Berlin

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Id like to do a trip to brelin to support ww2 learning at GCSE. Anyone done this? How long would you need and where would you go?

We did exactly this at Easter last year - case of German GCSE revision (tick), History: Cold War/Rise of Wiemar Republic revision (tick). We got a very good deal with BA (flights, 4* hotel, b&b for 4 nights for less than £250 each), hotel just down from Checkpoint Charlie, arriving Saturday evening, back Wednesday morning. Sunday we walked to the German History Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum) which has a huge section given over to the Wiemar Republic and then the Cold War, then walked down to the Brandenberg Gate, across to the Jewish Memorial, over to the Reichstag, back to Checkpoint Charlie and the hotel. Monday we went out to Spandau and then back to Charlottenberg (though the palace is closed on a Monday), walked across Tiergarten taking in various sites such as the Russian memorial, then to Potsdammerplatz for supper, then Tuesday we did Museum Island, went up the Fernsehturm Tower which gives you a really good view of the city, had great pizza sitting by the river, then flew home on the Wednesday morning and back home by lunchtime.

Berlin tube system if terrific and easy to work out and otherwise we just walked and walked and walked and got a real feel for the different zones and how it was divided post '45. We were very impressed with it and want to go back. DS wants to do German at uni and really wants to be in Berlin in his year abroad.

The one thing we would like to have done and couldn't was the Reichstag - it was closed for work on the dome when we were there. You do need to book and you need to take your passports with you if you do go - security is very tight. That's something to do on a return trip for us though.

Well worth getting the DK Eyewitness Top 10 Berlin guide. We found that really helpful for planning and had a good map too, though we got a bit lost on all the paths in Tiergarten and my ds was a little disconcerted by the sunbathing nudists! You don't get that in St James's Park...

You don't have the name if the hotel do you? I want your holiday!!! It sounds exactly what i was looking for!

hotel-angleterre.de/

As I said, it was a deal with BA - we had a really large comfortable twin room for ds & I with nice bathroom and wifi. Journey from Tegel there and back was about 45 minutes, very easy. Large buffet breakfast. The restaurant in the hotel isn't brilliant at night though - quite mediocre food - but there are plenty of places to find to eat around and about.

There are plenty of other hotels on the BA holiday thing other than that one. We didn't do AirB&B because Berlin had just changed the law, which I think they've now changed back again, about holiday apartments and it seemed a bit risky.

Hope that helps. Oh - and Tegel Airport is the absolute and utter pits. My niece lived in Berlin for a bit and my brother and s-i-l said it was the only airport they'd ever encountered that made Luton seem glamorous.

I was blown away by Berlin - it's possibly my favourite European city. The Checkpoint Charlie museum is well worth a visit - all a bit quirky, but so interesting.

Yes definitely. I will look out for it, if nothing else it gives the right area of town to look for. Public transport can be a bit troublesome as i have DS in a wheelchair so walking places is good. Ive fallen back in love with packages generally... everything booked and done through one company.

We did this last year and stayed as a family in the Mercure Checkpoint Charlie in a 2 bedroom suite which we booked cheaply through Booking.com. We did room only and just had pastries and coffee in the room for breakfast. We did 3 nights but had time to sightsee on the days we arrived and left. The Reichstag yours get really booked up so book before you go. We also did the Topography of Terror Museum, the DDR museum, the Berlin Wall Memorial Museum, Holocaust Museum and Berliner Dom - everything was walking distance except the Wall Memorial. It was a great trip.

Tours not yours!

I've just been it's a great place , really recommend . Transport is great so easy to get about . Lots to see .
We walked to brandenberg gate passed the Jewish memorial, the Berlin Wall up to checkpoint Charlie then got the underground to the tv tower all in the same day . Lots and lots to see really interesting place .
I didn't pay attention to history at school which was a shame as I love it now older . It's a sad history but very interesting and great to learn . Definitely recommend for your dc .

I booked with booking.com got a great package.