From Wikitravel
- For other places with the same name, see Berlin
(disambiguation).
- Berlin is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant,
nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them
all.
Berlin panorama from Siegessäule: Reichstag with dome (left), TV
Tower (center), Brandenburg Gate (right)
.^ Boelscherstrasse 16, Berlin Germany 12587, Berlin .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
Berlin is the
largest city in Germany and has a population of 4.5 million within
its metropolitan area and 3.4 million from 190 countries within the
city limits. Berlin is best known for its historical associations
as the German capital, for its internationality and tolerance, for
its lively nightlife, for its many cafes, clubs, and bars, for its
street art, and for its numerous museums, palaces, and other sites
of historic interest. Berlin's architecture is quite varied.
Although badly damaged in the final years of World War II and
broken apart during the Cold War, Berlin has reconstructed itself
greatly, especially with the reunification push after the fall of
the Berlin Wall in 1989. It is now possible to see representatives
of many different historic periods in a short time within the city
center, from a few surviving medieval buildings near
Alexanderplatz, to the ultramodern glass and steel structures in
Potsdamer Platz. Because of its tumultuous history, Berlin remains
a city with many distinctive neighborhoods.
The 12 new Boroughs (shaded) and 23 old Districts (names) of
Berlin
|
. (Mitte,
Tiergarten, Wedding,)
The historical center of Berlin, the nucleus of the former East
Berlin, and the emerging city center.^ Quality Hotel And Suites Berlin City-east .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
^ Holiday Inn City Center East .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
Cafes, restaurants, museums,
galleries and clubs are abundant throughout the district, along
with many sites of historic interest. The northern (Wedding) part
of the borough is more humble and working class. |
|
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
(Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg)
Associated with the left wing youth culture, artists and Turkish
immigrants, this borough is somewhat noisier than most, packed with
lots of cafes, bars, clubs and trendy shops, but also with some
museums in Kreuzberg near the border to Mitte. |
|
. (Prenzlauer
Berg, Weißensee,
Pankow)
Prenzlauer Berg is a trendy district in the former East Berlin
which is undergoing gentrification and is located north of the city
center.^ Generator Berlin Gmbh, Storkower Strasse 160, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, 10407 .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
^ Holiday Inn City Center East .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
^ Quality Hotel And Suites Berlin City-east .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
Popular with students, artists and media professionals, it
is made up of lots of cafes and bars. Pankow was once synonymous
with the East German government, and the villas the SED leaders
inhabited still exist. |
|
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
(Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf,
Ku'Damm)
This borough is the heart of City West and contains the Schloss
Charlottenburg. .^ Kurt Schumacher Damm 202, 13405 Berlin 51 West Germany, Berlin, 13405 +49 (0) 3 041 060 .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
^ Htl Quentin Berlin Am Ku Damm .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
Many great restaurants and hotels are here and
also on the side roads. The Olympic Stadium in the northwest of the
borough is home to soccer club Hertha BSC and large
concerts. |
|
. (Spandau)
Spandau, at the far northwestern end of Berlin, is very much its
own city to the locals, so much so that Spandauers "go to Berlin"
when travelling east.^ Quality Hotel And Suites Berlin City-east .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
Older than Berlin, it developed around its
beautiful old town, and the imposing Zitadelle (citadel)
regularly plays host to excellent concerts well worth the detour
required. |
|
Steglitz-Zehlendorf
(Steglitz, Zehlendorf)
Zehlendorf is one of the greenest and wealthiest districts in
Berlin and the biggest university in town (Freie Universität) is
located here, but often ignored are the great museums and some
important historical buildings, as well as the city's primary
botanic garden and beautiful lakes in the south. |
|
Tempelhof-Schöneberg
(Tempelhof, Schöneberg)
This borough is something of a mismatch. The north is generally a
cosy area for ageing hippies, young families and homosexuals.
Famous are the markets on Saturdays, the street cafes (e.g.
Akazienstraße) and the laissez-faire life style. The southern part
(Tempelhof) is more suburban in character, but the visitor may be
interested in the Trabrennbahn Mariendorf, a harness
racetrack. |
|
Neukölln (Neukölln)
Neukölln has had it rough. It is commonly perceived by outsiders as
a hotbed of failing schools, violence and petty crime. The visitor
who gives it a try however might find much to like between the
cautiously gentrifying areas around Hermannplatz with its
quirky pubs and the Britzer Garten, a spacious park that
played host to the 1985 Federal Garden Show. |
|
Treptow-Köpenick
(Treptow, Köpenick)
Treptow is a struggling postindustrial district with much
unemployment that has a rather limited range of offerings to the
visitor. Köpenick is different. The swaths of forest around
Berlin's largest lake, Müggelsee and the nice old town of
Köpenick itself beg to be discovered on bikes and using the
S-Bahn. |
|
Marzahn-Hellersdorf
(Marzahn, Hellersdorf)
This eastern borough has a not entirely deserved reputation for
being a vast collection of dull highrise apartment blocks. After
all, it contains the Erholungspark Marzahn, a large park
where various ethnic styles of garden design are explored. |
|
Lichtenberg
(Lichtenberg,
Hohenschönhausen)
In Karlshorst in the south of this underappreciated
borough, the museum at the site of the 1945 surrender to the Soviet
army is of interest, the Hohenschönhausen part contains the former
Stasi prison, an essential visit for anyone interested in
East German history. Berlin's Eisbären ice hockey team
plays here as well. |
|
Reinickendorf
(Reinickendorf)
Reinickendorf has pretty lakes in the northwest and
Lübars, a charming rural enclave with a historic village
square and church, in the northeast. Tegel Airport, located here as
well, is due to close in 2011. |
In Berlin there is more than one downtown area. Berlin has many
boroughs or districts, called Bezirke, and each borough
has its distinctive style. Each Bezirk is composed of several
Kieze—a Berlin term referring to "neighbourhood," with
their unique style. Some boroughs of Berlin, as noted below, are
more worthy of a visitor's attention than others.
Since January 2001, Berlin has been officially divided into 12
new large boroughs (Bezirke), which is a consolidation of
the 23 old, smaller districts (Stadtteile,
Bezirke) undertaken for administrative efficiency. The
smaller districts still remain foremost in popular conceptions of
the city and are generally of a more practical size and cultural
division for visitors as well. New borough names are usually
compounded from the old district names (e.g. Charlottenburg and
Wilmersdorf merged to Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf). To make things
more confusing, the name Mitte, which was the name of one of the
old smaller district that was consolidated, is also used for the
new large borough. So much for efficiency.
The foundation of Berlin was very multicultural. The surrounding
area was populated by Germanic Swabian and Burgundian tribes, as
well as Slavic Wends in pre-Christian times, and the Wends have
stuck around. Their modern descendants are the Sorbian
Slavic-language minority who live in villages southeast of Berlin
near the Spree River.
In the beginning of the 13th century, two towns (Berlin and
Cölln) developed on each side of the river Spree (today the
Nikolaiviertel and the quarter next to it beyond the river). As the
population grew, the towns merged and Berlin became a center for
commerce and agriculture. This area stayed small (about 10,000
inhabitants) up to the late 17th century, because of the 30 years'
war in the beginning of the 17th century, which led to death of
about half of the population.
Since the the late 17th century, when large numbers of French
Huguenots fled religious persecution, Berlin has welcomed
religious, economic and other asylum seekers. 1701 Berlin became
the capital of Prussia and in 1710 Berlin and surrounding former
autonomous cities were merged to a bigger Berlin. In 1871 Berlin
became the capital of the new founded German Reich and a few years
later, it became a city with more than one million inhabitants
because of the immensely growing industry. Shortly after the first
World War, in 1920, the last of the annexations of surrounding
cities of Berlin led to the foundation of the Berlin as we know it
now. After the coming into power of the National Socialists, Berlin
became the capital of the so called Third Reich and the domicile
and office of Hitler (though the triumph of Hitler and his
companions started in the south of Germany).
WW II led to destruction of most of central Berlin, thus many of
the buildings which we see nowadays are reconstructed or planned
and built after the war, which led to a very fragmented cityscape
in most parts of the inner town. Berlin was divided into four
sectors (West Berlin into the French, American and British sector,
East Berlin belonged to the USSR).
.^ Kurt Schumacher Damm 202, 13405 Berlin 51 West Germany, Berlin, 13405 +49 (0) 3 041 060 .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
.^ Kurt Schumacher Damm 202, 13405 Berlin 51 West Germany, Berlin, 13405 +49 (0) 3 041 060 .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
In 1989 the German revolution took place -subsequently leading
to the fall of the Berlin Wall- and in 1990 West and East Germany
were merged officially together with Berlin becoming the capital of
reunified Germany.
After WW II and the building of the wall, large numbers of
immigrants from Turkey were invited to West Berlin to work in the
growing industry sector; in East Berlin the jobs were done mostly
by Vietnamese immigrants. But also people from other communist
countries, including the former Yugoslavia, not to mention Soviet
soldiers who refused to return home, have helped to make Berlin
more multicultural than ever.
Berlin is also a youth-oriented city. Before German unification,
West Berliners were exempt from the West German civil/military
service requirement. Social activists, pacifists and anarchists of
all moved to Berlin for that reason alone. Musicians and artists
were given state subsidies. It was easy to stay out all night
thanks to liberal bar licensing laws, and staying at university for
years without ever getting a degree was a great way to kill time.
In contrast with most of Germany, Prenzlauer Berg is said to have
the highest per-capita birth rate in Europe (in fact it just seems
so because of the high percentage of young women in the
district).
After the fall of the wall, Berlin - especially the former East
- has evolved into a cultural mecca. Artists and other creative
souls flocked to the city in swarms after reunification, primarily
due to the extremely low cost of living in the East. Despite the
increased prices and gentrification as a result, Berlin has become
a center for art, design, multimedia, electronic music, and fashion
among other things. The particularly high number of students and
young people in the city has only helped this cause.
