Berlin
Oct 19th, 2016, 04:18 PM
#1
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Berlin
Wondering if anyone has recently travelled to Berlin? Did you feel safe? Were you able to travel all around the city and gain access to everything? Is there a large refugee population visible in particular neighborhoods? Planning a trip for September 2017. Anything particular you liked: hotels, restaurants, sites, activities?
Oct 19th, 2016, 09:06 PM
#3
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One problem this July was that Unter den Linden ( one of the main
streets) was still dug up because of the new metro line and some museums were closed for renovation.
The other was a huge number of tourists wondering around (apparently without
a worry in the world!) and crowding very popular no.100 bus.
streets) was still dug up because of the new metro line and some museums were closed for renovation.
The other was a huge number of tourists wondering around (apparently without
a worry in the world!) and crowding very popular no.100 bus.
Oct 19th, 2016, 11:20 PM
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>>Wondering if anyone has recently travelled to Berlin? <<
I am travelling to Berlin about 10 to 12 times per year. Last time this month.
>>Did you feel safe? <<
Of course. Germany is a very safe country and Berlin a safe city. There is practically no street crime. Tourists can walk safely everywhere, day and night, even through parks and deserted streets.
>>Were you able to travel all around the city and gain access to everything? <<
I hardly understand the question. Why not? Public transport is excellent and taxis are fairly inexpensive. And Berlin is a walkable city. You can even easily rent bicycles. >access to everything < For entering a governmental department, you need an appointment. But you can visit the very impressive glass dome of the Reichstag, the Parlament building, after passing security check similar to those at airports.
>>Is there a large refugee population visible in particular neighborhoods? <<
No. Firstly, the numer of refugees has decreased sharply this year. Secondly, the refugees are scattered across many neighbourhoods which are usually not visited by tourists. Thirdly, you would not recognize a doctor or engineer from Syria or Afghanistan if you meet him on the street. They are just normal people.
>>Anything particular you liked: hotels, restaurants, sites, activities? <<
Hotels: I usually stay at 5-star hotels with pool. Berlin has about 25 hotels in this category and usually there is at least one that offers a great deal. I use booking machines.
Restaurants: There are thousands of restaurants in town, all styles and all categories. You can have a sausage or kebab from a street stand that fill your for €2.50 or you can eat at a place that has been awarded several Michelin stars. And everything in between. Please specify your location and budget and we can give you advice.
Sites, activities: To get a first impression of the city, I always recommend the public bus #100, which is hop-on/hop-off and €2.80 per person (or free if you buy a daypass for public transport) and a boat trip on the Spree river.
Then, just walk Unter den Linden, Friedrichstrasse, Gendarmenmarkt and in West Berlin Kurfürstendamm and the area around Gedächtniskirche. As said, Berlin is highly walkable and you will see many splendid historical buildings.
Do not miss the world-class museums in Berlin: On Museum Island the breathtaking Pergamon Museum (with Babylon's Ishtar Gate among other first-rank attractions) and Neues Museum with Nefertiti's bust. Also, the Jewish Museum (building designed by Libeskind) is excellent and about 350 others. E.g., what about the Helmut Newton Museum? Or the outstanding art museums?
I stop here, because you need a good guidebook to learn more about sites and activities in Berlin according to you tastes and preferences.
I am travelling to Berlin about 10 to 12 times per year. Last time this month.
>>Did you feel safe? <<
Of course. Germany is a very safe country and Berlin a safe city. There is practically no street crime. Tourists can walk safely everywhere, day and night, even through parks and deserted streets.
>>Were you able to travel all around the city and gain access to everything? <<
I hardly understand the question. Why not? Public transport is excellent and taxis are fairly inexpensive. And Berlin is a walkable city. You can even easily rent bicycles. >access to everything < For entering a governmental department, you need an appointment. But you can visit the very impressive glass dome of the Reichstag, the Parlament building, after passing security check similar to those at airports.
>>Is there a large refugee population visible in particular neighborhoods? <<
No. Firstly, the numer of refugees has decreased sharply this year. Secondly, the refugees are scattered across many neighbourhoods which are usually not visited by tourists. Thirdly, you would not recognize a doctor or engineer from Syria or Afghanistan if you meet him on the street. They are just normal people.
>>Anything particular you liked: hotels, restaurants, sites, activities? <<
Hotels: I usually stay at 5-star hotels with pool. Berlin has about 25 hotels in this category and usually there is at least one that offers a great deal. I use booking machines.
Restaurants: There are thousands of restaurants in town, all styles and all categories. You can have a sausage or kebab from a street stand that fill your for €2.50 or you can eat at a place that has been awarded several Michelin stars. And everything in between. Please specify your location and budget and we can give you advice.
Sites, activities: To get a first impression of the city, I always recommend the public bus #100, which is hop-on/hop-off and €2.80 per person (or free if you buy a daypass for public transport) and a boat trip on the Spree river.
