Are you planning to visit the capital city of Germany? Awesome idea, I must say. Berlin is one of the cities in Europe with a really interesting vibe. I can't precisely describe what it felt like when I arrived there but it certainly was worth a visit!
This post contains a complete guide on how to stay in Berlin for the whole 2 days and tips where to go in this marvelous city to really experience its life. If you have any questions or additional notes to the content of this post, feel free to leave a comment below, a like, chat with me live or send me an e-mail. Any kind of activity from you guys will be very much appreciated.
How did I get there?
Since this trip was planned a lot ahead and I went with many of my friends, we traveled by a coach. For me in fact, Germany is quite close which means the journey took us about 9 hours and we traveled overnight. It is definitely possible to take a plane to get here if you live far or Europeans often travel by car.
Day 1
We picked the "East Berlin" for our first day. Therefore, we got to see most of the historical part of the city. As many of you know, Berlin was divided into two parts after WW2, the East Berlin which belonged to the Soviet sector and the West Berlin which was formed by sectors of Western Allies (the UK, USA, and France).
Here's the list of places and activities ideal for your first day in Berlin.
East Side Gallery
We are talking about an open-air gallery – isn't that amazing?! East Side Gallery is a collection of artworks painted on the remains of the Berlin Wall. The artworks are stunning originals created by local artists and are totally worth a visit!
The Berlin Wall
Don't forget to track the remains of the wall. You will get to memorials or exhibitions and might find out something new about the history of the city. You may be surprised, there are entire concrete segments of the whole wall at some places in Berlin but you will also bump into just stakes representing the actual construction. The atmosphere along the wall and especially the memorials can get a little chilling. However, it is a part of our history and should never be ignored.
Museuminsel (Museum Island)
This area is truly a great place to visit in Berlin. If you feel like you are not in the mood to visit various interesting museums, Museuminsel offers a chance to recover. Go ahead and sit in the green grass – have a picnic, or sit on a bench instead.
The only thing you should be aware of is that there are going to be a lot of random people trying to sell roses or something in tourist areas in Berlin. It is safer not to buy the flowers and simply tell the sellers to leave you.
We visited the Pergamon Museum and got to admire the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. My advice is: better book the tickets in advance. You will avoid long queues in front of the museums.
Unter den Linden Strasse
If you walk from Museuminsel along the Humboldt-University, you will get to a boulevard called Unter den Linden Strasse ("the street under linden trees"). Running from the City Palace to Brandenburg Gate, it is named after the linden trees that line the grass pedestrian mall and two broad carriageways. The street offers a nice place to take photos.
Café's
Berlin is full of extravagant young people and some of them even own coffee shops. My friends and I found a perfect hipster café where they spoke very nice English and had amazing food, coffee, and lemonades. The location of the coffee shop recommended by the Trip Advisor as well is available after clicking this link: https://fathercarpenter.com/ Enjoy!
Day 2
Spree River Cruise
I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the boats that will take you on a perfect cruise on the river Spree. This type of attraction will enable you to admire Berlin from a different perspective. The river flows through the heart of Berlin so you will be able to see basically everything.
Memorial To The Murdered Jews Of Europe (the Holocaust Memorial)
Denkmal für die ermodeten Juden Europas was really one of the most touching places visited for me in Berlin. I must say that with the idea of it and its architecture, this memorial is really amazing. Concrete blocks representing the Jewish people standing on a hilly ground whilst the hills represent the falls and rises of the Jewish nation. Is that not clever? If you are not into history that much this memorial offers a great location to relax and is very photogenetic.
Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburger Tor is definitely a key sight in Berlin. If you go to this city, this will totally be your go-to location. The gate is simply magnificent as is the historical background of it.
Charlottenburg Palace
If you are sad we haven't been in any chateau or palace then this is the sight for you. This baroque and rococo palace got its name from Sophie Charlotte, the wife of Friedrich I. who was the first king of Prussia.
Shopping Mall Europe-Center
This might be your last point on your itinerary-list so better make the most out of your shopping. Besides souvenirs, you will be able to shop in many stores known worldwide.
If you have time to spare, go ahead and visit half-destroyed Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church which was stroke by an explosion during a bombarding at WW2.
And if this is not enough for you...
Other places worth a visit:
Potsdamer Platz
Fernsehturm (TV tower)
Checkpoint Charlie
What Berlin is like...
I had mixed feelings while walking through the city. It is not really a city for tourism but for living. Berlin is full of life and joy in contrast to its dreadful history. I would basically call it a reborn city.