What would YOU do in Berlin?
Apr 21st, 2016, 12:17 AM
#21
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We just spent the past week in Berlin and enjoyed it immensely. There are many good suggestions above, but I'll add a few observations on the things we liked.
Museuminsel. These five museums are incredible. Even though the Pergamon is under construction and the Pergamon Altar is not available the museum is a must to see.we bought a 72-hour Museuminsel Welcome Card which included free entry to all five museums, travel on all public transport in Berlin (you can choose the zones), and discounts on a host of attractions.
Reichstag Building. To walk up and around the dome is a phenomenal experience. You must register in advance for a time slot but can stay as long as you wish. We stayed for lunch at the Käfer Restaurant--pricey but very good. We registered at 9AM at the booth across the street and had no wait at all and plenty of choices for that day.
Bernauerstrasse Wall Memorial. The Wall ran along Bernauerstrasse and there is a very well done memorial with interpretation centre which runs for about 1.3 km. Not commercial or kitschy. A real contrast to Checkpoint Charlie.
Jewish Museum. A striking building by Daniel Liebeskind which contains the history of Jews in Germany. Very well done indeed.
Opera. We attended two operas, Rosenkavalier at the Deutsch Oper and Die Zauberflöte at the Staatsoper. Excellent productions and very reasonably priced especially compared to London and Paris.
Dresden. We took the Insider Tours day trip to Dresden and thought it well worth the money at €49. Of course you can easily do it on your own by train.
Our accommodation. We rented an apartment at Kollwitz Platz in Prenslauer Berg. This is a great neighbourhood with plenty of very good restaurants around. We were only a 10 minute walk from the Kultur Brauerei which has many worthwhile attractions. A bonus was the Saturday morning market at Kollwitz Platz where we stocked up with fresh groceries.
Kreuzberg. We visited the Tuesday Turkish Market on Maybach Strasse and found
it very interesting. The fish sandwich was better than the one I had in Istanbul.
KaDeWe. The food hall is wonderful and we really enjoyed a lunch of fresh spargel at the 7th floor Buffet.
Of course we saw many other sights including the Brandenburger Tor, the Gedächtniskirche, the Holocaust Memorial, Gendarmenmarkt, Potsdamer Platz and such, but the above were the best. We missed going to Potsdam, Charlottenburg, the Historische Museum, and the Gemäldegalerie but one can only do so much in a week! Must return.
Museuminsel. These five museums are incredible. Even though the Pergamon is under construction and the Pergamon Altar is not available the museum is a must to see.we bought a 72-hour Museuminsel Welcome Card which included free entry to all five museums, travel on all public transport in Berlin (you can choose the zones), and discounts on a host of attractions.
Reichstag Building. To walk up and around the dome is a phenomenal experience. You must register in advance for a time slot but can stay as long as you wish. We stayed for lunch at the Käfer Restaurant--pricey but very good. We registered at 9AM at the booth across the street and had no wait at all and plenty of choices for that day.
Bernauerstrasse Wall Memorial. The Wall ran along Bernauerstrasse and there is a very well done memorial with interpretation centre which runs for about 1.3 km. Not commercial or kitschy. A real contrast to Checkpoint Charlie.
Jewish Museum. A striking building by Daniel Liebeskind which contains the history of Jews in Germany. Very well done indeed.
Opera. We attended two operas, Rosenkavalier at the Deutsch Oper and Die Zauberflöte at the Staatsoper. Excellent productions and very reasonably priced especially compared to London and Paris.
Dresden. We took the Insider Tours day trip to Dresden and thought it well worth the money at €49. Of course you can easily do it on your own by train.
Our accommodation. We rented an apartment at Kollwitz Platz in Prenslauer Berg. This is a great neighbourhood with plenty of very good restaurants around. We were only a 10 minute walk from the Kultur Brauerei which has many worthwhile attractions. A bonus was the Saturday morning market at Kollwitz Platz where we stocked up with fresh groceries.
Kreuzberg. We visited the Tuesday Turkish Market on Maybach Strasse and found
it very interesting. The fish sandwich was better than the one I had in Istanbul.
KaDeWe. The food hall is wonderful and we really enjoyed a lunch of fresh spargel at the 7th floor Buffet.
Of course we saw many other sights including the Brandenburger Tor, the Gedächtniskirche, the Holocaust Memorial, Gendarmenmarkt, Potsdamer Platz and such, but the above were the best. We missed going to Potsdam, Charlottenburg, the Historische Museum, and the Gemäldegalerie but one can only do so much in a week! Must return.
Apr 21st, 2016, 12:27 AM
#22
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Laduree was closed in Berlin after three months. But why would you want to buy French products while in Germany? - Try first-class German chocolate in places like Fassbinder & Rausch on the Gendarmenmarkt (also an excellent bet for tasty, yet inexpensive lunch - they prepare the dishes with a hint of chocolate, of course) or Leysieffer.
The Pergamon altar is currently in renovation, but the Pergamon Museum is open and has still outstanding exhibits.
