is berlin worth a visit??
Jul 20th, 2012, 05:21 PM
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is berlin worth a visit??
Hey guys, my friend and I are planning for a trip to Germany, Austria and Prague this upcoming August. We are definitely going to visit Prague and Vienna (each for two nights). We are also going to visit maybe two small towns/cities in southern Germany besides Prague and Vienna. Both of us have been to southern germany before, but we still feel tempted to go back given that the area is so charming...
So the problem now is that whether we should fit Berlin into our very tight schedule. My friend and I have never been to Berlin and I am not sure if I will return to Europe in near future, so we thought maybe we should take a look at Berlin. I am very much a history person but somehow I am more into pre modern European history than 20th European history or WWII. so the question is, if we have only two days, should we drop by Berlin? It is sort of on our way to Prague from Frankfurt. Most of my friends who have been to Berlin highly recommended it, saying that it is a very unique city, rich of history and therefore should not be missed, even it is for only two days. While we do want to see Berlin ourselves, we were just wondering if it is worth the long train ride to go to Berlin for just a two-day trip. if we drop Berlin off our list, we might have two extra days for southern and Western Germany, places such as the Rhine valley. What do you guys think? Any advice? Thank you very much in advance!!
So the problem now is that whether we should fit Berlin into our very tight schedule. My friend and I have never been to Berlin and I am not sure if I will return to Europe in near future, so we thought maybe we should take a look at Berlin. I am very much a history person but somehow I am more into pre modern European history than 20th European history or WWII. so the question is, if we have only two days, should we drop by Berlin? It is sort of on our way to Prague from Frankfurt. Most of my friends who have been to Berlin highly recommended it, saying that it is a very unique city, rich of history and therefore should not be missed, even it is for only two days. While we do want to see Berlin ourselves, we were just wondering if it is worth the long train ride to go to Berlin for just a two-day trip. if we drop Berlin off our list, we might have two extra days for southern and Western Germany, places such as the Rhine valley. What do you guys think? Any advice? Thank you very much in advance!!
Jul 20th, 2012, 05:36 PM
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Berlin certainly is worth visiting, your friends have no informed you wrong.
From the way you write, I'm assuming you're relatively young, so have the stamina to keep going and going and going, somewhat in the fashion of that pink bunny rabbit.
I'd recommend that you get a real early start departing each city. For example, there's an early morning train that departs Frankfurt at about 6am and gets into Berlin at about 11am. This leaves you a day and a half in Berlin - and two nights of enjoying the night life. Same thing the next morning, get up early (assuming you haven't been out drinking too much the night before), get on an early train to Prague. That'll give you a day and a half in Prague. And ditto for getting to Vienna.
Enjoy your trip! You say that you don't think you will be returning to Europe in the near future, but once you've been, you're going to be planning your next trip. There's so much to see and do over there.
Gute Reise!
From the way you write, I'm assuming you're relatively young, so have the stamina to keep going and going and going, somewhat in the fashion of that pink bunny rabbit.
I'd recommend that you get a real early start departing each city. For example, there's an early morning train that departs Frankfurt at about 6am and gets into Berlin at about 11am. This leaves you a day and a half in Berlin - and two nights of enjoying the night life. Same thing the next morning, get up early (assuming you haven't been out drinking too much the night before), get on an early train to Prague. That'll give you a day and a half in Prague. And ditto for getting to Vienna.
Enjoy your trip! You say that you don't think you will be returning to Europe in the near future, but once you've been, you're going to be planning your next trip. There's so much to see and do over there.
Gute Reise!
Jul 20th, 2012, 06:52 PM
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Given your limited time, I would skip Berlin. I think it has a wonderful history, but most of the history in which I'm interested is WWII and the Cold War--the Wall and Communism in East Berlin. That doesn't sound like a time period that appeals to you.
Jul 20th, 2012, 07:31 PM
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Berlin, while only about 3.5 hours from Prague, is certainly not on the way from Frankfurt to Prague since those 3.5 hours are due north while Frankfurt is due west. It is at least another 4 hours of driving to route through Berlin.
Given your expressed likes, especially pre-modern European history over 20th century, I would think it is probably wise to skip Berlin on this itinerary.
Finding some new charming places in southern Germany around Frankfurt to spend those two days is likely to be more along the lines of what you and your frinds are looking for.
Given your expressed likes, especially pre-modern European history over 20th century, I would think it is probably wise to skip Berlin on this itinerary.
Finding some new charming places in southern Germany around Frankfurt to spend those two days is likely to be more along the lines of what you and your frinds are looking for.
Jul 20th, 2012, 10:54 PM
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No! Berlin is fabulous. The history, the very current art scene, the music, the vibe! I far prefer it over Vienna. The dynamic vibe of Berlin is a bit like a smaller, cleaner, safer NYC. It is about a 4 hour ride from Prague so very doable.
Jul 20th, 2012, 11:54 PM
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Berlin is fabulous, but OP was also pretty precise in describing her likes and preferences. And Berlin is not within that scope.
But sneaking thru OP's other posts, I think one has to to know the full itinerary to make a final decision. So far I have spotted the Rhine Valley, Mosel valley, the SW with Ludwigsburg palace, Vienna, Prague. Not easy to incorporate all in a 7 day time budget with 2days allocated to Vienna and Prague each.
