Berlin

[duncs]

Hi folks,

Off to Berlin a week tomorrow and was wondering who has been before and suggest what is worth seeing, good places to eat, drink, nights out etc.

Already booked our accommodation and already fancying checking out the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and the Olympic Stadium, what does everyone else recommend?

[scott7_0(Prague)]

Hi folks,

Off to Berlin a week tomorrow and was wondering who has been before and suggest what is worth seeing, good places to eat, drink, nights out etc.

Already booked our accommodation and already fancying checking out the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and the Olympic Stadium, what does everyone else recommend?

Was there last year, great city and loads to do. Best bet is to get a 24hour hop on hop off ticket for the sightseeing bus, it hits all the major tourist attractions on the route and you can get off and on at your leisure!!

Hiberlin will be along soon to give you more first hand tips no doubt.

[The_Todd]

Brandenberg Gate.

Been 10 years since I went, so I'm struggling to remember!

[degenerated]

i was there for new year, the third time i've been, and still havent seen it all yet.
there's just so much to see, best bet is to get lonely planet or timeout and look through that.
the eastside gallery is a must as are the brandenberg gate, reichstag, stasi museum, holocaust memorial, the fehrnestrum at alexanderplatz, the olympic stadium, topographie of terrors near potsdammer platz. If you get the chance then Potsdamm is pretty cool and the mugglesee (sp) is nice place too although its better in summer.

its pretty expensive for a beer these days, can be anything up to 5 euros in some places!!!

[Hibrandenburg]

Was there last year, great city and loads to do. Best bet is to get a 24hour hop on hop off ticket for the sightseeing bus, it hits all the major tourist attractions on the route and you can get off and on at your leisure!!

Hiberlin will be along soon to give you more first hand tips no doubt.
:agree:
Always a good tip if you want to learn about a town but extra so in Berlin because of the distances you have to cover. Berlin like most major cities is made up of different townships with their own character.

[Hibrandenburg]

i was there for new year, the third time i've been, and still havent seen it all yet.
there's just so much to see, best bet is to get lonely planet or timeout and look through that.
the eastside gallery is a must as are the brandenberg gate, reichstag, stasi museum, holocaust memorial, the fehrnestrum at alexanderplatz, the olympic stadium, topographie of terrors near potsdammer platz. If you get the chance then Potsdamm is pretty cool and the mugglesee (sp) is nice place too although its better in summer.

its pretty expensive for a beer these days, can be anything up to 5 euros in some places!!!

:agree:

Can only really add the Jewish Museum and all the Museums on "Museum Island" near the old Berlin Cathederal to that list. Also maybe the "21 Bridges" boat tour. See the city how it was meant to be seen.

Have a good time and if I can help then drop me a PM.

[PeeJay]

Hi folks,

Off to Berlin a week tomorrow and was wondering who has been before and suggest what is worth seeing, good places to eat, drink, nights out etc.

Already booked our accommodation and already fancying checking out the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and the Olympic Stadium, what does everyone else recommend?

We visited Berlin recently and I have to admit the city is really quite special. It has something for all tastes I’m sure. It’s the wrong time of the year for a boat trip, I guess, although I’m sure some (seating inside) are out on the River Spree, but a trip round Berlin by boat is a real eye-opener, especially if the weather is fine. The historical sites are of course all impressive: Reichstag we went late in the evening, you don’t have to queue so long to get in – well worth it though. Historically – there’s the Brandenberger Tor, some of the DDR wall is still standing, Checkpoint-Charlie (not really worth it, it’s a tourist trap now – you can have your photo taken with a Russian or GI – whatever your choice may be!) Centrum Judaicum – a synagogue museum (this particular one was saved during the 1938 Reichskristallnacht by the local police chief (one of the few who wasn’t a Nazi!), there's the Siegessäule (Victory Column). You can do a lot of walking in Berlin too.
You can also visit the British Embassy, quite an impressive building, or the American one, even the Russian one, all interesting in their way – Germany's New Chancellery (home to the PM) is also worth viewing. Personally I found the number of museums (Museum Island) on offer astonishing (Pergamon – out of this world!) and could have spent days and weeks there – that’s a matter of personal preference though, I’m sure. Berlin Cathedral, Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus), Alexander Platz, Potsdamer Platz, - the Kurfurstendamm is apparently THE hip place to be, well worth a visit for something eat and drink are the “Hackeschen Höfe” - You should try a “Berliner Weiße” (beer) it comes with syrup of your choice (red or green, what else?), also said to be better in summer in the Biergarten –
Gendarmenmarkt is also a place not to be missed lots of churches and theatres. The Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedächtnis Kirche shouldn’t be missed on a trip to Berlin.
The main railway station too is quite a fantastic building, if you ask me! The Oberbaumbrücke is also worth seeing – maybe you can catch it on the boat trip? Don’t look for Spandau Prison though – it’s a supermarket or something like that now!
Have a great time whatever you do – enjoy yourself in the German capital, feel like going back there myself now!:bye:
I think I took too long writing this - I think I've repeated most of what everyone else has already mentioned - oh, well, now you won't forget!

