Berlin

[oobie38]

Off to Berlin start of December with wife and teens- 16 boy, 18 girl- for 4 days. Haven't been since the early 90's so expecting a few changes , a quick google comes up with a few similar suggestions of where to go, but I'm especially looking for any suggestions for offbeat/quirky/unusual to engage the world weary teens.

[BananaFama]

I've never been but I do know that it should take your breath away .

[Heartworm]

I'm just back, was there for a very quick visit at the weekend for a concert so can't give much advice as to what to do but make sure you get to the airport early for your return. It took us ages and and friends almost missed their flights despite arriving with 3 hours to spare.

From a tourist side we did breakfast at the Reichstag which was very nice, toured the Brandenburg gate and walked down to the TV tower via the memorial for prisoners of war, which was surprisingly hard hitting for such a simple monument.

[lufbramatt]

I did the tour of the Hohenschönhausen (Stasi prison) by a former inmate was incredibly interesting bearing it mind it wasn’t that long ago that it closed. Book in advance.

The tv tower was cool especially if you can get up there around sunset. Really shows the contrast between east and West Berlin.

There’s a nuclear bunker underneath a shopping centre that was worth a visit.

[Berger 3rd]

We went last December as a couple, this was our favourite Xmas market:

https://www.visitberlin.de/de/weihnachtsmarkt-weih...

It’s really pretty and very buzzy at night with lots of Germans seemingly having nights out or work Xmas parties there.

We went around the 15th ish so a bit later, but it was crazy cold, so definitely make sure you wrap up warm.

Bebelplatz (where that market is) Is on the main road that leads to the Brandenberg gate, then just round the corner from that you also have the Holocaust memorial, so lots to see in that general area.

Im terms of quirkiness, we didn’t do much too far from the touristy stuff, but we did go to this cool restaurant that is covered in graffiti, may get a bit spenny for a family though:

https://893ryotei.de/

Edited by Berger 3rd on Friday 17th November 20:11

[Somebody]

Loved Berlin. It's relatively cheap for a capital city.

The walking tours are worth joining - our guide was a Brit history student. Also, book the Reichstag. It's worth the walk up.

[mike80]

We did a tour of the closed Tempelhof airport, which was really good.

It's a public park now, so you can walk/run/cycle on the runways etc.

[Hoppum]

Teufelsberg is well worth a visit, former US Military spy station built on the largest hill in West Berlin to monitor East Germany, now one of the largest street art galleries in the world. Great views of Berlin from the top on a clear day, very instagramable for the teens, though you have to do a tour if you want to learn about it's Cold War era. English tours are 2pm every Sunday, ours was with a former US soldier who'd been stationed there in the 70s.

It is a 35min walk from the nearest S-Bahn station including up previously mentioned large hill to get there however so worth bearing that in mind.

www.teufelsberg-berlin.de

[NickXX]

As above, the Templehof airport tour is excellent.

[rdjohn]

Somebody said:

Loved Berlin. It's relatively cheap for a capital city.

The walking tours are worth joining - our guide was a Brit history student. Also, book the Reichstag. It's worth the walk up.

We think that a walking tour is the No1 thing to do in any city that you are unfamiliar with.

In Berlin, it was not a long walk, but packed full of information. We always ask for a recommend for where to eat. They are always good, but inexpensive. The one for lunch in Berlin by the river near the Reichstag was 10/10.

Do not visit the Zoo, Despite its Pandas its the sort of city-centre Zoo that give Zoos a bad name.

[oobie38]

Thanks all, some helpful advice there. Zoo not on the agenda, fortunately.
Found mention of a novelty self drive tour in a Trabant- anybody done that, or is it better to stick to walking?

[Rich Boy Spanner]

The video game museum is good fun. It has period rooms with games consoles of the era in there and an arcade, and they all work and you can play them. It's within walking distance of the TV tower.

Edited by Rich Boy Spanner on Saturday 18th November 19:03

[Gareth1974]

I went to Berlin for a few days this summer, I really enjoyed the technology museum. Depends if you like planes, trains, boats and cars though.

https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/

[Hoppum]

oobie38 said:

Thanks all, some helpful advice there. Zoo not on the agenda, fortunately.
Found mention of a novelty self drive tour in a Trabant- anybody done that, or is it better to stick to walking?

