Hackescher Markt — Open-air market in Mitte, Berlin

Hackescher Markt is an open-air market on the street of the same name in Mitte, and what you notice first is how compact it is: a small square, a line of restaurant terraces along one street, and stalls set out in the middle. The Hackesche Höfe courtyards open right above it, so the visit is really two things in one stop.

The stalls are the market half. They sell everything from food and fruit to handicrafts, closer to a flea market with new products than to a produce hall, so you browse rather than shop for a week. A souvenir shop in the mix keeps prices at the lower end. The courtyards are the other half: tiled passages and stairwells to wander, with small shops and boutiques to look into along the way.

Eating is the main reason to come. Restaurants line one street, so the choice is wide and the terraces fill with music on a weekend evening. It works as a meal out with friends or family rather than a quick bite, and the square stays awake late.

The boutiques are expensive, and the stalls are not cheap.

Come on a weekend evening for the terraces and the music, or on a weekday for a quieter walk through the courtyards. The market and the square stay open around the clock, so a late dinner is possible, though most shops and restaurants close earlier in the evening.