.^ Generator Berlin Gmbh, Storkower Strasse 160, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, 10407 .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
The old and new of Berlin - Marienkirche & TV Tower
.^ Heinrich Mann Str 29, Berlin .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
^ Marlene Dietrich Platz 2, Berlin .- Hotels Berlin, guest house, accommodation Berlin, Germany 11 September 2009 8:37 UTC www.a1tourism.com [Source type: General]
People
Berlin is a relatively young city by European standards, dating
to the thirteenth century, and it has always had a reputation as a
place filled with people from elsewhere. Someone who has lived in
Berlin for ten years will see themselves as a "true Berliner,"
looking down on the person who has been there for only five. It may
seem tough to find someone born and raised here! This is part of
Berlin's charm: it never gets stuck in a rut.
A certain uneasy detente still exists between some former
residents of East and West Berlin (and Germany). Wessi
evolved as a derogatory nickname for a West German; its corollary
is Ossi. The implication here is that after reunification,
the West Germans automatically assumed the way they do things is
the right way, and the way the Easterners should start doing it,
too. Westerners got a reputation for being arrogant. They saw the
Easterners as stubborn Communist holdouts interested only in a
handout from the "rich West." Consider a shirt for sale in a shop
inside the Alexanderplatz Deutsche Bahn station: Gott, schütze
mich vor Sturm und Wind/und Wessies die im Osten sind ("God,
protect me from the storm and wind, and Wessies who are in the
East"). Another such stereotype is reflected by the short poem:
Der Ossi ist schlau und stellt sich dumm, beim Wessi ist es
andersrum ("The Ossi is sly and pretends to be simple-minded,
and with the Wessi, it relates the other way around"). However,
most of the younger generation do not share such biases.
Talk
German is of course the main language in Berlin but you can
easily find information in English and sometimes in French. Due to
the football World Cup in 2006 all public transportation staff got
language training and should be able to help you in English
(although possibly with a strong German accent). If you seem to be
lost or hesitating in a public transport station a member of staff
could come to your assistance but don't count on that. You can
easily approach a group of (preferably young) bystanders and ask
for advice in English, but try to speak slowly and with a kind of
British English accent, which is taught at schools in Germany.
People will generally be quite helpful, but do not completely rely
on this, as even Berliners often do not know all the exact details
about their own city's geography, or even on transport schedules,
and rather rely on their talent to somehow improvise or even ask
fellow Berliners for the way once they do not find the address they
want to reach.
Most people under 40 in Berlin are able to speak English with
varying degrees of fluency, but it might not be as widely spoken as
you might expect, so a few key German phrases are worth having,
especially in the suburbs and less touristy places. Basic French
and Russian is partly spoken because French in West Berlin and
Russian in East Berlin were taught in schools.
There are some words in Berlin that differ from regular German,
especially in the former East Berlin. Here, the language preserved
a certain level of dialect.
Schrippe: Roll.
Stulle: Sandwich.
Broiler: grilled chicken.
Economy
One of the most important "products" produced in Berlin by both
academic and company-sponsored institutes is research. That
research is exported around the world. German labor is highly
efficient but comes at high cost. Strong trade unions, the end of
West Berlin's pre-reunification subsidies and Germany's dense
regulatory environment forced industry to concentrate on high
quality and expensive products. Students, housewives and
self-employed people are not included in Berlin's official
unemployment rate, currently standing at 14 percent.
Orientation
Berlin is - at least in many parts - a beautiful city, so allow
enough time to get to see the sights. A good map, such as the Rough
Guide Berlin map, is highly recommended. While the public transport
system is superb, it can be confusing to visitors, due to a lack of
directional signs in some of the larger stations, so a good transit
map is also essential. Be sure to note the final station/stop of
the S-bahn or U-bahn, since that is usually the way direction of
travel is indicated. Roads into Berlin can also be confusing, so
study your route and drive carefully. Signs point to city boroughs
or districts rather than indicating compass directions, so it's a
good idea to get to know where the various boroughs or districts
lie in relation to each other. This also applies to cyclists.
Berlin's Tourist Information Office
[2] is
an excellent resource for finding out more about Berlin, providing
a wealth of practical information and useful links.
Get in
As the city was divided into two during the Cold War, many major
parts of Berlin's infrastructure — such as airports — were built on
both the east and west side. After the demolition of the Wall, the
challenge has been to merge these formerly independent systems into
one that serves all people in the metropolitan Berlin area.
By plane
Berlin has two airports
[3]:
- Tegel International Airport (ICAO: EDDT, IATA: TXL) located in
the north-west of the city it's the main airport for flag carriers
(Lufthansa, BA, Air France-KLM, Delta etc) and hub for domestic
flights as well. The original airport was designed as a hexagon but
today two other terminals try to handle the flights of Air Berlin
(most flights in Terminal C) and other budget carriers (mostly in
terminal D). All flag carrier flights leave from the main terminal
building A (Terminal B nowadays contains just the bus gates of
Terminal A for Non-Schengen flights), and is also where all
airlines lounges are.
Buses from Tegel International Airport operate to S+U
Alexanderplatz, Hauptbahnhof (bus TXL), and S+U Zoologischer Garten
(buses X9 and 109) for the standard ticket fare.
Caution! Do not take any train to the "Tegel
railway (S-Bahn) station", which is not connected to the airport,
but rather to the suburban village called Tegel. It is not possible
to walk or to otherwise get easily to the airport from that
station. Tegel International Airport does not have any railway
station. Any indication to a Tegel railway station refers to
the remote S-Bahn station, even if railway staff at stations in
other cities might tell otherwise.
- Schönefeld (ICAO:
EDDB, IATA: SXF) The former
East Berlin airport southeast of the city center is the base for
most low-cost airlines (e.g. easyJet, Ryanair and Germanwings) and
charter flights in addition to traffic from Eastern Europe
The airport is served by the S-Bahn and regional trains.
Normally The S-bahn trains will take You to the center of Berlin
but right now (oct. 2009), renovations on the Ostktreutz train
station has stopped this service and You need to go by S-bahn to
Ostkreutz and change there. There are also less regular but faster
regional trains that cost the same and stop at these major train
stations too. In S-Bahn and regional trains between the airport
(zone C) and the city (zone A,B), the public transport ticket
(zones A,B,C for €2.80) can be used. Stamp the ticket to validate
it before boarding.
- The construction of the new Airport Berlin Brandenburg
International[4]
has started at Schönefeld and the new airport is scheduled for
opening in autumn 2011. After the opening all air traffic in the
Berlin-Brandenburg region will be bundled at BBI and the Tegel
airport is going to be closed down.
There are numerous direct flight connections between Berlin and
major German & European cities. For historical reasons
intercontinental direct flights to Berlin were limited. The German
flag carrier Lufthansa will mostly fly to its major hub airports
Frankfurt and
Munich and offer connecting
flights to Berlin on a near hourly basis.
The international flights to Berlin are:
- Delta and Continental Airlines have daily nonstop flights to
Berlin from New
York
- Qatar Airways flies twice daily to Doha
- Hainan Airlines flies (in code-share with Air Berlin) to Beijing
- Air Berlin flies thrice weekly to Bangkok.
By bus
Berlin is serviced from over 350 destinations in Europe
[5]. Due to a German law
supporting the German national railway there is only one bus
corporation connecting Berlin with these destinations
[6]. Long
distance buses arrive at Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (Central Bus
Terminal) in
Charlottenburg. From
there take the S-Bahn (station Messe Nord) or bus into town.
Berlin is served by ICE, InterCity and EuroCity trains by the
national German train corporation
Deutsche Bahn [7] (DB) which offers connections
between Berlin and other German and major European cities. If you
arrive in Berlin on a national (non-regional) DB trip, you are
entitled to use your ticket in the whole local transport to your
final destination within the city (Zone A).
Several night trains from/to
Amsterdam,
Paris,
Zurich,
Vienna and
Budapest (special offer for 29 euros in one
direction) travel every day. They are popular with backpackers so
reservations are recommended. Long-haul trains to Eastern European
cities (
Warsaw,
Kaliningrad and
Moscow) mostly use the Bahnhof
Lichtenberg in Eastern Berlin. Make sure you have a reservation
because these lines are also very popular.
Some private train companies such as
Veolia
[8] offer connections to smaller cities in Eastern Germany.
Stations
During the times of its division, Berlin had two main train
stations: Zoologischer Garten (colloquial nameBahnhof
Zoo) in the West, and Ostbahnhof in the East. The new
'Hauptbahnhof' may be titled 'Lehrter Bahnhof' on older maps &
is situated between the S-Bahn stations Friedrichstrasse and
Bellevue.
The new building for the central station
Hauptbahnhof
[9] was opened in May 2006 and together with
Südkreuz (southern cross) and
Ostbahnhof (eastern station) - plus minor
Gesundbrunnen in the north and Spandau in the north west - form the
backbone of all connections. All are connected to either S- or
U-Bahn (and in the future, both). All trains travel through central
station and a second major hub (depending on the destination you
travel to or arrive from). Trains in the regional area (Berlin and
Brandenburg) mostly use these stations. Regional trains stop at
several stations within Berlin.
By car
All main roads and motorways join the Berliner Ring, or
the A10, from which you can access the inner city. The city
motorway is usually very crowded during rush hour.
As of January 1, 2008, Berlin requires all cars to have a "Low
Emissions" sticker in order to enter the city center (Low Emision
Zone, "Umweltzone"). Information on obtaining a sticker (which must
be done at least several weeks in advance) is available here
[10].
Get around
Berlin is a huge city. You can make use of the excellent bus,
tram, train and underground services to get around. Taxi services
are also easy to use and a bit less expensive than in many other
big Central European cities. You can hail a cab (the yellow light
on the top shows the cab is available), or find a taxi rank
(Taxistand). Taxi drivers are in general able to speak English. If
you ask for a short trip (Kurzstrecke), as long as its under 2km
and before the taxi driver starts the meter running, the trip
normally is cheaper, 3,50 euros (as of apr2009). This only applies
if you flag the taxi down on the street, not if you get in at a
taxi rank.
Check the Berlin route planner
[11] (in English) to get excellent maps and schedules for the
U-Bahn, buses, S-Bahn and trams, or to print your personal journey
planner. The route planer can also calculate the fastest
door-to-door connection for you destination for any given day and
hour. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) have a detailed fare list
on their web site
[12].
If you don't know how to get somewhere, or how to get home at
night, call +49 30 19449, the Customer Service of the BVG. There
are also facilities in most U-Bahn and some S-Bahn stations to
contact the Customer Service directly. In 2005 the BVG introduced
Metro lines (buses and tram) that run 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. All lines are marked with a big orange plate and a white
M.
