Springtime in Berlin
- jennylynncotton
- Jun 27, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 20, 2024
Date of Trip: April 2024
Number of Days: 7
Who went: Jenn & Terry
Terry traveled to Berlin for the German National Swimming Championships (he is a coach), I tagged along!
Top takeaways if you are planning a similar trip:
Berlin is a town with a lot of history, and a lot of places to learn about that history. It's very interesting... but it's also very heavy and dark. Be mindful of that when you're planning to visit back-to-back memorials/exhibits.
The Berlin public transportation system is one of the best we've used. It's clean, easy to use and goes everywhere.
We loved the food in Berlin. There are so many options from all over the world. Be sure you take the time to explore the different cuisines that are available! I've listed our favorite places at the bottom of this post.
We fit our sight-seeing in between meet sessions, here is a list of what we did. I have ranked the sights by what I liked the most.
We stayed at the Berlin Marriott which is in Potsdamer Platz. The hotel was clean and the location was central to everything. We would stay there again!
Sights that we saw:
Berlin Wall Memorial - There are lots of places to see remnants of the Berlin Wall. We found this to be the one we enjoyed the most. As you walk the memorial on Bernauer StraBe (just under a mile long) you get a true sense of the scope and size of the wall and the border strip, along with the impact it had on Berliners that lived along it.
Be sure to visit the Documentation Center where you can see the remaining parts of the border crossing from a five-story observation tower. We also appreciated the videos at the visitor center (there are 2, the English versions play on every half hour).
Reichstag Building Dome Tour - This requires advance registration or reservations at the roof top restaurant (which is how we did it). Make sure you plan for this before your trip, you don't want to miss it! The visit is free.
The Reichstag Building is the home of the German Parliament. At your designated time, you'll go through security before being guided into the building and to the rooftop, where you have the chance to explore the terrace and the dome. There is a free audio tour (must do!) as you walk up the dome ramp which details the 360-degree view. It's a beautiful building, an interesting experience and a great place to snap photos!
Brandenburg Gate - This really is the iconic photo of Berlin, so it's a must do! It was very close to our hotel, so we were able to hit it early one morning (around 8A) and there were very few people around. This made for great pictures.
Checkpoint Charlie - another must do photo. There isn't much to see here, but we had fun with the photo and there are some good (cheesy) souvenir shops on this street.
Mauerpark Flea Market - We loved this very large flea market which is held every Sunday. We were fortunate to experience it on a beautiful day and Berliners were out in droves. There was great vintage shopping and an amazing row of food courts. A really cool experience. There is also a preserved section of the Wall nearby to check out.
East Side Gallery - The city has preserved just under a mile-long section of the Berlin Wall which has been turned into the worlds longest open-air gallery.
Artists from around the world have been invited to paint murals on what is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Really cool to see the different murals.
Tempelhof Airport - This airport built by the Nazis in 1936 (which was once the largest airport and largest building in the world) now serves as a very large public park in the city.
We opted for this private running tour where Nykita took us around the airport and told us of the history. It was a great way to get some exercise and soak in the history.
Berlin Zoo - My husband loves to visit zoos.. so when I found there was a large zoo in the center of Berlin, I knew we had to check it out.
The Berlin Zoo is said to be the most species-rich zoo in the world - and it didn't disappoint. We walked around for about 90 minutes - this place is huge (it's hard to believe it's in the middle of the city!)
Topography of Terror - this site (which sits on the former Gestapo HQ) is a museum that details the horrors of the Gestapo and the Nazis. It's hugely informative and moving... but it's also dark and disturbing. We made the mistake of visiting the Holocaust Memorial and this site back-to-back, and it proved to be mentally difficult (we stopped for cocktails after). The memorial is very large... it was too much for me to be able to take in all at once. If you really want to absorb all of the content here, I would suggest visiting on 2 days (one day for the inside exhibit, one day for the outside).
Holocaust Memorial - Officially called the "Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe," the memorial is a somber sight near the US Embassy. It's comprised of 2,710 concrete blocks on a sloped ground - designed to keep you uncomfortable and off-balance. There is an indoor exhibit as well, but the line was long when we visited and our time constraint forced us to skip it.
