Spec me a trip to Berlin

Black Dynamite · 20 Sep 2012 at 16:32

I'm looking to surprise the mrs for her birthday with a trip to Berlin - somewhere different that neither of us have visited and she has always said she'd love to go there.

I'm thinking of going on a Friday and coming back on a Monday in February / March time.

Has anybody been? Did you enjoy it? Any places we should avoid / must see?

Any recommendations on the area to stay, transport from the airport are all welcome

Thanks guys!

Shimmy · 20 Sep 2012 at 16:38

I loved my brief stay there.

Cheap food, cheap drinks, cheap accommodation and lots to do.

I'd recommend The Fat Tire Bike Tour, Berlin's very flat so it's easy to get around. Also you stop off at a beer garden for lunch.

Black Dynamite · 20 Sep 2012 at 16:42

Shimmy said:
I loved my brief stay there.

Cheap food, cheap drinks, cheap accommodation and lots to do.

I'd recommend The Fat Tire Bike Tour, Berlin's very flat so it's easy to get around. Also you stop off at a beer garden for lunch.

Thanks for that I will check it out, from what I have seen it looks like an interesting place.

A beer garden always sounds good to me!

willems · 20 Sep 2012 at 17:33

just been on a 4 day stag do. brilliant place. you'll love it

MickeyFinns · 20 Sep 2012 at 17:42

Definitely go to the main holocaust memorial by the Brandenburg gate. Really amazing.

Also if it's your thing I'd highly recommend heading to Tacheles.

Malevolence · 20 Sep 2012 at 18:23

The underground bunkers are pretty interesting, if you're into that sort of thing. Plus, don't forget to try the currywurst. It's heaven.

NickXX · 20 Sep 2012 at 20:06

Rent a Trabant and to the Trabi Safari!

Those bunkers look cool! Will go and visit them next time I'm there.

Black Dynamite · 21 Sep 2012 at 10:29

Thanks for the replies everyone, now I am excited!

Definitely going to visit the bunkers, right up our street and that currywurst looks delicious, that my friend looks like a snack from the gods!

Any recommendations on hotels or area's to stay? Looking at a map I am thinking of staying in the Mitte area as it it quite close to a number of things.

Deep · 21 Sep 2012 at 10:54

I went in February this year.

DO NOT GO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. It was -6C during the day and -12C during the night

That really put a downer on the trip as it was SO cold.

I stayed in Alexanderplatz which was an excellent location, I recommend the Etap hotel btw. Walking distance to the city centre, 3-5 minute walk to the metro station and really easy to find the hotel. (Look for the massive Mercedes building with a blue sign as it's behind that)

We did a lot of walking around, as said before it's really easy and we went to a good few museums and pubs.
Currywurst wasn't that nice btw

#Chri5# · 21 Sep 2012 at 11:18

Go up to the Bundestag dome at night. Looks like you have to register now, I don't remember doing that previously.

Check out some of the weird brews at Mommsen Eck - pub of 100 beers

Sagalout · 21 Sep 2012 at 11:32

Its a really great city. Public transport is very easy and cheap. We stayed at this apartment instead of a hotel:

http://www.waytostay.com/berlin-apartments/eislebener-hof-0940/

Very comfortable with good facilities and location. Very friendly woman that did the checkin too

Our highlights where a Sandemans New Europe free walking tour (3 hours and you tip the guide at the end). This was the best single thing we did as it gave us a real grounding and feel for the geography of the city.

Other highlights were the dome, as mentioned above, the Topography of Terror museum, which is very moving, the Pergamon museum, which has some hugely impressive exhibits including the Ishtar Gates of Babylon and the Pergamom Alter - if you're looking for a museum with a wow factor this is the one!

I'm sure you have a great time - its a very under populated, chilled out city

Black Dynamite · 21 Sep 2012 at 11:46

Deep said:
I went in February this year.

DO NOT GO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. It was -6C during the day and -12C during the night
That really put a downer on the trip as it was SO cold.

I stayed in Alexanderplatz which was an excellent location, I recommend the Etap hotel btw. Walking distance to the city centre, 3-5 minute walk to the metro station and really easy to find the hotel. (Look for the massive Mercedes building with a blue sign as it's behind that)

We did a lot of walking around, as said before it's really easy and we went to a good few museums and pubs.
Currywurst wasn't that nice btw

That was my next question, I think I will wait until the middle of March, pretty flexible on that! The temperature seems to move upto around 10C then so that would be much better.

Glad to here that it is easy to get around and a nice place to walk around.

#Chri5# said:
Go up to the Bundestag dome at night. Looks like you have to register now, I don't remember doing that previously.

Check out some of the weird brews at Mommsen Eck - pub of 100 beers

Definitely going to go to the Bundestag dome, was recommended that by somebody else.