[duncs]

Thanks for this everyone - made me even more excited than I was!

[Calvin]

My favourite city. Once I'm through Uni I'm hoping to live there.

It's just that good!

[G15 Hibs]

If you're planning to visit the Museum Island go on a Thursday evening. The museums are open late (until 10pm) and it's free entry after a certain time - I think it's after 6pm. The Berliner Dom (cathedral) is in the same area and is worthwhile seeing too. If you're interested in the history of cinema, the film museum at the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz is worth a visit. If you fancy having a bit of a drink and a meal try Orianenburgerstrasse some night. Plenty of places along there.

As well as the bus and boat tours, it's probably worthwhile getting a Welcome Card, which allows to to travel on the U-Bahn (underground), S-Bahn (overground trains), buses and trams for 48 or 72 hours. You'll use the transport a lot, but it's, without wanting to sound cliched, very efficient. The Welcome Card also gives discounts at a lot of attractions.

There really is so much to see and do, it's a great city!

[Calvin]

A welcome card is a must :agree: The U/S-Bahn system is superb.

[MichelleHibs]

just stumbled across this thread thanks to degenerated on the pm board. were off there next week, this pretty much answers my questions re what to see but how child/buggy friendly is it? re transport/ access to museums etc? were taking our 16mth old son.....

[Hibrandenburg]

just stumbled across this thread thanks to degenerated on the pm board. were off there next week, this pretty much answers my questions re what to see but how child/buggy friendly is it? re transport/ access to museums etc? were taking our 16mth old son.....

Reasonably child friendly I'd say. Access to most buildings and stations in the town centre is disabled/child friendly. However most tube stations outside the centre only have steps.

Have a good time :greengrin

[capitals_finest]

Hi folks,

Off to Berlin a week tomorrow and was wondering who has been before and suggest what is worth seeing, good places to eat, drink, nights out etc.

Already booked our accommodation and already fancying checking out the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and the Olympic Stadium, what does everyone else recommend?

If you are into techno (not scooter etc) then you will be at home here. These are some of the places i would recommend:

Berghain Read the reviews here (http://www.berlin-life.com/drink/pubs_cafes_details/58-Berghain_&_Panorama_Bar) to get an understanding of what this club is like. It is ****ed up but at the same time unbelievably amazing.
Watergate Another beautifully pure club.
Tresor Never been but it has been Berlins most famous club for a long time and still attracts the top names in techno from all over the world. Possibly a more conservative option to Berghain :agree:


Even if you don't like electronic music it is still well worth visiting one of these clubs. It is so different to anything you will have experienced certainly in Edinburgh anyway. You won't see people swaggering about in their rugger tops and folk 'bebo snapping' in these clubs. It is a cool as ***k city but they don't think of themselves as being cool. It's hard to explain but the youth over there are real not americanised yappy gob *****s like us.

[capitals_finest]

Oh aye make sure you try the pastries etc at the bakers across the road from zoologischer garten bahnhoff (next to the macdonalds) :thumbsup:

[NYHibby]

Little off topic, but does anyone know how much of the Place der Republik is left standing? Is the whole thing gone? Real sad story. The thing shouldn't have been torn down.

This is what was left of it the last time I was in Berlin in November 07.
http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/38700/2056768400102158923S600x600Q85.jpg

[G15 Hibs]

Little off topic, but does anyone know how much of the Place der Republik is left standing? Is the whole thing gone? Real sad story. The thing shouldn't have been torn down.

This is what was left of it the last time I was in Berlin in November 07.
http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/38700/2056768400102158923S600x600Q85.jpg

I was there in October 08 and it's as good as all gone. A couple of towers which were possibly lift shafts still standing but that was it. I'd guess it'll all be away now.

Would have liked to have seen it when it was still there. Can kinda understand why some people wanted rid of it, but re-building the original castle is a bit of a mad idea. Berlin's a pretty forward looking city for the most part, as far as I can tell, seems a pretty weird thing to do.

I understand that the Palace der Republik was being used as an ad-hoc arts complex for a while before the demolition started, can't see why something more permanent along those lines could have been arranged.