While you are visiting Berlin and regular shopping is not something what you would like to spend your time with, why not to visit some weekend markets in Berlin which might surprise you with many different choices. Rarities what you can find on weekend markets, might sometimes bring up your childhood memories or remind you important eras of last century… Street food, furniture, clothes, handmade creations, antiques or flea markets are very popular not just for Berliners but also for many tourists. You can come across many small markets on your way while visiting popular sightseeing places or you can check the places I came across. Depends on your mood or taste ?.
1. Winterfeldtplatz Market
If you are staying in Kudamm area or would like to visit other areas of Berlin than Mitte (centrum of Berlin), I highly recommend to stop by at Winterfeldtplatz Market. Market is in Schöneberg, which is midway between Kreuzberg and Wilmersdorf. You can get there by U-bahn, get off at Nollendorfplatz station and simply walk there about 8 min. On the way from U-bahn station you can stop by for coffee or breakfast while in that area are many stylish cafés, bars and small restaurants. The best and busiest time for this market is saturday, opening at 8 am which is good for early birds.
Market is popular for high-quality choice of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, sausages, meat, sweets, fish, flowers but also handmade jewelry and clothes. Once you will get there around lunch time, you can enjoy your lunch with quite large choice of food from different type of cuisines in great atmosphere of green and St. Matthias Church. Do not skip to try some of the homemade cakes which might make your day ?
Address: Winterfeldtstraße, 10777 Berlin
Opening Hours: every Saturday 8 am till 4 pm
2. Art & Flea Market at Zeughaus and Bode Museum
Situated right in the heart of Berlin, both markets next to each other, that’s the place where you can easily spend half of the day ? It’s 20 min walk from Brandenburger Gate through popular Unter den Linden and it’s taking place at first street just behind the Berliner Dome or if you go from Alexanderplatz it’s the first street before the Berliner Dome and about 10 min walk.
Surrounded area of the markets is incredible, called Museum Island, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site lying in the middle of the Spree which is home to five of Berlin’s most important museums.
After quick check of those beautiful places you can start your hunt at the Art market, which is focused on paintings, photography, sculptures, handmade jewelry, leather bags, designed fashion clothes and many more. Talk directly to artists, not just to sales person, but be aware that prices are fixed and negotiating is quite uncomfortable for them. This is a place where you can get perfect gifts or souvenirs.
Few meters away from Art Market is quite unusual and actually not that big antique and book market. Here, you feel like going back in time few decades, at least…
Starting with big range of old books, magazines, vinyl records and stamps continue to handmade and antique jewelry, paintings, vases, silver cutlery, old crockery, pottery and small furniture. Prices might be a bit higher than at others Berlin’s flea markets but this is the place where you can use your negotiating talent ?
Market is finishing at Monbijou (Oranienburger Straße) and that’s the place where you can find many bars and restaurants, some of them typical only for Berlin.
Art Market address: Am Zeughaus 1, 10 117 Berlin
Flea Market address: Am Kupfergraben 1, 10 117 Berlin
Opening Hours: every Saturday: 11 am to 5 pm, every Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
*Please note that in case of bad weather, market is closed
3. Hackescher Markt Market
Another, not even 15 min walk, from Art & Flea markets at Bode Museum, is Hackescher Markt market which is hotspot for tourists. Market is places in main square, surrounded by many restaurants with different price ranges, starting from kebab place, German restaurant or popular steakhouse Maredo. Once sun is shining, restaurants are packed and you can enjoy atmosphere of the square with delicious cocktails or typical German beer. If you feel like Guinness, Irish pub is just behind the corner ?
Market offers fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, handmade jewelry and clothes. You should definitely try some of the Arabic food or tea, which is offered in few places or typical German currywurst. If you are not much into meat, try some homemade Italian dishes and pasta.
And once you feel that it was enough market shopping for one day, next to square are many designers shops such as Michael Kors, Desigual, Uniqlo and many unique fashion boutiques.
Address: Hackescher Markt, 190 178 Berlin
Opening Hours: Thursday: 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm
4. Strasse 17. Juni Flea Market
I’m living in Berlin for few years now but I was always 100 % sure that Strasse 17. Juni is going from Brandenburger Gate to Victory Column and there the street finish. Mistake! ? After Victory Column, the street continues for quite a while and at the end of it, just before Charlottenburg Gate is spreading the oldest and the largest flea market in Berlin.
Honestly, there are not many things what you can not find there. Starting with porcelain pottery, antique statues, candlesticks, books, vinyl records, old magazines, paintings, vintage and second hand clothes, antique jewelry, small furniture, carpets and many more. If you get hangry, there are few places where you can grab typical German currywurst but I wouldn’t be going there for lunch.
The market is quite busy, but don’t count with cheap shopping there. For flea market, it’s actually expensive and you might get surprised if they will ask you couple of hundred euros for glass candlestick or nealy hundred euros for small vintage earrings. Then obviously, you have a big space for negotiation, if you feel to spend another half an hour with intense negotiating in mixed english-german language.
From the other hand, it is definitely worth to visit the market, at least to see it. You can take S-bahn train which will bring you next to the market, the station is called Tiergarten.
Address: Straße des 17. Juni 106, 10 623 Berlin
Open: Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
I don’t know many other cities with such a huge variety of markets. Even though, you might not look for them, there is only tiny chance to not find any, once you are wandering through Berlin. Do you have any suggestion for some really untraditional or cool market? Let me know, I would love to visit it and afterwards, share my experience with you ? My next stop will be Mauerpark and some popular food markets. So, I’m looking forward to visit it and also for your comments or advice…
