Berlin is one of the cheapest places in Europe that I’ve visited, but it is also one of the most interesting. With a thick, dark and rich history, it is a city that needs to be visited. Beyond Berlin’s history, there’s a thriving art and culture scene that is one of the best in Europe. Berlin is also home to a very outrageous and fun nightlife. If I could pick one place to live in Europe, it would be Berlin. Despite visiting twice in the blistering cold of winter, I fell madly in love with this city. Once you’ve figured out where to stay in Berlin, you’ll need to figure out what to do and here are my top five things to do in Berlin:
Visit the Holocaust Memorial:
Much of Berlin is gray and concrete, and this memorial is no different. Walk through the large granite blocks that are arranged in such a way to make you feel lost. These blocks resemble tombstones and their layout is very disorientating. It is a very unusual memorial, but I found it to be very striking. Underneath there is a museum that you should at least an hour or two to visit.
Neues Museum:
Berlin isn’t known for beaming sunshine, so if you visit on a gray or rainy day, you should make your way to the Neues Museum – hope to one of the most fascinating collections of Egyptian collections in the world. It is worth buying a Berlin Museum pass if you’re interested in visiting more than one museum. Also, bare in mind the staff at this museum are quite unfriendly and most bags will have to be checked. Despite this, this museum is definitely worth a half-day visit.
Enjoy a drink at Mein Haus am See:
This café claims the title of one of my favourite cafes in the entire world. When I was visiting Berlin one day was absolutely terribly and icy cold, so I checked out the Couchsurfing community to see whether there were any meets going on. An English girl living in Berlin had organized a coffee meet up at Mein Haus am See and I headed along. We spent a lazy Sunday, an international bunch of travelers and expats, discussing life while indulging in some of the best coffee I had in Europe. It’s definitely work checking out and is so Berlin.
Walk along the East Side Gallery:
Yes, it’s clichéd, but really no visit to Berlin would be complete without visiting the largest outdoor exhibition space in the world. As a fan of art, I thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of the paintings and the hope it brings. Transforming such a dark part of Berlin’s history into a visual banquet is just the type of forward thinking that Berliners are known for. Allow yourself some time to browse the wall properly, while soaking in the separation and pain the former Berlin Wall caused.
Brandenburger Tor:
This is one of Germany’s most popular landmarks, and for good reason. Originally built over 300 years ago, it has endured a number of wars and been number of different symbols throughout its history. Since 1989 and the fall of the Berlin Wall the Brandenburger Tor symbolizes the reunification of Germany. At night it looks incredible, lit up and without the hoards of tourists. However, during the day this turns into a bustling hotspot with flocks of entertaining and talented buskers.
These are my favourite top five things to do in Berlin. Did I miss anything essential from this list? Share your favourite things to do in Berlin in the comments below.
