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To a family who adore off-season weekend trips to Europe, Berlin before Christmas is the most child-friendly place of all. Don't miss the city's famed Christmasmarkets, too.

Berlin is one of the most exciting and, at the same time, enigmatic cities in Europe. In the years of dual Germanys, it was an island of the West floating deep in the sea of East Germany. Long a hotspot of Cold War tension, it has gone from a city divided by a wall with a deadly no-man's land in between, to one of the "hottest" in Europe -- a magnet for artists, writers, politicians, and my family.

I had spent a fabulous month there in the early 80s, when Berlin was a particularly wild and crazy place, much like the renowned Paris of the 20s.

My wife and I went back in the late 80s just before The Wall fell (1989), and experienced a taste of East Berlin with a train ride across the border to see the legendary masterpieces on Museum Island.

Recently, cheap off-season airfares led my extended family back to Berlin for an adventurous multi-generational Thanksgiving. While the city had dramatically changed in our absence, we were not disappointed. And though the cold and snowy winter weather was not great, Berlin's tremendous holiday spirit makes this the very best season for family visitors.

Germany's Traditional Weihnachtsmarkt

One of the surprising and major pleasures of our trip was the seasonal Weihnacthsmarkte (Christmas Markets) that spring up in squares and open spaces all over town, beginning in late November and running through Christmas. These markets, an old European tradition, are small outdoor fairs with many booths featuring traditional Christmas crafts and food tents offering a variety of German, as well as some ethnic, dishes. Look for stollen and fruitcakes, ginger biscuits and other sweets. One of the most popular tents serves the traditional gluhwein, a red mulled wine that helps take the chill out of the autumn air.

Some fairs are extremely crowded, but our favorite, the Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt or Christmas Magic Market, was just "comfortably" packed. It's found in the gorgeous Gendarmenmarkt, the square in front of the Konzerthaus Berlin (on the Stadtmitte U-Bahn or subway stop). This is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the city and we couldn't agree more. In addition to the surrounding neighborhood's classic 18th-century architecture, the uber-hip fashion photographer Helmut Newton opened a bar there. For the €1 admission, your family will find high quality artisans' goods and delicious food offerings. There is a small stage where music groups and performers entertain well into the evening.

Our other favorite Christmas Market was near Museum Island next to the Staatsoper (the State Opera House). It's very crowded, lively, and in the midst of it you'll find a fabulous and famous pastry shop, the Opernpalais Unter den Linden. This eatery provides a welcome warming stop in the chilly season and a pastry menu not to be missed.

The other top Christmas markets are found in the northwestern part of the city at Spandau, one of the largest fairs featuring a crêche with live animals, and at Alexanderplatz in the Mitte area. The local papers review each fair weekly, but check with your hotel concierge for directions and opening hours.