The Pergamon altar is currently in renovation, but the Pergamon Museum is open and has still outstanding exhibits.
Apr 21st, 2016, 12:35 AM
#23
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Thin is correct:
At the Pergamon Museum, due to renovations, the Pergamon Altar and some other exhibits cannot be visited until 2019.
It's probably wise to check any sight's website to see if there are any temporary or partial closures.
Ladurée.. I think Thin meant the shop inside Galeries Lafayette, basement food hall.
At the Pergamon Museum, due to renovations, the Pergamon Altar and some other exhibits cannot be visited until 2019.
It's probably wise to check any sight's website to see if there are any temporary or partial closures.
Ladurée.. I think Thin meant the shop inside Galeries Lafayette, basement food hall.
Apr 21st, 2016, 12:37 PM
#24
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I enjoyed the off-beat site Peacock Island, in the Wannsee, near the Wannsee S-Bahn train station - a short boat ride takes you to this island known for its, duh peacocks, and series of follies - whimsical structures built for amusement mainly. Easily can combine with a trip to Potsdam - I even walked from Sans Soucci Palace to the Wannsee and Peacock Island boats - a lovely lovely walk of a few miles or so.
https://www.google.com/search?q=peac...HYQiBbkQsAQIGw
https://www.google.com/search?q=peac...HYQiBbkQsAQIGw
Apr 21st, 2016, 01:24 PM
#25
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Another sight/site no much hyped by Berlin Tourismus is the Soviet War Memorial - when I first saw it years ago it was sadly overgrown and neglected but now it is all gussied up and has returned to its monumental self:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sovi...HRu2BCwQsAQIHg
http://www.urban75.org/blog/photos-o...erlin-germany/
To get to the Soviet War Memorial (remember the Soviets lost millions of troops and civilians fighting Hitler and without them the West would perhaps never taken Berlin - the Soviets did that!)
walk thru Treptower Park - which on a nice weekend day will be full of strollers and has the ubiquitous beer garden and entertainments in it- a nice place for a Sunday stroll or picnic!
https://www.google.com/search?q=sovi...HRu2BCwQsAQIHg
http://www.urban75.org/blog/photos-o...erlin-germany/
To get to the Soviet War Memorial (remember the Soviets lost millions of troops and civilians fighting Hitler and without them the West would perhaps never taken Berlin - the Soviets did that!)
walk thru Treptower Park - which on a nice weekend day will be full of strollers and has the ubiquitous beer garden and entertainments in it- a nice place for a Sunday stroll or picnic!
Apr 22nd, 2016, 10:25 AM
#27
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I loved taking the small boats propelled by a punter thru Berlin's Venice - take a train to Lubenow and walk a few yards to the docks - neat neat trip - crucial stops at beer gardens along the way:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/W...Spreewald_Tour
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/W...Spreewald_Tour
May 12th, 2016, 11:35 AM
#30
Behind the Adlon Hotel, The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, large, several city blocks of dramaticoutdoor sculpture. Perhaps the listing of a Holocausrt Mueum above refers to this stunning memorial. The Jewish Museum by architect Daniel Liebeskind is very moving.
Museum Island offers so much. Go see Nefertiti at the Neues Museum. The Pergamon Museum was under construction last summer/fall when we were in Berlin.
Checkpoint Charlie is a total waste of time.
Museum Island offers so much. Go see Nefertiti at the Neues Museum. The Pergamon Museum was under construction last summer/fall when we were in Berlin.
Checkpoint Charlie is a total waste of time.
May 12th, 2016, 01:45 PM
#31
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Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for all the amazing feedback. So we have narrowed it down to what interests us most, after weeks of research and obviously the help of all of you! The more research we started doing, the more things we found that we wanted to include:
Tuesday: Arrive in Berlin at around 3pm from Amsterdam. We will check in to the hotel, get something to eat and go for a walk if we have the energy.
Wednesday: Tour of major sights - Brandenburg gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt etc. This should not take too long from the comments above, so we would devote the afternoon to visiting Topographie of Terror (right around the corner from our hotel).
Thursday: Potsdam day trip
Friday: We are doing a BerlinTour to Sachsenhausen concentration camp day trip (6 hours). Will most likely leave at around 10am so we will still have the evening to fit something else in.
Saturday: Walk around Tiergarten, see the victory column, go to East side gallery. Visit the Holocaust Memorial if we have time.
Sunday: Leave Berlin at around 12pm on a train for Prague.
Thanks so much for all the amazing feedback. So we have narrowed it down to what interests us most, after weeks of research and obviously the help of all of you! The more research we started doing, the more things we found that we wanted to include:
Tuesday: Arrive in Berlin at around 3pm from Amsterdam. We will check in to the hotel, get something to eat and go for a walk if we have the energy.
Wednesday: Tour of major sights - Brandenburg gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt etc. This should not take too long from the comments above, so we would devote the afternoon to visiting Topographie of Terror (right around the corner from our hotel).
Thursday: Potsdam day trip
Friday: We are doing a BerlinTour to Sachsenhausen concentration camp day trip (6 hours). Will most likely leave at around 10am so we will still have the evening to fit something else in.
