Berlin Guide For Newbies

Thursday, October 19, 2017



I always hated how some bloggers sound pretentious starting their blog posts with “everybody asked me to write about (some random topic), so finally here it is”. That’s why I was super hesitant to start in the same manner; but I can list at least several people who did ask me to post a detailed Berlin guide they could pass on to their friends traveling to the city. So okay, it wasn’t “everybody”, but it still made me feel so humble at times. And so—here it is. (Self-cringe!)

I love Berlin. I think that’s quite clear to anyone who has been around Wandering Polka Dot. But what now is an intense love started out not so great. Actually, I even wrote here a million years ago that Berlin didn’t sweep me off my feet, as I had anticipated. So many people told me I would love it, and when it didn’t happen in an instant, I felt confused. The architecture was meh, the feeling of, say, a great metropolis such as London was missing. 

What is it that awesome about this city and why don’t I see it? I had to detach for a while—literally. I moved to another country and then a few months later came back. This time it all struck me. All the layers.

As I wrote somewhere already, Berlin is not a place you fall in love with as soon as you meet it. In fact, I always feel a bit suspicious towards those who claim they did. 

But if you allow your ego to look beyond the meh and even the ugly, Berlin will open itself up to you. It will reward you for your patience and only then will it show you its greatness. If you let it.

A relationship with Berlin is, obviously, a two-way relationship. Like any relationship should be, at the end of the day.

After months and months of living in Berlin, now that I’m not there, I am always envious when someone tells me they’re traveling to the city. And then I just remind myself that there’s still an item on my bucket list that says “settle down in Berlin”. It comforts me for a little while. I don’t know how exactly I will make this happen; I just feel I have to. 

My feelings aside, this is hopefully going to be the most comprehensive Berlin guide I will have ever written. I will occasionally point you to some other posts I have written that deal with a certain topic more in depth, or tell you how exactly to get to that place, or just offer a bunch of photos for you to decide whether you should pay it a visit or not.

As with my London guide, I need to emphasize that while this is everything I would do myself and recommend to others, whether it be close friends or complete strangers, the key is in your own interests. Maybe you couldn’t care less about a hipster vegetable garden—then there’s really no need to go there. Maybe you really love clubs—in that case you’ll have to search for that specific info elsewhere. (I’m looking at you, Jovana; though I do recommend Schwuz.)

Let’s dive deep in Berlin. 💗

On Arrival

First things first: if you’re arriving by plane, it will be either to Tegel Airport (big one with national airlines and intercontinental flights), or to Schönefeld Airport (low cost, usually just around Europe). You can reach the city center by bus from Tegel, or by train from Schonefeld. You need to have a valid ticket, and these are purchased at ticket machines at the airport. If you’ll be staying a week or so, I recommend buying a 7-day AB ticket, as it’s a really the most affordable option. Note: Schönefeld Airport is in the C zone, so you would have to buy a separate ticket for the ride to the city. Unless you will be staying in the C zone the whole time, don’t make the mistake of buying a 7-day ABC ticket, as it’s naturally more expensive, and if you’ll only be moving around Berlin, you won’t be needing it.

Other options of arriving into the city involve trains—arrival at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, central train station that has a lot of connections by bus or city rail; and buses—arrival at the Berlin ZOB (Zentral Omnibusbahnhof), also decently connected. 

Unless you plan on using Uber or a bike the whole time, please get yourself a transport ticket. It is valid on buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and the transport in Berlin is really good organized and (mostly) reliable. Technically you could ride on trams and trains without a ticket, but you never know when a ticket controller could appear and for me that’s just a no-no. The fines are much higher than you would have paid for a ticket, and judging by the few experiences I’ve witnessed, the penal policy is very strict, with no wiggle room: you don’t have a ticket, you pay the fine. Which is how it should be.

Also important: take a free map and a transport map at the airport or bus/train station. If you can’t find them, take them at the Alexanderplaz BVG (Berlin transport) office, which is underground. Those will be your best friends. If you’re on the lazier side though, you can install their app—that was how I moved around the majority of time while living there, because you just need to state where you are and where you want to go and it will offer you best and quickest routes. Though I do not really advise this as it’s more difficult to remember the streets, routes and lines if you only rely on the app. (Or the website, you don’t really have to install an app, the website does the same.)

Anyway, once you’re settled and refreshed, it’s time for exploring!

