Places to See in Berlin
BERLIN WALL – EAST SIDE GALLERY
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Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 and basically stands as the symbol of the Cold War that divided the city. In 1989 the travel restrictions were lifted when the wall actually fell. The East Side Gallery stretch is very colorful and full of a sense of humor—erasing, only on the surface, of course, the harsh reality of the Nazi atrocities. Checkpoint Charlie became a symbol of the Cold War, representing the separation of really East and West, which actually is quite significant. Soviet and American tanks briefly faced each other at the location during the Berlin Crisis of 1961.
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE
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Checkpoint Charlie mostly was the name given by the Western Allies to the Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin. Local people from Berlin literally were not allowed to cross at this border but only foreigners and diplomats. It is stated that during the Cold War this particularly was the only place where America and the Soviets directly confronted when the wall essentially went up. There is a museum with information on the Wall’s history. At the checkpoint Charlie you will find actors in uniform who pose with tourists in front of the guard house in exchange for money. After the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc and the reunification of Germany, the building at Checkpoint Charlie became a tourist attraction. It is now located in the Allied Museum in the Dahlem neighborhood of Berlin, which mostly is fairly significant.
BRANDENBURG GATE
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Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) symbolized division during the cold war, now it stands for reunification, which is fairly significant. Built in 1791, it is the only surviving city gate. The gate stands over a square called Pariser Platz where you will find banks and embassies. You will also find Adlon Hotel built in 1907 which has been visited by famous people such as Charlie Chaplin and Michael Jackson.
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
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The Holocaust memorial in Berlin (to the murdered European Jews) was constructed by an American architect called Peter Eisenman and has 2711 concrete columns. It is free to visit the place and it is open from 10 am to 8 pm every day except for Mondays as it is closed.
FERNSEHTURM TOWER
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Fernsehturm TV tower in Berlin at 368m high is the tallest structure in Germany. You can get a lift to the panorama level, at 203m high. At this height, the city view is stunning.
REICHSTAG & GOVERNMENT QUARTER
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Reichstag, basically, is where the German parliament—the Bundestag—mostly has dwelled since 1894. Spree river passes near the government quarters. You will need to be on a guided tour to see the plenary hall. But you are free to go to the glass dome. In 1894, after ten years of construction, the Reichstag generally was completed and its dome towered above the City Castle. Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was now in power and who was Kaiser Wilhelm’s grandson raged against this “pinnacle of bad taste.” After being destroyed in the war, it was rebuilt between 1961 and 1971 in a simplified form without the dome, The accessible glass dome, which initially generated controversy, has since become one of the landmarks of Berlin.
POTSDAMER PLATZ
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The Potsdamer Platz is the newest quarter in Berlin with shops, big office buildings, and other venues. The Sony center is one of the popular places in the quarter. Here you will find ‘Museum fur Film, and Fernsehen where you pay money for an insight of Germany’s film history. The gate stands over a square called Pariser Platz where you will find banks and embassies.
SCHLOSS CHARLOTTENBURG
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Schloss Charlottenburg is the biggest surviving royal palace. It contains two buildings and a palace park (Schlossgarten). The palace began as a summer dwelling for Sophie Charlotte who was the wife of King Friedrich I.
BELLEVUE PALACE
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Bellevue Palace is a presidential palace. In fact, the presidents of Germany have resided here since 1994. It has remained there since 1786. This beautiful white building sits right near the main road and is one of the attractions you see when you take the hop-on-hop-off tour buses.
KREUZBERG AREA
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Kreuzberg is an area with rich culture and art. It has some of the best wall murals in the city, as well as a large Turkish population. Students and artists are common here as well. This diversity creates an environment which can produce some very interesting art and restaurants. This area is worth a stop on a trip to Berlin.
See the House of World’s Cultures and appreciate its orange color and exhibits.
Visit the Kulturforum arts for art and music.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was built in the 19th century.
Spree River is known for its cruises.
Go to DDR Museum.
Visit Topography of Terror if you want to find documentation of the Nazis atrocities.
Understand the German-Jewish history at Jewish Museum.
Mauerpark is a public park.
Neues Museum has ancient art.
Go to Gleisdreieck Park for graffiti art.
Have a picnic at Sanssouci Park.
AquaDom is an aquarium.
Enjoy a concert at Philharmonie.
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KADEWE
Kadewe is the largest department store in continental Europe. Sometimes the store displays fashion items that have made an impact in the world. In January 2015 they had a special exhibition dedicated to the Kennedys (Timeless Fashion Icons). They showed vintage photographs and some of the original items of clothing that President J.F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie Kennedy wore. From Monday to Friday, Kadewe is open from 10 am to 8 pm. It is also open on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 8 pm.
KU’DAMM
Ku’damm is a shopping boulevard that runs for about 3.5 kilometers. On this street, you can find many shops, restaurants, and hotels. There are many luxury boutiques, such as Rolex, Chanel, Gucci, Michael Kors, and Versace, just to name a few.
MALL OF BERLIN
This mall in Berlin is a large shopping mall that you would want to visit if you were looking to visit as many well-known shops as possible, and also local boutiques only known in Germany.
MAUERPARK MARKET
Mauerpark Market is a large flea market that is exceptionally popular with tourists, and locals alike. It is only open on Sundays, however, from 10 am to 6 pm. There are cafes, snack bars, and even karaoke at a local amphitheater. It is more of a social gathering around the market that all can take part in.
Hotels in Berlin
5 Star: Sofitel Berlin Kurfurstendamm ($115 a night)
4 Star: Movenpick Hotel Berlin ($78 a night)
3 Star: Meininger Hotel Berlin ($57 a night)
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RESTAURANTS SERVING TRADITIONAL FOOD IN BERLIN
Zur Haxe: This location is open from noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday, and from 4 pm to midnight every other day of the week. This restaurant has a traditional German vibe, from its food to its architecture. From lamb to sausage to potato, there are many various types of German foods available here.
Marjellchen: This restaurant is open from 5 pm to 11:30 pm every day. Here you can find traditional German foods as well as Prussian and other types of European foods. Traditional German wood construction surrounds the eatery, and the service is that of old world charm.
Dicke Wirtin: From 11 am to 1 am, this pub/restaurant serves regional cuisine. From the wood paneling to the knick-knacks to the terrace, this place screams traditional German restaurant. The staff at this location is very known for being friendly as well.
LOCAL FOODS
Currywurst: Pork sausage is steamed and then fried. It is cut into slices and seasoned with curry. It can be served with a side, such as french fries.
Brezel: The classic pretzel is a tradition of Berlin. It can be found nearly everywhere and even served with cheese, chocolate, seeds, or meat.
Kartoffelpuffer: This pan-fried pancake is made with potato, flour, onion, and egg. It is sold nearly everywhere and can be found sweet or savory.
Transportation in Berlin
Airport: The main international airport of Berlin is Berlin Tegel Airport. The secondary international airport, which isn’t very far from the first, is the Berlin Schonefeld Airport.
Buses: ‘Bus Transport in Berlin’ is the oldest public transport service in Berlin, which has been operating since 1846 and today has over 1,300 vehicles.
Taxis: There are many taxi systems in Berlin, such as Taxi Berlin, Book Taxi Berlin, Radio Cab Berlin, and Funk-Taxi Berlin.
Tour Buses: If you want to see almost all the known tourist attractions in Berlin the best way to do it is by taking the hop on hop off bus. Usually, buses run every 20 minutes or so.
Trains: Information on train tickets, fares and route maps is easily accessible.
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