Berlin

[wishingchair1]

Booked to go to Berlin in June fingers crossed for 3 nights with two daughters 9 and 12. Just wondering what cool things would be great to do whilst we are there. I know it is quite a contemporary city, so thinking lots of quirky stuff out there on top of tourist attractions.

I dontknow, but my son is desperate visit Berlin , so thanks for staring this thread. Where are you staying?

The cards are worth it if you want the attractions on the card. If you don’t it’s often not worth it. You need to work out what you want to see and what you can walk to,. We stayed just off Unter Den Linden so quite a few places we wanted to visit were near enough to walk. Museums and Reichstag we’re quite close. So check out where you are staying and your itinerary.

Sorry don't know how to tag names. Staying at Hotel Bristol, as wanted a pool. Although with city breaks, you don't get much down time.

You are in a lovely neighbourhood but it’s not central. The official Pass takes money off travel’s but doesn’t include anywhere we went regarding places to see and museums etc. you have Charlottenbourg and wonderful shopping nearby. I would probably just pay for the travel you need.

Thanks Tizer, yes looking at area we look around 20 min by train to most things. We tend to be out all day so guess once out we'll be central to most things.

Well depends what you want to see. I would plan my days to minimise travel.

We are visiting in April, someone in our party has a medical condition and needs regular loo stops. Are there public toilets in shops and museums or are loos few and far between? Thanks for any suggestions

Nearly ready for our trip. Thanks for our suggestions. Have booked the Reichstag, Spy Museum and the TV tower, the planning to go with the flow and see where we end up.
Was recommended a app called BVG which you can buy travel tickets on and plan routes. So will try that.

Has anyone been recently, I am literally being stupid with travel regs. 2 adults all triple vaccinated, 1 12 year old vaccinated twice and 1 child 9 not vaccinated. From what I read, I don't need to do anything else or fill any location forms. However, I'm doubting myself. (That plus all the news about the passports).

Would love to hear how you get on! Planning July with 13 & 15 yr old. Bit worried about heat so might need to opt for some indoor stuff. Thinking bus tour, wall, reichstag, tropical islands, Ritter shop & maybe a mall. Interested in film studio but can’t see booking….. locating outdoor pools could be good!

Glowlamp I looked at tropical Islands but it seemed over 2 hrs on public transport. Thanks for reminding me about the Ritter shop.

I recently moved back from living in Berlin for 5 years, it's a great city. I would recommend:

Go to Hackersher Markt, it's close to Alexanderplatz, from here you can walk to the river and museum island/Berliner Dom. There is also Hackersherhofe nearby - it's a beautiful huge old building full of little artisan designers, it's nice to walk around. From there catch a tram or walk to Rosenthaler Platz and then walk/tram up to Eberswalder Str. There are lots of nice places to eat around there. Also nearby is the Berlin wall museum (Bernauer Str) and Mauer park (big market there selling all sorts on a Sunday).

Also Tempelhof Airport is fascinating as it's history spans from WWII through the DDR times and the runway area is a huge park but the runways are still there.

You can see the berlin wall along the river at Warschauer Str. If you head north from there over the bridge you get to Friedrichshain where there are lots of nice restaurants and also a great flea market on Sundays.

There are a lot of lakes in Berlin for swimming in the summer but they do get busy.

It's such a wonderful city, I spent years there and kept finding new interesting things. You could catch a train to kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte or Friedrichshain and just walk around, there's so much to see.

Also a note if you buy a ticket for the train or tram from a machine make sure you stamp it at the machine next to the ticket machine, otherwise you may get a 60euro fine if you are caught by a ticket inspector. If you buy one on the app you have to wait a minute before you can get on or you can get a fine too.

@AllTalkNo there are a few public toilets. Restaurants will usually expect you to pay 1 euro to use the toilet - it's rare for then not to charge unless you are a customer.

Also if you gave teenagers they might like the area around Urban Spree - it's an art gallery near the Berlin wall, it's just quite a cool place, street art, graffiti etc. It's where the flea market is on Sundays but you can walk around there anyday.

Last time I travelled to there in march I didn't have to do a locator form. When I was there in March/April it was still a legal requirement to wear masks on public transport (must be an ffp2 mask as well). There are guards who check and you can be fined if not wearing one. I think they dropped masks in shops but they were checking vaccination status in some shops. By the summer that will probably have changed though!

Shameless place marking

Just wondering do places still take cash ie transport etc. So used to just using cards but we've got euros to use up.

Getting excited now, just hope flights go ahead. Already had to move airports due to cancelled flight.

Any last minute ideas and tips?

If you need a cheap or picnic lunch get a filled roll and a cake from a backerei, usually delicious.
And have a wonderful time, I am feeling quite envious. Please report back as to how you found it. I love Berlin, great city.

At the eastern end of Oranienburger Strasse in Mitte (formerly in the East) are the www.berlin.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/3560128-3558930-hackesche-hoefe.html

If you would like a rest from heavy historical stuff these are lovely buildings with craft associations, they have interesting 'bit' for sale in the day time. And at night really are a gateway to the amazing night life of Berlin.

Enjoy.

I haven't been to DE post covid but remember Germany as the most electronic cash resistant, cash loving society ever.

I'm sure you will be able to use up Euros.

Just a update. We made it after a few flight hiccups.
We had a fab time, ended up doing the Tv tower, spy museum, Reichstag , Brandenburg gate, Check point Charlie, Ritter Sport and Galleries Laffyette.

Checkpoint Charlie we just fell on, nothing too exciting bit there was a outdoor sort of hippy market, DJ garden etc next to it that told more of the history.

Spy museum I'd definitely recommend. Great value and fun.

Reichstag, thanks for who gave us the tip and to book on for security clearance around a month before. If you do go and register, make sure you confirm the registration once it comes through. It was amazing, although the height of the dome freaked me out. I'm a lush these days and think the children are going to fall over bannisters.

RitterSport chocolate making, I thought we would make it ourselves but you just choose your combinations. It was fun though and value for 4 euros. It was a 40 min wait though for it to be collected. Galleries Lafyette massive department store was next door for a browse, drink.

TV tower again was well worth it and quiet. We didn't do the rotating restaurant but the viewing part was great and nice to get a drink and chill.

Food and drink I thought was really reasonable. We ate in the west side and had some lovely meals, drinks and weren't scrimping as we are greedy!! coming to €70 euros for 4 starters, sides, mains, wine etc. Gorgeous places aswell. You could have really eaten on a budget though, even the tourist attraction cafes were a euro a cake, coffee etc, 2/3 euros a sandwich. If you wanted to do supermarkets and make your own, verrry cheap.

Anyway the highlight of being abroad for the last 3 years
for a 12 year old girl.... German Primark:)

Thanks for the update :)
sounds good

@wishingchair1 can I ask how did you find your hotel?

For anyone else who is going they have a 9 Eur ticket for public transport that lasts a month! This is for June / July/ Aug - amazing value. In fact it’s so cheap no one is checking tickets at all :)

@macey78

I found it on Hotels.com
Or did you mean what did I think of it?
The hotel was nice, we got a suite, the room was a bit tired and dated but big and 2 bathrooms! The pool and spa were nice, downstairs was lovely and the breakfast was fab. It was a great location, near the zoo and transport.