lights and mulled wine
Christmas lights at the Christmas Garden Berlin are magical. Christmas music, hot glühwein, and amazing light displays in the Berlin Botanic Garden.
There is something very magical about Christmas lights. Add in equal parts of Christmas music and servings of hot glühwein (German spiced mulled wine), and you have the recipe for an enchanting evening. That is what you get with Christmas Garden Berlin at the Botanic Garten.
The organizers bill the numerous displays and illuminations as “1.5 million points of light,” and while I didn’t count every LED bulb, there are dazzling displays at every turn and bend along the approximately two-kilometer (1.25 mile) walking path.
This is not a Christmas market, and it really isn’t a place to come if your only goal is to duck in to see some pretty Christmas lights and leave. To fully enjoy the experience (and get your money’s worth from the nearly 17-19 euro ticket in 2019), you really need to plan on spending several hours to wander slowly, take photos, share the experience with friends, and become immersed in a very peaceful world full of Christmas magic and Christmas carols.
Voices, for the most part, become hushed (other than the delighted giggles, oohs and aahs from children – oh, and adults, too) as each display creates a relaxed, joyful holiday mood with dancing lights, lasers, or simply twinkling bulbs, all accompanied by sounds of nature and Christmas music.
I must admit I became completely entranced by the Christmas Garden Laser Garden, as lights danced in the forest amid the sounds of hooting owls and ethereal music. Every so often, mist would appear illuminating lines of light from lasers mounted in the trees. Wandering through the dangling lights and tiny bells of the Glockenspiel display was also truly wonderful — so wonderful that this same display returned for the 2021 Berlin Christmas Garden.
HITT Tip: Dress warmly as Christmas Garden Berlin is an open-air event and stays open rain, snow, mist or bitter cold. Of course, there are numerous glühwein stands along the way to ensure you are able to warm your body and soul as needed. The trail is level but can be muddy or have puddles so do wear appropriate footwear. And you may want to consider a tiny flashlight for sections that are less well-lit, or you feel less steady in the dark.
If you start to feel a bit hungry, there is a small rustic Alpine-style hut located near the ice-skating rink near the entrance that is called, appropriately, Santa Clause. Inside you will find a heated escape from the chill of the Berlin night, and a few basic German dishes designed to warm the body – such as spaetzle and fondue. And, of course, glühwein, hot chocolate, beer and other drinks. Reservations are recommended which you can make online at the Christmas Garden Berlin website. There are also outdoor food stands with crepes, soups and light fare – and firepits to warm hands.
HITT Tip: The Christmas Garden production is not limited to Berlin. There are now Christmas Gardens in nine German cities, including Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt, Hannover, Insel Mainau, Koblenz, Koln, Munster and Stuttgart. Plus, the company has recently expanded to international Christmas Garden locations three other countries, including, Barcelona, Valencia, and Malaga (Spain); London-Kenwood, London-Windsor, Newcastle, and Nottingham (England); and Paris (France). Every year the light installations at each location change.
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20 Comments
We agree … if you are going to do Christmas lights, then do them well or not at all and simply tossing a Santa on a roof just doesn’t get it done. You would love the Christmas Garden and for sure, we would LOVE to see your photos from it.
The Christmas Garden (in Berlin or elsewhere) is absolutely a wonderful way to spend an evening.
You can’t just visit ONE Christmas market. You have to visit a number. And while the Christmas Garden is not a Christmas market, it makes for a magical evening with friends, family or a loved one.
Wow, that walking path of light is amazing! This is a great way to celebrate the lights of Christmas. 17-19 euros isn’t cheap but I wouldn’t miss for the world and would take some great photos! We do get Christmas lights in Australia, even if it’s summer but a lot of it is the daggy “Santa on the roof” type. It is so worth doing Christmas lights well!
The Glockenspiel display was so fun to photograph and video! Glad you enjoyed it.
You would love it Alison. It is such a magical evening.
I love the magical feel of Christmas carols amidst twinkling lights and botanical gardens. I can imagine being bundled up (not a prob for this Canadian) and sipping some glühwein ( hot mulled wine?) and just soaking up the vibe. Sign me up!
It is spectacular. We love Christmas lights as you do.
They do it every year! Plan for next year, and then plan on a few Berlin Christmas markets too. A perfect weekend escape. 😉
Thank you for watching the video! And so glad you enjoyed it. It is a magical way to spend an evening with loved ones — friends or family. Being able to walk along with a hot mug of mulled wine is an extra plus. 😉
Your video of the Berlin Christmas Garden is magical. I especially love the Cathedral. What a beautiful way to spend an evening with loved ones. I would certainly enjoy some mulled wine and the 1.5 million lights! Hope to get to see this one day.
Like you, we love more peaceful Christmas experiences and the Christmas Garden fits that bill. It is certainly pricey, but that is why you want to plan on spending an evening and not simply rushing in and rushing out … like sometimes you feel like doing in a Christmas Market. And yes, you would LOVE photographing it. Just get there early before the crowds! 😉
We’ve been to a lot of Christmas markets before and some in Germany too as well as in the UK. Though we do enjoy them it can also just become an exercise in consumerism after a while with overpriced food and trinkets. So I really like the idea of having something different and more interactive like this. Ok the entrance price is a little expensive for those on a budget but at least you’re paying for an experience and not just a tiny overpriced plate of food!! I would really enjoy photographing it too.
Love mulled wine. Yum! What a beautiful ight display. I especially love your photo of the Glockenspiel set up, it looks like an optical illusion!
That laser garden was entrancing. Could have spend an hour or more simply watching, and listening.
We have always wanted to go to Europe for Christmas. A visit to the Berlin Christmas Garden sounds like a perfect way to build holiday cheer. So many sparkling lights! And mulled wine too. The laser garden sounds a bit eerie with hooting owls! What a pretty spot. Thanks for sharing. (LD Holland)
This looks so beautiful! One day I will plan to visit a Christmas market in Berlin. The lights look so magical and extravagant!
We are yet to do a white Xmas nor the Xmas markets in Europe that we hear so much about. These photos really make me want to prioritise that.
Even the biggest athiest would have to be charmed by that beautiful Manger!
Oh my! The garden really does look fantastic with all those festive lights and if I was in the area, I would be making the trip right way to see these. Its different, and to be frank, I would prefer to see something like this than going round people’s houses or department stores looking at festive lights. Do they do this every year, if so, i try and fit in Berlin next winter (as I am all booked up this winter). 😛
This Christmas Garden looks absolutely fabulous! It’s an annual tradition in our family to go out and see Christmas light displays as much as we can in the December nights leading up to the day. I’ve never been to anything this extravagant before, but would love to.