Oh, and in case you’re only planning your trip to Berlin and want to know where you should stay, since I was living there, I don’t have many tips. I’m always up for Airbnb, though Berlin is the “it” city now and good properties tend to be overpriced. If you want to be located centrally, there’s always Park Inn that offers an impressive view of the Alexanderplatz and Mitte.

Day 1: The Basics


Alexanderplatz 

Start at Alexanderplatz. Berlin is a bit different than a lot of other European cities—it’s not centralized, and even though this is the historical center, it’s not the most important part of the city. Nor are there historical monuments in the square. However, it’s a cool square. There’s the TV tower that I used to, and sometimes still do, refer to as my boyfriend. That’s my favorite Berlin sight, and a friend recently told me I was crazy for loving a TV tower. But it was the first thing I ever saw in Berlin, and the one I kept seeing from different parts of town. Fernsehturm, for me at least, equals Berlin. 

Another landmark of the Alexanderplatz is the World Clock, which shows time anywhere in the world. Pro tip: World Clock and the TV tower make a good photo together. 

During Christmas there is a Christmas market in the square, and it is known that these are something in Germany! It’s not the only market that takes place there; in June 2017, for example, there was an African market with stalls selling African tableware, knick-knacks and fresh food. 

The Rotes Rathaus & Nikolaiviertel

The Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) is the town hall of Berlin seen from Alexanderplatz. The red tower—that’s it :) That is the home to the governing mayor of the Federal state of Berlin, as well as the Senate of Berlin. Right across the street (Spandauer Str.) is the Nikolaiviertal—Nikolai quarter, the oldest settlement in the city. It’s small, as you could expect, bordered by three streets and the river, so take a stroll around if you’d like before continuing west.

Berliner Dom

On the way towards the Brandenburger Gate, the first big sight you will encounter on the way is the Berliner Dom—the Cathedral. 
This is a great place to spend time on a warm day, and a lot of people just chill out on the grass with the grand view of the Dom, and the Fernsehturm in the distance.
This is also where the large boulevard connecting the Gate and Alexanderplatz changes name into Unter den Linden, which means Under the Linden Trees, and is, in my opinion, the loveliest street name in the city.

Museuminsel

Berliner Dom is actually situated at the Museuminsel, or the Museum Island, together with the five most important museums in the city: Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum), Neues Museum (New Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Bode-Museum, and the Altes Museum (Old Museum). The most significant works of art that can be seen here include the bust of Nefertiti and the stunning Ishtar Gate. One day is definitely not enough for all five museums, especially taking into account their tricky opening times, so find your info here.

If you wish to visit them all, you can purchase a joint ticket that will save you some money. Always a plus in my book!

Unter den Linden

You’ll see that the whole street is indeed beautiful, especially in the summer. Bonus: the linden trees offer shade, which is always a plus in the hot weather! The street hosts the Humboldt University, the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Dictatorship, the State Opera, that has been under renovation for years and I haven’t been able to see it! In the plateau between the Opera and the Humboldt University Faculty of Law—Bebelplatz—there is an interesting memorial not everybody will notice: the Book Burning Memorial. 

The Book Burning Memorial

That was but a prelude;

where they burn books,

they will ultimately burn people as well.

Heinrich Heine, 1820.

This is what it says in the bronze plate next to a glass “window” in the ground. If you look below, you will see a large room with empty book shelves. This is where the Nazis burnt around 20,000 books that were of an “un-German spirit” on May 10, 1933. The books in question were the works of independent authors, journalists, philosophers and academics. The empty shelves have spaces for around 20,000 books—symbolically, this is exactly the space for the books that went up in flames. 


Brandenburger Tor

Unless you stray too much, the walk along Unter den Linden will bring you to Pariser Platz or the Paris Square, and you’ll be face-to-face with one of the best-known landmarks of Berlin and Germany. Of course, I’m talking about the Brandenburg Gate, which is seen so many times on everybody’s Instagram, but it does offer endless possibilities for playing with photography. (Not what I did in the photo above, haha!) If you turn around, apart from the sea of tourists, you’ll see some embassies and the Adlon Hotel, one of the most expensive ones in the city, which will also be crystal clear if you pass it and peek inside, or at a car with a guest who’s just arriving. One of the most famous guests was undoubtedly Michael Jackson, who infamously introduced his daughter to the world by dangling her from the hotel balcony.

A post shared by Tihana Smiljanic (@wanderingpolkadot) on

Reichstag

Passing under the Brandenburg Gate is a kind of “create your own adventure”. Let’s say you went right—but to do so, you better do some planning in advance. Why so? To the right is the building that hosts the German Parliament—the Reichstag. You might have seen its huge glass dome in the news. It’s actually open to public and offers great views, but to enter you need to register online in advance for the specific time and date. Or you could hope that someone registered and didn’t show up, but that involves at least two hours’ wait, so I think the choice is obvious.


Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe

If you, on the other hand, turned left after passing the Brandenburg Gate, the road will take you to the Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe. You have probably seen this sight countless times on social media: it’s the concrete blocks of different heights on an uneven base, which will quickly make you feel lost in a concrete block wood. If you start feeling uneasy or anxious, that’s exactly what the purpose of the memorial was: the creation of the feeling close to those Jews had in the concentration camps.

I know Wandering Polka Dot readers are lovely and sensible people; but I have to write this, because, after all, I don’t know who might end up reading this. Please do not take selfies here. Do not jump from block to block. Do not take happy photos with your friends. Pay some respect to those who this Memorial was built for.

Also, if you’re interested: across the road from the Memorial, in the Tiergarten park, is the Memorial to Homosexuals Prosecuted Under Nazism.

Potsdamer Platz

If you follow the road that brought you to the Memorial from the Brandenburg Gate, you will end up at Potsdamer Platz—a bustling square and intersection with modern buildings. Here you’ll find the Sony Center and the Shopping Arkaden. In short: shops, restaurants, hotel rooms, offices, art and film museums, cinemas (one of the rare places in the city where you can watch a movie that isn’t dubbed into German!)… Food recommendation: Amrit Restaurant on Eberstr, an Indian restaurant approved by my Indian friend.

Mitte

Here in Potsdamer Platz I suggest you hop onto U-Bahn (U2 line) and go back to Alexanderplatz, from where you’ll walk to Mitte district, and then wander aimlessly in it. Mitte is one of my favorite neighborhoods, and it’s especially hip lately, which means an abundance of good coffee shops and restaurants. Suggestions: Kiez Falafel for awesome falafels, YamYam Berlin for Korean (though stay away from noodles because they have metal chopsticks and it’s so hard to handle wet noodles with slick chopsticks), Sababa for hummus and shakshouka, and Yogi for Indian. Additional resource: this website, because it covers practically any new restaurant in town and you can just search food you want or the neighborhood you’re in.

Shopping in Mitte

If I had a goal of shopping in my mind, I would definitely want to shop in Mitte. Apart from Adidas, Converse and Urban Outfitters stores, Mitte is where all the small local designer shops are. Whether you’re looking for unique jewelry or clothes or shoes, this is where you will find it all. Also, one of the most interesting vintage shops, albeit one of the most expensive as well, is in Mitte: Made in Berlin. If you’re on a Levi’s original hunt, though, don’t spend the money here, I have another suggestion for you later on.

If you’re up for a coffee at this point, you’ll find numerous options, such as Father Carpenter, Five Elephant, Commonground, The Barn, Distrikt Coffee, Kaschk, and others. Every few months there’s a brand new awesome coffee place, and the old ones almost never disappear!

However, one of my absolute coffee places is St. Oberholz, a co-working coffee shop that has a lot of tables, a lot of plugs, great cakes and savory options such as sandwiches and quiches and even better coffee. What’s the quirkiest about this place though is that they play radio plays in the bathrooms. I was surprised at first and then later on always delighted to find out they didn’t switch it for music you can find anywhere else on the planet.


Day 2: The Colors


If you follow my suggested route, this will probably be the most colorful day you will recently have had! Go to Friedrichshein first, more specifically, this one place in Friedrichshein: the Urban Spree. Start at the Warschauer Strasse U-Bahn or S-Bahn station. If the weather is nice and it’s not too early, you might encounter some street musicians, as this is a popular place for busking. Then cross the bridge over the train tracks, and turn right to the former train station. This is what I called a Hipster Kingdom once on my blog, and I still think that. Urban Spree is a colorful area filled with cafes, night clubs, climbing and boarding spaces, book shop selling arts and, well, books, as well as a hall that turns into a fashion market, food market, designer market, second hand market… whatever works. And I think everything really works here.

More on Urban Spree


A post shared by Tihana Smiljanic (@wanderingpolkadot) on

When you see it all, though this place is ever-changing, prepare to go back to where you came from, the Warschauer Str. station. Some years ago there were two photo-booths in front of the whole Urban Spree area. They aren’t there anymore; I found one in the yard, and the other one seems to be lost. I love photo-booths because they’re in a sense symbol of Berlin, and many take booth photos instead of a regular souvenir. There is now a fast food stall called What A Wurst where the photo-booths were. Well, I guess one cannot complain too much.



