Berlin, Germany
Welcome to Deutschland! Berlin is the capital city of Germany, filled with fun, adventure, and a unique culture. If you are a history geek like me, you will intently fall in love with Berlin. Most of my recommendations will be geared towards the history nerds because I believe that this is what makes Berlin such a great city to visit.
Transportation
Buying your tickets
Berlin is a big, spread out city. You will most likely be using transportation during your stay. I recommend downloading the BVG app. It is an app that allows you to pay for transportation tickets digitally. You can put your apple or google pay information into the app and instantly buy your tickets.
There are several things to know about Berlin transportation. First, Berlin is separated into 3 different zones, A B and C. A zone is the city center. Most of your touristic attractions will be located there. B zone is a little further outside of the city center. Attractions such as Memorial Platform 17 and the House of the Wannsee Conference will be located in this zone. Zone C is the farthest limit of Berlin and you will most likely travel to this zone if you go to the airport or the city of Potsdam.
There are 3 different fare fees that are well indicated in the transportation app. The different fares are AB, BC, and ABC. You can buy single tickets, which are valid for 1 person and a 2 hour journey through the city. There are also short trip tickets, which are valid for 3 stops on the S-Bahn or subway trains (with change of train being permitted) or 6 stops on the bus or trams. However, a change of vehicle is not permitted with this short term ticket. Also, you can buy a pack of 4 single trip or short trip tickets for a cheaper price. All fare tickets are only counting 1 way travels, meaning that you can not make round trips with these tickets.
If all of this is too complicated for you, or you are planning on using transportation many times a day, I recommend buying the 24-Hour single ticket. It allows you to take as many trips for 24 hours as desired. Still, you will have to select if you want AB zone, BC zone, or ABC zone.
Validating Your Tickets
Before your transportation journey starts, you must go into the app and validate/activate your ticket. You will need to put your starting station in the app and then press the button to activate.
TIP: Don’t activate until you see your transportation vehicle coming in order to maximize the amount of time you have on your ticket.
Physical Tickets
If you choose not to use the BVG app, you can always buy your tickets in the machines on the subway or S-Bahn platforms or inside buses or trams. There will also be a machine to validate your physical ticket.
TIP: While German authorities usually do not check tickets, it is always a good idea to be honest and pay for the transportation. You never know when someone will check your ticket, and you don’t want to have to pay a fine!
Airport Travel
If you arrive at the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, you will have easy access to the city center. Take the RE8 train right to the city center. You have to buy the ABC ticket for this trip, because you will be traveling through all of the zones.
You’ve Finally Made It
Once you get a hang of the transport, enjoy the city! There is so much to see and do in Berlin. You can spend a few days here, depending on your interests.
Berlin’s Rich History
This blog will be more geared towards the history buffs out there, like myself. Berlin’s city limits are filled with interesting history to explore.
TIP: Keep a “look down” when walking. All around the city, in fact all around Europe, there are small plaques placed on the ground which mark where a Holocaust victim used to live. The plaque contains information about the person, such as their name, their birth year, their deportation date, and where they were deported to. It is a subtle, yet beautiful memorial for those who were killed during WWII.
The Berlin Wall
Above all, one of my favorite things to see and learn about was the Berlin Wall. This monument will get you thinking about how much the world has changed in the past 50 years. Some of my readers may even remember what times were like when the wall divided Europe! This memorial consists of an outdoor experience with various information points containing first hand accounts, historical information, and models explaining about how life was for the residents in Berlin during the Cold War.
These information points stretch for a whole kilometer, following the line of where the wall once stood. There is also a museum which explains the history as well. If it is a nice day outside, I recommend sticking to the outdoor information points rather than entering the museum. These points explain the history in great detail in both German and English.
Be sure to get your pictures of the remains of the wall itself. After learning about the hard history during this time, it is amazing to see the piece of concrete that divided this city and caused so much conflict. You can even go up into an old watchtower to get a bird’s eye view of the city.
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous and oldest monuments in Berlin. It is a 18th century monument, built during the rule of King of Prussia Frederick William II. It is a beautiful symbol that has represented the city for hundreds of years.
Reichstag Building
Next, stop by the Reichstag Building to see impressive German architecture. The building serves as the house of the German federal parliament.
When walking to this building, be sure to pass through the Tiergarten Park. There is a beautiful memorial for Gypsies (the Sinti and Roma peoples) during the Nazi genocide. There are even information points to read about what happened during this time and about personal stories from the people.