It's also worth noting that the house numbers do not necessarily
run in one direction (up or down). On a lot of streets, the numbers
ascend on one side and descend on the other. Especially on long
streets check the numbering scheme first: you can find the name of
the street and the numbers on that block at nearly every street
corner.
Different to what is usual in some English-speaking countries,
Germans usually add the word for "street", "square", "park", etc.
when they mention the name of a locality. Thus, they would not
simply refer to "Kurfürsten" when talking about Kurfürstenstraße
(Kurfürsten street), as this could also mean
"Kurfürstendamm", which is a different road at a different place.
"Schloss", which simply means "palace", could refer to any of the
palaces in Berlin, as well as to one of the two roads called
"Schlossstraße", a shopping centre called "Das Schloss", or the
"Schlossplatz" in the Mitte district.
Berlin WelcomeCard. Other tickets are printed similarly.
Berlin uses a zone system, but you are unlikely to need to go
beyond zone A & B, except on trips to
Potsdam or to the Schönefeld Airport (SXF).
This is a very large area. The public transport system (U, S-Bahn,
bus, tram) uses a common ticket.
Standard tickets (€ 2.10 for A & B) are valid for any travel
within two hours of validation, in a single direction, within the
appropriate fare zones. There is no limit to transfers. For a
single journey you can buy a cheap Kurzstrecke for €1.30, but this
is only valid for 3 stops on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn (six stops by bus
or tram); no transfers are permitted.
Several options are available for unlimited travel. Prices
listed here are only for zones A and B, prices for A, B, and C cost
marginally more. Check the machines for the actual prices:
- A Tageskarte (day card) (€ 6.10).
- Quadruple card "4 Fahrten Karte" (4 single trips bought at once
for a reduced price) €8
- The Berlin CityTourCard [13]:
ticket valid for all public transport services in Berlin, Potsdam
and the surrounding area and a discount card for many tourist
attractions; available in four version: 48 hrs, tariff zone AB €
15.50 or tariff zone ABC € 17.50 / 72 hrs, tariff zone AB € 20.50
or tariff zone ABC € 23.00; a folded leaflet with inner city map
and an overview of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn railway networks of Berlin
is included; buy the CityTourCard at any ticket counters, ticket
machines of the BVG and S-Bahn Berlin, hotels in Berlin, at the
Berlin airports or at the main station (Hauptbahnhof Berlin) or
online.
- The Berlin CityTourCard Museumsinsel
[14]: valid for 72 hours in the tariff zone AB plus free
admission to all museums on the Museumsinsel of Berlin (Old
National Gallery, Old Museum, Bode Museum, New Museum (closed until
autumn 2009) and Pergamon Museum); it costs € 29.90; a folded
leaflet with inner city map and an overview of the S-Bahn and
U-Bahn railway networks of Berlin is included; buy the CityTourCard
Museumsinsel in hotels, at the main station (Hauptbahnhof), Tegel
airport and Schoenefeld airport, Zoologischer Garten,
Alexanderplatz and Friedrichstraße or online
- The Berlin WelcomeCard [15] (€ 16/21 for
2/3 days); discounts at many of Berlin's tourist attractions. Do
check if it is suitable for your purposes.
- Weekly passes (€ 26,20).
- Small group ticket (€ 15.90) for up to five persons. If you are
traveling more than two trips a day, this ticket is cost-effective
for three persons and above.
Purchasing tickets:
All tickets are available at vending machines at U- and S-Bahn
platforms. English and other European languages are available.
Payment is mostly by local bank cards and coins, and banknotes. If
you need assistance most larger stations have staffed ticket
counters where you can ask questions and buy tickets. Buses will
accept cash, and make change for tickets. Hotels may sell tickets
as well.
In some places like Zoologischer Garten and Eberswalder Straße,
people will try to sell used tickets to you. Be aware that you can
go only one direction with a single-journey ticket (check the
validation stamp and be careful as this could also be a pickpocket
trick). Don't pay more than half the price.
Validating tickets:
You need to validate your ticket using the
machines on the U- and S-bahn platforms or in the bus. The machines
are yellow/white in the U-Bahn and the bus, and red on S-Bahn
platforms. Validation simply means the machine prints a time stamp
onto the ticket. Once validated, a ticket which is still valid will
not have to be re-validated before each single trip. Whilst it
might be tempting to try to avoid buying a ticket, be advised that
plain-clothed inspectors do patrol the trains and that
there is a €40 fine if you are caught with an unvalidated
ticket. If caught attempt to show a state/providence id if
you are from outside the EU this will make it less likely that your
ticket will ever be mailed to you.
|
A bizarre saga involving safety violations and technical
problems by the S-Bahn has led to major disruptions in 2009, with
eight routes and up to 70% of services cancelled. As of November
2009 all mayor lines are in service again. You should nevertheless
expect some inconveniences, mainly crowded trains during Rush
Hours. Trains may also be not as punctual as usual.
|
Berlin has an amazingly efficient
S-Bahn [16], trains run roughly
every 10 minutes during daytime, every 5 minutes during rush-hour
and every 20 minutes during the night and on weekends. Most S-Bahn
lines run on an east-west route between Ostkreuz and Westkreuz via
the stops Warschauer Straße, Ostbahnhof, Jannowitzbrücke,
Alexanderplatz, Hackescher Markt, Friedrichstraße, Hauptbahnhof,
Bellevue, Tiergarten, Zoologischer Garten, Savignyplatz and
Charlottenburg. Other lines run along a circle track around the
city, most notably the S 8 and the S 41, S 42, S 45, S 46
lines.
The Berlin U-Bahn (subway/metro) is something
to behold; it is so charmingly precise! There are no turnstiles to
limit access, so it is technically possible to ride without a
ticket, but if caught by a ticket checker you will be fined €40 so
it is probably not worth the risk. All U-Bahn stations now have
electronic signs that give the time of the next train, and its
direction based on sensors along the lines.
Detailed maps can be found in every U-Bahn station and on the
trains. Don't be confused by the alternative tram maps. U-Bahn
stations can be seen from far by their big, friendly blue U signs.
Together with the
S-Bahn [17] (which is administered
by Deutsche Bahn and mostly runs aboveground), the U-Bahn provides
a transportation network throughout greater Berlin that is
extremely efficient and fast. On weekend (Friday to Sunday), as
well as during the Christmas and New Year holidays, all U-Bahn and
S-Bahn lines (except line U4) run all night, so returning from late
night outings is easy, especially given the average start time of
most 'parties' in Berlin (11PM to 1AM). During the week there is no
U-Bahn or S-Bahn service from appr. 1AM to 4:30AM, but metro
trams/buses and special Night Buses (parallel to the U-Bahn line)
run every half an hour from 12:30AM to 4:30AM.
By tram
The trams are mostly in East Berlin, as in the West the tram
lines were removed to facilitate more vehicular traffic. If you
don't have a ticket already, you can buy one inside the tram.
Two types of tram service are available. Metrotrams frequent
more often as well as by night. Tram routes not so identified stop
more frequently and may even include picturesque single-track rides
through forested areas far east of the Mitte district.
By bus
Although buses are the slowest form of public transport, the
yellow double-decker buses are part of Berlin's transit landscape
and they will take you to almost anywhere in Berlin. Besides the
normal metro buses, there are also express buses
(indicated by an X), but these don't halt at every
stop.
The most famous bus line, especially for tourists, is bus route
100, which leaves from Zoo Station ("Berlin Zoologischer Garten")
or - if you want to go the other way round - Alexanderplatz. This
crosses most of historic Berlin, including many of the sites listed
here. For the price of a city bus ticket or daily pass, it's
possible to see many of the landmarks of Berlin from one of these
yellow double-decker buses. Sit up top as it's easier to see the
Reichstag, as well as the many historic buildings on Unter den
Linden. If you're lucky, you'll get the legendary bus-driver who
delivers a commentary (in Berlin-accented German) on the trip. Line
200 takes nearly the same route, but it goes through the modern
quarters around Potsdamer Platz. Either ride is a must for any
visitor to Berlin.
By bicycle
Cycling is another great way to tour Berlin
[18].
Berlin has few steep hills and offers many bicycle paths
(
Radwege) throughout the city (although not all are very
smooth). These include "860 km of completely separate bike paths,
60 km of bike lanes on streets, 50 km of bike lanes on sidewalks,
100 km of mixed-use pedestrian-bike paths, and 70 km of combined
bus-bike lanes on streets (City of Berlin, 2007)" (Pucher &
Buehler, 2007
[19]). Bicycles are a very popular method of transportation
among Berlin residents, and there is almost always a certain level
of bicycle traffic. Bicycle rentals are available in the city,
although the prices vary (usually from €7.50 per day). In addition,
the Deutsche Bahn (DB) placed many
public bicycles
[20] throughout the city in
2003. These can be
unlocked by calling a number on the
bicycle with a cellphone, after registering with the service.
Seeing Berlin by bicycle is unquestionably a great way to acquaint
the traveler with the big tourist sites, and the little sprees and
side streets as well. Although it's good to carry your own map, you
can also always check your location at any U-Bahn station and many
Bus Stations. You can create your own bicycling maps online,
optimized by less busy routes or fewer traffic lights or your
favorite paving
[21]. If
you are not familiar with searching your own way through the city
or you want more explanation of the sights you visit, you can get
guided bike tours (with bike included) on Berlin Bike
[22].
Berlin is a huge city, so all individual listings should be
moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should
contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are
familiar with this city. |
Bode-Museum is part of the Museumsinsel
Berlin has a vast array of museums. Most museums charge
admission for people 16 years of age or older - usually €6 to €8 (a
day ticket with which one can also visit the other state museums is
the only thing available and doesn't count for special exhibitions)
for the big museums. Discounts (usually 50%) are available for
students and disabled people with identification. However, the
state-run museums
[23] grant free entrance
four hours before closing every Thursday. A nice offer for museum
addicts is the three day pass 'Museumspass'
SchauLUST-MuseenBERLIN
[24] for €19 (reduced €9.50), which grants entrance to all the
normal exhibitions of the approximately 70 state-run museums and
public foundations. Most museums are closed on Mondays; notable
exceptions include the
Altes Museum
[25] and the
Deutsches Historisches Museum[26], which are
open daily.