While walking above the train tracks, don’t miss the photo opportunity of an S-Bahn and the Fernsehturm in the background! It is likely the view won’t be the same in the future, as a giant East Side Mall is being built there at the moment, and it is scheduled for opening in 2018. You won’t stop at the Warschauer Str. Station now; just continue walking, and you’ll soon reach the famous castle-like looking bridge, Oberbaumbrücke. Don’t cross it though; to your right, along the river Spree is another symbol of Berlin, the famous East Side Gallery, the longest open gallery in the world, and the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. After the fall of the Wall in 1989, artists from around the world gathered here to make this a piece of art, an “international memorial for freedom”. There are 105 pieces; some of them are thought provoking, and some are just pretty. 




After you’ve seen the East Side Gallery, maybe taken a break at the bank of the river, prepare to walk some more. You will now cross the Oberbaumbrücke and find yourself in Kreuzberg, Skalitzer Strasse. Right next to it—or above it—is the overground metro line. Two or three stops ahead of you is the Kottbusser Tor, the center of Kreuzberg, which means: A LOT of good food! For example, Kotiwood, which offers amazing chicken döners with grilled vegetables, which I had earlier thought could only be found at Mustafa’s, a place that is definitely the best when it comes to döners, its downside being everybody knowing about it and thus waiting in line for an hour or so. If you are too hungry before reaching Kottbusser Tor, or Kotti, as Berliners call it, stop at Baraka, which is halfway from the river to there. Baraka is an Oriental restaurant with amazing food, and if you want, you can sit in the area with floor seating. (But you don't have to, they have chairs as well:))

Once you reach Kotti, turn right to Adalbertstrasse and then just explore this lovely part of Kreuzberg! FYI, the best sushi I’ve ever had is at Aki Tatsu Sushi, a small restaurant at the corner of Adalbertstr. and Oranienstr. (though there are some other locations of the same restaurant!) Adalberstr. is also a street with several second-hand and vintage shops, so if that’s something you’re interested in, don’t miss it. Oh, and whatever you end up eating in the neighborhood, and the options are truly endless, don’t miss out on Turkish baklava—there are several baklava places in Adalbertstr.

If you’re up for everything hipster, while you’re here, why not visit a real garden in the middle of the city? It’s called Prinzessinnengarten and it’s situated at the end of Oranienstrasse, at Morizplatz. For those who want to grow their own vegetables, it’s possible to rent a bit of soil and do it here. Those who are just visiting can enjoy a vegetarian meal from the Prinzessinnengarten café, made from the garden produce.


For a change of pace, go to a truly unique place: Tempelhof. Tempelhof used to be an operating airport up to 2008, and now is just a park, which means you’re free to walk along its two runways. You’ll see people walking their dogs there (and there’s a separate area where dogs can run free), skating, riding bicycles, jogging and flying kites. Oh, and barbecuing!


Then, after having chilled for enough time, if you skipped on Kottiwood döner, please do pay a visit to Mustafa’s. I know what I said, it does take forever to get your order (me and my friend took fries from a place nearby while waiting!), but once you do… no döner is like Mustafa’s döner.

You can also do this before going to Tempelhof, as it would make much more sense to visit Klunkerkranich from Tempelhof directly, not going back and forth. Klunkerkranich is a lovely rooftop bar on top of the Neukölln Arcaden mall, that offers a view over Berlin and is perfect for sunsets. It requires a small entrance fee, but the view is so worth it. Finish the day with Aperol Spritz or a glass of beer, while the night is starting in the city.


Day 3: Around (the) Zoo


All the readers of the famous book “We Children from Bahnhof Zoo” might want to see this Zoo Station. Honestly, it’s nothing special, just a station; but the neighborhood is interesting. Right upon arrival you will notice a strange looking church.  The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was bombed in WW2 and severely damaged. Even though a new church was built, they left the spire of the old church, and it is today one of the landmarks of the city. It even has a local nickname: “the hollow tooth”. 



Across the street is an unusual mall: Bikini Berlin. Bikini Berlin is kind of a hipster mall, with pop-up stores, unique clothes, healthy food stalls and even a gallery. There’s also a lot of space for just chilling, such as a wooden bench along one whole wall, with cushions to sit on. Last time I was there, I saw a man meditating on a cushion; some girls chatting; and an older man typing away on his laptop, one key at a time. And I discovered a lovely brand I hadn't known of before: a little stationary store called Odernichtoderdoch. If you go all the way up to the second floor, you can enjoy food and drinks at the Super Concept Space, and look down at the monkeys in the Berlin Zoo. Another good food option: Neni, on top of the 25Hours Hotel.