Saturday: Walk around Tiergarten, see the victory column, go to East side gallery. Visit the Holocaust Memorial if we have time.
Sunday: Leave Berlin at around 12pm on a train for Prague.
May 13th, 2016, 12:56 AM
#34
Be prepared to become a bit depressed after being confronted with the constant horror of WW2, the holocaust and the negative impact of the communistic regime on a daily basis.
I personally loved Potsdam and Kreuzberg because one felt like a living museum of how people lived pre WW1 and WW2 while the other is a vibrant feeling of how people are living now. It put things back into perspective again.
I also loved the Udo Jurgens musical.
I personally loved Potsdam and Kreuzberg because one felt like a living museum of how people lived pre WW1 and WW2 while the other is a vibrant feeling of how people are living now. It put things back into perspective again.
I also loved the Udo Jurgens musical.
May 13th, 2016, 10:43 AM
#35
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If you can work it in, a side trip to Potsdam (Sanssouci Park and palace) is a must. It's a short train trip from Berlin (Zone C).
As others mentioned, most of your sites don't require a lot of time. I recommend building your days according to areas and of course use the fantastic transportation links in Berlin.
A site that really helped me plan our trip had itineraries with maps (visitacity.com). It helps you see what is close by.
As others mentioned, most of your sites don't require a lot of time. I recommend building your days according to areas and of course use the fantastic transportation links in Berlin.
A site that really helped me plan our trip had itineraries with maps (visitacity.com). It helps you see what is close by.
May 18th, 2016, 05:59 AM
#36
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Kiwi,
Sounds like you have done a lot of research -- so important for a city like Berlin with so much to choose from.
We just returned last night from 5 nights there, and I have to say that given your interest in architecture, I would strongly recommend you see the Reischtag. It is free, but you need to make a reservation. We were able to do the guided tour in English on Saturday, and then visit the dome afterwards on our own using the excellent audioguide. The whole thing only took 2 hours, including the security check-in. Very, very highly recommended!
I also can strongly recommend the 6-hour Brewer's walking tour we took on Friday, our first day there. If you did this on Wednesday, it would be an excellent way for you to get an overview of Berlin, and see very many of the things on your list, and get an explanation too. It's only 15 Euro per person (plus tip if you choose). There's a brief stop at the Topographie of Terror (not inside). We went back a few days later to visit inside and honestly I don't think it was worth it for us. It certainly did not add anything to what we already knew. There are interesting copies of photos of the time with good explanations, but as someone else described, it's like reading standing up which you could do on your own after vacation.
The walking tour guides we have had over the years have all been great at giving restaurant recommendations -- we always try to fit in an overview tour on day one in a new city.
We also did one of the Alternative Tours which meet daily at 11am and 1pm. This was a lot of fun and would get you into another neighborhood (Kreuzberg) where you could try all sorts of interesting food. The tour we took ended near the Eastside Gallery.
Our favorite restaurant was Yarok -- really excellent Syrian food.
Let me know if you have questions -- have a great time!
Sounds like you have done a lot of research -- so important for a city like Berlin with so much to choose from.
We just returned last night from 5 nights there, and I have to say that given your interest in architecture, I would strongly recommend you see the Reischtag. It is free, but you need to make a reservation. We were able to do the guided tour in English on Saturday, and then visit the dome afterwards on our own using the excellent audioguide. The whole thing only took 2 hours, including the security check-in. Very, very highly recommended!
I also can strongly recommend the 6-hour Brewer's walking tour we took on Friday, our first day there. If you did this on Wednesday, it would be an excellent way for you to get an overview of Berlin, and see very many of the things on your list, and get an explanation too. It's only 15 Euro per person (plus tip if you choose). There's a brief stop at the Topographie of Terror (not inside). We went back a few days later to visit inside and honestly I don't think it was worth it for us. It certainly did not add anything to what we already knew. There are interesting copies of photos of the time with good explanations, but as someone else described, it's like reading standing up which you could do on your own after vacation.
The walking tour guides we have had over the years have all been great at giving restaurant recommendations -- we always try to fit in an overview tour on day one in a new city.
We also did one of the Alternative Tours which meet daily at 11am and 1pm. This was a lot of fun and would get you into another neighborhood (Kreuzberg) where you could try all sorts of interesting food. The tour we took ended near the Eastside Gallery.
Our favorite restaurant was Yarok -- really excellent Syrian food.
Let me know if you have questions -- have a great time!
May 18th, 2016, 06:05 AM
#37
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<i>What would YOU do in Berlin?</i>
Currywurst
Currywurst Museum (Schützenstraße 70, 10117 Berlin)
Döner
Red Light District
Buy the pin (or t-shirt) of the donut saying "Ich bin ein Berliner auch"
Currywurst
Currywurst Museum (Schützenstraße 70, 10117 Berlin)
Döner
Red Light District
Buy the pin (or t-shirt) of the donut saying "Ich bin ein Berliner auch"
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