A short list of important museums (for a more detailed list
check the district articles) are:
- Museumsinsel [27]. Literally
"Museum Island", this area is best known for the vast
Pergamon-Museum, which houses an extensive
collection of ancient Greek, ancient Middle-Eastern and Islamic art
and architecture. Other museums which belong to the Museum Island
are the Altes Museum (with the Egyptian and the
antique collection), the Alte Nationalgalerie
(with mainly German paintings of the 19th century) and the reopened
Bode-Museum with its fantastically presented
sculpture collection and Byzantine art. The recently reopened
Neues Museum houses the Egyptian collection,
Neaderthal and other pre-historic archeological finds, and some of
the treasures unearthed at Troy. This is the only museum on Museums
Insel that requires a timed entry ticket. It's best to get a timed
ticket online ahead of time as time slots fill up quickly.
- Deutsches Historisches Museum, Unter den
Linden 2, Tel. +49 30 203040 [28].
German historical museum covering everything from pre-history right
up to the present day. One can spend many, many hours here!
- Jüdisches Museum, Lindenstraße 9-14, Tel. +49
30 25993 300
[29]. 10AM-8PM. Jewish Museum. Learn about the history of Jews
in Germany. Permanent exhibition on two millennia of German-Jewish
history, changing exhibitions and impressive modern architecture by
Libeskind. There is a small unrelated Jewish Museum at the
Oranienburger Straße Synagogue.
- Gemäldegalerie, Matthäikirchplatz, Tel. +49 30
266 2951 [30].
At the Kulturforum. Thousands of European paintings from the 13th
to the 18th century. Works from Dürer, Raffael, Tizian, Caravaggio,
Rembrandt and Rubens.
- Neue Nationalgalerie, Potsdamer Straße 50,
Tel. +49 30 266 2951 [31] At the
Kulturforum. Art from the 20th Century. This museum often houses
temporary exhibitions during which the permanent collection is
usually not on display. (As of December, 2009, the permanent
collection is closed while the building undergoes repairs.)
- Museum für Naturkunde [32].
Near the main railway station. Natural science museum with a big
collection of dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals. Reopened
after restoration in late 2007.
- Mauermuseum at Checkpoint Charlie [33]. This museum is situated
at the most famous historical checkpoint between the two
Berlins.
- Museum of European Cultures [34]. The biggest of its sort in
Europe. At the museum district of Dahlem.
- Ethnological Museum [35]. Again one of the world's
most comprehensive museums. At the museum district of Dahlem. Well
worth a visit for its splendid collection of Pre-Columbian
archaeology! It now includes the:
- Topography of Terror [36]. This open-air museum
documents the terror applied by the Nazi regime. It consists of
excavated prison cells located directly under a remaining stretch
of the Berlin Wall.
- DDR Museum [37]Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 1,
10178 Berlin. This small museum just over the river from the
Berliner Dom. Really interesting with all the displays in German
and English, it gives a good insight into life in the former
GDR.
- Musikinstrumenten-Museum[38]Tiergartenstraße 1 (am
Kulturforum), 10785 Berlin. This museum is part of the
Staatliches Institu für Musikforschung PK and has an
amazingly wide range of historic and unusual instruments on
display.
- Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der
Charité [39] Charitéplatz 1, 10117
Berlin. Interesting exhibition charting the development of European
hospitals from the 14th Century to the present day.
- Ramones Museum Berlin [40].
The Ramones Museum Berlin pays tribute to the Punk band The
Ramones. It displays more than 300 unique and original Ramones
memorabilia.
- The "Berlinische Galerie" [41]
is the city museum for modern art, architecture, and design. The
museum is just around the corner from the Jewish Museum at Alte
Jakobstraße 124-128.
Private art galleries
As Berlin is a city of art, it is quite easy to find an art
gallery on your way. They provide a nice opportunity to have a look
at modern artists' work in a not-so-crowded environment for free.
Some gallery streets with more than about a dozen galleries are
Auguststraße, Linienstraße, Torstraße, Brunnenstraße (all Mitte,
north of S-Bahn station Oranienburger Straße), Zimmerstraße
(Kreuzberg, U-Bahn station Kochstraße) and Fasanenstraße
(Charlottenburg). A directory listing of all Berlin's art galleries
can be found on The Art of Berlin: Complete Berlin Art Gallery
Directory
[42]
- Art Center Berlin Friedrichstraße [43], Friedrichstraße
134, Tel. +49 30 27879020. Four floors of exhibitions with a
relatively good variety of genres and artists. A very nice oasis of
calm from the busy Friedrichstraße.
- Galerie Eigen & Art, Auguststraße 26, Tel.
+49 30 280 6605 [44]. One of the most famous
German art galleries, home to the Neue Leipziger Schule (Neo Rauch
et al.)
- loop -- raum fur aktuelle kunst [45], Jägerstrasse 5, 10117.
Known for being the "incubator" of future famous Berlin artists.
Primarily featuring sculpture video, and painting.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
There are some historically interesting and architecturally
remarkable churches which are the following:
- Berliner Dom— The biggest and most impressive
church in Berlin, built at the turn of the century (19th/20th) as
an expression of imperial power. Located next to the museum island.
Entrance is €5, and you can climb on top of the dome for a
beautiful view over the Berlin center.
- The Twintowers of the Deutscher Dom (German
Cathedral) and the Französischer Dom (French
Cathedral) face each other at the Gendarmenmarkt in Central Berlin,
flanking the Konzerthaus.
- Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche— Highly
symbolic church, dating back to 1891-95, with two modern buildings
designed by Egon Eiermann in 1961, a hexagonal bell tower and an
octagonal worship hall, aside the ruins from World War II.
- Marienkirche— Located near Alexanderplatz,
this is not only the highest church tower in Berlin (90 m), but
also one of the oldest churches left in the historical center of
Berlin (which is totally torn down in this area). Entrance is free
and inside are many treasures from the old days.
- Nikolaikirche— The oldest church in Berlin,
dating back to the beginning of 13th century (at least the stones
next to the ground). Does not serve as a church. Changing
exhibitions inside, entrance free.
- St. Hedwigs Kathedrale— Domed Church located
at Bebelplatz/Unter den Linden, the oldest (mid 18th century) and
one of the biggest Catholic churches in Berlin, interior was
redesigned in a modern style in the 1950s - but still many treasure
chambers in the basement.
- Friedrichswerdersche Kirche— Nice church
located near Unter den Linden/Museum Island, finished in 1830 by
Schinkel - English Neogothic style. Nice exhibition inside
(neoclassical statues and an exhibition about Schinkel's life and
work upstairs), entry is free.
Glass dome and spiral walkway inside the Reichstag
While Berlin has relatively few high-rise buildings, there are
several monuments with observation decks. Probably the most famous
of all is the TV Tower near Alexanderplatz, the tallest tower in
Germany and second largest in Europe, which has a rotating café at
the top spinning 360 degrees in just 30 minutes! 40 seconds is all
it takes to reach the top by lift. But there are also other great
observation desks, the main ones are listed below (for others have
a look in the district pages).
- Reichstag— The German Parliament building,
near the Brandenburg gate, was renovated by Sir Norman Foster and
reopened in 1999 with a spectacular new glass dome[46],
which offers a great view of Berlin. Be prepared for long lines
(sometimes 1 hour) and an extensive security check. Free entrance
is through the West portal. The Reichstag is open from
8AM-midnight, daily, however the last entrance is at 10PM. Visitors
may pre-book
[47] free tours of the building, avoid standing in line for the
dome, and enter with confirmed reservation at scheduled times
through the north portal.
- Berliner Funkturm— 150 meter high lattice
tower with open-air observation deck 124 meters above ground. Only
observation tower on insulators! Located in the Western fair
district, out of city center.
- Berliner Fernsehturm, Alexanderplatz [48]. The TV tower
is Germany's tallest construction: 368 meters high. Observation
deck 204 meters above ground. Costs €10,00 as of Sep 2009. Be wary
of the weather changing; the fog can come in during the rather long
queues and you may not be able to see anything at the top. There is
a restaurant and a bar in the observation deck. You need to buy
tickets from the ticket office, then join a separate queue to get
into the tower.
- Siegessäule (Victory Column),
Tiergarten. An old (1865-1873), 60 meter high monument with
panoramic views of the very center of the city. Unfortunately there
is no elevator, so be prepared for 285 steps. The statue of
Victoria on the top is the place where the angels congregate in the
famous film "Der Himmel über Berlin" by Wim Wenders. It has also
become something of a symbol for the annual Love Parade techno
music festival.
- Kollhoff Tower, Potsdamer Platz [49]. The fastest elevator
in Europe takes you approximately 100 meters high.
- Europa Center, Zoologischer Garten,[50].
Shopping center with a panorama floor at the 20th floor (90
meters). In Budapester Straße, overlooking Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial
Church. Entrance is €4 or €2 if you show a receipt from one of the
restaurants in the Europa Center.
- Europe Centre-Berlin Window— 100 meter high
building in Berlin City West with a breathtaking 360 degrees view
over the capital. An elevator takes you to the 20th floor.Upstairs
you can have a drink if you'd like. 4,50 EUR for adults, 3 EUR for
seniors, students and groups.Daily 10AM-6PM. Tauentziestrasse 11,
next to Saturn Market(enter on the first floor)
Berlin is a huge city, so all individual listings should be
moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should
contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are
familiar with this city. |
Berlin does not attempt to hide the less savory parts of its
history: a visit to the
Topography of Terror [51] (Mitte), for
example, provides interesting but sobering insights into the
activities of the Gestapo in Berlin during the Nazi years
(1933-1945). Many of the walking tours also discuss scenes both of
Nazi activity and of Cold War tension and terror.
- Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe [52].
Opened in the spring of 2005, this gigantic abstract artwork
covering an entire block near the Brandenburg Gate, including an
underground museum with extensive details on the Holocaust and the
people who died during it. The blocks start out at ground level on
the outer edges of the memorial, and then grow taller towards the
middle, where the ground also slopes downwards. 3.5 million
visitors in the first year make it one of the most visited
memorials in Berlin - and it's worth it, as it's one of the most
impressive memorials in Berlin.
