This weekend, the first Advent officially heralds the start of the Christmas season. The whole city is lit up with colourful and festive lights. We also have festive highlights in store. The PalaisPopulaire is hosting the AdventFestival on Sunday, Holy Shit Shopping at CANK has a very different Christmas market and little art fans can look forward to a special Advent gift at Hamburger Bahnhof!
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Tip 1: Stroll through the Boot & Fun Berlin in the ExpoCentre
This weekend, the Berlin ExpoCenter City on the exhibition grounds will be the top address for water sports fans. Boot & Fun Berlin will showcase over 600 boats in 16 halls - from elegantsailing yachts and motorboats to houseboats, canoes and stand-up paddles. A wide variety of themed worlds covering all aspects of diving, fishing, camping and outdoor adventures round off the programme.
However, the clear crowd favourite at the trade fair is the maritime flea market, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday. In Hall 5.2, you can pick up all kinds of collector's items, accessories and even second-hand boats. At Boot & Fun in November, you can still dream of summer on Berlin's lakes!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Berlin ExpoCenter City (Berlin Exhibition Grounds), Messedamm 22, Westend
Tip 2: Follow the drama surrounding Princess Fedora at the Deutsche Oper
The Russian princess Fedora will give you a particularly dramatic afternoon on Sunday. The opera of the same name by Italian composer Umberto Giordano combines poignant melodies, political thriller and love story against an impressive backdrop. The opera belongs to the verismo style, which broke with many conventions at the end of the 19th century and focussed on realistic content.
On the stage of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, you can experience the love drama about Fedora and her Loris in a production by the multi-award-winning Christof Loy. After the production has already attracted much applause in several European cities, it is now finally Berlin's turn. Experience almost two hours of musical excitement without a break!
When: Sunday at 5 pm
Where: Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bismarckstraße 35, Charlottenburg
Tip 3: Let yourself be guided around the Museum Island on the anniversary tour
Museum Island has been enriching Berlin's cityscape for 200 years. Between 2025 and 2030, the city will honour the UNESCO World Heritage Site with special celebratory events such as the 200th anniversary tour. On this tour, you will gain insights into the architecture, history and cultural treasures of the museums that give the city its name. If you still haven't had enough after the tour, you can stay and find the perfect extension to the tour programme here!
When: Sunday at 10am
Where: James Simon Gallery, entrance level 0 near the stone benches, Bodestraße, Mitte
Tip 4: Enjoy the start of Christmas season at the AdventFestival
Advent wreath making, a Christmas reading session for children, an art exhibition, exciting workshops, fresh waffles and hot punch - are you convinced yet? Then visit the PalaisPopulaire on Sunday, where all of the above and much more awaits you at the AdventFestival on Unter den Linden.
Here you can experience festive pre-Christmas spirit for the whole family. In addition to the Advent programme, the design and arts and crafts market also takes place. International craftspeople sell their home-made treasures. The perfect place for a Christmas stroll on the first Advent.
When: Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm
Where: PalaisPopulaire, Unter den Linden 5, Mitte
Tip 5: Learn all about Japan's fascinating warriors at the Samurai Museum
With their strict ethos, impressive armour and heroic war stories, the samurai continue to captivate us to this day. And although the Japanese warriors - yes, there were also female samurai - provide plenty of material for works of fiction, they are a very real part of Japanese history. In Berlin, the Samurai Museum in Auguststraße has even dedicated an exhibition to them.
Here you will find yourself in a samurai paradise: artfully recreated swords, armour, costumes and over 4,000 original objects from the Peter Janssen Collection tell you the unique story of this legendary caste of knights and their fighting culture.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm
Where: Samurai Museum, Auguststraße 68, Mitte
Tip 6: Stroll through the Holy Shit Shopping Christmas Market
Holy night and holy shit sometimes go hand in hand - for example, when the festive season is approaching and there are still plenty of presents missing. In a former Neukölln department stores', the CANK in Karl-Marx-Straße, you can at least make provisions in this area at the weekend.
Holy Shit Shopping promises a Christmas market beyond the mainstream with stalls from over 300 artists.Design, fashion, art, mulled wine and street food will treat you to an Advent stroll accompanied by DJ sounds. Holy cow, let's go!
