These made a lovely backdrop to the Weinachts Zauber Christmas market. Although, what we were initially surprised about, was that people were queuing to get into the market. We’d visited quite a few German markets before and never had to queue, and this comes from a Brit, a nation of people who are renowned for queuing.

Also within the Weinachts Zauber Christmas market, there was an indoor section all along one side. So, if the weather took a turn for the worse, you can jump inside and carry on browsing, or like us, it was a chance to grab a glühwein & rest your feet.

There’s lots going on within this market, a little brass band wandering through the lanes, plenty of food stalls, to grab a snack. What we also noticed here was that there were quite a few pop-up eateries where you could sit and enjoy a meal.

The Christmas market at the Rotes Rathaus is known as “Berliner Weihnachtszeit”, this market is full of fun, for all ages of your family. At times, some of the markets may be more orientated to adults or children; however, this had it all.

There were no security checks here, it was straight into the festivities. I really enjoyed this market and probably my favourite of the ones we visited in Berlin.

There was an ice rink, a huge Ferris wheel, a miniature railway and so many stalls. I couldn’t resist the aroma of the warm chocolate covered nuts so had to grab a bag while enjoying a glühwein.

Trying to dodge the heavy rain we arrived at the Christmas Market in Alexanderplatz. This market for me, I felt was aimed a little bit more towards adults, although there was an ice rink, carousel and other things for children to enjoy.

I always love to see the Käthe Wohlfahrt cabin, it wouldn’t quite be the same without it and also the traditional Christmas Pyramids. Nearby here is also the World Clock and a must to see, and has been in the square since 1969.

Not to be defeated for the evening, we headed over to Eco-Friendly market along Sophienstrasse near Hackesche Höfe.

This market is only open the four weekends in advent. It is a lot smaller than the other major markets; however, it felt more unusual and unique, and the gifts were made with the environment in mind.

Potsdamer Platz is in a modern part of the city, and we were there during the day, so couldn’t fully appreciate the market coming alive in the evening. It had a nice selection of stalls and rides, and even had an ice stock curling rink and a mini ski slope.

The falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, was a moment in time that we both remember watching together with amazement. So, we weren’t going to let this opportunity slip by.

We headed to the Berlin Wall Memorial, via Checkpoint Charlie, which was a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.

It has now become a bit of a tourist attraction, although, it still holds a significant point in history that I wanted to visit.

We jumped on the U-Bahn to Naturkundemuseum station and strolled the few minutes up the road to the Berlin Wall Memorial.

It took my breath away, I couldn’t believe I was standing there next to it. Whether it was because it only fell in 1989, so recent in terms of history and the division and atrocities associated with it.

It was an astonishing sight to see, some of the buildings that the wall was built alongside in 1961 still remain. You are also able to see where numerous tunnels were dug for escape.

For more on the Berlin Wall check out our post - 'Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany'

Other parts of the Berlin Wall can be found at Potsdamer Platz.

Trying to hold back the tears while reading and listening to innocent people’s stories was too difficult.

Probably one of the most photographed landmarks in Berlin if not Germany. We visited the Brandenburg Gate a couple of times, as we wanted to see it during the day and the evening.

When we were there during the day, there was a demonstration taking place, which is often witnessed by this 18th-century neo-classical building.

Heading back later in the evening it was a lot quieter and looked very impressive at dusk.

Another place Gary and I wanted to visit, was the Reichstag Building (Parliament Building). Although you have to book a time slot in advance (which is very easy), this tour is amazingly free of charge to visit along, with an audio-guided tour.

From within the glass dome at the top, the views across the city are incredible, as you stroll around in circles winding your way up to the top of the roof, all the significant landmarks are pointed out for you.

For more on the experience, why not have a look at our post - 'A visit to The Reichstag Building, Berlin'

We walked down the road to the Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe. This Holocaust Memorial is quite moving, 2,711 grey concrete slabs of differing heights, lay across a sloping field. They portray a cold starkness, that really does make you stop and think.

You can wander amongst the slabs; however, I felt at times some people could have been more respectful here.