It is now time to talk about Berlin, a city formed between a mix of history and modern aspects. Our expectations were not high, but Berlin turned out to be an active city, full of life with a lot of interesting things to visit and experience.
Transport
One of the most impressive elements of Berlin is its strong infrastructure.
We landed on the Schönefeld Airport and the connection to the city is extremely fast and easy using S trains (S9 and S45) which can be reached in 5 minutes from airport.
The price of a train ticket is 3.40 EUR for all city zones (A,B,C)
Accomodation
Airbnb.com and Booking.com offer excellent options for all who travel to Berlin. Our choice was Airbnb due to the confort offered, but also due to the low prices. Also, it was also our wish to feel like locals during our stay.
Experiences to have in Berlin
1.Visit the Brandenburg Gate
Built during 1791, the Brandenburg Gate changed from a symbol of separation (between the East and the West of Berlin) to a symbol for unity starting with 1791. The shape of the gate was inspired by the Acropole from Athens. Above the gate could be seen Victoria, the goddess of Triumph, leading a carriage with four horses.
There are always some cultural, artistic or sports activities happening near the gate.
Access: Free
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (S1, S2, S25): Station Brandenburger Tor
- Metro U-Bahn (U55): Station Bundestag
- Bus (100, TXL): Station Brandenburger Tor
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Reach the Top of the Berlin Television Tower (Fernsehturm)
Situated in Alexander Platz, the television tower has a 368 meters height and it can offer a 360° view of the city.
The elevator reaches 200 m in about 40 seconds. Here you can find the Observation Deck and on the next level there is the restaurant which rotates at every 60 minutes.
Access: 15.5 EUR/adult si 9.5 EUR/child. There is a 20% discount for students. More information can be found here: https://tv-turm.de/en/tickets-prices/
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (3, 5, 7, 9 si 75): station Alexanderplatz
- Metro U-Bahn (2, 5 si 8): station Alexanderplatz
- Bus (100, 200, 248): station Alexanderplatz
3. Admire the Berlin Dom from the interior and exterior
Situated on the Island of museums in the centre of Berlin, the Dom represents a symbol of the city.
The interior is impressive and a special element, an organ with 7000 pipes constructed by Wilhelm Sauer during 1905.
The Cathedral can be visited in any day, except Sunday and holidays. Access to the superior part of the Dom is allowed, offering an impressive view of the surroundings.
In the underground, there is a crypt with the graves of the Hohenzollern royal family which deserves a visit.
Access: 5 EUR/adult, 3 EUR/retiree, student. the Audio guide costs 3 more euros.
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (5, 7, 75): station Alexanderplatz
- Metro U-Bahn (2, 5 si 8): station Alexanderplatz
- Bus (100, 200): station Lustgarten
4. Explore the maze of the Holocaust Memorial
Opened in 2005 based on Eisenman project, the Holocaust Memorial has around 19000 square meters and is built from 2711 concrete stabs.
The monument was realised to commemorate the death of jews during the period of Nazism. Due to the way in which there are placed, these blocks of stone give the sensation of misdirection, a feeling that the architect Peter Eisenman wanted to send to the visitors of the memorial.
It is situated near the Brandenburg gate, therefore it could be visited in the same day when you visit the gate.
Access: Free
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (S1, S2, S25): Station Brandenburger Tor
- Metro U-Bahn (2): Station Mohrenstraße
5. Take a walk near the East Side Gallery Wall and admire the works of art
The Berlin Wall delimited the East and the West of Berlin for about 3 decades until 1989 when it was demolished.
A part of the wall was not destroyed and it was transformed in a genuine piece of art with mural pictures, by which different messages are sent: peace, political or ideological. Below pictures speak for themselves about the beauty of this “gallery”.
Access: Free
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (3, 5, 7, 9, 75): Station Warschauer Straße
- Metro U-Bahn (1,3): Station Warschauer Straße
- Bus (248): Station East Side Gallery
- Tram (M10): Statia Warschauer Straße
6. Check in at Checkpoint Charlie 🙂
Situated at the intersection of Friedrichstraße and Zimmerstraße streets, checkpoint Charlie represents the most famous checkpoint from the Cold War, marking the separation of West Side and East Side of Berlin. This place became famous, appearing in different novels and movies.
It was realised following the order of J.F.Kennedy to ease the movement between the two areas of Berlin.
The name “Charlie” came from the Alphabeth Code used by the America Army, the other checkpoints being Alfa and Bravo (a & b).
Access: Free
How to get there:
- Metro U-Bahn (6): Station Friedrichstrasse
- Bus (147): Station Friedrichstrasse
7. Visit the Zoo Garden
The Zoo Garden from Berlin impressed us with its diversity of different species, but also by its space organisation for visitors and animals. Besided the space reserved for animals and birds, there is an aquarium where a lot of fish species can be found.
Access: 15.5 EUR/adult for zoo, 21 EUR/adult for zoo and aquarium; 8 EUR/child (age between 4 and 15 years), 10.5 EUR/child
Please note that there are different packages for families. More details can be found on their site: https://www.zoo-berlin.de/en/tickets
How to get there:
- Metro S-Bahn (3, 5): Station Berlin Zoologischer Garten
- Metro U-Bahn (1, 2, 3, 9): Station Berlin Zoologischer Garten
- Bus (100, 109, 110, 200, 204, 245, 249): Statia Berlin Zoologischer Garten