We did the Trabant tour and really enjoyed it. However I'd class it as a sightseeing tour as between trying to stick with the convoy through junctions, the engine noise and the frankly awful speaker in the car I didn't really get much of what the tour guide was saying. Still recommend for the novelty factor and sightseeing though. Good to do on your first day to familiarise yourself with where everything is too.

Deutsches Historisches Museum is very good for a history of Germany as a whole. The DDR museum was good if a bit disjointed, apparently the 'Museum in der Kulturbrauerei' is a much better museum on East Germany but I've not been yet. The Espionage Museum is good as a general museum on cold war espionage by all sides whereas the Stasi HQ museum is more for if you're particularly interested in the Stasi.

Classic Remise is good collection of classic car dealers, restorers and storage in an beautiful old tram yard that's free to wander around, it is quite out the way in an industrial area though.

Edited by Hoppum on Sunday 19th November 09:24

[captain_cynic]

Gareth1974 said:

I went to Berlin for a few days this summer, I really enjoyed the technology museum. Depends if you like planes, trains, boats and cars though.

https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/

That.mueseum.is good but it's massive and not many of the signs are in English.

I went to Berlin last year and if you want something. Car related, try doing the Trabi your where you drive a cold war era Trabant around Berlin.

http://www.trabi-safari.de/berlin-xxl/

[lufbramatt]

captain_cynic said:

Gareth1974 said:

I went to Berlin for a few days this summer, I really enjoyed the technology museum. Depends if you like planes, trains, boats and cars though.

https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/

That.mueseum.is good but it's massive and not many of the signs are in English.

I went to Berlin last year and if you want something. Car related, try doing the Trabi your where you drive a cold war era Trabant around Berlin.

http://www.trabi-safari.de/berlin-xxl/

Re the museum signs (and many other things in foreign countries…) get the google translate app on your phone and use it with the camera. Amazing tech.

[Gareth1974]

captain_cynic said:

That.mueseum.is good but it's massive and not many of the signs are in English.

I got round that by using google translate on my phone

[krallicious]

Where are you staying in Berlin?

The city is quite sprawling and it takes a long time to get from the east (Köpenick) to the west (Spandau).

Use the Öffis. A group ticket doesn’t cost too much and public transport is very good. Download the BVG app.

Christmas markets are very hit and miss in Berlin. As mentioned above, the one at Gendarmenmarkt (U-Bahn Stadtmitte) is very nice. Afterwards, go across the street and get a hot chocolate from Rausch then grab a cocktail in the Newton bar. Thank me later.

Avoid the markets at Alexanderplatz and Potsdamerplatz. They solely exist to extort the unwary tourist.

The Stasi museum (Magdalenenstrasse) is very good and the surrounding area hasn’t changed much since the collapse of the GDR. The architecture is fascinating. While in the area, the Eastside Gallery is worth a look.

More towards Berlin Mitte is the Topographie des Terrors. It’s the old headquarters of the Gestapo. You’ll probably need a drink after having a look around. It is one of the hardest hitting museums I’ve been to.

A walk along the Spree from Schloß Bellevue to the Bundestag is very nice. You can take in most of the major Berlin sights. Siegessäule, Bundestag, Reichstag, Brandenburger Tor and the Jewish memorial. Just around the corner is Hitler’s bunker which is now a car park with a small sign denoting what was previously there.

The Tränenpalast is nearby and a walk along Unter der Linden towards the city centre is very nice. All of the renovation work is now completed and the buildings are absolutely beautiful.

Food and drink is cheap for a capital city but try a Currywurst ( Wittys at Wittenbergplatz is my go to) and a Döner (Teras in Mitte).

If you have any questions about food a drink, ask away.

[seefarr]

Classic Remise is a classic car storage / sales / workshop in a cool building and is good for a poke around:

https://remise.de/berlin

[Den Den]

krallicious said:

grab a cocktail in the Newton bar. Thank me later.

There used to be a review on Tripadvisor that said 'This place would be nice if it wasn't for all the prostitutes'