Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Berlin
Cold War history, free memorials, big parks and nightlife till dawn.
Germany's big, spread-out capital: the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag's glass dome, long stretches of the Wall and free, moving memorials, Museum Island's collections, huge parks and nightlife that runs until morning. Potsdam's palaces and gardens are a day trip by S-Bahn or regional train (check).
Places to see
- Brandenburg GateSight · A row of tall sandstone columns topped by a goddess driving a chariot pulled by four…Free
Reichstag domeViewpoint · A security check, a lift to the roof of Germany's parliament, then a glass dome with a…Free
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of EuropeSight · A sloping field of 2,711 grey concrete blocks of different heights in a tight grid; the…Free
When to go
- Jan3° / -2°Some rainQuiet
- Feb5° / -2°Some rainBusy
- Mar9° / 1°Some rainBusy
- Apr15° / 4°Some rainBusy
- May20° / 9°Some rainBusy
- Jun23° / 12°Some rainVery busy
- Jul25° / 14°Some rainVery busy
- Aug25° / 14°Some rainVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Mitte. The historic centre: the Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, Museum Island and Alexanderplatz, with plenty of hostels and everything walkable.
Prenzlauer Berg. Leafy streets of old apartment blocks, cafés and the Mauerpark, by the Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse. Calm, pleasant and well connected.
Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Neukölln. The young, lively side of the city: the East Side Gallery, bars and clubs, cheap food and Tempelhofer Feld. Good-value hostels, noisy at night.
Flying in
Berlin Brandenburg (BER): FEX airport express or regional train to Hauptbahnhof, about 35 min, ≈ A$8. The airport is in fare zone C, so buy an ABC ticket, usually about €4.70; S-Bahn lines S9 and S45 are slower (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Berlin; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You'll need buses or trains. A single ticket is ≈ A$7. Berlin is big and spread out. Each area is walkable, but the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams link them; stamp a paper ticket before boarding. Night buses and weekend all-night trains run (check).
Deutschlandticket (≈ A$110, 1 month (a subscription)): Covers Berlin's U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses, and regional trains across Germany; worth it for a week or more. Cancel in time (check).