But sneaking thru OP's other posts, I think one has to to know the full itinerary to make a final decision. So far I have spotted the Rhine Valley, Mosel valley, the SW with Ludwigsburg palace, Vienna, Prague. Not easy to incorporate all in a 7 day time budget with 2days allocated to Vienna and Prague each.
Jul 21st, 2012, 09:55 AM
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hello, Cowboy1968, thanks for checking out my other posts! haha. By 7-day trip in the other post, I meant 7 days completely allocated to Germany itself while the rest 4 days goes to Prague and Vienna. I am sorry for not being very clear in my earlier post. so it is a 11-day trip overall. I also want to add that I am also a museum person so the only thing that really attracts to me about Berlin is probably the world-class museums. But as others have said, if I am not into 20th century history, then maybe I should give up Berlin. But I then thought maybe it would be good to browse some museums on German history overall in Berlin since I am in Germany and it is good to learn its history? I am sort of confused...
Jul 21st, 2012, 10:02 AM
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emilylina;
You have a full grasp of the factors affecting the decision, so I don't think you are "confused". What you seem to have is the disease many of us suffer from;
"Iwanttogoeverywhere-itis"
The therapy prescribed never worked for me so chose to give in to the disease and just keep feeding the monster by going back.
You have a full grasp of the factors affecting the decision, so I don't think you are "confused". What you seem to have is the disease many of us suffer from;
"Iwanttogoeverywhere-itis"
The therapy prescribed never worked for me so chose to give in to the disease and just keep feeding the monster by going back.
Jul 21st, 2012, 11:27 AM
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Well, if it's museums that you want to go to, then definitely do not miss Berlin.
"History" is a very long time. are you interested in any specific period or continent?
There are three museums on Museum Island (Museumsinsel) that are dedicated to the Ancient world: The Pergamum and the Neues (despite its name!) have a lot of ancient Egyptian art; the Altes Museum has more Greek, Roman art; the Bode has more "recent" Byzantine art. Of paintings, the best is not on Museum Island but is housed in a more modern building; the Gemaldegalerie houses 13th through 18th century European paintings. If you're interested in paintings then it's better to go to the Gemadegalerie than the National Gallery which is also located on Museum Island.
To visit all of these you need at least a week...if you haven't been "museumed-out" in the middle of that week! So, select carefully which museums you want to go to within the limited time that you have alloted yourself.
Then take a museum break in Prague, go wander around, look at buildings, enjoy the food.
Then it can be back to museums in Vienna. If there's one museum not to miss in Vienna, it would be the Kunsthistorischesmuseum. If you are interested in the works of Klimt, then you have to go to the Belvedere, which is situated a bit outside the center of Vienna.
BUT, if I were you, with the short amount of time you have, I'd go and soak in the Imperial history of Vienna. Go to the Hofburg, wander around, go to the museums there (yes, they're touristy, so what?), just wander through the center of this dignified and yet wonderful city.
Go out to Schonnbrunn Palace (easy metro ride) and see how the imperial family lived during the summers; give yourself at least half a day at Schonbrunn and do wander the many little buildings to the side, not just walk up to the Glorietta.
At night, go to a musical event. Vienna is the city of music. Try the Volksoper; the operas/operettas there have English surtitle summaries, so it'll be easy for you to follow.
I'll bet if you do all this you'll be planning your next trip to Europe the moment you arrive home!
Enjoy your trip! Am excited for you!
"History" is a very long time. are you interested in any specific period or continent?
There are three museums on Museum Island (Museumsinsel) that are dedicated to the Ancient world: The Pergamum and the Neues (despite its name!) have a lot of ancient Egyptian art; the Altes Museum has more Greek, Roman art; the Bode has more "recent" Byzantine art. Of paintings, the best is not on Museum Island but is housed in a more modern building; the Gemaldegalerie houses 13th through 18th century European paintings. If you're interested in paintings then it's better to go to the Gemadegalerie than the National Gallery which is also located on Museum Island.
To visit all of these you need at least a week...if you haven't been "museumed-out" in the middle of that week! So, select carefully which museums you want to go to within the limited time that you have alloted yourself.
Then take a museum break in Prague, go wander around, look at buildings, enjoy the food.
Then it can be back to museums in Vienna. If there's one museum not to miss in Vienna, it would be the Kunsthistorischesmuseum. If you are interested in the works of Klimt, then you have to go to the Belvedere, which is situated a bit outside the center of Vienna.
BUT, if I were you, with the short amount of time you have, I'd go and soak in the Imperial history of Vienna. Go to the Hofburg, wander around, go to the museums there (yes, they're touristy, so what?), just wander through the center of this dignified and yet wonderful city.
Go out to Schonnbrunn Palace (easy metro ride) and see how the imperial family lived during the summers; give yourself at least half a day at Schonbrunn and do wander the many little buildings to the side, not just walk up to the Glorietta.
At night, go to a musical event. Vienna is the city of music. Try the Volksoper; the operas/operettas there have English surtitle summaries, so it'll be easy for you to follow.
I'll bet if you do all this you'll be planning your next trip to Europe the moment you arrive home!
Enjoy your trip! Am excited for you!
Jul 21st, 2012, 06:46 PM
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Thank you Aramis and everyone! And many thanks to easytraveler! wow, you have already made a perfect itinerary for us in Vienna and Berlin! I am excited about Berlin now and will definitely visit it. Thanks for giving me such a detailed response and all the typing! We will definitely review your post before we set off on our trip
