Clueless traveler guide: Berlin

[Betonov]

Off to Berlin for the new years. For 5 whole days. So, places to see, museums to visit, clubs to go, restaurants to eat, streets to avoid, prices, people, customs... the works

So, any suggestions and ideas

[Skybird]

Have lived there for ten years, but honestly cannot recommend to go there at all.

Berliner mentality: many of the young ones nowadays have moved there and are no original Berliners. The old-fashioned Berliners however can be extremely unfriendly and call that "Berliner Schnauze", meaning it as a hasrh but heartly attitude. But it isn'T, it simply is lacking politeness and lack of care and manners. Do not be surprised if occassionally you happen to run into an older Berliner and catch yourself some snappy comment out of the blue. Don'T start arguments, it only gets you into more of the same - stay Vulcan.

Museums: Deutsches Museum, or the Museumsinsel with a whole collection of such - places... No museum fan myself, I admit.

If it were spring or summer or autumn, I would say make sure you catch a sight of the large forests and lakes, Berlin is the greeniest city of its size in Europe. Some nice cafes out there.

Surrounding the Western Grunewald to the East, where Charlottenburg and Zehlendorf districts are located, you have the richer, nicier part of Berlin homes. The Eastern parts of the city, and the centre, are more dirty, emotionless, lacking asthetic and "Gemütlichkeit". Some streets have been renovated since the wall came down, some not.

Do not underestimate the danger level of Berlin by night, this has changed dramatically since the 80s. Where I used to go alone at night back then, I wouldn't do that today anymore. Almost every day there is news in the papers of street violence, burning cars, and people getting beaten up in the subway. My father left the city four years ago or so, and until the end had to drive car in the late evening (being an orchestra musician), he also said that it grew worse during the thirty years he was there. That should not be a dramatic appeall by me, I just mean: be careful, do not walk alone in the subway at night, such things.

Biggest shopping malls are 1st the Kurfürstendamm from Breitscheidplatz in the East to Adenauer Plaza in the West, and 2nd the Schlossstrasse in Schöneberg, especially it'S Western half. These two are the biggest there are. Nightlife for the most seems to be located in the former "East" of the city, though, but is said to slowly shift back to the former Western city's centre around the Kurfürstendamm. Cannot judge that myself, I never was a club examiner checking a "scene".

East of Berlin is a famous natural area that maybe also in winter is worth the day tour, the Spreewald. An ethjnic minority lives there embewdded both in the beautiful nature with many small rivers and the forest, and its traditions. But this is probbaly not what you are looking for, so... Just wanted to mention it. I am more the landscapes and nature type, you see. Museums and city life usually do not catch my interest.

Ooops, almpost fprgot that: watch where you are walking. The city is incredibly dirty - lots of dogsh!te almost everywhere. Dog owners simply do not care.

[TLAM Strike]

I'm guessing your more interested in the Military stuff since your posting on Subsim. Keep in mind I've never been to Berlin, but I know of these places.

At the Allied Museum in the old American Sector they have the guard shack from Check Point Charlie, and one of the Berlin Air Lift transports. At the site of Check Point Charlie there is another museum that chronicles the wall and the different escape attempts; they have a midget submarine there that was used to cross the Baltic.

At the Soviet War Memorial there are some Howitzers and T-34s.

There is the "Topography of Terror" Museum which chronicles the SS and Gestapo.

The Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr (German Air Force museum) has a bunch of aircraft.

[Skybird]

Oh, I forgot Gatow, former RAF base. It is a military aviation museum - and a pretty big one.

Check Google Earth at N52°28'24"/E13°08'35".

[Jimbuna]

A few sites of info:

http://www.visitberlin.de/en

http://www.visitberlin.de/en/plan/city-info

http://www.justberlin.org/

[Betonov]

Thanks and keep them comming

I'll write a guide and publish it for Subsimers when I return. I just hope the term Clueless traveler isn't already taken, I like it P.S. Yep, already taken (blody hell khm I mean Verdamnt), need a new name

@Skybird's first post: sounds just like Ljubljana

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Oh, I forgot Gatow, former RAF base. It is a military aviation museum - and a pretty big one.