Jewish Memorial
You cannot leave Berlin without visiting the Jewish Memorial. Walk through this outdoor monument, remembering and taking in what happened to the Jewish people during the Nazi regime. You will leave this monument feeling somber, but amazed. There is also a free Jewish museum under the monument. The museum is dense, so take it at your own pace. The information is heavy, but so important to learn about and I 100% recommend adding this to your itinerary.
Checkpoint Charlie
Itching for more history? “CHECK” out the Checkpoint Charlie monument which marks where a checkpoint was between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. You can take a picture at the divide and even enter the museum (€17,50 adults, €11,50 college students, €9,50 youth, children free). If you are not feeling up to another museum, there are also outdoor information points near the checkpoint to learn about what used to be.
Berlin Cathedral
Admire the 15th century Berlin Cathedral near the city’s river. You can take in the gorgeous architecture from the outside, or enter for a price of €10. If you do decide to enter, you are offered the opportunity to climb up to the viewing tower. Beware! There are a lot of stairs, but the reward is a gorgeous view over Berlin.
Berlin TV Tower
Look up and you won’t miss the Berlin TV Tower, built during the Soviet Union’s occupation in East Berlin. You can take the elevator up to the observation deck for a 360 degree view of the city (€22,50 adult, €13,50 child, infants for free).
Museum Island
If you are STILL looking for more history, don’t be a stranger to Museum Island. There, you have your pick of 5 different museums, each exploring distinct topics such as art, Egyptian history, and more!
Tired of Museums and History
Give your brain a break for a bit! Check out the other joys that Berlin has to offer.
Sweet Tooth
Got a sweet tooth? Stop by the Haribo Shop to see, taste, and of course buy all the gummy bears you can dream of. Next, don’t pass up on the Ritter Sport Chocolate store. This German chocolate store lets you make your personalized flavored chocolate bar! And of course be sure to stock up on your chocolate to bring back home with you!
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is a plaza filled with different experiences. Some favorite attractions include the Sony Center, the CineStar Berlin cinema, Legoland, and the German Spy Museum. A great place to eat, shop, and spend time with your family!
Ready for a change of scenery?
Looking to get out of the big city? Take a short train ride outside of Berlin to see a few more stops exploring Germany’s interesting past. Here is a route that I recommend taking for a day trip outside of Berlin.
Stop 1: Platform 17 Memorial
Take the S7 train to stop S Grunewald (Berlin). This will require a long trip pass, but it is still inside the AB zone. Once you get to the stop, get off the train and head toward the exit. Follow the signs to the Platform 17. You will go up the stairs and it won’t look like much. But once you see it up close, you will notice the 186 plaques on the ground with information about the deportations of over 10,000 Jewish people during the Holocaust. It is a beautiful and respectful memorial that leaves you in shock.
Stop 2: Wannsee Conference House
Hop back on the same train, S7 further down the line to Berlin-Wannsee stop (this will be the end of AB zone). Once there, hop on the 114 bus in direction of Heckeshorn to stop Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz (You do not need a new ticket. You can use your same ticket as a connection.).
What is the Wannsee Conference House? It is a beautiful house on a gorgeous piece of land which once held a terrible event: the conference which decided the awful fate of all of the Jewish people during WWII. Now, the house is a free museum for the public to learn about the conference and more about the events during WWII and the Holocaust.
Stop 3: Potsdam
Head back toward the train station on the 114 bus and get back on the S7 train even further down the line towards Potsdam. You will need a BC ticket for this ride and get off at th e next stop, Potsdam central train station. Then, I recommend taking the 92 or 96 train into Potsdam city center. Get lunch, walk around, whatever makes you happy. But, don’t miss out on the Potsdam Conference house, Cecilienhof.
Take the 603 bus from the city center and get off at Botsdam, Schloss Celienhof. It leaves you right in from of the facility! Once you are there, there are gardens you can walk around if you have time. The main attraction is Celienhof. This is where the ally country leaders, Stalin, Churchill, and Truman, met in 1945 to negotiate and decide how to divide Nazi Germany after the war. Tickets are €12 for adults and €8 for those at a reduced rate.
Fuel Stop
Berlin is a very international city, filled with delicious foods from all around the world. Enjoy!
Lebensmittel in Mitte: Traditional German food with a cozy environment and delicious food. The portions are huge, so come hungry!
Mogg: Sándwiches and soups. The onion soup was incredible. Great service: the waiter was super nice and helpful!
Vapiano: This is an Italian food chain that is in many parts of the world. Enjoy great pastas, salads, and pizzas.