Christmas Markets On The Elbe: Berlin

 December 14

Today was the final day of the Christmas Markets adventure that began in Prague and concludes here in Berlin.  We were up for breakfast by 7am and on the bus by 8:45am for a four hour "Panoramic Tour" of Berlin.  Largely we were on the bus as we drove around the city visiting both old and new sections while getting an overview of the history of the city.  Key stops along the way were to see the Brandenburg Gate which was sealed off from East Berlin by the Berlin Wall until 36 years ago - in fact our guide was born and lived in East Berlin until the wall came down when she was in her 20's.  As I remarked to Kim, we see a lot of historic things on our travels but THIS ONE was taking place during our adult life.  We continued on to stop at Checkpoint Charlie whish was a crossing point from West to East Berlin.  And we stopped to see sections of the Berlin Wall that were kept up as a reminder of what had happened to future generations.  Finally we stopped at what as explained as the "most beautiful Christmas Market in Berlin," though we only had 30 minutes there - still it was enjoyable.

Berlin city scenes

Brandenberg Gate & Open Square

The Brandenberg Gate

Checkpoint Charlie Now & Then

Mark & Kim defending the gate :)

Remaining sections of the Berlin Wall & Crossing from West-to-East Berlin where the wall used to be (would have been unheard of 40 years ago)

Berlin Christmas Market

The massive Christmas tree at the market

One last mug of mulled wine!

Christmas Market collection!

This evening we concluded our journey with a "Berlin By Night" excursion.  We left a little after 6:30pm and drove through the city seeing some of the festive lights before stopping by an authentic German restaurant where we were served so much German food, topped off by apple strudel!  Back on the bus to the Reichstag for a photo op and then to a local bar for a night cap.  So enjoyed the trip and met so many great people along the way, but most of all enjoyed sharing the adventure with Pam & Bob.  Up early for the flights home tomorrow, scheduled to land in Miami about 8:30pm.  Thanks for following along, we'll be home for the winter before taking off for Europe in March.  We'll be joined by Bob & Pam and Claudia & Gary - four of our favorite peeps as we will take the Viking "Cities of Light" adventure.  Fly to Paris....sail the Rhine....on to Prague and then six days in Poland!  See you then.

One final photo op at the Reichstag with the largest Christmas tree in Berlin

All aboard for a nightcap!

March 10 - 27, 2026

Christmas Markets On The Elbe: Leave Beyla - Pottsdam - Arrive Berlin

 December 13

It was a sad morning as we said goodbye to the crew and the Viking Beyla this morning.  Love being on the Viking ships!  We woke up to a fog thick as pea soup on the river.  After a light breakfast we were on board the bus for an 8:45am departure.  Drove about an hour and a half to arrive in Pottsdam.  The small city is known for it being the meeting place for Joseph Stalin, Harry Truman, and Winston Churchill at the palace to decide how Germany & Berlin would be divided among the allies at the conclusion of World War II.  We walked around the palace - couldn't go in as I did six years ago with my sister as it's under renovation.  Back on the bus for a short drive to the town center where we had a two hour lunch break to explore the not one.....not two.....but three Christmas Markets.  We were MOST fortunate as there is a Dutch Christmas Market that is held annually in Pottsdam, but it's only open ONE WEEKEND a year and just so happened to be this weekend.  We went there as we had way, WAY too much time for our break (two hours and change).  But as it turned out I was glad we did as I found a mulled wine stand and asked for the more decorative red cup.  But I was told that was for a special kind of holiday drink.  Bring it on I said!  The cup came with a little metal device on top which the guy put a large sugar cube on.  Then he lit the whole thing on fire - and let me tell you the flames were pretty high and lasted several minutes.  You have to look closely in the sequence of photos, but I circled the flames which are clearly visible.  We then walked back to the second market where we found sausage when we enjoyed as our lunch.  And at the third Christmas Market we wandered around and found a stall with socks!  WHOOOOO HOOOOO!  Found my souvenir socks and they were Christmas-themed, which made them ideal.  Kim and I also shared a mug of hot chocolate as we watched skaters glide around the small rink in the center of the market.

