What an incredible city! It's one of those places you have to go back to over and over to really experience all it has to offer. There are so many museums, galleries and historical sites to see in Berlin that it was really hard to choose a few for the 4 days we had there. First we started with a few tours to help us understand the overall history of the city, see our options and the city layout. Then we rented a bike at our hotel and explored the City on our own. Cycling is a great way to see Berlin. Here are the details:
TOURS Fat Tire E-Bike Tour [this was an incredible 6-hr tour that took us to so many parts of Berlin. We had a great guide who was able to break down Berlin’s history as we saw infamous sites. Having a visual helps you absorb historical events and really imagine what it was like. He would even get chalk and draw on the sidewalk, so we could remember how West Berlin was so isolated from the rest of the world. We visited Tempelhof, which is a deactivated airport turned into an enormous park, but served during WW2 to supply any and everything people in West Berlin needed to survive] Alternative Berlin Tours [street art & graffiti tour led by street artists, graffiti writers or experts on the scene. You get to see some great stencil art, mural art, paste ups, etc, while learning who is behind each piece and what their motivations are. Every famous street artist has their work showcased in Berlin]
SEE Sammlung Boros [private gallery housed in a bunker; a uniquely Berlin experience; book tour ahead of time] Kunst-Werke Berlin [an abandoned margarine factory in Mitte, converted into a gallery and studio space for international modern art – very cool and very Berlin] Reichstag Building [German’s Parliament can be visited but tickets need to be booked way in advance. We only visited the dome and roof terrace of the building. It had spectacular views of the parliamentary and government district and Berlin’s sights. You could also try out a tour of the Reichstag - if the Parliament is not in session] Hamburger Bahnhof Museum [a modern art space housed in an old train station] Liquidrom [very hip mixed-gender indoor bathhouse; you have to be comfortable with nudity though!] Holocaust Memorial [site covered by grey concrete slabs that are arranged in a grid pattern. It reminds you of a cemetery with gravestones, but also resembles a Jewish ghetto with narrow lanes as you walk through the site. I’m sure there are many interpretations to this powerful memorial. The museum below is also worth a stop, but be ready for leaving it with a heavy heart] Tiergarten [bike through this beautiful park]
EAT Cookies and Cream [This speak-easy type restaurant with a completely separate entrance, hidden away in a delivery yard around the back of the Westin Grand hotel. You have to walk past wooden palettes and the trash bin before you see a chandelier dangling in the alley in front of a door so that’s your door. Just ring the bell and they will buzz you in. Not amazing food, but great dinner experience] Monsieur Vuong [laid back Vietnamese restaurant] Lokal [delicious food with fresh ingredients. We had dinner here twice!] YamYam [authentic Korean food - don’t miss the bibimbap with vegetables, homemade kimchi, a fried egg, and rice in a sizzling stone bowl]
We came across some other fun restaurants but I unfortunately did not keep their info!
STAY Casa Camper Hotel [simple but very well designed hotel in Mitte which is a great part of the City to stay at. Close to everything! They have a lounge on the top floor with panoramic city view that serves a great breakfast and free drinks, yogurt, fruit, snacks and fresh salads 24 hours a day]
Curiosity: This looks like the parking lot of an apartment building, right? Well, that's actually what it is. But what is underneath this parking lot is what is interesting: Hitler's bunker. And this is where he killed himself. There is only a tiny sign on this site indicating it's historical importance. Clearly not something Germany is proud about and wants to call attention to.
Curiosity: this small plaques are on sidewalks all over the City. They indicate that a Jew lived or owned the building facing it. And that this person was killed under the Nazi regime. A tiny way to make sure they are not forgotten.
These are curiosities we learned during our tours. We would never have noticed any of these if a guide had not pointed it out.