Then, just walk Unter den Linden, Friedrichstrasse, Gendarmenmarkt and in West Berlin Kurfürstendamm and the area around Gedächtniskirche. As said, Berlin is highly walkable and you will see many splendid historical buildings.
Do not miss the world-class museums in Berlin: On Museum Island the breathtaking Pergamon Museum (with Babylon's Ishtar Gate among other first-rank attractions) and Neues Museum with Nefertiti's bust. Also, the Jewish Museum (building designed by Libeskind) is excellent and about 350 others. E.g., what about the Helmut Newton Museum? Or the outstanding art museums?
I stop here, because you need a good guidebook to learn more about sites and activities in Berlin according to you tastes and preferences.
Oct 19th, 2016, 11:23 PM
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I was in Berlin two weeks ago.
I felt perfectly safe.
The U-bahn is very efficient and affordable.
I would not bother renting a car.
The Currywurst Museum is a labor of love and is right beside Checkpoint Charlie.
The prostitutes are top notch.
I felt perfectly safe.
The U-bahn is very efficient and affordable.
I would not bother renting a car.
The Currywurst Museum is a labor of love and is right beside Checkpoint Charlie.
The prostitutes are top notch.
Oct 20th, 2016, 04:49 AM
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"Wondering if anyone has recently travelled to Berlin?"
Berlin got 12 million visitors in 2015. They have not stopped coming. It's an extremely popular destination.
"Did you feel safe?"
Feelings about safety are meaningless. Crime victims almost always feel safe just before they are victimized.
"Is there a large refugee population visible in particular neighborhoods?"
Who could answer "NO" to this question?? Of course there is. Refugees have been housed in about 60 different sports facilities and in other venues around the city are gradually being moved into "MUF" (temporary container-type housing) in different Berlin communities.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/images/wo...3-format43.jpg
So some Berliners are getting back their sports facilities (which together will now require millions of Euros to clean up and repair) but there will continue to be refugee communities in Berlin for the foreseeable future.
Visible? They are refugees from different Middle East and north African cultures and of course they tend to stick together and to dress as they did back home.
SAFETY: Pickpockets can be a real problem in Berlin. They do not pickpocket in their own neighborhoods but instead go where the full pockets are - in tourist locations and places with crowds. More than 40,000 cases were reported to police last year, 26% more than the year before. Who to watch out for? 87% of the Berlin pickpockets that were caught were foreigners. All this data is from the 2015 Berlin Police report. Be sure to keep your pockets empty and your valuables in a money belt or similar device.
Berlin got 12 million visitors in 2015. They have not stopped coming. It's an extremely popular destination.
"Did you feel safe?"
Feelings about safety are meaningless. Crime victims almost always feel safe just before they are victimized.
"Is there a large refugee population visible in particular neighborhoods?"
Who could answer "NO" to this question?? Of course there is. Refugees have been housed in about 60 different sports facilities and in other venues around the city are gradually being moved into "MUF" (temporary container-type housing) in different Berlin communities.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/images/wo...3-format43.jpg
So some Berliners are getting back their sports facilities (which together will now require millions of Euros to clean up and repair) but there will continue to be refugee communities in Berlin for the foreseeable future.
Visible? They are refugees from different Middle East and north African cultures and of course they tend to stick together and to dress as they did back home.
SAFETY: Pickpockets can be a real problem in Berlin. They do not pickpocket in their own neighborhoods but instead go where the full pockets are - in tourist locations and places with crowds. More than 40,000 cases were reported to police last year, 26% more than the year before. Who to watch out for? 87% of the Berlin pickpockets that were caught were foreigners. All this data is from the 2015 Berlin Police report. Be sure to keep your pockets empty and your valuables in a money belt or similar device.
Oct 20th, 2016, 05:10 AM
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"There is practically no street crime."
In 2015 there were more than 2,600 robberies on the streets, walkways and public squares of Berlin, according to Berlin police. This number is lower than in 2014. But I think "no street crime" would be a lot less than 2,600 robberies. Who is doing this? Mostly German citizens, it appears... but still, 45% of these crimes were committed by non-Germans.
In 2015 there were more than 2,600 robberies on the streets, walkways and public squares of Berlin, according to Berlin police. This number is lower than in 2014. But I think "no street crime" would be a lot less than 2,600 robberies. Who is doing this? Mostly German citizens, it appears... but still, 45% of these crimes were committed by non-Germans.
Oct 20th, 2016, 08:35 AM
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Ah, the smart asses read crime statistics.
Crime statistics are paradoxical. They do not show the actual number of crimes but how many cases have been reported to the police.
And the general rule is: the safer a country and the better the police the more crimes are reported. In Germany, almost every case of robbery is reported to the police because you need the police protocol for your insurance. The reported cases include schoolchildren whose smartphones had been taken on the schoolyard - hardly something that a tourist should care about. And, to be honest, they include cases when somebody has lost something and reports to the police that he or she had been robbed.