Remaining Section of the Berlin Wall
- Berlin Wall— A large stretch of intact Wall
can be found to the east of the city center along the River Spree
in Mühlenstraße near the Oberbaumbrücke.
Known as the
East Side Gallery [53], it is a section
of the wall that is preserved as a gallery. This can be easily
reached from Ostbahnhof or Warschauer Straße. It has many beautiful
murals, politically motivated and otherwise. Another place to try
is near the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum, currently under
reconstruction. Two small pieces are also in Potsdamer Platz and in
its neighbourhood at the corner between Ebertstraße and
Bellevuestraße).
- Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner
Mauer)
[54]. (U-Bahn Bernauer Straße U8 or S-Bahn Nordbahnhof S1, 2,
or 25, follow the signs in the stations - wall is Mauer in German).
Often missed by tourists but an absolute must for anyone interested
in this part of the city's history. It's a memorial to those who
died crossing so you won't, fortunately, get the tackiness of the
Checkpoint Charlie area; instead you will be left with a haunting
feeling of what life with the wall may have been really like. The
monument itself is a gigantic wasted opportunity, blank and
featureless. The inscription on the outside, declaring it a
monument to the victims of the "communist reign of violence", has
sparked emotional debates and angered many local residents. The
documentation center across the street on Bernauer Straße is
excellent although most of the documentation is in German. The
viewing platform gives you a tiny hint of the true scale of the
Wall and how terrifying the "no man's land" between the two
sections of walls must have been. When the documentation center is
closed, both walls can be visited. There is some space between the
concrete plates which allow you to look at the area between the
walls. There are also several small holes.
- The Memorial is on Bernauer Straße which itself is a street
with a great deal of Wall history: the first recorded Wall-related
death of the notorious Peter Fechter was here, as was one of the
famous tunnels and the famous photograph of the GDR border guard
leaping over the barbed wire. Various monuments can be found along
the entire length of the street, documenting nearby escape attempts
and tunnels; captions are in German, English, French, and Russian.
The Memorial itself is a complete section of 4th generation wall -
both inside and outside sections, and you can peer through from the
east side to see the remains of the electric fence and anti-tank
devices in the death strip. It really helps you understand what an
incredible feat it was to get from one side to the other -- and why
so many died doing it.
![Checkpoint Charlie 1982 [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]](http://images-mediawiki-sites.thefullwiki.org/10/1/2/6/54543583667523081.jpg)
Checkpoint Charlie 1982 [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]
- Checkpoint Charlie— Checkpoint Charlie, a
crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War, is
no more.
Formerly, it was the only border crossing between East and West
Berlin that permitted foreigners passage. Residents of East and
West Berlin were not allowed to use it. This contributed to
Checkpoint Charlie's mythological status as a meeting place for
spies and other shady individuals. Now the remains of the Berlin
Wall have been moved to permit building, including construction of
the American Business Center and other institutions not given to
flights of John Le Carré-inspired fancy.
- At the intersection of Zimmerstraße and Friedrichstraße is the
famous "You Are Leaving the American Sector" sign. The actual
guardhouse from Checkpoint Charlie is now housed at the Allied
Museum on Clayallee. For a more interesting exhibit go to the Haus
am Checkpoint Charlie. This is a private museum with kitschy
memorabilia from the Wall as well as the devices GDR residents used
to escape the East (including a tiny submarine!).
- Checkpoint Charlie gained its name from the phonetic alphabet;
checkpoints "Alpha" and "Bravo" were at the autobahn checkpoints
Helmstedt and Dreilinden respectively. Checkpoint Charlie's
atmosphere was not improved at all on 27 October 1961 when the two
Cold War superpowers chose to face each other down for a day.
Soviet and American tanks stood approximately 200 meters apart,
making an already tense situation worse.
- Tempelhof airport was used in the Berlin
Airlift (Berliner Luftbrücke) in 1948-49; in 1951 a monument was
added to commemorate the airlifts over the Berlin Blockade. The
airport was featured in movies like Billy Wilder's "One Two Three".
The terminal building is still fascinating; the halls and
neighbouring buildings, intended to become the gateway to Europe,
are still known as the largest built entities worldwide, and was
described by British architect Sir Norman Foster as "the mother of
all airports".
Zoo
Berlin has two zoos and an aquarium. The Berlin Zoo in the west
is the historic zoo that has been a listed company since its
foundation. It's an oasis in the city and very popular with
families and schools.
- Berlin Zoo [55]. The largest range of
species in the world. The zoo lies directly in the heart of the
City West (opposite Bahnhof Zoo at Hardenbergplatz) and is
especially famous for its panda bears and Knut, the polar bear cub
born in captivity in late 2006. The Elephant Gate (Budapester
Straße) is the second entrance next to the Aquarium and a
traditional photo stop for most visitors because of the
architecture.
- Aquarium [56]. Part of the Berlin
Zoo, located at Budapester Straße in an historic building. Still
the largest aquarium in Germany and a host to an amazing variety of
fish, crocodiles etc. One of the best places on a rainy day with
children.
- Tierpark Berlin [57]. Located in
Friedrichsfelde, the Tierpark is more spacious than the historic
Berlin Zoo and has been open for some 50 years. The compound also
comprises a small château with its adjacent park.
"Molecule Men" statue at Berlin Osthafen
Go on a Tour of Berlin - the Mitte and
surrounding districts are sufficiently compact to allow a number of
excellent walking tours through its history-filled streets. You'll
see amazing things you would otherwise miss. Details are usually
available from the reception desks of hostels and hotels.
- Alternative Berlin, [58]. English tour starting at 11.00AM each morning
at Alexander Platz TV tower in front of Starbucks coffee. This tour
uses Berlin's transit system to cover a massive amount of territory
and focuses on the underground sites and sounds of Berlin,
including art & graffiti culture, technological wonders, and
landmarks of rock & electronic music. Free (but tipping is more or less standard).
edit
- The Berlin Experts, [59]. Offers daily in-depth walking tours of Berlin's
architecture, history, and culture. All tours include some history
as well as other tidbits of trivia not commonly known. Especially
popular is the Deconstruction/Construction Tour which provides an
offbeat perspective of contemporary Berlin. They also offer special
tours for cruise ship passengers. edit
- Stern und Kreisschiffahrt, [60]. By far the biggest boat company in Berlin. They
offer tours on most lakes. edit
Guide yourself:
- Berlin By Numbers [61]. Free guide in English using
your mobile phone browser. Linked Wikipedia articles in all
languages.
- Admission Free Berlin, [62]. Website giving
a daily overview about free sights, parties and cultural events in
Berlin.
Recreation
Pick up a copy of
Exberliner [63], the monthly
English-language paper for Berlin to find out what's on, when and
where. It provides high quality journalism and up-to-date listings.
If you understand German, the activity planners for the city,
zitty [64]
and
tip [65], are available at every
kiosk or get
Stadtkind [66] for free at several clubs
and bars. Be prepared to choose among a huge amount of options.
Berlin has many great parks which are very popular in the
summer.
Green Berlin [67] operates some of
them.
- Tiergarten is Berlin's largest park and hosts
the Love Parade in July. In the summer and on weekends you will see
loads of families with their barbecues.
- Viktoriapark (Kreuzberg) offers superb
panoramic views across south Berlin. National monument by Schinkel
on top of it.
- Schlosspark Charlottenburg is inside the area
of the Charlottenburg Palace [68],
but the green area of the park is free, so you can go there to have
a walk even if you are not interested in the palace. It covers a
large area and you can get in from the entrance just near the "New
Pavillon" (Neuer Pavillon a.k.a. Schinkelpavillon) placed on the
right of Luisenplatz. The nearest station is Sophie-Charlotte Platz
on the U2.
- World's Garden (Gärten der Welt) in Marzahn.
Inside you can find a large, well-established Chinese garden, a
Korean garden, a small Bali's Garden/Glasshouse, an Oriental Garden
with nice fountains and a cloister and a Japanese garden which is a
project by the city partnership of Berlin and Tokyo. Open daily
from 9AM-4PM, in April and October until 6PM, from May-September
until 8PM. Best time for a visit is in spring or summer. Entrance
is 3 €. To get there, take the S7 until "Marzahn" station and
continue with bus 195 until Eisenacher Straße.
- Lakes, Beaches
- Wannsee is called Berlin's "bath tub". The
Strandbad Wannsee is the most famous bathing area for locals. Take
the S-Bahn lines S1 or S7 to the station Nikolassee and follow the
crowd!
- Müggelsee in the south east of Berlin is a
popular swimming spot.
- Berlin Film Festival, [69]. The city's largest cultural event and an
important fixture in the global film industry's calendar (up there
with Cannes and Venice). 150,000 tickets sold, 500 films screened
and a host of associated parties and events every year. In contrast
to e.g. Cannes, most screenings at the Berlinale are open to the
public. Tickets are inexpensive and relatively easy to get for the
"International Forum of Young Film" screenings and the "Berlinale
Panorama" (movies which are not in the competition).
edit
- Lange Nacht der Museen, ☎ +49 30 90 26 99 444, [70]. A large cultural event in January and August
with museums open until 2AM and extra events around the
city. edit
- Fête de la Musique, [71]. All kinds of music around the city on this day
coordinating with a similar day in several French cities.
edit
- Oberbaumbrücke Festival, (just under the Oberbaumbrücke).
In August (check the exact dates). artists are selling their works, amateur tango
dancers are giving public performances and you can contribute to a
collaborative painting on a very long canvas spread on the street
along the festival. edit
- Christopher Street Day - as the Germans name
their gay prides - is a well-known annual political demonstration
for the rights of the gay culture organized in all major German
cities. Even if you are indifferent about the issue, the
Christopher Street Day is usually a worthwhile sight as many
participants show up in wild costumes.
- Fuckparade [72] in August. The
Fuckparade (Hateparade in the early days) started as an antiparade
or demonstration against the commercialized Love Parade, and was
first on the same date as the Love Parade but later the date was
shifted. The Fuckparade is a political demonstration, with
political speeches at the beginning and the end and the parade with
music between. The general motto of the Fuckparade is "against the
destruction of the club scene". The music is quite different than
at the Love Parade: mostly independent/alternative/extreme
electronic music.
