So, admittedly, until this trip, I was a little down on Germany. I'm not a fan of sausages. The weather has never fully worked in our favor. I just prefer other spots...BUT...Berlin changed all of this for me. It's such a modern city (after being bombed to the ground in WW II) and has so much history. We absolutely loved our four days in Berlin and definitely did not run out of things to do. If you're in Northern England, Jet2 has started an easy direct Friday - Monday flight pattern that really maximizes your time on the ground. A few tips before you go:
- Bring Cash: Bizarrely, the German's don't use credit cards. Like, not even at Ikea. Read more about it here. So whether it's a quick burger or a $150 dollar meal, you need cash to pay. Be prepared ;-)
- Buy a Transport Card: The Welcome Berlin Card (in hindsight) was probably a good deal since it included tickets to all of the museums. We did not do this, but we did buy a transport card which gave us access to the amazing tram, subway, and rail system in Berlin. We used this constantly and found the card to make it very easy.
- Book Reichstag Early: We tried to book seeing the dome of the German Congress about a week before we visited and it was much too late. Look for these free tickets about a month in advance and see German democracy at work!
Hotel
i31: This is definitely the most Instagram-able hotel we've stayed in. From amazing modern collages and flower arrangements to a free mini-bar filled with quirky German sodas, it really impressed us. It was also incredibly central and had both a tram line and subway line steps from the front door. Stay here - it was so cool.
Restaurants
Shisho Burger: This was a fun Korean burger spot with Wagyu beef and quirky Asian flavors. This was packed on a Friday night, but you have to stop here for a quick bite at lunch or dinner.
Pantry: Upscale, trendy restaurant in the Mitte district. The wine list was fantastic and we shared an incredible steak dish for too. Fun, a bit spendy, but delicious.
Meyan Berlin: This was a fun, casual Turkish restaurant. There have been Turkish immigrants in Berlin since the 1600's - so the food is amazing and unique. As a friend described it, Turkish food in Berlin is akin to Mexican food in LA.
Stagger Lee: This is a fun speakeasy-style bar - complete with a doorbell and wood paneling. We had some fantastic, fancy drinks here. Highly recommend.
Itinerary
Day One
Arrive - Noon
Checkpoint Charlie: Amazing to see this remanent of the Cold War -- there is a museum, but it's more interesting to just see the phyiscal checkpoint and imagine what the tension in the city must have been like in our lifetime.
Typography of Terror Museum: We walked over to the Typography of Terror museum. This is a written history of the rise of the Nazi party - on what used to the headquarters of the party (note that this original building has been raised).
Memorial to the Murdered Jews: This was a moving memorial to the Jews. Very sad, but the architecture is beautiful.
Brandenburg Gate: The most iconic spot in Berlin
Hackescher Markt: This is a trendy shopping area, but wander back into some of the alley areas for some amazing modern architecture and grafitti art.
Day Two
Take the train
Potsdam ...visit all the amazing palaces! - so many castles!
Get the all day pass - there were so many beautiful spots to visit within the park
Day Three
Museum Island - Highlights were:
Pergamon Museum: This has some incredible historical artifacts including the Gates of Ishtar - the stunning mosaic gates from Babylon (that's right, Babylon!). A must visit
Neues Museum: This has tons of Egyptian artifacts including the bust of nefertiti
After lunch, we visited an open air museum on the other side of town:
East Wall Gallery: This is an open air museum with art on 118 panels
Day Four
German History Museum: Interesting detail about the history of Germany. Notably Cold War + World War II perspective. We spent about 6 hours here and potentially could have spent more - really interesting to us. Highly recommend their cafe too...we had a lovely lunch
Galeria Kaufhof: The 5th largest Department store in the world! We love these old-style department stores with their gourmet groceries, cool German kitchenware, and other international brands to browse.