When: Saturday from 1pm to 8pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm
Where: CANK, Karl-Marx-Straße 95, Neukölln
Tip 7: Marvel at the Scharf Collection in the Alte Nationalgalerie
The Scharf Collection is one of the most extensive private art collections in Europe. It began in the early 20th century with the art collector Otto Gerstenberg, who had a penchant for graphic works and paintings. His descendants have been looking after the treasures he collected for over four generations and have added numerous new acquisitions over the decades.
In the Alte Nationalgalerie, you can now experience this special collection in a fitting ambience. The special exhibition The Scharf Collection: Goya to Monet shows works by great Impressionists such as Renoir and Degas through to modern classics such as Pablo Picasso.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Alte Nationalgalerie, Bodestraße 1-3, Mitte
Tip 8: Take a look at Yemen with Najla Alshami at PANDAwomen #4
Since its reopening in 2018, the open art space Panda Platforma in the Kulturbrauerei has been celebrating the artistic perspectives of women every autumn. The PANDAWomen Festival spans seven Fridays, during which different artists present a very individual programme. This weekend, Yemeni artist and activist Najla Alshami takes over the space.
The focus is on Yemeni music and the topics she talks about: Displacement, renewal and memory. Three musical performances will be followed by a short film and a talk by the artist about the Yemen Art Base project, which promotes the networking of Yemeni artists. This is your chance to immerse yourself in the rich culture of a country that is all too rarely in the media spotlight.
When: Friday from 6 pm
Where: Panda Platforma in the Kulturbrauerei, Knaackstraße 97, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 9: Set off on a Charlottenwalk
So much art and culture that you don't even know where to start - this feeling comes up again and again in Berlin. That's why 37 galleries in the west of Berlin have joined forces and are once again inviting visitors to the Charlottenwalk this weekend.
On this relaxed stroll through the neighbourhood, you can explore the participating galleries either on a guided tour or on your own - and discover both established and young hotspots of contemporary art . The gallery scene in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is becoming ever larger and more diverse. To help you plan your own tour, you can find a handy map on the website with all the participating showrooms.
When: Saturday from 12pm to 6pm; some of the participating galleries are also open on Friday between 6pm and 9pm.
Where: Participating galleries in Charlottenburg
Tip 10: Visit the Children's Weekend at Hamburger Bahnhof
Children are the future - and that also means the future of art. To give children, young people and families access to the world of creativity, Hamburger Bahnhof has launched the Children's Weekend in cooperation with the Volkswagen Group.
A varied programme awaits you here on Saturday and Sunday. There will be hands-on activities, pop-up exhibitions, creative workshops for all ages, a puppet workshop and many other attractions for the next generation of artists. People under the age of 18 enjoy free admission to Hamburger Bahnhof this weekend, and they can even bring two adults along for free!
When: Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm
Where: Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstraße 50, Moabit
Tip 11: Be inspired by the Zero Waste Action Week
The Zero Waste Action Week is coming to a close. This weekend only, you have the opportunity to take part in the numerous hands-on activities, workshops and specialist events on the topic of sustainability throughout Berlin. On Friday, you can look forward to a clothes swap at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Library, among many other activities. On Saturday, the Zero Waste Future Festival invites you to learn about smart waste avoidance. There will also be workshops as part of REPAIR DAYS. On Sunday, you can stroll around the Advent eco-market on Kollwitzplatz to celebrate the first Advent. A green weekend in the middle of winter!
When: Various event times
Where: Various locations throughout Berlin
Additional Tip: Creative Pop-up Store in Lichtenberg
The Lichtenberg pop-up store transforms the Allee-Center Berlin into a lively exhibition space. Creative minds from the district showcase their work here: painting, design, furniture, jewellery and unique handmade items come together.
This Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. , the programme includes a workshop on comic drawing for children and young people aged seven to fifteen. In the afternoon from 4 to 6 pm, the programme continues with an upcycling workshop for everyone.
When: Until 13 December
Where: Allee-Center Berlin, Landsberger Allee 277, Lichtenberg
