Berlin

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Berlin is a city with a great historical past, including World War II and the Cold War, and you can see that everywhere in the city. On the one hand, the city looks gray and drab, but on the other hand, the city is extremely interesting and valuable to visit, especially because of all the sights that have a lot of historical value. Berlin has many different museums, beautiful buildings, beautiful street art and many nice places for a cup of coffee or a beer. Plenty to do and see in Berlin and that makes the city an ideal city trip for at least 2 days.

Branderburger Tor

Probably the most famous building in Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate. From Under den Linden, a long avenue with trees and beautiful buildings, you arrive at the Branderburger Tor. These only surviving and old, but renovated city gates from the 18th century symbolize unity and the unification of the country after the 2nd World War. These only surviving and old, but renovated city gates from the 18th century symbolize unity and the unification of the country after the 2nd World War. The gate is beautifully lit in the evening and it is therefore recommended to go that way later in the afternoon. In the early morning it is still quiet at the Branderbuger Tor and therefore a suitable time to go if you do not want too many people around you. Get off with the S Bahn (underground) at station S2 or S55 (Brandenburger Tor) or U Bahn station U6 (Französische Strasse) if you want to walk on Unter den Linden first.

Holocaust Memorial

The Holocaust Memorial is an impressive monument, made to commemorate all Jews who died in the 2nd World War. The monument consists of hundreds of concrete blocks that stand on a hilly surface. As you walk between the blocks, your perspective changes continuously as you change in height. The monument wants to let you experience how the Jews in the concentration camps must have felt, disoriented and see no way out. Below the monument is an information center that you can visit for free to learn more about the history of the Jewish people. The Holocaust memorial can be reached on foot from the Brandenburg Gate.

Fernsehturm & Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz is one of the most famous squares in Berlin, but is best known for the high television tower on the square, the Fernsehturm. You can’t ignore it, at 368 meters this is the tallest building in Berlin. You can take a lift up to 203 meters for a beautiful panoramic view of the city. Want to save time and avoid standing in line? You can buy tickets online or at the machines in the Fernsehturm itself. Tickets cost €22.50 per person. If you want to make the visit even more special, you can also have lunch or dinner in the Fernsehturm. The prices for the meals are not even very high and that is probably also the reason why you often have to book longer in advance, because it is quickly fully booked. Keep that in mind. The easiest way to get to Alexanderplatz is to get off the U Bahn at station U5 (Alexanderplatz). However, there are many attractions nearby, and a lot can be done on foot.

Architecture

If you walk from the Fernsehturm over the river Spree to the Gendarmenmarkt you will pass several beautiful buildings, including the Berlin Cathedral. If you walk from the Fernsehturm over the river Spree to the Gendarmenmarkt you will pass several beautiful buildings, including the Berlin Cathedral. Once at the top you have a view of the Mitte district, you can see Unter den Linden and the Fernsehturm. The costs for this are €7.00 per person. From the park next to the cathedral you have a beautiful view of the cathedral and it is a nice place to relax. On the Gendarmenmarktyou will find beautiful buildings with a rich history and nice terraces to sit down for a while. Take a walk through this neighborhood and you will find the most beautiful architecture.

Checkpoint Charlie

Another well-known landmark is Checkpoint Charlie, a former border and checkpoint during the Cold War. This transition allowed people to travel from West Berlin to East Berlin and vice versa. Checkpoint Charlie is no longer authentic, but it does give an impression of what it must have been like. If you are interested in more information about the border crossing and, for example, how people fled to the other part of the city, pay a visit to the adjacent Mauer Museum. The museum is open from 09:00 – 22:00 and costs €14.50 per person, accessible by U Bahn station U6 (Checkpoint Charlie).

Berlin Wall – East Side Gallery

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which divided the city into East and West, remaining parts of the wall were painted by many artists. This resulted in a long gallery of art that is well worth a visit. You can walk along the many paintings in peace, view them and let the images sink in. If you come from Alexanderplatz, walk towards The Wallmuseum from where you can cross the Spree river via the Oberbaumbrücke. Across the river you will find the Wrangelkiezdistrict where you will find different Street art on the buildings. Nice to walk through, in a less known and touristy neighborhood.

From & to the center

Many roads lead to Berlin. You can not only travel by car, with which you can drive to the city, but alternatively you can also travel by train or plane. In the city itself you can use the bus, taxi or the extensive metro system. The metro is ideal for quickly bridging the different distances in the city between the sights. You can buy U/S Bahn tickets per piece for €3.00 per trip per person (valid for 2 hours), but you can buy a 24-hour ticket for €8.80 per person within zones A and B or €9 .20 for zones B and C. For all zones, A, B and C, you pay € 10.00 per person for a 24-hour ticket.