The area in whole is a good place for shopping, especially Tauentzienstrasse, a street just across the plaza from Bikini Berlin, and Kurfurstendamm, the same street that changes the name at one point. There are fast fashion chain stores such as Forever 21, H&M and Bershka, but also a huge Adidas store with the most helpful staff ever, Uniqlo, COS, & Other Stories, Benetton… all the way to KaDeWe or the German department store where you could shop Prada, Chanel, LV, or laugh at the prices at what’s Europe’s fanciest delicatessen department in Europe.

However, if you still remember my promise about vintage Levi’s, this is where you should go. Well, in the area… sort of. Kleidermarkt Garage is a huge place with unbelievable prices. For example, I will be back next time to score those jeans for just €10. And I will buy them in [not telling you which size exactly], which is a personal weight loss goal since I couldn’t fit in [not telling you which size either] last time. If you don’t feel like walking much, take a bus #100 to Schillerstr. station and then walk from there.

A must eat here in the area is the traditional Berlin curry sausage—currywurst. You will find the Curry 36 stall in front of the Zoo train station. Currywurst is exactly what the name suggests: a sausage dipped in curry powder. It might sound weird, but it tastes amazing. I advise eating it with ketchup and fries, because they make their own ketchup and you can really taste the tomatoes. Last time I was there I found out they had vegan currywurst as well, for only €2.50. I don’t know what it is—I am a carnivore after all—but it’s nice they’re paying attention to their vegan and vegetarian customers as well. Also, I noticed their little forks are now better than they used to be, which means less breaking!




Important Thing To Do On A Thursday

If someone I know is going to Berlin for a couple of days, I always try to persuade them to include Thursday in their itinerary. Thursday afternoon is the day a small street in Kreuzberg—Eisenbahnstrasse—gets super lively, and that’s because of an event talking place in the indoor market hall, Markthalle Neun. During the week Markthalle Neun sells fresh produce, cheese and meat, but every Thursday at 5 PM it hosts the Street Food Market and that’s one of the best regular events in the city. Lovers of good food gather here once a week and try out every national cuisine imaginable, along with some vegan cakes, ice cream and great coffee.


Important Thing To Do On A Sunday


Go to Mauerpark! A park next to the former Berlin Wall hosts a huge flea market every Sunday where you can find vintage furniture, tableware, clothes, hand-made jewelry, old cameras, old photo albums that actually belonged to someone some time ago, along with real postcards that were sent and received up to a century ago… Great food everywhere too, I love eating wurst here, and potato salad, and, well, everything. Also happening on a Sunday: a lot of people busking, some of them being just average, but others being awesome and creating wonderful atmosphere. But one of the loveliest things there I love to watch is the Mauerpark karaoke, where people gather to support brave folks who sing in front of everyone. I’ve never been one of those, but I love it how we all cheer for everyone equally, whether they rock or suck.

A Thing You Want To Do If You’re Feeling Adventurous


Go to a former entertainment park that is kind of close to the public! The park is from the DDR age, and worked for more than a decade after the Wall fell down and the unification happened. Then in 2002 it was shut down due to bad management and the debts. The story is quite weird, as the owner moved to Peru and wanted to move the machines with him and open the park there as well, which didn’t happen, so he returned the machines and 180 tones of cocaine were discovered inside! What a way to smuggle drugs. Anyway, the machines are there now, and the site belongs to the city. The info on whether the access is permitted is inconsistent. Some say there are guards, some say there aren’t. There weren’t any when I was there in 2014. So if you want to wander around and imagine what an entertainment park looked like in the second half of the 20th century, this is your place. And who knows, if a guard chases you out, it really will be an adventure!


Alternative Ways To See The City

Walking Tour

There are numbers of walking tours, most of them starting at Starbucks on Pariser Platz. A number of companies do these tours; in my experience, guides are young, fun and interesting and they really make the time go by quickly. The tours are free but it’s common practice to leave a tip to the guide if you were happy with their service. I’ve never heard or read of anyone who hasn’t been. :)

Alternative Tour

Alternative tours are also walking tours, but instead of being focused on the history of the city and  theimportant landmarks, they will guide you through the most important murals, graffiti, introduce local street artists etc. And if there’s one city that is so colorful as if it’s a giant canvas, that’s Berlin. That’s actually one of the first things you will notice about the city, and even if you’re not crazy about street art (or think you are not), this is a super interesting tour to go on. The previous info about paying guides applies to this one too.

