10 Things to Do in Berlin in January

Berlin is a city full of things to see and do at any time of the year. It's true that in January temperatures are always close to freezing, but the German capital has managed to adapt to the cold.

With a whole host of festivals and fairs, the remnants of Christmas, sales at their best and dozens of cultural offerings, Berlin is an ideal destination for all those who love the cold and want to get to know a unique city full of art and tradition. In this article, I'm going to tell you about some of the best things to do in Berlin in January.

If you were left wanting to experience Christmas in Berlin, don't worry because if you come to the capital during the month of January, you'll still have time to enjoy the last remnants of this special time of year, as there are still Christmas markets open until the first week of January.

It may not make sense to buy Christmas decorations, but don't forget that the interesting thing about these markets in Berlin is that they are full of typical food and drink stalls. I can assure you that as cold as it can get in Berlin during this month, there's nothing nicer than buying a nice mulled wine and some gingerbread and cinnamon sweets to help you cope with the weather.

Plus, you'll be able to see the most iconic areas of the city centre still in their Christmas decorations and homey spirit.

Interesting details

• Price: depends on your consumption, but admission is free and free of charge.
• Location: There are several major markets in each city, such as Spandau, Gendarmenmarkt, Potsdamer Platz and Charlottenburg.
• Date: Christmas markets last until the first week of January.

Germany is one of the countries in Europe where opera has had the most weight and importance throughout history and if you happen to be a lover of this genre and come to Berlin in January, you are in luck. Every year, during the second half of the month, the Semperoper in Dresden hosts an opera and dance festival to which all Berliners are invited.

I'm not going to lie to you, it's not a cheap event, but if you want to enjoy opera, it's definitely the best time. You'll be able to see both classic German opera and the dancing that usually takes place in the opera courtyard. Put on your best clothes and go and experience a dream night in the purest Beethoven style.

Interesting details

• Price: can range from €40 to €70, depending on the work.
• Location: The opera house is located at Theaterplatz 2, near Herzogin station.
• Date: Opera and dance days usually take place in the second half of January.

If you like to try new flavours and you think that the best way to get to know a place is to try its gastronomy, in January you can enjoy Berlin like a child. Every year, during the last week of the month, the so-called Green Week is organised, a national event in which all the most important agricultural products of the year are on display.

Hundreds of exhibitors offer the chance to see and taste typical products, taste regional wines, see the latest gardening exhibits and learn first-hand about the raw materials used to make typical German dishes.

A different way of getting to know Berlin, full of flavour and new ideas. Not for nothing is this one of the most important food fairs in the world. All the more reason for you to go and give your taste buds a treat.

Interesting details

• Price: admission is free.
• Location: you can get to the Kaiserdamm by underground. The fair is located at Theodor-Heuss-Platz.
• Date: usually held in the last week of January.

Berlin knows how to make the most of its climate throughout the year and that's why in January there are many of the most important events to do inside the halls of events and festivals and, without a doubt, one of them is the Fashion Week. A week dedicated to fashion and the latest trends that takes place every year in Berlin during the third week of January and brings together the latest in the world of fashion and glamour.

And whether you are a lover of clothes or simply because you want to witness an international event, I recommend that, if you are in Berlin around this time, you come to see the festival and attend one of the iconic catwalks. The event is usually held at Berlin's Bebelplatz fairgrounds and is free to attend, so you have no excuse to see with your own eyes what's going to be worn next season.

Interesting details

• Price: access is free of charge.
• Place: at the Bebelplatz fairgrounds, Bebelplatz, 10117.
• Date: held in the third week of January.

If you are in Berlin for a few days, you can take advantage of the low season to visit some of the most characteristic and touristic places of the city. However, you may find that the cold temperatures make it a bit unpleasant to move from one place to another. For these moments, I recommend you to take one of the tourist buses in Berlin.

This way, you will be able to travel for two hours around the city centre comfortably and with heating, making different stops to get to know the main monuments up close and take the desired photos. With this type of plan, you will be able to see the most essential areas in one morning to get a general idea of the city. Without a doubt a comfortable and safe way and, if you come in January, without so many queues of people. A real luxury!

Interesting details

• Price: Tourist buses usually cost around €30.
• Location: it depends on the company but they all leave from the city centre.
• Date: They are especially recommended for the winter months like January to keep out the cold.

If you have decided to travel and welcome the New Year in another part of the world, Berlin is one of the ideal cities as it has several important events scheduled for these days. In particular, on 1 January every year, an official race is held from the Brandenburg Gate through all the most important points in the centre of Berlin.

