IN THE MORNING
Historical Walking Tour
Often the best way to explore Berlin is via a walking tour. It is better to embrace being a tourist in order to cover all of the historical checkpoints that cities like Berlin have to offer. In particular, the guides will tend to have loads of information about the history and will give a proper insight into the bones of the city. I elected to choose Sandemans New Europe‘s Berlin Free Tour. This tour is free but the guides request a donation or tip based on their performance and the quality of the tour. I loved this experience because our tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable. We were taken to spots that we would have otherwise missed, such as the carpark which lies above Hitler’s bunker where he hid and died at the end of the war. This tour also takes you to typical checkpoints of Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt and along segments of the Berlin Wall.
THE MEMORIAL TO THE MURDERED JEWS OF EUROPE
The history of Berlin owes a lot to the Second World War, where the infamous Holocaust, Third Reich and Hitler were commonplace names. Walking around Berlin, there are notable elements of this war that have not been covered up but acknowledged and stand out. The Holocaust Memorial, spanning across a large square, is a beautiful structure attributed towards the murdered Jews of Europe. I love this memorial because it does not try to cover up the reality of World War Two, nor does it try to paint it in a biased light. It has deep symbolic meaning that manifests itself differently among everyone who sees it. Amongst the tour group there were suggestions that the pillars represented each individual or group murdered in the Holocaust. Others suggested that they represented the sheer size and anonymity of those individuals in the massacre by covering such a large space. Each pillar is unique, one is a different height and size from the other, and the most astounding part is that as you walk into the depths of the memorial it becomes cold, eerie and quite an emotional experience. You get a real feel of the fear that those people must have felt, the anonymity of those killed and a true sense of loneliness despite being in the centre of a bustling city. It really was an experience not to be missed.
DURING THE DAY
WALK THE BERLIN WALL & SEE CHECKPOINT CHARLIE
The Berlin Wall is most likely the most renowned attraction of the German capital. You hear stories sitting in History class about the terrible separation of families and friends, the deaths that occurred when people from the East tried to escape, as well as the political tension between East and West well beyond the end of the Second World War. I love the picture below because it perfectly describes the “madness” of not just the wall itself but the huge power of politics over people, entire countries and even the world. The divide between East and West in Germany – isolated only to the City of Berlin – while the rest of the country was taken over by the West, was a true clash of ideologies. It is terrifying that ideology drove the government to physically restrict families from being together, keeping people from their work and their livelihoods.
Throughout the city, there are pieces of wall leftover from this period or stones in the concrete that show where the wall would have been. I must have crossed over the wall more times that I could count in one day which it showed that the separation of a city had severe consequences for those living in it. Checkpoint Charlie was quite a representation of this. Just beyond the Checkpoint on the “Western side” lies a McDonalds. Supposedly, when the wall came down in 1989, the McDonalds was inundated with customers from the East, who ran in hoards to this symbol of capitalism and commercialism after being subjected to communist practices for over 20 years. I find this juxtaposition incredibly symbolic and strangely candid.
VISIT THE BERLINER DOM & MUSEUM ISLAND
Museum Island is a UNSECO World Heritage site, home to five museums including the Berliner Dom. Berliner Dom translates to Berlin Cathedral. The building itself is an outstanding piece of architecture and displays a fantastic fresco inside the dome accompanied by vast wooden and gold structures which paint a vision of the grandeur and wealth. Moreover, for €7 you can gain entry to view the internal structures of the cathedral and witness an incredible panoramic view of the city of Berlin. We were very lucky to have such a clear day upon our visit and saw across the entire city from one spot.
FIND A PANORAMIC VIEW: TV TOWER
The view from the Berliner Dom is outstanding. However, the Berlin TV Tower also provides a much higher perspective for your viewing pleasure. I did not venture up that high as I was very satisfied with the view from the Berliner Dom. However, there is a bar on top of the TV Tower which may seem more appealing to some than a fresco over 100 years old.