- Hanf Parade in August. The Hanfparade is the
biggest European political demonstration for the legalization of
hemp for use in agriculture and as a stimulant.
- Karneval [73] in late February
or early March. As a lot of people in Berlin originally came from
the southern or western area of Germany where Fasching,
Fastnacht or Karneval is celebrated, a carnival
parade was also established in Berlin. It grew bigger and bigger
(about 500.000 to 1 million people watching), but the costumes and
cars are rather boring and the people are not as dressed up as in
the "original" big carnival parades (Cologne, Mainz, Düsseldorf). Since 2007 the traditional
route across Kurfürstendamm was chosen.
- Karneval der Kulturen [74] in May or June (on
Whit Sunday). The idea of the "Carnival of Cultures" is a parade of
the various ethnic groups of the city showing traditional music,
costumes and dances. Other more modern, alternative and political
groups also participate. Similar events are also held in Hamburg and Frankfurt.
Theatre, Opera, Concerts,
Cinema
Berlin has a lot of theater houses, cinemas, concerts and other
cultural events going on all the time. The most important ones are
listed here.
Theater
- Deutsches Theater. Classical theater with
impressive line up of actors and directors.
- Volksbühne am Rosa Luxemburg Platz. Sometimes
controversial, modern theater.
- Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz [75]. Modern theater.
- Theater am Kurfürstendamm
[76]. Popular theater with tv celebrities in modern plays.
- Theater des Westens [77]. A
historic theater in the former West Berlin, only musicals
today.
- Friedrichstadtpalast [78]. Cabaret shows
and revues with actresses from the former East German ballet.
- Berliner Ensemble [79]. Contemporary
theater.
- English Theater Berlin[80] Theater that features all
plays/music theater in English
Opera
- Komische Oper [81]. Modern
operas.
- Deutsche Oper [82]. Classic opera
house of West Berlin.
- Staatsoper Unter den Linden [83]. The impressive
building and royal history make the building alone worth a
visit.
- Neuköllner Oper [84]. Voted several
times best off-opera house and known for its modern and
contemporary pieces. Mostly in German as usually relating to
developments in Germany. Very creative and innovative.
Cinema
There are about a hundred cinemas in Berlin, although most of
them are only showing movies dubbed in German, without subtitles.
Listed below are some of the more important cinemas also showing
movies in the original language (look for the OmU - "original with
subtitles" - notation). Most movies which are dubbed in German are
released a bit later in Germany. Tickets are normally €5 to €7.
Monday to Wednesday are special cinema days with reduced
admission.
- CineStar [85]. The "CineStar Original"
cinema located inside the Sony Center at the Potsdamer-Platz shows
only movies in original version (e.g. in English, without
subtitles).
- Babylon Kreuzberg [86].
Also non-mainstream movies in this small cinema built in the
1950s.
- Central [87]. Repertory
cinema located in an ex-squat near Hackesche Höfe.
- Eiszeit [88].
- Filmtheater Hackesche Höfe [89].
Located on the 4th floor of the Hackesche Höfe. Very broad range of
movies.
- Neue Kant Kinos [90]. One of the few old
cinemas (founded 1912) left in Berlin's western city. Mostly
non-mainstream European movies.
Concert Houses
- Philharmonie [91]. Berlin
Philharmonic orchestra is one of the best in the world. Famous
building and outstanding musicians make a reservation essential.
Cheaper tickets are usually available 2-4 hours before the concert
if not sold out.
- Konzerthaus at Gendarmenmarkt.
Sport
In Berlin you can do virtually all sports
- The most popular sport is soccer, which is
played all over the city. The Berlin FA [92]
lists all the clubs. Not to be missed is the Olympic Stadium, which
hosted the 2006 world cup final. Hertha BSC Berlin [93],
Berlin´s highest professional football team, plays there during the
Bundesliga season in spring, fall and winter.
- Basketball: Alba Berlin [94], known as The Albatross
are consistently the best basketball team in Germany, and one of
the best in Europe. With fans crazier than most in the NBA,
Albatross games at the o2 World arena are an exciting way to take
in the world's second greatest game.
- Public swimming pools can be found around the
city. Check out BBB [95] for pool
listings and opening times.
- Sailing on one of the many lakes is also
popular. You can find sailing clubs and most universities have
ships as well.
- Golf is popular as well: at U-Bahn station
Gleisdreieck, for instance, there is a driving range [96] with an amazing
view on Potsdamer Platz and very popular with business travelers.
You can find golf clubs all around Berlin, although for non-members
Motzen has one of the best.
- Ice hockey: The Berlin Eisbären (Polar Bears)
[97] play this fast, exciting
and very physical sport during the winter. The excitement is
heightened by the singing and chanting of the crowds, who are
fueled by the copious quantities of wurst and beer available.
- American Football: After the closing of NFL
Europe and the related end of Berlin Thunder (triple winner of the
World Bowl), the Berlin Adler (Eagles) [98] are Berlin´s No. 1 team
playing in German Football League.
- Australian Football: The Berlin Crocodiles [99] host regular
matches in the summer.
Spa
Spas are very trendy.
- Day Spa [100]. In
Riverside hotel next to the Friedrichstadtpalast.
- Club Oasis Fitness Centre & Spa, Grand Hyatt Berlin Hotel,
Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2, ☎ +49
30 2553 1234 (berlin@hyatt.de), [101].
edit
- Adlon Day Spa
[102] One of the best spa's in town right next to the
Brandenburg Gate in the Hotel Adlon
Learn
Berlin has three major universities:
- Freie Universität, Habelschwerdter Allee 45,
☎ +49 (0/30) 838-1, [103]. Founded after World War II in West Berlin and
today the city's largest university by number of students, the
Freie Universität has an impressive range of faculties and
outstanding professors. edit
- Humboldt Universität, Unter den Linden 6, ☎ +49 (0/30) 2093 - 0 (fax: +49 (0/30) 2093 - 2770), [104]. The oldest university in Berlin with an
impressive record of alumni and professors – Albert Einstein,
G.W.F. Hegel, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, to name but a few.
During the Cold War it was the main university in East Berlin and
after reunification there have been efforts to reinstate its former
glory. edit
- Technische Universität, Straße des 17. Juni
135, ☎ +49 (0/30)
314-0 (fax: +49 (0/30)
314-23222), [105]. Technical university founded in West Berlin
after World War II with a good reputation for its research.
edit
There are several smaller universities and colleges in Berlin
but the current restructure of the university makes it difficult to
give an overview. The responsible senator of the City of Berlin has
a good overview page.
[106]Work
The current economic climate deteriorates but it is not
impossible to find work in Berlin. A sound level of German improves
your chances as only few multinational companies are present in
Berlin. Any kind of skills (especially language) that separates you
from the masses will definitely improve your chances for a job.
If you have an academic background then teaching English
(Spanish, French & Latin are good, too) or private tutoring
(e.g. math) for pupils is always a possibility as Berlin is a young
city and education is in strong demand. Otherwise working in a bar
might be an option but it'll be tough, because wages are low and
big tips are uncommon. Chances are much better when big trade fairs
(e.g. "Grüne Woche" or ITB) or conventions take place so apply at
temp & trade fair agencies. The hospitality industry and call
centers are constantly hiring but wages are very low unless you can
offer special skills (such as exotic languages) or background.
Berlin has a growing media, modeling and TV/movie industry. For
daily soaps, telenovelas and movies most companies look for people
with something specific. Apply at the bigger casting and acting
agencies.
For English-language jobs, if might be worth checking out the
classified ads of this monthly magazine for English-speakers,
Exberliner [107].
Berlin is a huge city, so all individual listings should be
moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should
contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are
familiar with this city. |
Due to federal liberalization, shopping hours are theoretically
unlimited. Nevertheless, many of the smaller shops still close at
8PM Most of the bigger stores and nearly all of the malls are open
additionally until 9 or 10PM from Thursday to Saturday. Sunday
opening is still limited to about a dozen weekends per year,
although some supermarkets located at train stations (Hauptbahnhof,
Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten, Friedrichstraße, Innsbrucker Platz and
Ostbahnhof) are open also on Sundays. Many bakeries and small food
stores (called Spätkauf) are open late at night and on
Sundays in busier neighborhoods (especially Prenzlauer Berg,
Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain). Stores inside the Hauptbahnhof
central station have long working hours (usually until about 10 or
11PM), also on Sundays.
The main shopping areas are:
Ku'Damm and its extension,
Tauentzienstraße remain the main shopping streets
even now that the Wall has come down. KaDeWe (Kaufhaus Des
Westens) at Wittenbergplatz is a must visit just for the vast
food department on the 6th floor. It's reputedly the biggest
department store in Continental Europe and still has an old world
charm, with very helpful and friendly staff.
Friedrichstraße is the upmarket shopping street
in former East Berlin with Galeries Lafayettes and the
other Quartiers (204 to 207) as main areas to be impressed with
wealthy shoppers. The renovated Galeria Kaufhof department
store at Alexanderplatz is also worth a visit. The main shopping
area for the alternative, but still wealthy crowd is north of
Hackescher Markt, especially around the Hackesche Höfe. For some
more affordable but still very fashionable shopping there is
Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain with a lot of young
designers opening shops, but also lots of record stores and design
shops. Constant change makes it hard to recommend a place, but the
area around station Eberswalder Straße in Prenzlauer Berg, around
Bergmannstraße and Oranienstraße in Kreuzberg and around Boxhagener
Platz in Friedrichshain are always great when it comes to
shopping.
For cheap books, a nice choice is
Jokers Restseller in
Friedrichstraße 148 (tel +49 30 20 45 84 23) where there is a wide
variety of secondhand books. For souvenirs, have a look just in
front of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche; these shops sell
almost the same items as others, but are cheaper, but not all the
staff speaks English. You can also get cheap postcards there (from
€0.30 while the average price for normal postcard is €0.50-0.80).
For
collectible stamps go to Goethe Straße 2 (Ernst Reuter
Platz, U2), where you can find a
Philatelic Post Office
from the Deutsche Post. They generally speak English. For
alternative souvenirs (design, fashion and small stuff from Berlin
designers and artists), go to
ausberlin [108] near Alexanderplatz; it's
a bit hidden at the other side of Kaufhof at the
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.
