Trip ideas · Berlin lights and Saxon Christmas markets

Berlin lights and Saxon Christmas markets: a One-Week Road Trip From Copenhagen

Checked 8 October 2026 against each tourism board's, city's and operator's own page · skynomad

Day by day

Most hours at the wheel in a day No limit3 hours4 hours5 hours6 hours

Kilometres and hours are motorway estimates between the cities named, without stops or traffic. Where you sleep in a smaller place nearby, the real place and its distance are given.

1. Day 1

   Copenhagen → Berlin 353 km · about 3 h 50 driving · plus the Scandlines Rostock–Gedser ferry

   Capital; day 1 Copenhagen–Gedser, Scandlines ferry to Rostock, then A19 to Berlin (about 390 km driving). Festival of Lights in October, Christmas markets from November. Source

2. Day 2

   A day out from Berlin No long drive

3. Day 3

   Berlin → Dresden 197 km · about 2 h 30 driving

   Baroque old town on the Elbe; home of the Striezelmarkt (city-run Christmas market). Source

4. Day 4

   A day out from Dresden No long drive

5. Day 5

   Dresden → Leipzig 128 km · about 1 h 35 driving

   Christmas market across the whole city centre, dating back to 1458 (Leipzig tourism board). Source

6. Day 6

   Leipzig → Hamburg 393 km · about 4 h 15 driving

   The place itself: Lübeck (old town) on the A1 towards Puttgarden, about 70 km from hamburg (approx, not from an official page).

7. Day 7

   A day for Lübeck (old town) on the A1 towards Puttgarden No long drive

8. Day 8

   Hamburg → Copenhagen 310 km · about 3 h 35 driving · plus the Scandlines Puttgarden–Rødby ferry, plus the way back from Lübeck (old town) on the A1 towards Puttgarden

Why go in November and December

• Festival of Lights Berlin (22nd edition): light art on landmarks, ten evenings: 9–18 October 2026. Source
• Dresdner Striezelmarkt (592nd), daily 10:00–21:00: 25 November – 24 December 2026 (opening day from 16:30; 24 Dec until 14:00). Source
• Leipziger Weihnachtsmarkt, seven areas in the city centre; daily 11:00–21:00, Fri/Sat to 22:00: 24 November – 23 December 2026. Source

What to watch for

• Berlin Umweltzone: green sticker required, also for foreign-registered cars (all year). Source
• Striezelmarkt short hours on the last day (24 December 2026). Source
• Leipzig market closes early at the end: 22 Dec until 20:00; on 23 Dec only the stalls on the Markt stay open until 20:00 (22–23 December 2026). Source
• Danish miljøzoner: diesel cars need a particle filter (Euro 5+ counts as compliant); foreign-registered cars first registered before 1 Jan 2011 must be registered before entering (all year (since 1 Oct 2023)). Source

What the week costs to drive

Not included: Scandlines Gedser–Rostock, car one-way (route-only fare) (operator); Scandlines Puttgarden–Rødby, car one-way (route-only fare) (operator); hotels, food and parking. For your own car and exact days, use the trip cost calculator.

The rules on this route

Driving in Denmark · Driving in Germany

Use this route in my plan to get every vignette, zone, kit rule and deadline for these countries in one checklist, with dates. The speed limits and sign words pages can then show only these countries.