After killing off the rest of our free time we were back on the bus for a short ride to Sans Souci, the summer palace of Frederick the Great, king of Germany in the 1500's.  It was a "small" palace but the decorations inside were remarkable as was the view off the back area behind the palace.  Back on the bus for the final one hour of the trip.  As we arrived in Berlin the entire city is lit up with festive Christmas lights and decorations.  Once we arrived at our hotel, the Inter Continental, Pam, Bob, Kim and I quickly got our rooms from CJ - remember he's the program director who was with us in Prague, on the ship and now in Berlin - had arrived earlier with all the luggage.  We quickly went to our rooms then walked across the street for dinner at a very good Italian place.  Afterwards we all agreed to call it a night as our final day tomorrow includes a four hour panoramic tour of Berlin in the morning, followed by a dinner and "Berlin by Night" four hour tour that will put us back at the hotel around 10:30pm.  Up and out the door at 6:15am Monday to head to the airport - a whirlwind final day!

Fog on the Elbe

The Pottsdam Palace - the windows on the far left were the meeting room for the three Allied leaders

The Pottsdam Palace gardens

The Dutch Christmas Market

With my mug of Feuerzangenbowle, defined as....

"fire tongs punch" or "burnt punch," a festive German alcoholic drink where a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set alight and drips caramelized sugar into spiced mulled wine, creating a strong, sweet, and potent punch"

Look closely, circled in red, at the flames off my Feuerzangenbowle!

Love all the decorations at the Christmas Markets!

The second of the three markets

Traditional German sausage

More holiday decorations - note the people at the bottom to get a perspective of just how BIG Santa is :O

Hot chocolate by the ice rink!

The third Christmas Market

The traditional souvenir socks

San Souci - summer palace of Frederick the Great

Two of the interior rooms of the palace

The view from the back of the palace

The Berlin Inter Continental - our final stop of the trip

Christmas Markets On The Elbe: Wittenberg

 December 11 continued.....

After I posted pics yesterday afternoon we had a gingerbread making demonstration which allowed each of us to create our own gingerbread man.  I created one then took one to my recovering wife who progressed from "feeling yuk," to "feeling blah," to "feeling better."  We set sail for Torgau after lunch and I spent the late afternoon in the stateroom and on our veranda coloring in my Christmas Markets coloring book while keeping an eye on her as she largely slept.  The Viking staff was so kind when I explained she felt better but did not feel like coming to the dining room for dinner.  They prepared her meal and delivered it to our door and I brought it in to her.  When Kim ate every bite I felt we were on the road to recovery.

Gingerbread man making

Hard at work being artistic while sailing along

My completed work :)

December 12

We both slept in until after 7am this morning and when I pulled back the curtain on our panoramic sliding glass doors, I was greeted by the scene above.  We sailed all morning and after lunch we had our excursion into Wittenberg.

Morning sailing

My favorite part of a Viking River CRUISE.....the cruising :)

Sailing along

Wittenberg Excursion

At lunch Kim & I went to lunch we showed off our "Team Naughty/Team Nice" tee shirts :)  We disembarked in Wittenberg and took the short bus ride to the Old Town.  Our guide was wonderful, but so, SOOOOO much historical information.  To be fair she was trying to sueeze 500 years of significant historical events & people which had changed the course of religion in the world for ever.  We saw two churches - the Palace Church, which was where Martin Luther posted the "95 Theses" that led to the Protestant Reformation.  And we went into the Two Towers Church where Luther delivered over 2000 sermons.  What was interesting here were the religious paintings which the local artist had "interpreted" by putting local figures/town leaders into the paintings of biblical scenes.  Walked around the Christmas Market and of course got my mulled wine and a Christmas trinket.  Tomorrow morning we're off the ship - sadly - and will have two excursions on the way to Berlin for our final two nights.

Team Naughty & Team Nice.....which are YOU on?

The Palace Church

Martin Luther & his tomb

The doorway where Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses changing the course of religion forever

The iconic Martin Luther main square statute

The Two Towers Church

Paintings in the church where the locals had themselves painted into the biblical scenes

The Wittenberg Christmas Tree

The obligatory mug & wine :)

Typical Christmas Market stalls

The Wittenberg Christmas Market