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| Holocaust memorial |
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| Berliner Dom |
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| Brandenburg Gate |
2. My favourite building is the Berliner Dom, and the views from
the dome are great (even if not partuclar pretty):
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| Berlin relics and graffiti |
5. Berlin Wall Eastside Gallery – this is the longest stretch of
the Berlin Wall and Artists have been commissioned to design
a section of the wall, it’s fascinating just to walk along and
appreciate the art as well as think about what it was like to
live behind these walls (it’s about a mile long).
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7. Oranienburgerstrasse – in the trendy ‘Mitte’ district, this is
great in the evening, and where most of the bars and clubs are
as well as lots of old derelict buildings now used for galleries
and exhibitions. We stumbled upon many galleries simply by
chance.
Where To Eat:
- Dada Falafel -there is a huge Turkish community in Berlin and it shows in their food. This is a hole in the wall place with possibly the best falafels I’ve tasted…
- Pan Asia – I had sushi here in the summer, we ate outside and it was delicious.
- Weinerei – amazingly brilliant winebar where you pay €2 for a glass and the pay what you want at the end…dependent on whether you had a nice night!
- Tiergarten Quelle – this was our FAVOURITE place in Berlin – it’s underneath a railway arch and very dingy but VERY German – selling beer by the litre and the LARGEST plate of meat you’ve ever seen for €9 – all served with traditional mash and hearty vegetables. Great atmosphere, a bit like an old beerhall. And great value.
Want to live like a local whilst out there? We know about Air BnB but have you tried One Fine Stay? Our Travel Editor at Red Magazine swears byt it and claims it’s the next notch up to Air BnB, offering a chicer, more concierge-like service. Worth a visit…
Love Berlin and love this guide!
Another tip which lets you beat the queues at The Reichstag is to book a table at the restaurant at the top (you can usually book a table just a few days in advance). When you arrive just go to the front of the line and say you have a restaurant reservation and they will direct you straight up to the top! We had a fabulous breakfast with brilliant views of the city and then explored The Reichstag from the top down!
Such a great idea! Must try this next time! xx
I just got back from Berlin on Monday after my 5th or 6th visit there (but my boyfriend's first time). I was worried to see your guide (as I might have missed some great things), but I'm glad to seen I've hit quite a few of those spots. LOVE the free walking tour—have also done it 3 or 4 times as well! It's always so great to get a refresher on the city's fascinating history. We also signed up for the free tour of the Reichstag/Bundestag and it was really cool. We got to sit in the press area of the parliament hall and of course went up to the Dome.
Went to Weinerei for the first time on this trip! Just FYI though, the 2 Euro wine special doesn't start till 8. We got there a bit early and ended up getting a (very reasonably priced) bottle of wine to start. Definitely a great spot—I love Prenzlauer Berg. Would also recommend Pratergarten which is a giant beer garden (supposedly the oldest), and the many cafes with sidewalk seating in Prenzlauer Berg (such as Cafe Liebling). If you're willing to splurge one night—Gugelhof people! It never disappoints. Oh, and EastSeven hostel is really great—and they have private rooms.
Good to know about Weinerei…I went to one the first time years ago (our tour guide from the day tour took us out in the evening too, as we got on so well!) but can't remember it's name…it was a lot 'grittier' but v good. I've heard lots about Pratergarten – must go next time. I stayed in 'Heart of Gold' hostel which is based on 'Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy!! It's quite basic and again, has private rooms. So nice not having to always book an expensive place, as you're hardly ever in your room, anyway!
do Tokyo! do Tokyo! 🙂
Tokyo is my next one! Are you going soon? Will try and do it before…
going in April for 16 nights – just Tokyo (maybe some day trips too) do no rush! x
Not heard of One Fine Stay but I've used Way to Stay before and thought they were great. Berlin is on my list of places to visit!
Lx
http://the-sportista.blogspot.co.uk/
Thanks for the great tips – we had a wonderful week-end in Berlin (13th-15th September) and enjoyed the "free" walking tour as well as a visit to the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial and various other places. Such a vibrant fun city with heaps of history. Am already making a list of what I want to see on the next visit! Thanks for your input!
Hi I know you’ve written this guide a few years ago but I’ve been using it to plan our trip to Berlin next weekend. We are looking to do one of the free walking tours one day and visit Sachsenhausen Memorial with the same company on another day. Have you done this tour with them? We are staying in Schöneberg do you have any recommendations where to eat out near by. Thanks for all the city guides really enjoy reading them.
Oh we loved the walking tour! But not been to Sachsenhausen….have done Auschwitz which was enough – very important to go….
Schoneberg is quite central so you should be fine – not been for a while so there are probably far newer places now! x
Hi Alex,
I’m planning a trip to Berlin and love all of these tips. Can I ask what area and hotel you stayed in?
This was a long time ago, we stayed in a hostel (but a private room) – there are some great budget options out there, although now I’d probably go for an air bnb x