I do not know why, but the German capital has always had a certain fascination for me. I always imagined walking through its wide streets with modern buildings and with an underground touch. I always imagined it how it really is and this thing really surprised me. My expectations about Berlin have been fully met, if not exceeded, considering that many people have often alarmed me about the austerity of the city. I spent 2 and a half days in this beautiful city and, despite the short time, I explored it thoroughly so I want to give you all the necessary tips to plan a weekend in Berlin.
-do not expect lavish buildings, squares with large fountains and picturesque streets, but imagine a modern and avant-garde city where you will be able to feel the echo of many events that have marked indelible pages of the history.-
WEEKEND IN BERLIN: GENERAL INFORMATIONS
As usual we start with some general informations necessary to organize your weekend in Berlin, from which airport to choose to which is the best season to visit it.
Berlin Airport: where to land and how to get to the city
The city of Berlin has two airports: Schönefeld and Tegel. You have several ways to reach the city from the two airports:
- to reach Berlin from Schönefeld airport you can take the bus 171 or X7 leading to the Rudow U-Bahn underground station, the train Airport Express RE7 and RB14 to Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz and Ostbahnhof, the S9 S-Bahn or S45 metro or a taxi whose fare is around 50 euros;
- to reach Berlin from Tegel airport you can take the TXL Express Bus that goes to Alexanderplatz, the 109 and X9 buses that arrive at the Berlin Zoo or take a taxi whose fare is around 25 euros.
Berlin climate: what is the best time to visit it
The climate of Berlin is moderately continental with cold winters where temperatures reach zero degrees and hot summers. During the cold season it is recommended to wear warm clothing that allows you to walk through the streets of the city. Having visited the city on December 8th, I highly recommend you to chooseh the Christmas period for your weekend in Berlin or waiting for spring to enjoy its parks, the zoo and the trendy clubs located on the banks of the Spree.
Berlin at Christmas
Like many cities even the German capital acquires an incredible charm during the Christmas time. Visiting Berlin on Christmas, in fact, means to immerse yourself in its countless Christmas markets located along the main squares (like Alexanderplatz, Potsdamerplatz, Breitscheidplatz) where you can taste the best bratwurst of all time, fried potatoes for all freshly tapped beer. The whole thing on the notes of the most famous Christmas hits that make the atmosphere even more magical.
How to get around in Berlin
If you want to know what is the best way to get around in Berlin, you have to know that the city is really huge and it means that you can not explore it without public transports. The best solution is to move from one district to another is tanking the metro and visit the single neighborhoods by walking. Berlin is equipped with a metro with 15 lines marked with the letter S, abbreviation of S-Bahn and an underground with 9 lines indicated with the letter U, abbreviation of U-Bahn.
-the single ticket valid for 2 hours costs 2.30 euros, so it is better to buy a daily ticket for 6.30 euros.-
WEEKEND IN BERLIN: WHERE TO STAY
As for the neighborhood where to stay during your weekend in Berlin I recommend the Mitte district -mitte means “center”- where you will find the most important attractions such as Alexanderplatz, Berliner Dom, Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag Building.
Capri By Fraser Berlin
The hotel that hosted me during my trip to Berlin was the Capri By Fraser Berlin, a brand new hotel just a 15 minute walk from Alexanderplatz and the museum island. The hotel, which is located in the Mitte district, enjoys an extraordinary location, modern rooms and professional staff available 24 hours a day to solve any problem. In the morning you can have breakfast at the buffet or enjoy the specialties of Cafè Karamell whose cost, however, is not included in the price.
-click HERE to find out all the rates that Capri By Fraser Berlin has reserved for you.-
WEEKEND IN BERLIN: RECOMMENDED ITINERARIES
As I told yo the German capital is really huge so, before starting your weekend in Berlin, you will want to keep in mind your daily itineraries.
Day 1: Berlin Mitte
Spend your first day in the heart of Berlin, the Mitte district, where the main attractions are located. Depart from Alexanderplatz, famous for hosting the television tower and an important railway station. Then head to the majestic Berliner Dom, which rises near the Spree on the Museum Island where you will find the most important museums of the city.
- Do not miss the Pergamonmuseum which houses one of the most famous archaeological collections in the world. You can admire monumental works such as the Market Gate of Miletus, the reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate and the Pergamon Altar.-
After visiting the museum island, go through the Unter den Linden and go straight to the Brandenburg Gate, which will leave you speechless for its majesty. Passing through the gate on the right you will find the Reichstag Building with its glass dome overlooking the city and on the left you can reach in a few minutes the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which has now become one of the city’s symbols with its labyrinth of concrete blocks. Continuing on the road you will reach Potsdamer Platz where you can stop for lunch and in about 15 minutes walk, passing a road where you will notice some remains of the Berlin Wall, you will arrive at Checkpoint Charlie, one of the crossing points between East and West Berlin that today is a grandiose tourist trap.
Day 2: East Gallery and Kreuzberg
For the second day in Berlin, plan a visit to the East Gallery: it is the longest section of the Berlin Wall still standing and covered with amazing murals made by artists from all over the world. The murals, created to celebrate the fall of the wall, recall historical scenes, praise the peace and bring back political slogans. Walking through the entire east gallery and after crossing the Spree you will reach the Kreuzberg district that is famous for its lively nightlife. Being a purely residential area you can explore its streets to find out small vintage shops, ethnic restaurants and very underground corners crossed by the elevated railway line.
Day 3: Kurfürstendamm
The Kurfürstendamm is one of the main shopping streets of Berlin, the road crosses 3 districts and is home to luxury shops and clothing retailers. The boulevard is located in a rich and affluent area of West Berlin and offers a 3.5 km walk through shops, theaters, art galleries and restaurants. Kurfürstendamm ends in the square where there is the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, a church almost completely destroyed during the 2nd World War and today surrounded by modern buildings.
-after this long walk visit the famous Berlin Zoo which is located inside the Tiergarten park.-
WEEKEND IN BERLIN: RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTLIFE
Berlin is famous for its nightlife. If you visit the city in winter and walks in the evening do not be afraid of the deserted streets because entering the bars and restaurants you will be surprised by the amount of people that populate them. The restaurants I recommend for dinner are La Lucha, a well-designed Mexican restaurant, and Kindl Stuben, a brewery where you can sample typical German dishes such as spatzle and bratwurst with sauerkraut.
As for clubs and nightclubs, given the fame of Berlin’s nightlife, guys from all over the world choose it as a destination for partying and listening to techno music (the Watergate is one of the most famous nightclubs). Berlin, however, is also dotted with bars where you can have a drink and listen to music after dinner and among these I recommend you the Crocodile and the Wurgeengel, both in the Kreuzberg area.
The travel guided dedicated to a weekend in Berlin ends here, hope that you liked it. Now i want to remind you that in my instagram stories highlights you can find all the videos that i took during my trip.
-are you a travel addicted? So click HERE and don't miss the post dedicated to Amsterdam!-
