Christmas Festival at Alte Fasanerie Lübars

Lübars: Berlin's northernmost village

Lübars is a curious district in the north of the Reinickendorf district — and at the same time the only Berlin village that has largely preserved its historic structure. Village pond, half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, 13th-century church, sheep farm, and open fields: arriving from Berlin city center by bus and train and getting off at Alter Dorf, you'd think you'd driven an hour into the Mark Brandenburg. The Alte Fasanerie is part of this rural Berlin world — it dates back to a royal pheasantry from the 18th century and is now a popular excursion restaurant and event location on the edge of the Barnim Nature Park.

What the Christmas Festival offers

In contrast to the gigantic Christmas magic at Gendarmenmarkt or Charlottenburg Palace, the Christmas Festival in Lübars focuses on intimacy and atmosphere. A campfire burns in the courtyard of the Fasanerie, small-scale live music accompanies the afternoon, and a stage program for families follows a classic format — children's theater, Christmas carols, hands-on activities. The scent of roasted almonds, bratwurst, and mulled wine fills the air. Afterwards, you can take a walk through the village of Lübars or into the adjacent nature reserve.

Why families love it

The combination of a rural setting, short distances, and a manageable program makes the Christmas Festival particularly popular with families with young children. Unlike the large markets in Mitte or Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, the crowds are moderate, the pace is calm, and children can run around the campfire without parents worrying about losing them. Even bus 222, which connects the village to the Berlin U-Bahn, doesn't carry endless crowds — there's plenty of space for those with strollers.

Reinickendorf District and the Märkisches Viertel

Lübars is located in the state of Berlin, Reinickendorf district — a district often identified with the neighboring Märkisches Viertel (a large housing estate from the 1960s), but in reality, it's an unusual mix of residential areas, old villages (Lübars, Hermsdorf, Heiligensee), and forests (Tegeler Forst). The Christmas Festival at Alte Fasanerie is one of Berlin's closest Advent offerings to the villages.