Berlin, 25 November 2014 Berlin’s kicking off this year’s Christmas season with several new Christmas markets. Visitors to Berlin are now being welcomed upon arrival at the Central Rail Station with a Christmas market on Washingtonplatz with “Design and Pleasure” as its motto. Meanwhile, Kreuzberg’s Bergmannhof is offering a crafts market featuring regional and sustainable products. And the Arena Berlin in Treptower Park is hosting a vegan-vegetarian Christmas market every Sunday before Christmas. Even Friedrichshain has its own trendy market: Holy Heimat, taking place Thursdays to Sundays each week until Christmas in the Neue Heimat halls on Revaler Straße.

The new markets add to Berlin’s existing mix of around 80 Christmas markets, further contributing to city’s Christmas season popularity with tourists from home and abroad. Whether traditional crafts, winter sports fun or sustainable products, there’s not a thing you can’t find at one of Berlin’s Christmas markets. The city has been posting quite significant growth in the number of pre-Christmas travellers in recent years.

Christmas Season 2014: centrally located, above the city’s rooftops and contemplative

The festive atmosphere is evident not just on the city’s streets and squares. It’s becoming Christmassy above the rooftops of Berlin, too. For example, visitors are invited to skate a round or two at the rink erected on the rooftop terrace of Bikini Berlin from 1 December. The new concept mall has been artfully lit for the festive season. Neukölln’s Klunkerkranich combines shopping with a panoramic view on the capital each weekend before Christmas.

For a more religious take of the season, visitors might want to head over to the historic Alte Münze in Berlin, which is hosting an exhibition entitled “The Most Beautiful Nativity Scenes in the World”, making its début appearance in Germany here through 5 January. 180 artful objects that have stylishly been arranged in a sea of light and colour can be admired, including the world-famous Krakow Nativity.

The year ends with two traditional highlights. On 16 December, Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, will be celebrated at the Brandenburg Gate by showing Europe’s largest menorah for eight days. Just two weeks later, the same spot will host the world’s largest New Year’s Eve party in the world when up to a million people descend on the Brandenburg Gate to welcome 2015.

For more information and an overview of all of Berlin’s Christmas markets organised by district and their opening hours, go to winter.visitBerlin.com