Christmas crackers

SEND TO A FRIEND

15 NOVEMBER 2004
Christmas markets in Berlin
Nowhere can claim as many Christmas markets as Germany. Berlin, the heady city that pulsates around the clock, boasts at least 50 of them – to say nothing of a host of flea markets, farmers’ markets, smart new shopping malls and funky boutiques.

At Christmas, the city is an Aladdin’s cave of fairy-lit stalls selling spicy sausage and traditional stollen cake. Don’t miss the Memorial Church Market where 60 showmen entertain the crowds while they shop for bargains.

For serious retail therapy, the Kürfurstendamm, always known as the Ku’damm, is a two-mile stretch of haute couture houses, chain stores, lingerie shops and perfumeries. Nearby you’ll find the king of department stores KaDeWe, a temple to consumerism.

The old East Berlin equivalent of the Ku’damm, the revamped Friedrichstadtpassagen houses Galeries Lafayette. Or try Potsdamer Platz with its stylish new shopping mall. Good Berlin buys include CDs, books, porcelain, Cold War memorabilia (beware of fakes), wooden toys and dolls.

Where to stay:The Concept Hotel is in the Bohemian quarter of the city, located in a quiet side street off Ku’Damm. The hotel features a sauna and solarium – just what you need after a hard day’s shopping!

Family fun in Copenhagen
Hans Christian Andersen city Copenhagen brings his fairytales to life over the Christmas period. In the very heart of the city, the glittering Tivoli Gardens, featuring more than 1,000 Christmas trees, are a magnet for families. Children can ride on ponies or the Elf Train, watch acrobats or skate on a frozen lake, while parents keep warm with a festive glögg and ponder which of the many cafes and restaurants to patronise. All delightfully colourful, innocent fun.

Bedecked with lights and gardens, the city’s pedestrianised main street Stroget is the place to check out the latest Danish designs, its boutiques cheek by jowl with cafés and bars to dive into if the weather turns chilly.

The adjacent Gammeltorv Square has handmade jewellery stalls in its morning market, and classy department stores like Magasin and Illums offer linens and furnishings. Best buys include silver, wooden toys, Bang & Olufsen gadgets, porcelain, glassware, handicrafts and amber.

Where to stay: The Comfort Europa hotel is a short walk from the Tivoli Gardens and Hans Christian Andersen statue, and has a good restaurant next door.