Flea markets
You can find dozens of flea markets with different themes in
Berlin (mostly on weekends), but worth checking out is the big one
at Straße des 17. Juni:
- Straße des 17. Juni, between Ernst-Reuter-Haus
and S-Bahn: Tiergarten.
- Mauerpark, on Sundays, next to
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Sportpark in Prenzlauer Berg (U-Bahn:
Eberswalder Straße).
- Arkonaplatz, on Sundays, close to Mauerpark,
so it can be combined with it.
|
Ich bin ein Berliner
Everywhere in Germany outside Berlin, jelly doughnuts are known
as Berliner, but in Berlin, they're called
Pfannkuchen. This in turn means "pancake" everywhere else,
so if you want a pancake in Berlin, you have to ask for
Eierkuchen. Confused yet?
|
A staple in Berlin is currywurst. It's a bratwurst covered in
ketchup and curry powder. You can find them all over Berlin by
street vendors. It's a must try when in Berlin. Two renowned
Currywurst stands are "Konnopke's Imbiss" below Eberswalder Strasse
U-Bahn station on line 2 and "Curry 36" opposite the Mehringdamm
U-Bahn station in Kreuzberg (only two stops south of Checkpoint
Charlie). Both of these offer far friendlier service than many of
Berlin's more upmarket eateries.
Eating out in Berlin is incredibly inexpensive compared to any
other Western European capital or other German cities. The city is
multicultural and many cultures' cuisine is represented here
somewhere, although it is often modified to suit German tastes.
Vegetarians can eat quite well with a little bit of research and
menu modification even if Berlin seems like a carnivore heaven with
all the sausage stands. Many kebab restaurants have a good
selection of roasted vegetables and salads. Falafels are
also tasty and suitable for vegetarians.
All prices must include VAT by law. Only upmarket restaurants
may ask for a further service surcharge. Note that
it is best to ask if credit cards are accepted before you sit down
-- it's not that common to accept credit cards and cash is usually
preferred. Most likely to be accepted are Visa and Mastercard; all
other cards will only be accepted in some upmarket restaurants.
One of the main tourist areas for eating out is
Hackescher Markt / Oranienburger Straße. This area
has dramatically changed during the years: once full of squats and
not-entirely-legal bars and restaurants, it had some real
character. It is rapidly being developed and corporatized, and even
the most famous squat - the former Jewish-owned proto-shopping mall
"Tacheles" - has had a bit of a facelift. There are still some gems
in the side streets, though, The "Assel" (Woodlouse) on
Oranienburger Straße, furnished with DDR-era furniture, is still
relatively authentic and worth a visit, especially on a warm summer
night. Oranienburger Straße is also an area where prostitutes line
up at night, but don't be put off by this. The area is actually
very safe since several administrative and religious buildings are
located here.
For cheap and good food (especially from Turkey and the Middle
East) you should try
Kreuzberg and
Neukölln with
their abundance of Indian, pizza and
Döner Kebap
restaurants. (Berlin was the birthplace of the Döner Kebab about 30
years ago.) Prices start from 1,50 € for a kebab or Turkish pizza
(different from the original Italian recipe and ingredients). If
you are looking for a quick meal you could try getting off at
Görlitzer Bahnhof or Schlesisches Tor on the U1 line - the area is
filled with inexpensive, quality restaurants.
Kastanienallee is a good choice too - but again
not what it used to be since the developers moved in (much less
exploited than Hackescher Markt, though). It's a popular area with
artists and students and has a certain Bohemian charm. Try Imbiss
W, at the corner of Zionskirchstraße and Kastanienallee, where they
serve superb Indian fusion food, mostly vegetarian, at the hands of
artist-chef Gordon W. Further. Up the street is the Prater Garten,
Berlin's oldest beer garden and an excellent place in the
summer.
Waiters and tipping
The custom in Germany is to tell the waiter how much you're
paying when you receive the bill - don't leave the money on the
table. If there is confusion with the tip, remember to ask for your
change, Wechselgeld (money back).
Add a 5-10% tip (or round up to the next Euro) to the bill if
you are satisfied with the service, but remember that even if
waiters don't get paid much anywhere, in Western Europe they are
not dependent on tips to make a living as they are in the U.S., and
it is possible to live on one's hourly wage. If the service has
been very good and friendly feel free to tip more (especially when
they help you with the language!).
Restaurants
All restaurant recommendation are in the corresponding
borough articles of
- Kreuzberg &
Friedrichshain— Young and independent student area
with a big Turkish community in Kreuzberg.
- City
West/Charlottenburg Heart of West Berlin with good
quality restaurants.
- Mitte Political and new
center of East Berlin with upmarket restaurants.
- Schöneberg
City slickers and street cafe atmosphere.
- Pankow Buzzing
Prenzlberg and its lively student scene.
Breakfast
For children
- Charlottchen, Droysenstraße 1, tel +49 30 324
47 17. Buffet breakfast and institution for parents and prepared
for children of all ages, indoor play room!
- Strandbad Mitte, Kleine Hamburger Straße 16,
tel+49 30 24 62 89 63. Playground next to the restaurant and good
breakfast.
Buffet breakfast (brunch)
- City Guesthouse Pension Berlin, Gleimstraße
24, tel +49 30 4480792 [109].
Breakfast buffet, daily 8AM to 11AM, price per person 05,00€
- Cafe Sarotti-Höfe, Mehringdamm 57, tel +49 30
60 03 16 80. Located in a former chocolate factory with buffet for
€6! U6/U7, Mehringdamm.
- Operncafé, Unter den Linden 5, tel +49 30 20
26 83. On Sundays, they have a nice jazz brunch with live music in
an intimate atmosphere (reservation strongly recommended), all
other days, a standard buffet applies. Bahnhof
Friedrichstraße.
- Grüne Lampe, Uhlandstraße 51, tel +49 30 88 71
93 93. Excellent Russian breakfast buffet.
Individual style
- Telecafé, Panoramastraße 1a, tel +49 30 242 33
33. Enjoy breakfast in front of a city view right at the top of the
Fernsehturm.
- Dachgartenrestaurant Käfer, Platz der Republik
1, tel+49 30 22 62 99 0. Breakfast from 9-10:30AM at the top of the
Germany's parliament.
- Oderberger Straße, street in Prenzlauer Berg
with a large variety of breakfast cafés.
Upper-class
- Café im Literaturhaus, Fasanenstraße 23, tel
+49 30 882 54 14. Classical style, waiters in livreé.
- Desbrosses, Potsdamer Platz 3, Tel. +49 30 337
77 64 00. The Ritz Carlton imported a whole French brasserie which
freshly bakes bread.
- At Warschauer Straße (which you can reach via
S-Bahn and U-Bahn station Warschauer Straße) and more
specifically Simon-Dach-Straße and around
Boxhagener Platz you can find a wide variety of
bars. It is common for locals to meet at Warschauer to go
to a bar there.
- Cafe Einstein is one particular example of a
home grown coffee chain which has nice staff, great coffee and is
fairly priced. In particular, the Einstein on Unter den Linden is
as far from "junk coffee" as it's possible to be.
- Brauhaus (brewpubs) brew and sell their own
beer on the premises. There is usually a public viewing area onto
the brewery. Try Gaffel Haus [110],
Brauhaus Georgbraeu
[111], Brauhaus Mitte [112] and
Brauhaus Lemke [113].
- There are lots of Irish bars all over the
city, as there are in all European cities. If you like
off-the-shelf Irish bars or watching football in English then you
won't be disappointed, but in a city with new cool bars opening
pretty much daily and a huge range from which to choose, you'll
find that these cater mostly to the Irish construction workers and
Germans attracted by Irish music, which is often played in them.
The Irish pub in the Europa Center at Tauentzienstraße is famous.
Located in the basement of a skyscraper, you will find a big Irish
pub and a rowdy crowd on the weekend. It also claims to have the
longest bar in all of Berlin!
- If you want to get some tap water in a bar ask for
"Leitungswasser" (if you just say "water"
(Wasser), you will receive mineral water.) This is common
if you drink coffee. They should not charge you for it but you
should order another drink as well.
Bars
Berliners love to drink cocktails, and it's a main socializing
point for young people. Many people like to meet their friends in a
cocktail bar before clubbing. Prenzlauer Berg (Around U-Bahnhof
Eberswalder Str., Helmholtzplatz, Oderberger Straße &
Kastanienallee), Kreuzberg (Bergmannstraße, Oranienstraße and the
area around Görlitzer Park and U-Bahnhof Schlesisches Tor),
Schöneberg (Goltzstraße, Nollendorfplatz, Motzstraße for gays), and
Friedrichshain (Simon-Dach-Straße and around Boxhagener Platz) are
the main areas. There aren't as many illegal bars as there was in
the '90s but bars open and close faster than you can keep up -
check out the bar and cocktail guides in the bi-weekly magazines
Tip or Zitty. For recommended bars, have a look
at the district pages.
Clubs
For more clubs, have a look at the district pages.
The club scene in Berlin is one of the biggest and most
progressive in Europe. Even though there are some 200 clubs in the
city, it's sometimes difficult to find the right club for you since
the best ones are a bit off the beaten track and most bouncers will
keep bigger tourist groups (especially males) out. Entrance is
cheap compared to other big European cities, normally from 5 to €10
(usually no drink included).
The main clubbing districts are in the east: Mitte (especially
north of Hackescher Markt and - a bit hidden - around
Alexanderplatz), Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (around Schlesisches Tor)
and Prenzlauer Berg (around station Eberswalder Str.). Some
mainstream clubs are located in Charlottenburg and at Potsdamer
Platz. Electro and techno are still the biggest in Berlin, with
lots of progressive DJs and live acts around. But there are also
many clubs playing '60s beat, alternative rock and of course
mainstream music. Clubbing days are Thursday, Friday and especially
Saturday, but some clubs are open every day of the week. Partying
in Berlin starts around midnight (weekends) and peaks around 2AM or
3AM in the normal clubs, a bit later in many electro/techno clubs.
Berlin is famous for its long and decadent after hours, going on
until Monday evening.