Bus nr. 100 route

Bus nr. 100 goes from Zoologischer Garten to Alexanderplatz and back. The ride takes around half an hour and takes you alongside almost all the important Berlin landmarks and sights, such as Tiergarten, Siegessäule (Berlin Victory Column), Brandenburger Tor, Reichstag, Berliner Dom… 

To Wrap It Up...

Mitte
Sightseeing, museums, food, coffee, shopping.

Friedrichshein
Urban Spree, hipstery stuff, East Side Gallery.

Kreuzberg
Markthalle Neun (visit on a Thursday!), Oriental food, vintage shops, Prinzessinengarten.

Unmissable Food
Doner kebabs—practically anywhere you want because it’s Berlin and you have to, Mustafa’s and Kottiwood for a grilled vegetable twist.
Currywurst—Curry 36 and Curryexpress stalls around the city.
Anything else you want—check on stilinberlin first
(I’ll soon write a post on food to eat in Berlin, stay tuned!)

Shopping
Mitte—for designers’ stuff, independent labels.
Kudamm—for fast fashion, high street, sportswear.
Friedrichstrasse—fast fashion, high end.


Berlin is awesome. It’s colorful, tasty, cosmopolitan, loud and ugly(-ish). You will probably not fall in love with it the first time you see it, but given enough time (even with squeezing everything I recommended here in a couple of days), it can develop in a deep romance, just like it has with us two. 


Have fun while there!


Tihana (& Fernsehturm)



P.S. I'm not claiming this to be a list that contains everything. There's much more to Berlin and even I haven't seen it all. But I think this is a good start. ;)

P.P.S. Sorry for the photographs and ugly bursts of light. I don't have a camera atm, and the camera on my smartphone is cracked (be careful with your phone!), so I'm just working with what I've got. Hoping to get myself a good camera sometime soon!

Another P.S. P.P.S. If you like this guide and want to use it on your trip to Berlin, you may download it on your phone here. You can download the guide and the offline map for free, or upgrade to the GPS-guided map. If you opt for the latter, I will receive a small (like, really small) commission. Think of it of saying thanks to the value I provided :)

12 comments:

  1. Wow! A very extensive guide! I have heard great things about Berlin. This will be useful for when I visit! I would love to visit Germany during the Holidays and go to all the markets!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just got back from Berlin! It was so fun to go through this and remember all the fun and interesting things to do there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Berlin is still firmly on my "must visit" list, so this will be a really helpful reference! Thanks so much for writing it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was in Berlin in April and this city is so unique! Should have known your guide to make more of my trip!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive overview of the city! Berlin never really "grabbed" me as a must-visit place (I'll admit I tend to go for places that wear their charm on their sleeve – Italian villages, I'm looking at you), but so many people (pretty much everyone, actually) has been encouraging me to go for so long that I'm probably going to end up there sooner or later. I've been assured that once I'm there, the actual "vibe" of the place is way better than the mood from just looking at photos (it always seems a bit grey and sombre). Who knows – maybe I'll totally end up loving Berlin!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing such wonderful advice! I've never been to Berlin, but have been meaning to go one day. I'll certainly be following your tips when I do :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anna, I am so sorry for the late reply! Thank you for reading and taking your time to comment. I really hope you get to Berlin one day, it's a great city :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for reading it, Sara, and I apologize for the late reply! YES, I totally know what you mean, some places are just plain beautiful without you needing to search for the beauty, because it's just there in front of you! Berlin is not one of those places, quite the contrary. And the weather tends to get so bad for half of the year, which is probably what you've seen in photos. But I do hope you get the vibe everyone is telling you about. That really is what Berlin is about :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, if only I had put in the effort before! But I hope you had a great time nevertheless :) thank you for the kind comment, Ha :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for reading and commenting it, Jill! I hope you do visit it, and have a great time. Really a super charming city, full of history at each corner, and so much good food! :) It'll be lovely if you use my guide :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, that is awesome! I hope you loved it as much as I do! Was there anything else you would add to my list?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Nadeen, thank you! Yes, Christmas markets are great, the only downside for that time of the year is the weather! But a lot of layers and a good coat could do :) I hope you'll have the opportunity to visit Berlin during the holidays, and don't forget to drink some mulled wine or hot chocolate :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments make my day! Feel free to say hi! :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
site design by designer blogs