The words of an American woman pricked my interest as I walked into my hotel foyer, having just arrived in Berlin from Amsterdam on Monday evening.

It wasn't until I reached for my phone that I read the dreadful news: nine people had died and 50 were injured in a horrific incident at a Christmas market, that police were initially blaming on an Islamic State attack.

When I returned to the bar downstairs, almost everyone was on their phones, and not just because the majority were Gen Y.

Quiet conversations were had as people began to process the information that something dreadful had happened nearby.

The attack occurred only a few kilometres from where I am staying. I passed some Christmas markets as I made my way to my accommodation from the train station and there were an unusual number of police sirens then, but of course, I thought nothing of it.

I became increasingly curious and decided to go for a stroll to see what the mood was like on the streets, even if there was no official word from police yet as to exactly who was responsible.

Even in the hour since I had made the short walk from the train station, there were far less people on the streets. Those who were there bunched up in groups and talked about what had just transpired.

At the markets though, right next to Alexanderplatz Station, in the Mitte district of Berlin's city centre, hundreds of locals were still in attendance. Some sipped on mulled wine under stunning Christmas lights while others continued to make their way past dozens of stalls selling everything from sausages to Sangria.

Some may have been oblivious to the terror that had unfolded just down the road in the last hour, but it was obvious others weren't going to let one horrific act dampen their Christmas spirit.

There was, however, a feeling of unease over the next 30 minutes as word began to properly filter through about what had happened.

One German woman was in tears and had to be consoled in her friend's arms. Another was on the phone, clearly enquiring about a loved one. In a time like this, people just needed to be with someone.

Lively conversations at a cute pop-up bar were progressively cut short as concerned locals became glued to the news on their phones, trying to make sense of this horrific act.

Groups of half a dozen armed police officers huddled together around the perimeter of these markets, keeping a watchful eye out, knowing the situation some five kilometres away was only just being explained to the public by authorities.

By the time I returned to the hotel bar, a number of travellers I had already acquainted myself with had lost the will to do anything.

In a city known for its vibrant culture and nightlife, particularly at this time of year, there is an unmistakable sadness that has overcome even those who are not from around here.

And once news came through that it may have been a deliberate attack, last drinks were called and plans for the night instantly became the last thing on anyone's mind.

Sydney Morning Herald sport journalist Tom Decent is on holiday in Berlin after covering the Wallabies spring tour of Europe