On the last weekend before Christmas, almost all events in Berlin are dedicated to the approaching festive season. Music fans can look forward to winter choir music at the Philharmonie Berlin or in the church on Tempelhofer Feld. Cineastes can look forward to a Christmas film festival at Moviemento and for literature enthusiasts, the ufaFabrik has a Christmas story up its sleeve. Video art, culinary delights and much more are also on the programme.
Tip 1: Enjoy a winter dinner show at PALAZZO in the Spiegelpalast
Hans-Peter Wodarz and Kolja Kleeberg are star chefs, Michelin award winners and, above all, outstanding hosts. For almost twenty years, the two have regularly invited guests to their PALAZZO dinner shows at the Spiegelpalast in Charlottenburg. In its impressive Art Nouveau ambience, show business and gourmet menus are on the menu together. While snowflakes swirl through the night outside, world-class acrobats fly through the air.
All you have to do is feast and be amazed: there's duck ragout with Macaire potatoes, romanesco, green asparagus and honey-rosemary jus - or the equally tempting vegetarian menu. Treat yourself to a Christmas indulgence programme in the ambience of the 1920s!
When: Friday at 18:30
Where: Spiegelpalast Berlin, Hertzallee 41, Charlottenburg
Tickets for the PALAZZO at the Spiegelpalast
Tip 2: Get into the festive spirit at the Christmas film festival at Moviemento
Moviemento on Kottbusser Damm has been in operation since 1907, making it one of the oldest cinemas in Germany that still welcomes guests. However, the cinema keeps its finger on the pulse of the times with its programme and regularly surprises with alternative theme weeks. This weekend, the Christmas film festival awaits you in keeping with the festive season.
Over forty short films as well as documentaries and feature films from twenty-five countries will flicker across the screen. This worldwide Christmas film festival opens up new and surprising perspectives. Snuggle up in the red velvet seats and enjoy the lovingly curated Christmas programme!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various times
Where: Moviemento cinema Berlin, Kottbusser Damm 22, Kreuzberg
Tip 3: Listen to the angels sing at LICHTER, LIEDER, PFEFFERKUCHEN
With LICHTER, LIEDER, PFEFFERKUCHEN, the Theater im Palais presents a Christmas programme every year during the Advent season. This year's motto is "The angels are among us". The heavenly beings have a firm place across the world's religions. They protect us, bring good tidings and enchant us with song.
Alina Lieske and Carl Martin Spengler, under the musical direction of Matthias Behrsing, will be performing the latter at the Palais Theatre this weekend. In addition to the angelic musical programme, you will learn all sorts of entertaining facts about our heavenly companions and be treated to heavenly punch and biscuits during the interval.
When: Friday and Saturday at 7.30 pm, Sunday at 4 pm
Where: Theatre in the Palais, Am Festungsgraben 1, Mitte
Tip 4: Watch the time tick at Christian Marclay. The Clock watch the time tick by
The 24-hour video work The Clock is a homage to film history, a philosophical reflection and a work of art all in one. Christian Marclay has assembled thousands of film scenes in which clocks tick, alarm clocks ring or seconds tick away into a clock that is precisely synchronised with Berlin's local time. Whether thriller, western or science fiction - the clock is ticking and has been inspiring an international art audience since its premiere in London in 2010.
On selected dates, you can even go through the entire 24-hour experience. A purpose-built cinema in the iconic Neue Nationalgalerie creates the perfect setting for this hypnotic masterpiece.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm
Where: Neue Nationalgalerie, Potsdamer Straße 50, Tiergarten
Tip 5: Take a look at Turkey with Güley Alagöz and the PANDAwomen #7
The interdisciplinary event series PANDAwomen hands over the stage of the Panda Platforma to a selected female artist on seven festival days. As curators, the women are completely free to organise the evening - and bring the art of their country to Berlin. This special festival draws to a close at the weekend. At PANDAwomen#7, the musician and curator Güley Alagöz will present a festive finissage in which her home country of Turkey takes centre stage.
The curator will open the evening with an instrumental music set. The multidisciplinary artist İrem Nalça presents a performance on the theme of shadows. Pina Berlin and Bîdar will close the evening with poetic-musical performances.