I also like the sound of the pub

Sagalout said:
Its a really great city. Public transport is very easy and cheap. We stayed at this apartment instead of a hotel:

http://www.waytostay.com/berlin-apartments/eislebener-hof-0940/

Very comfortable with good facilities and location. Very friendly woman that did the checkin too

Our highlights where a Sandemans New Europe free walking tour (3 hours and you tip the guide at the end). This was the best single thing we did as it gave us a real grounding and feel for the geography of the city.

Other highlights were the dome, as mentioned above, the Topography of Terror museum, which is very moving, the Pergamon museum, which has some hugely impressive exhibits including the Ishtar Gates of Babylon and the Pergamom Alter - if you're looking for a museum with a wow factor this is the one!

I'm sure you have a great time - its a very under populated, chilled out city

I guess my next step is finding a hotel, i'll definitely look at the apartments so thanks for that. I'd much prefer a recommendation than just reading random reviews on trip advisor!

Also, thanks for sharing some of your highlights, i'm glad to see there is plenty to do, should keep us busy!

Thanks for all of your suggestions guys, looks like i'm sorting Christmas out early this year

Goliath · 21 Sep 2012 at 11:51

I love the place, it's my favourite city in Europe. It's a big city, and fairly spread out. I prefer the East much more than the West, the areas around Alexanderplatz are good fun to walk around and browse etc. Things you definitely need to see:

Checkpoint Charlie (FreidrichStrasse) - The museum is a bit of a mess but still worth a look, as they have a lot of the weird contraptions that people used to try and escape over the wall with on display. Try and get there before 9:30, it gets VERY busy with tourists etc.

Hackescher Markt (just nW of Alexanderplatz) - a really cool little area that has shops, cafes and bars by the truckload, it's easy to spend a day wandering around this area alone.

Bergmannstrasse (off Mehringdamm) - Bohemian area with a load of cafes and cheap restaurants. Mrs Goliath and I ended up spending three nights in a row here, it's great just wandering from cafe to bar, having a 5 euro cocktail in each and then forgetting how to get back to the hotel

Brandenberg Gate and the Bundestag - great to wander around, but again get there early to beat the crowds.

Berlin Wall (Bernauer Strasse) - not much of it left, but there is a good stretch left here along with a small museum.

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche - A shining example of what our plucky RAF boys are capable of

For travelling around, get a 3-day Welcome Card for zones ABC http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/17179...lcomeCard.html )- It gives you access to all the public transport (Underground, trains, trams and buses) for €25 or so which is just a stupendous bargain - the transport system is second to none.

Black Dynamite · 21 Sep 2012 at 12:08

Goliath said:
Snip.

Brilliant that is mate, thanks for all of the information, so far I am thinking of flying out on the Friday morning and coming back as late as possible on the Sunday.

Just a short, cheap break that I know that the mrs will enjoy

I would like to see the Berlin Wall and also I like the sound of the Bundestag dome, the Pergamon museum that Sagalout recommended and visiting the bunkers. Plus I think we would both like to see the holocaust memorial as you never know when you would visit again! We'll definitely be very busy anyway.

I will have a gander at a map and pick them out and decide the best place to stay from what we are going to be doing.

How did you guys get from the airport?

Thanks again!

Sagalout · 21 Sep 2012 at 12:12

As Goliath says, get the 3 day travel pass. Station is a 100 meter walk from the airport and you can then change to the underground. its as easy as the London tube, but quieter, cheaper and cleaner!

Black Dynamite · 21 Sep 2012 at 12:14

Sagalout said:
As Goliath says, get the 3 day travel pass. Station is a 100 meter walk from the airport and you can then change to the underground. its as easy as the London tube, but quieter, cheaper and cleaner!

Perfect that is, thanks.

Got to say that I am glad everybody has said how much they enjoyed it, I was worried that I would get replies saying don't go and so on.

Deep · 21 Sep 2012 at 12:26

Again the etap hotel was win for me and my mate. Was a budget choice but definitely worth it

[TW]Fox · 21 Sep 2012 at 12:33

Get a 3 day Berlin WelcomeCard. It's hardly any more expensive than a 3 day travelcard but it gives you significant discounts to almost everything in Berlin.

Sagalout · 21 Sep 2012 at 13:04

Actually yes, thats what we bought from the airport when we arrived - had free entry to museum island (which included the Pergamom)

Black Dynamite · 21 Sep 2012 at 14:50

[TW]Fox;22813588 said:
Get a 3 day Berlin WelcomeCard. It's hardly any more expensive than a 3 day travelcard but it gives you significant discounts to almost everything in Berlin.

Thanks for that, i'll have a look into them.

I always like to get me some discount!