This race has a distance of 4 kilometres, which makes it a fairly manageable event for runners, amateurs and even children. It is an event that brings together families and the entire German community to welcome the new year in a healthy and different way. If you like to do sport and want to participate in a traditional event, you can register without having to book or pay anything, just show up with comfortable clothes and enjoy the route.

Details of interest

• Price: it is free of charge.
• Place: the race starts at the Brandenburg Gate and has a distance of 4 kilometres.
• Date: The morning of 1 January.

Berlin is a fascinating city with a rich tradition going back centuries. A clear sign of this is its great culinary offer. German cuisine is one of the most famous in Europe and if there is one thing it is characterised by, it is abundant and comforting. If you come to Berlin in January you will notice that it gets dark in the city very early and temperatures drop.

I can't think of a better excuse than the cold and the night to take refuge in one of the typical German taverns and try some of the most emblematic dishes of this area. From the famous Frankfurt sausages, to its particular knuckle of pork and its Kartofell. All hearty dishes that will quickly warm you up, accompanied by a good craft wheat beer - a real feast!

Interesting details

• Price: It depends on the place and the drink, but a dinner in Berlin usually costs between 20€ and 40€.
• Place: Berlin's city centre has several typical eateries such as the Thomas Eck or the Ständige Vertretung.
• Date: You can feast any day of the month, especially when it's cooler.

When travelling to Berlin in January you need to keep in mind some of the most important tips to avoid any incidents, and one of them is to be able to deal with the cold. The German capital is quite harsh during the winter due to its location, so it's a good idea to make plans indoors so that it doesn't turn into an unpleasant trip. Fortunately, the Berliners know a good solution to this problem: the spas.

Badeschiff, a famous site on the river Spree, which in summer has an artificial pool for public bathing, becomes every winter a spa in the centre of the city where hundreds of people come in search of warmth and relaxation. It is an enclosure in the form of a barge that is covered and filled with hot water. An ideal way to brave the weather and relax while you're at it.

Interesting details

• Price: Tickets cost around €5.
• Location: The spa is located on the River Spree at Eichenstraße 4.
• Date: Open all winter, but ideally in January when temperatures are the lowest of the year.

When the cold weather arrives in the cities, what could be more appealing than sliding on the ice rink? Berlin, like many other European cities, sets up several ice rinks in its most important neighbourhoods every year during the winter for residents and tourists to enjoy a pleasant stroll.

These rinks are usually installed during November and remain open until the end of January, taking advantage of the colder months for people to enjoy this appropriate sport. Best of all, these slopes are open to the public and admission is free. In January, it's usually not too crowded, so you can enjoy an hour-long skate around the rink and soak up the Berlin atmosphere.

Interesting details

• Price: The rinks are free of charge.
• Location: There are several ice rinks around the city, but one of the most important is at Potsdamer Platz.
• Date: The ice rinks are open throughout January.

After finishing the year full of expenses due to the arrival of Christmas, January is presented as a month of starting and offers and there is no better proof of this than the famous January sales that take place in a large part of Europe and, therefore, in one of the most important capitals. Throughout the month, the city of Berlin begins to boast all kinds of offers in both local businesses and top brands.

If you are in Berlin in January, you cannot miss the opportunity to go to Ku ́ Damm, one of the most important shopping avenues in the city in search of a bargain. Berlin is one of the most expensive capitals on the continent, so being able to pick up an item of clothing, accessory or whim with up to 75% off is a real bargain.

If you're going to try your luck during a morning in Ku'damm, I recommend you to go to KaDeWe, a huge shopping centre considered the largest in Europe with up to 6 floors of shops.

Interesting details

• Price: it depends on what you want to buy, but keep in mind that they will be discounted prices so you can find some real bargains.
• Place: One of the most recommended avenues for sales shopping is Kurfürstendamm, better known as Ku'Damm.
• Date: The January sales usually start in the first week of January and last for the whole month.

You will notice as soon as you arrive in Berlin that in January there is a lot of activity and things to do in the city. However, you should not forget that you are in the middle of winter. Temperatures throughout the country tend to be quite low, hovering between 5º and -2º degrees.

In such weather, my recommendation is to pack warm clothes and boots so you can get around the city and try to look for indoor activities such as festivals, concerts, exhibitions, tour buses, spas and winter events.

Berlin is a city that welcomes visitors with open arms. January is as good a month as any other and full of events that will make you have a great time, are you going to miss it?