Berlin Cathedral - Very beautiful and impressive. Time did not permit for us to climb the dome, but if it had we definitely would have. Worth the visit!
Underground Berlin - This was a guided tour of about 20 people that gave us a chance to explore a bomb shelter that was built under a railway station. Disturbing and informative, it really gave you perspective on life in Berlin during WWII.
Humboldt Forum - We don't typically seek out art museums, but we did want to spend some time on Museum Island and opted to visit the Berlin Global exhibit. This was a unique and interesting exhibit that highlighted this spectacular city and it's role in the world.
DDR Museum - This museum houses interactive exhibits to highlight what life was like under the DDR. I found it interesting and worth the visit.
Liquidrom - Not really a "sight" but definitely an experience. We visited this spa and enjoyed the indoor/outdoor areas. The entire place is clothes optional (a new experience for us), but we did not venture into the "clothes prohibited" area. To each their own.
Terry had a traditional massage while I ventured into an Aquatic Massage - which was very different, slightly uncomfortable yet very relaxing. I'm not sure how to describe it, so if that interests you... just do it.
TV Tower - this is a quintessential tourist thing to do. The view is great but there isn't much else to do. I recommend doing it but you won't likely spend too much time here. It's in the middle of the city, so it should be easy to fit into a day.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - The church, which was once one of the most prominent churches in Berlin, was bombed during WWII and the ruins serve as a memorial for peace and reconciliation. There is also a new Memorial Church built on the grounds with blue glass panels, which is beautiful. Both are free to visit. If you are in the area, it's worth a stop - but I wouldn't seek it out.
Victory Column - You can climb to the top of the Victory Column, which was built to commemorate Prussia's victory over Denmark in 1864. We walked from the Reichstag to the Berlin Zoo (through Tiergarten Park), so the Victory Column was on the way. We like to climb things, and it was a cool view... but I don't know that we would have made a special trip to see it.
Food we ate:
Coccodrillo - Lunch here was one of my favorite meals ever (anywhere). This bright and cheerful Italian restaurant is in the middle of Weinbergerspark and is a hot spot with locals (book ahead!) We enjoyed the Truffle pasta for 2 served in a pecorino wheel (amazing!), but noticed that the pizza also looked delicious.
Markthalle Neun - If you are in Berlin on a Thursday (and you should plan to be for this reason alone), plan dinner at Markhalle Neun. This is easily the best food hall we've been to anywhere in the world (and from the size of the crowd, it's clear Berliners know it). With stalls from all over the world serving fresh, amazing dishes and cocktails there is something here for everyone!
Hokey Pokey - I randomly searched Google for an ice cream spot while we were in Mauerpark which randomly got us to Hokey Pokey. Talk about a happy accident! We knew by the line (probably 100 people, it moved quickly) we had found something good. I had their signature Hokey Pokey flavor... pure creamy bliss!
Alchemist - Drinks and dinner here was a bit of an accident as we missed our earlier reservations and were just looking for a place to eat near our hotel. This dark bar/restaurant had delicious and inventive food... but it was the cocktails that stole the show.
Kafer - This is the restaurant that sits on the rooftop of the Reichstag Building. We enjoyed a lovely prix fixe breakfast on a beautiful morning. It was a great way to see the building and a great way to start the day!
W Pizza - Wherever we go, I'm always on the lookout for the good pizza, which is Terry's favorite. W-Pizza was atop many lists that I saw, so we made reservations and headed to a quiet part of Berlin called Neukolln to see if we agreed. We did. The delicious Napoleon pizza made with fresh ingredients in a relaxed setting. The line of people picking up pizza to go was a good marker of it's popularity!
Austria Berlin - We met friends here for some authentic local food... and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed the cheese noodles with fried onions but am told that the Wiener Schnitzel was superb. We had tried the more well known (translation, more expensive) Lutter & Wegner earlier in the week and this was far better!
Konnopke - If you're looking for authentic currywurst and bratwurst... this is the original. It sits under the U-Bahn and is a must-do experience while you're in Berlin.
Burgermeister - Where can you find lunch at a train station bathroom turned burger joint? This is the place! We saw other locations of the same chain, but made it a point to hit the original. We expected to have to wait, but were pleasantly surprised when the line was manageable. This is a great stop near the East Side Gallery.
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