#berlinholiday

Live Fun Travel - With Kati's family living close to Berlin, we have explored and traveled to Berlin quite often.  Rising from the ashes after its destruction during the Second World War, Berlin has an endless offer of entertainment and culture that you will not be able to get bored with. And although it does not retain the charm of other European cities as it does not have an old part, it does have a walk through some areas such as the Jewish or Turkish quarters.  Here are the 7 Places to Visit in Berlin that we recommend. Trip map created using Wanderlog, a travel planner on iOS and Android  

  Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz, located in the center of the city is a famous square and one of the most famous places to visit. Flanked by the River Spree and the Palace of the Republic, the square has its most prominent place in the 368-meter Television Tower, from where if you climb to the top, you will have magnificent views of the city as well as the possibility of eating at their amazing Sphere revolving restaurant. You can also visit the square by seeing the Völkerfreundschaft (Fountain of Friendship between Peoples), the Kaufhof Gallery, and the Clock of the Hours of the World, located nearby. In the square, there is also a large metro station, trains and trams, so it is easy to get there from anywhere in the city and in the surroundings you also have the Marienkirche Church and Rotes Rathaus or Red House, the city hall, among others. 

  Berlin Wall

It was built after World War II, at the height of the cold war between the Soviet communists and the Allies. It divided the city into the western and eastern parts.  Of the original Berlin Wall and its 155km, only a few meters here and there are preserved in their original location. The three places of interest to learn about the Wall and its history are East Side Gallery, a 1.5km stretch that today is the largest open-air art gallery in the world. The Gedenkstatte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial), located on Bernauer Straße, is made up of various elements: open-air exhibitions, the Chapel of Reconciliation and, above all, the documentation center on the Wall.  Admission is free, and from its terrace, we can see a stretch of the Berlin Wall on the other side of the street, with a watchtower and the usual two levels of the Wall, with the so-called death strip in the middle. 

  Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is the great icon of the city and, without a doubt, one of the main places of interest in Berlin. Through the central passage of this old city gate (built in the last decade of the 18th century) famous figures such as Napoleon or the infamous Hitler made their triumphal entrances. With the construction of the Wall it was relegated to a border crossing in no man's land, but today it shines again in its splendor and is the starting point for almost all tours of the city. Like a triumphal arch, this monument stands out for the copper chariot that represents the Goddess of Victory located at the top. It is also vital to know that during the construction of the Berlin Wall, it was located on the border of the two Germanys. It was not until the fall of the Wall that this gate returned to its maximum splendor as an icon of the entire city.

  Yes, Checkpoint Charlie is kitschy, touristy and filled with people that want tips, but it is worthwhile to actually see where it actually was located. The iconic representation of the Cold War that separated East and West Berlin.

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie, the control point to cross the most famous Wall in the city, is another outstanding place to visit in Berlin if you are interested in knowing more about the cold war. It was an area ruled by the heavy hand of the Soviet Union administration in West Berlin. This former border crossing still preserves a reproduction of the checkpoint and museum with a huge collection of original objects, documentation on the Cold War and the construction of the Wall. A few meters from this place is also the Topography of Terror museum, where you can find vital remains of the Wall and an exhibition on the Nazi security apparatus.

  Visit the German Parliament

The Parliament (Reichstag) is an emblematic place in Berlin steeped in history and a reflection of recent German history. It is located in the heart of Berlin and known to be the German parliament (Bundestag) since the end of the 19th century. You can visit the terrace and dome of the Reichstag building, which offers spectacular views of the parliament and government district, as well as some of the most important sites in Berlin. Once on the terrace, you will be given an audio guide, also free, that will tell you some very interesting facts about the dome of the Reichstag designed by the renowned architect Norman Foster.  

  Charlottenburg Palace

If you have more time, you can extend the list of places to visit in Berlin with the Charlottenburg Palace, built between 1695 and 1699, which was the former royal residence of the Hohenzollerns. The interior still preserves original furniture and decoration, and you can learn about its intriguing history through an audio guide. The indispensable thing about this palace is its fantastic and well-kept Baroque-style gardens. To get to this palace, far from the center, you can take the U7 line and get off at the Richard-Wagner-Platz stop, located a 5-minute walk from the entrance.

  Museum Island

The Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is a small island surrounded by the waters of the River Spree that houses five major museums: Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum), New Museum (Neues Museum), Old Museum (Altes Museum), Bode Museum (Bode -Museum) and the Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie).  The relevance of this museum complex is such that the island was named a World Heritage Site in 1999. The tickets are not cheap, but you have to take into account the combined tickets, the free opening days and hours and the possibility of buying the special pass of the Museum Pass Berlin (different from the Berlin Welcome Card).  

Our Last Word

Berlin is an historic, cultured and vibrant city in the heart of Germany.  Many travelers fly into Berlin, rent a car and head out immediately from the city.  Don't be one of those.  Take a 2 to 3 days and explore the city.  Head to the Museum Island and check out the Berlin Wall.  Have a bratwurst and do some shopping.  Berlin is a wonderful place to explore and you might just see Kati and I there as well.

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