Going to Berlin tomorrow - help with site seeing advice!!
 

I am going to be in Berlin Friday to Sunday and just want to know what you all consider the must sees, besides the Brandenberg Gate and the Ku'dam. What are some of your other favorite sites. I definatly want to visit the zoo and aquarium there and I am very interested in WWII history. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi Shannon - I think we chatted yesterday about Berlin Museums. You will definately want to get to the zoo - it's fabulous. We enjoyed the Checkpoint Charlie museum and site more than we had anticipated we would. Very poignant low-tech displays. If you go, be sure to visit the new space on the top floor with terrific views of the checkpoint replica which is set up in the street - great photo op. We also enjoyed poking around a couple of the large flea markets located near one another on the Strasse des 17 Juni on the weekend. One featured some pretty nice local craftspeople (along with some typical crazy junk) and the other had a lot of weird old stuff - enjoy!

Elie - <BR> <BR>Thanks again for the great info. I hadn't heard about the flea markets there. They sound like a fun and interesting thing to check out!

Definitely the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, and then Pergamon Museum with a full ancient ruin, KaDeWe Department Store on Ku'damm, Reichstag, Potsdam, Olympic Stadium (Jesse Owen's fame). I enjoyed seeing Templehof Airfield (Berlin Airlift fame) but I am a history buff as well. The Info Box is nice because you can see the small piece of the wall nearby and the contrast between east and west (however, they were building in the space between like mad the last time I was there so may be totally filled in now).

I agree with the previous poster. Also, take the bus #100 from the zoo train station - it goes past most tourist sites and ends in the old eastern section. Don't miss the KaDeWa food dept. Two floors - great for browsing and eating and drinking - and telling your friends about. Enjoy, it is a great walking city.

Do the #100 bus!! Great way to see a lot of Berlin quickly. The Ku'damm is very interesting (we went into several of the auction houses in the area and found some good buys - esp on jewlery). Checkpoint Charlie is not to be missed. And my personal favorite place in Berlin is the Berliner Dom - this is where the Hohenzollerns were crowned and buried. It also has the most amazing Organ in the world. I heard that it is the second largest. This is within walking distance to the Tv Tower and the museums insel. We went into the Pergamon museum and while it was interesting and so forth I prob wouldn't go back there. But then I am not a huge fan of museums. It was interesting to see once, but if I was on a limited time line (which you are) I would put some of the other places higher on my list of priorites).

Do the #100 bus!! Great way to see a lot of Berlin quickly. The Ku'damm is very interesting (we went into several of the auction houses in the area and found some good buys - esp on jewlery). Checkpoint Charlie is not to be missed. And my personal favorite place in Berlin is the Berliner Dom - this is where the Hohenzollerns were crowned and buried. It also has the most amazing Organ in the world. I heard that it is the second largest. This is within walking distance to the Tv Tower and the museums insel. We went into the Pergamon museum and while it was interesting and so forth I prob wouldn't go back there. But then I am not a huge fan of museums. It was interesting to see once, but if I was on a limited time line (which you are) I would put some of the other places higher on my list of priorites).

My reply is more of a question really. I am going in August, can anyone recommend a good hotel in a good area that is close to the sites. We too are interested in the war history and in modern art. I went while in high school many years ago and enjoyed it, want to share with my husband who is the history buff. Thanks

Check the nethotels.com web site for hotels and events in Berlin.