That's where TLAM's Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr is.

Just about everything now that contains RAF is preceded by the word 'former'

[Egan]

I've been a couple of times and I really like it. The Pergammon Museum is one of my favourites, and is worth visiting for the Ishtar Gates alone. I also second TLAM Strike's suggestion of the Topography of Terror exhibition at the former Gestapo and SS HQ. It's incredibly moving.

Gallery wise, I haven't actually manage a whole lot there, but I did visit and really like the Neue Nationalgalerie which has a focus on modernist art and the 20th century. Perhaps the place I was glad to have visited the most was the Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz where, in early 42, Heydrich had his infamous meeting to decide on the Final Solution. It's a bit of hike out from the town but well worth seeing.

Other than attractions I have found Berlin to be a brilliant city for just wondering around in. Do the touristy stuff - the Tiergarden, the Brandenburg gate, Unter Der Linden...all that sort of thing. Public transport is cheap and quick so you can hop from area to area as your fancy takes you.

I bow to Skybird's first hand knowledge of Berlin, but i never felt any hassle at all - even wondering around at night in a couple of fair states - mind you I live in Glasgow and have holidayed in a fair few total hellholes in my time so I may just be pretty thick skinned when it comes to that sort of thing. I would actually go as far as to say that I felt safer in Berlin on a Friday and Saturday night than I ever have at home.

My feeling of it is that it's a very cool city with a bunch of very vibrant communities. I've met a whole bunch of very friendly, chilled people there and will go back as soon as I can. I'll also tell you this: if I was 21, I would seriously consider moving there.

As for the dog-turds. If you've ever been to Paris, Berlin is sterile in comparison!

[Catfish]

There's tons to discover in Berlin.
From concerts (rock and others) to all kinds of parties, or more historical sites and museums, then most people are open-minded and the city has - other than wannabe cities like Hannover - real international flair.

I really can't understand what some here are talking about. Paris is certainly fascinating, as is London. But Berlin has become THE place to go in the last years, as they say "anyone who wants to be "in" goes to Berlin, all others are already there !"

Just go there and look, and have fun

[August]

Originally Posted by Skybird

The city is incredibly dirty

This I find difficult to believe. Not doubting you at all Sky, it's just so,... unGerman!

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by August

This I find difficult to believe. Not doubting you at all Sky, it's just so,... unGerman!

Next he'll be telling us the trains don't run on time.

[August]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Next he'll be telling us the trains don't run on time.

I once saw a German train pull into the station about 10 minutes late. The station master came out and tore a patch off the conductors butt that would have carpeted the reichstag.

[Dan D]

Bicycle tour trip Berlin:

Rent a bike and cycle the Havel bike trail from Oranienburg to Potsdam. The trail joins part of the Berlin Wall trail .

Lots of history along the route:
KZ Sachsenhausen (Entrance is at "Tower A", from there all the way to "Station Z", the extermination station.
Wannsee Konferenz
Glienicker Brücke („bridge of spies“)
Potsdamer Konferenz

That is what it looks like on the map:
http://maps.google.de/maps?saddr=Im+...ra=ls&t=m&z=10

I did the same tour last year when I cycled part of the Havel river trail. If I remember correctly, it can be done on a single day. The tours includes crossing the Wannsee on a ferry.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Next he'll be telling us the trains don't run on time.

Which actually is true. And the city trains called S-Bahn will maybe not drive at all. It's incompetence and mismanagement there since years. Therefore, the Berliner S-Bahn is in the headlines at least once a week. Their trains are not winter-proof and tend to breakl down. We had that with several ICE trains last winter as well. And frozen toilets, and trains with temperatures at zero degrees.

Germany is not that German anymore at all!

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Which actually is true. And the city trains called S-Bahn will maybe not drive at all. It's incompetence and mismanagement there since years. Therefore, the Berliner S-Bahn is in the headlines at least once a week. Their trains are not winter-proof and tend to breakl down. We had that with several ICE trains last winter as well. And frozen toilets, and trains with temperatures at zero degrees.

Germany is not that German anymore at all!

Yeah, but have they ever claimed that leaves have brought the network to a standstill? Or ever the wrong type of snow?