The medieval Christmas market at the RAW Compound is one of the coziest in Berlin! Here’s everything you should know before visiting this historic Christmas market in the heart of Friedrichshain.
Once the site of a Deutsche Bahn rail repair station, the RAW Compound is now an array of (semi)derelict buildings housing clubs, bars, a bouldering hall, a skate park, and — only during Advent! — a Christmas market.
Passing through the faux castle erected at the entrance of the market, your senses are assaulted with the warming smells of mulled wine, candied nuts, and crackling bonfires.
Welcome to Berlin’s medieval Christmas market! This historic market has only been in operation for eight years, but it’s quickly become a local favorite.
Is Berlin’s medieval Christmas historically accurate? Absolutely not. Is it incredibly cozy and fun to visit? Most definitely! Here’s what you need to know about this hidden gem Christmas market in Berlin before you visit.
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Dates, Location & Hours (2024)
Dates: November 14 – December 22, 2024
Location: RAW-Gelände (Revaler Straße 99)
Hours: Monday – Friday 3 to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 to 10 pm
Entry Fee: 3 Euros regular, 1.50 Euros reduced (free entry on Mondays!)
What to Expect at the RAW Compound Christmas Market
The focus of this historic Christmas market is on food, drink, and entertainment.
String lights attached to a star-tipped pole in the center of the market fan out overhead to provide gentle illumination.
Tents selling medieval-inspired goods like loose leaf herbal teas, handmade jewelry and talismans, candles, local honey, liquors, and wooden utensils line the perimeter of the Christmas market. There are even a few blacksmiths, glass blowers, potters, and other artisans who work periodically throughout the night, which add to the medieval ambience.
For a special souvenir, dress up in one of the themed costumes at the photo tent before getting your picture taken with friends.
Special attractions created just for kids include hand-operated fair rides from Ye Olden Days — including a wooden Ferris wheel and a chair ride — and pony rides (the ponies wear fake antlers to make them look like Santa’s reindeers!).
And for the grown-up kids, there’s ax throwing and archery.
However, the absolute highlight of Berlin’s medieval Christmas market are the performers who take to the stage each evening. There are acrobats, bards, and fire performers — the latter of which is my favorite and I make it a point to stay for their performance each year!
After eating your fill of Christmas market foods and watching a few of the performances, cuddle up around one of the many fire pits to warm up while chatting with your friends and family.
What to Eat and Drink at This Christmas Market
Want to know what all there is to eat and drink? Check out my full guide on the most common German Christmas market foods and drinks.
I’ve visited all of Berlin’s major Christmas markets by this point, and this market has the BEST food of them all.
All of the foods and drinks are loosely medieval themed, and you can expect to see lots of mulled wine, hot mead, and unique takes on the traditional foods and drinks served at most German Christmas markets.
Of note are the waffles, which are exceptionally good! They taste slightly candied, as if they’re made with almond extract. They’re beautifully crispy around the edges and pillowy on the inside; get yours topped with powdered sugar, or go all in with Kinder chocolates or Nutella!
Another favorite food of mine at this Christmas market is the flame grilled salmon (Flammlachs), which is served on a toasted bread roll and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, and your choice of sauce (I love the herb sauce).
There are also special pastries here that you rarely see at the Christmas markets, including Apfelkrapfen, which is a type of deep fried donut with apple filling. If you’re from the US, it reminds me of an apple fritter.
This Christmas market also sells some of the best punch I’ve had at Berlin’s Christmas markets! I can’t speak to the mulled wine (Glühwein) because I rarely drink alcohol, but the non-alcoholic mulled punch (Kinderpunsch) was so good and had such a nuanced flavor that I thought they’d mixed up my order and given me an alcoholic version!
Claire’s Tip: We ordered our mulled wine and Kinderpunsch from the “Saufhimmel” (Booze Heaven) stand, which also had the best prices at just 3 Euros per mug with a 3 Euro deposit. You’ll get the deposit back when you return the mugs!
FAQs About This Christmas Market
Have more questions about visiting a German Christmas market? I have an entire guide that details my top tips for visiting Germany’s Christmas markets, which addresses FAQs like the best time to visit, how to pay, and more!
You’ll need to take the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, or bus to the “Warschauer Straße” station. From there, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the far end of the RAW Compound where the Christmas market is set up (just follow the signs!).
U-Bahn: U1 or U3
S-Bahn: S3, S5, S7, S9, or S75
Tram: M10 or M13
Bus: 248
Monday is the only free entry day now. You used to be able to enter free of charge Monday through Wednesday, but “the times they are a-changin’.”
Yes, there are toilets located at the back of the Christmas market. They cost 1 Euro to use.
No, all of the stalls that I perused were cash only. Bring a mixture of bills and coins with you so you can easily pay for the toilets as well as the deposits on the mugs.
Is Berlin’s Medieval Christmas Market Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts
I love this Christmas market so much that I included it in my 3-Day Christmas Market Itinerary! It remains a hidden gem in the city, and while I wouldn’t call this a “locals only” Christmas market, it’s definitely a “mostly locals” market.
If you can visit the RAW Compound Christmas market on a Monday to score free entry, definitely do so. Otherwise the 3 Euro entry fee is worth it since the food is such good quality and there’s free entertainment every night.
Leave me a comment below if you have any questions about this Christmas market, or let me know if you end up visiting this year!
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