When: Friday from 18:30
Where: Panda Platforma in the Kulturbrauerei, Knaackstraße 97, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 6: Experience Dickens' Christmas story at the ufaFabrik
The ufaFabrik will be eerily beautiful - and above all Christmassy - this weekend. In the Wolfgang Neuss Salon, a small but excellent cast will be presenting Charles Dickens' Christmas story. In 1843, Christmas is just around the corner in Victorian London and the whole city is experiencing the Advent season full of anticipation.
Only one person remains unimpressed: the embittered Ebenezer Scrooge. Charity and Christmas cheer are a thorn in his side, but three Christmas spirits give him a second chance at happiness. With howling winds and rattling chains, a scenic reading for the whole family awaits you!
When: Sunday at 4 pm
Where: ufaFabrik, Viktoriastraße 10-18, Tempelhof
Tip 7: Float on gourmet cloud nine in Tim Raue's Sphere
At a height of 207 metres, in the sphere of the Berlin TV tower, gourmets are on cloud nine. Not only is the viewing platform located up here, but also Tim Raue's Sphere restaurant. The gourmet palace rotates on its own axis once in an hour and serves you not only incomparable flavour experiences but also a unique view of Christmassy Berlin: from Tiergarten to Teufelsberg, from the cathedral to Plänterwald.
Reserve a tablewith your restaurant ticket and enjoy an aperitif, delicacies from the master chef's homeland, wine and a coffee speciality. All this with a panoramic view and no long waiting times!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 11 pm
Where: Sphere Tim Raue, Panoramastraße 1A, Mitte
Tip 8: Experience art as an island with the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection
In honour of the art-collecting couple Dieter and Hilde Scharf and their daughter Julietta Scharf, the exhibition Possibilities of an Island is dedicated to their memory. In difficult times, passions can be a refuge and art collecting has been for this special family for several generations.
The Scharf-Gerstenberg 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, whose descendants have been honouring his memory for over four generations. The exhibition shows over 150 paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints and sculptures. This makes it clear how a private passion for collecting can provide us all with inspiring experiences.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m
Where: Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection, Schloßstraße 70, Charlottenburg
Tip 9: Sing Christmas carols with the ensemberlino vocale choir
At the ensemberlino vocale concert on the weekend of the Fourth of Advent, choir and audience join forces. In the church on Tempelhofer Feld, the Berlin chamber choir performs a colourful programme of the most popular Christmas carols and invites you to sing along.
The polyphonic notated choral movements will be handed out before the concert begins. Visitors can either sing along to the main melody or take on one of the more difficult parts. Singing experience and an angelic voice are of secondary importance, as the focus here is on community and the Advent spirit.
When: Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 4 pm
Where: Church on the Tempelhofer Feld, Wolffring 72, Tempelhof
Tip 10: Lovis Corinth in the Alte Nationalgalerie - art that was (almost) lost
A visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie this weekend will be an impressive journey through German art history - and through its ruptures. To mark the 100th anniversary of Lovis Corinth's death, the museum is dedicating an exhibition to the important Impressionist that will get under your skin. On display are works by the artist and his wife Charlotte Berend-Corinth, whose fate is closely linked to the National Socialists' "Degenerate Art" campaign.
Many paintings from the Nationalgalerie's collection were once considered undesirable and were confiscated - some were returned, others were lost or are now in museums around the world. For this special exhibition, several of these works are temporarily returning to Berlin and bringing their eventful history to life. A quiet, moving exhibition - and an opportunity to rediscover Lovis Corinth's expressive brushstrokes.
When: Friday to Sunday, opening hours of the Alte Nationalgalerie
Where: Bodestraße 1-3, Mitte
Tip 11: Experience musical Christmas & fairy tales in the Philharmonie
On the afternoon of the fourth day of Advent, another musical highlight awaits you in the Great Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin at Christmas & Fairy Tales - although singing along is not recommended here ... Under the direction of conductor David Reiland, the Berliner Symphoniker perform fairytale Christmas classics, including Korngold's fairytale ballet The Snowman, Otto Nicolai's Christmas Overtures and much more.
Against the backdrop of this enchanting music, actor Axel Prahl will guide you through the story and whisk young and old away into a Christmas fairytale world.
When: Sunday at 15:30
Where: Philharmonie Berlin, Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, Tiergarten
Christmas & fairy tales in the Philharmonie
Here you can find even more great tips for activities & things to do in Berlin - whatever the weather.