And even if you take the stats literally: Berlin has 3.5 million population and 12.4 million visitors per year, makes 15.9 million people. And 2,600 robberies divided by 15.9 million means the mean chance to become a victim of a robbery is 0.016 per cent. And believe me, this chance is considerably higher if you are under 18 and if you live in high-rise estates in Kreuzberg, Wedding or Marzahn. And reversely, for a tourist, the probability to be victimized is much less.
And, Mr. Smart Ass, do you really intend to compare street crime in Berlin with Mexico City, Johannesburg, San Francisco or Philadelphia (where I once missed a turn and landed in a neighbourhood with burning garbage bins)?
Crime statistics are paradoxical. They do not show the actual number of crimes but how many cases have been reported to the police.
And the general rule is: the safer a country and the better the police the more crimes are reported. In Germany, almost every case of robbery is reported to the police because you need the police protocol for your insurance. The reported cases include schoolchildren whose smartphones had been taken on the schoolyard - hardly something that a tourist should care about. And, to be honest, they include cases when somebody has lost something and reports to the police that he or she had been robbed.
And even if you take the stats literally: Berlin has 3.5 million population and 12.4 million visitors per year, makes 15.9 million people. And 2,600 robberies divided by 15.9 million means the mean chance to become a victim of a robbery is 0.016 per cent. And believe me, this chance is considerably higher if you are under 18 and if you live in high-rise estates in Kreuzberg, Wedding or Marzahn. And reversely, for a tourist, the probability to be victimized is much less.
And, Mr. Smart Ass, do you really intend to compare street crime in Berlin with Mexico City, Johannesburg, San Francisco or Philadelphia (where I once missed a turn and landed in a neighbourhood with burning garbage bins)?
Oct 20th, 2016, 08:56 AM
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Sights and activities:
Here is a good trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ort-berlin.cfm
It certainly reflects the author's preferences but gives a good impression of Berlin's diversity beyond the typical tourist attractions.
Here is a good trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ort-berlin.cfm
It certainly reflects the author's preferences but gives a good impression of Berlin's diversity beyond the typical tourist attractions.
Oct 20th, 2016, 11:18 AM
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t-1959: I provided the crime data NOT to say Berlin is a dangerous place, or as dangerous as Mexico City, or to claim that the crime rate is the same in all parts of Berlin. NEITHER did I insist that all crimes are of the same severity. So you just have yourself a big loud-mouthed time talking about all that if you wish. But please don't pretend you're having some argument with me over any of it.
My ONLY point with the statistics, since you didn't quite get it: "There is practically no street crime" is a ridiculous response to the OP in light of the FACTS. 40,000 pickpocketing incidents reported to Berlin police in 2015. 2,600 robberies on the street.
To the traveler it matters less what happens in residential neighborhoods and MORE what happens where travelers spend time - and many of them depend on public transport, which is why I focused pickpockets. HALF of all pickpocketing incidents - 20,000 in 2015 - occurred in connection with ÖPNV - public transportation. The OP asked about safety while visiting Berlin. Anyone who objects to these facts and thinks it's "smart-ass" to inform the OP of this threat... anyone who glosses it over with "practically no street crime"... well, he may just qualify as a complete dumb-ass.
My ONLY point with the statistics, since you didn't quite get it: "There is practically no street crime" is a ridiculous response to the OP in light of the FACTS. 40,000 pickpocketing incidents reported to Berlin police in 2015. 2,600 robberies on the street.
To the traveler it matters less what happens in residential neighborhoods and MORE what happens where travelers spend time - and many of them depend on public transport, which is why I focused pickpockets. HALF of all pickpocketing incidents - 20,000 in 2015 - occurred in connection with ÖPNV - public transportation. The OP asked about safety while visiting Berlin. Anyone who objects to these facts and thinks it's "smart-ass" to inform the OP of this threat... anyone who glosses it over with "practically no street crime"... well, he may just qualify as a complete dumb-ass.
Oct 21st, 2016, 04:47 AM
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Oct 22nd, 2016, 02:33 AM
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I feel pretty safe living in Berlin.
As in other big cities, I'd keep an eye on my valuable in major crowds, especially near or at tourist sights.
The areas to avoid are quite compact and not fully fledged neighborhoods.
Like the immediate area around Kottbuser Tor subway station.
Or Görlitzer park at night (unless you need to purchase illegal substances, which is not a wise idea).
The RAW area near Warschauer Str. station (an old train depot; now bars, eateries, clubs) which is normally a well-known spot for the younger folks has seen some street crime in the neighboring streets. But also probably not a relevant spot for the average Fodorite to hang out at night.
As in other big cities, I'd keep an eye on my valuable in major crowds, especially near or at tourist sights.
The areas to avoid are quite compact and not fully fledged neighborhoods.
Like the immediate area around Kottbuser Tor subway station.
Or Görlitzer park at night (unless you need to purchase illegal substances, which is not a wise idea).
The RAW area near Warschauer Str. station (an old train depot; now bars, eateries, clubs) which is normally a well-known spot for the younger folks has seen some street crime in the neighboring streets. But also probably not a relevant spot for the average Fodorite to hang out at night.