EAT A PRETZEL
The pretzel has been mastered by the Germans over the years and there is often much debate as to it’s actual origin. Regardless, the soft and chewy dough that creates this wonderful and comforting snack is such a treat! If you around the city, I recommend you try one! I like the simple pretzel with salt on top, but you can find cheese-covered ones as well as sweet versions too. Go wild!
EVENING
GO TO AN AUTHENTIC GERMAN DINNER & DRINK A STEIN
As part of my Berlin experience, I wanted to try as much of the national food as possible. Being a vegetarian and vegan-in-progress, Germany isn’t exactly the most ideal destination for my dietary preferences. However, I was actually quite surprised at the range of foods that I could eat, even if it was comprised mostly of pretzels and other forms of bread. That being said, I managed to fit a few vegetarian versions of the delicacies of Germany. The “Currywurst” is a variation of sausage made by mixing pork sausage meat with curry powder. It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the vegan version provided to us by Curry at the Wall for only €3 was such a great treat if you are still venturing through the city as evening falls or perhaps a pre-dinner snack.
Alternatively, the most genuine German culinary experience can be had at multiple places around the city. Anywhere that serves a good stein of beer and a selection of meats, cheeses and bread, will provide an authentic experience for your tastebuds.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS (Late November – December)
The Christmas markets were just beginning when I cam not Berlin for two days. From mid-November leading up to Christmas, the city begins to light up at night as these markets are constructed to provide nothing but joy and delicious treats for everyone! I won’t lie when I say that the Christmas markets on this trip were a huge contributing factor to the reason I booked it in the first place. I am a HUGE Christmas fan, so these markets provided me so much joy. The Christmas markets of Germany and Bavaria and known worldwide to be particularly special and I can vouch for this. The entire atmosphere provided by these wonderful constructions in the icy cold of winter is warming and comforting to the soul. Everything from pretzels and mulled wine (“glühwein”) to Christmas decorations and jewellery can be found at most of these markets spread across the city. So, if you are coming to Berlin in November or December, definitely add some of these markets to your list!
HAVE A GLUHWËIN
“Glühwein” or mulled wine is a huge part of the Christmas tradition in Germany and can be found at almost any stall in the city (even Curry at the Wall!). The hot spiced wine is flavoured with cinnamon, cloves and orange juice to create an alcoholic hug in a mug! It is a must-try, even just to warm your cold hands during the winter months. Although it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I was definitely drawn to trying a new one in each city to compare them, plus it was fun to say in German!
NIGHTLIFE
The nightlife of Berlin is particularly known to be highly energetic, wild and very exciting. There is a large techno and clubbing culture supported by Berlin’s nightlife, found predominantly in the East of the city. I had little exposure to this side of the city’s nightlife, however, there is a line of clubs opposite the PLUS Berlin Hostel where I stayed which provide an excellent dose of Berlin nightlife just a few minutes walk from your bedroom. Other districts that are good for clubbing include Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain which are not far from the most renowned club in the city, Berghain, across the river.
TRANSPORT
HIRE AN ELECTRIC BIKE AND RIDE ALONG THE RIVER
If you are on any transport apps such as Uber, then this is perfect for you. Throughout the city there are Jump electric bikes and scooters that you can hop on and ride along the roads and pavements of the city with such ease. Glide through the streets and along the river to the Reichstag to take in the beautiful architecture.
TAKE THE METRO/U-BAHN
Berlin transport is very efficient and easy to get around on. For a daily pass with Zones A, B and C, it is €7.70, which covers fees for the U-Bahn (Metro), S-Bahn (trains and trams) and buses. This is the best way of quickly getting around the city and seeing as much as you can in one day! Not too expensive but so worth it. 100% recommend. Just make sure you remember to validate it before getting on. Once it is validated you can use it all day! This is useful to have if you find yourself miles from your hostel or hotel with very sore feet from all of this walking.
Little City Window 