Stylish
- 40
Seconds, Potsdamer Strasse 58, ☎ 030 890 642 41 (guest@40seconds.de), [114]. Named for the amount of time it takes the
elevator to reach the dance floor, this posh club has three roof
terraces, a dinner area, and an amazing view of the city. Features
mainstream R'n'B and house music. Come here in the summer when it's
warm. edit
- Felix, Behrenstraße 72, tel +49 (0)30
20946329 [115]. Stylish club and
restaurant on the back side of the Hotel Adlon. It is known for the
very popular Thursday afterwork party of the working rich and its
weekend upstyle crowd.
- Week-End, Am Alexanderplatz 5 (the building
with the Sharp sign on top) [116]. Located in the
12th floor of a GDR office building. Amazing views over the city in
classical club style for young people. Parties till the dawn.
Recently complemented by the new afterhours club 15th Floor in the
same building, as well as a roof bar. Electro, techno and
house.
Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain
- Watergate, Falckensteinstraße 49 (U
Schlesisches Tor / S Warschauer Straße), [117]. Great
electronic/drum'n'bass club with two floors directly at the Spree
River - great panoramic view. Open Wednesday (only one floor),
Friday, Saturday. Tough door policy.
- Maria am Ostbahnhof, Stralauer Platz 34/35
(next to Schillingbrücke) [118]. Cool location with lots
of progressive live sets and concerts (mainly electro/techno, but
also independent/alternative Pop/Rock concerts).
- Berghain/Panorama Bar, Am Wriezener Bahnhof
(S Ostbahhof), [119]. A huge techno club with
a gay majority (Berghain) in an old power generation plant. Be
prepared for a tough door policy. Not for teenagers, no cameras
allowed (mobile phones with a camera are now allowed, but holders
are expressly warned not to use them). Open Saturdays; Panorama Bar
(mainly straight crowd) upstairs additionally on Fridays. Parties
until Sunday afternoon. Music is extremely loud, for sensitive
people, it is recommended not to stay on the dance floor for too
long. However, as the sound system is technically high advanced, it
is even possible to talk and be understood on the dancefloor.
Mitte
- Tresor, Köpenicker Str. 59-73 [120]. Perhaps THE Berlin
techno club. The old venue was closed in 2005 but Tresor reopened
in May 2007 in an old power plant in the southeast of
Berlin-Mitte.
- Kaffee Burger/Russendisko, Torstraße 60, tel
+49 30 280 464 95. Bar and club with GDR living room atmosphere.
Russendisko is performed every second Saturday by author Wladimir
Kaminer. Sometimes live music (Neo-Polka).
- White Trash Fast Food, Schönhauser Allee 6-7,
tel+49 30 50 34 86 68, [121]. Chinese
decoration in the location of an ex big Irish pub makes you feel
like you're in a Tarantino movie. Alternative concerts, cowboy
hats, beards and '60s to '70s style - if those are your things then
you have a new home. It also has a restaurant with great burgers
and self-brewed beer.
- KitKatClub, now in the Sage Club, Köpenicker
Str. 76, [122]. A very famous address,
a unique clubbing concept mixing techno/electro/trance music with
sexual freedom. Be careful and open-minded, and respect the strict
dress code. Nonstop party from Saturday night to Sunday evening.
The owner of the KitKatClub (Simon Thaur) is also famous for his
extreme-fetish porno movies.
Sleep
After the end of the Cold War, Berlin witnessed a construction
boom of hotels and offices. The boom led to a significant
oversupply of hotels which resulted in comparatively cheap prices
even in the 5 star category. (Off-season prices of €100 per night
are seen).
.^ Only the best of luxury and boutique hotels in Germany Berlin become Tablet Hotels - the most reliable seal of approval in the hotel industry.- Luxury & Boutique Hotels in Berlin | Tablet Hotels 19 January 2010 8:48 UTC www.tablethotels.com [Source type: News]
Due to
its history most hotels in Berlin are still located in the western
part of town (i.e. Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf). You won't find any
hotels located directly at the new main train station but they plan
to build some in the near future.
Cheapest are youth hostels (called Jugendherbergen, only for
members) and hostels (similar to youth hostels, but for everyone,
mostly backpackers stay here, usually also in one and two-bed
rooms). You will also find bed and breakfast offers (often private)
and boarding houses (Pension, more familiar and smaller then
hotels).
Check the district pages for individual accommodation listings.
Popular hotel districts include:
Accommodations are also available in Berlin's surroundings. Due
to the public transport services it's no problem to spent the night
in one of the suburbs and to discover the city during the day. But
if you want to stay longer in the evening in Berlin or experience
the nightlife then it's better to stay in the city center.
Contact
You can find internet cafes and telephone shops all around
Berlin. Do a bit of research with the telephone shops because most
have a focus region in the world. Many bars, restaurants and cafes
offer free wi-fi for their guests.
The mobile network (3G/GPRS/GSM) covers the whole city. If you
are coming from a non-GSM standard country (eg.the United States)
check your mobile phone for GSM compatibility.
A free wireless network covers parts of Berlin, but requires
special software on your computer. More information including maps
of Berlin with coverage is available online,
[123].
Stay safe
Berlin is a safe place but it has some not-so-well maintained
areas, too. No specific rules apply with the exception of public
transportation and tourist areas where pickpockets
are a problem. Watch your bags during rush hours and at larger
train stations.
The police in Berlin are competent and not corrupt therefore if
you try to bribe them you are likely to spend a night behind bars
to check your background. They are generally helpful to tourists.
Most of the officers are able to speak English, so don't hesitate
to approach them if you are frightened or lost. The nationwide
emergency number is 112 for medical emergencies
and fires, while the police emergency number is
110.
Since the 1980s there have been localized riots
on Labour Day (1st May). In general they take place in Kreuzberg
around Oranienstraße/Mariannenplatz. Nowadays they usually start
the night before May 1st, especially in the Mauerpark (Prenzlauer
Berg), at Boxhagener Platz and in Rigaer Str. (Friedrichshain) and
start again in the evening of May 1st in Kreuzberg and in the
mentioned areas. The violent riots became rather small since 2005
due to the engagement of the citizens who celebrate the Labour Day
with a nice "myfest" in Kreuzberg and well-planned police efforts.
It is still better to stay out of these areas after 8PM until
sunrise. Vehicles should not be parked in these areas either!
Racially-motivated violence is rare but the
risk is higher on the outskirts of East Berlin. It is recommended
for non-Caucasian tourists to be attentive in areas such as
Lichtenberg, Hellersdorf, Marzahn, Treptow and Köpenick in the
evening/night especially if alone.
In the bordering neighbourhood of the districts Neukölln &
Kreuzberg (between Hermannplatz, Schönleinstrasse until Kottbusser
Tor) and Wedding (Alt-Moabit & Märkisches Viertel) the risk of
falling victim to robberies and assaults is slightly higher.
Tourists should visit these areas with some caution during the
night as a mixture of drunken party people & poor
neighbourhoods might lead to trouble.
Although harmless, gypsy panhandlers have recently started to
beg at local tourist spots such as Pariser Platz next to the
Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz and the Musueminsel. They are
usually women accompanied by their daughters who ask if you speak
English and explain that they are from Bosnia and trying to raise
money to fly home. The story is not true so don't give money, which
would encourage further exploitation of the women and their kids.
If you feel scared don't hesitate to contact the police as they
will help.
Prostitution
Prostitution is a legal business in
Germany. Berlin has no major red-light district
though some big brothels were built (biggest is Artemis) or are in
the permission process. Berlin has no "Sperrbezirk" (restricted
areas for prostitutes) therefore the "apartments" or brothels are
spread through out the whole city. The Oranienburger Straße (Mitte)
is infamous for its prostitutes at night. These women are a tourist
attraction and the ladies focus only on tourists to request
exorbitant prices.
The proximity to Eastern Europe, relaxed visa rules and the
illegal community increases the number of prostitutes.
Advertisements are in the tabloids and especially the internet.
Human trafficking and illegal immigration is an increasing problem
therefore police raids do take place and close down illegal places.
Brothels & prostitutes must be registered like normal
businesses otherwise it's tax evasion. In general the police
officers are not interested in the clients (if you stay calm and
don't try to argue) but you must have a photo ID (copy of passport
is ok) with you. Otherwise you might spend a night at the police
station until your ID is checked.
- Potsdam
is the capital of the surrounding federal state of Brandenburg, not
far southwest of Berlin, and makes a perfect day trip. Especially
the park of Sanssouci, a world heritage site with its great famous
palaces, is worth a visit. You can get there with the S-Bahn S7 or
Regional-Bahn RE1 to the station Potsdam Hauptbahnhof or
Park Sanssouci (fare zone C). It takes about half an hour
from Berlin Hauptbahnhof or Friedrichstraße.
- Sachsenhausen is in outer
Oranienburg, a quiet suburb housing the remains of one of the Nazi
concentration camps on German soil. There's also a small palace in
the center of Oranienburg.
- The Müritz lake region to the north is a
national park with a few hundred lakes.
- To the south, Dresden is 2.5 hrs & Leipzig is about one
hour by train.
- The beautiful Baltic seashore (e.g. Usedom) is near enough for a day
trip by train.
- The Spreewald is a protected UNESCO
biosphere reserve. It includes low-lying areas in which the river
Spree meanders in thousands of small waterways through meadows and
forests. It is a beautiful, unique landscape about one hour south
of Berlin and well worth a day trip or a weekend trip to relax from
the buzzing city life.
- Frankfurt an der Oder on
the Polish border is within easy reach.
- Lutherstadt Wittenberg is about 1.5 hours south of Berlin.
Schlosskirche was the church where Martin Luther hung his Theses.
Across the street from there is a visitor's center with great
information. Great city to tour and one can easily explore on
foot.
- The Raststaette Grunewald at the S-Bahn
station Nikolassee is a good spot for hitching if you're
heading south or west.
- Bernau is a small town north of Berlin with
some medieval remains from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as a
city wall and the late Gothic church St. Marien. The S-Bahn S2
takes you there in about half an hour from S-Bahn station
Friedrichstraße.
The Polish border is just some 90km to the east of Berlin,
therefore it might be interesting to do a trip to:
| This is a guide article. It has a variety
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attractions, arrival and departure info. Plunge forward and help us
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