Berlin Traveller Tips

Berlin is full of things to see and do. No matter what time of the year you come and how much time you have, this city never disappoints its tourists for the wide range of cultural, historical and leisure activities it has to offer. Being a great reference among European cities, Berlin is crowned every year as one of the most visited.

However, despite boasting of being a cosmopolitan capital and in the wave of the world economy, you should always take into account certain tips for traveling to Berlin that you may not have considered while planning your trip. The climate, the way to move around, the types of tours or the payment methods are factors that, if you learn them from home, will make things much easier for you. Do you want to know more? Well, keep reading and I'll tell you all about it!

Surely more than one would like to have endless vacations with which to devote all the time in the world to travel. However, the reality is that most European cities are usually visited in 2 or 3 days getaways and this, sadly, limits a lot of time to visit and learn in depth.

Fortunately, there is a quite comfortable and useful way to know in just two hours all the most important points of Berlin. I recommend that, if you have only 2 days to get to know Berlin, you get on a tourist bus that, for about 25 € will give you a ride of about two hours around the city. This way, you can get a rough idea of the city, see iconic places such as the Brandenburg Gate and, in addition, it will give you the orientation for the rest of the trip.

This type of guided tour is also adapted to any weather, so you can take it in summer, going upstairs to enjoy the good weather, or in winter, taking shelter downstairs from the cold and rain.

Berlin, like other European cities, is fully adapted to allow bicycles to pedal to their heart's content. So much so that it has become just another means of transport. If you want to move freely and get to know the city in a more leisurely and personal way, it is always a good option to rent a bike for a day and explore the city center at your leisure.

This type of media has become so popular that you can find different routes and bike tours, adapted to the lanes and accessible areas and in which you can pass through the most important points of the city. Berlin is a fairly flat city in terms of terrain, so it will not be an excessive effort to be pedaling all day.

For less than 20 € you can get a bike for the whole day, or even get a card to take and access the public bicycle system, with which you can ride the first hour for only 1 €. Definitely an entertaining and unique way to get to know the city and, while you're at it, burn a few calories.

One of the best tips I can give you if you come to Berlin only for two or three days is to organize your visit by getting to know the different districts. The German capital is very big and sometimes it can be overwhelming. One way to optimize your trip and time, is organizing the different activities by districts and exploring each area and everything it has to offer.

Here is a list of the main districts of Berlin and their strengths so that you can choose the ones that most interest you during your visit:

• Mitte: it is the center of the city, the area where almost all the tourist attractions are located and where years ago the Jewish Quarter was settled.
• Charlottenburg: one of the most traditional and classic districts, it gives a sample of the most bourgeois Berlin.
• Kreuzberg: it is the most artistic and urban district, where you can find the famous graffiti and more youthful atmosphere.
• Prenzlauer Berg: it is a residential neighborhood that preserves a very traditional architecture in its houses. You can find restaurants and places to go out at night.
• Neikölln: the most idle neighborhood, ideal for having fun and socializing.

When it comes to traveling to cities as big as Berlin, one of the most important points that can determine the success of your trip is the way you choose to move around. There are cities that you can walk without any problem in a day, but the German capital needs a means of transportation to better optimize your visit.

The entire city has a public transport network consisting of bus, subway and streetcar. These three means of transport connect all parts of the city. One of the most comfortable and recommended is the tramway, which was installed in Soviet times, and passes through the most important points of the city. The average price of public transport in Berlin is 1.50€ per single ticket.

Berlin Pass

Although there are passes to reduce costs, I recommend that if you come to the city for more than two days and you are focused on sightseeing and getting to know the city in depth, you get the Berlin Pass, a pass designed for visitors who come to see the most important points. With this pass, you will not only have access to most of the museums and activities, but you will also have coverage for all public transport. The price is usually around 50 € all inclusive.

Berlin Welcome Card

If you want to move freely around the city while you are there and have discounts on attractions, another option is to get the Berlin Welcome Card, a pass that provides you with the transportation you need for a fixed price that is usually around 25 €.

Berlin will surprise you at any time of the year, but, if it comes to recommend when is the best time, this is certainly when temperatures are high and there is no risk of rain. You should know that during the autumn months, Berlin can reach -4 degrees and it is somewhat unpleasant to walk around the city.

However, from the month of May, temperatures begin to rise favorably and the streets and squares begin to come alive, filling with terraces and a youthful atmosphere. Berlin in summer may be more crowded with tourists, but I assure you that, if you organize yourself well, this will not be a problem and you will be able to enjoy all the outdoor panoramas to know 100% the German capital.

Just strolling through the center of Berlin and having a drink on one of its terraces is something worthwhile. However, if you know a little better how the city works throughout the week, you can make the most of it and get to know the German capital in a much cheaper, closer and more popular way. I will tell you some of the weekly plans that you can't miss.

Listen to the Philharmonic for free on Tuesdays

Listening live to the incredible Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra seems a luxury available to few. However, every Tuesday at one o'clock in the afternoon, the Philharmonic building, located in Herbert-von-Karajan-Str. 1, opens its doors for free to everyone who wants to listen.

No admission is required and it is free of charge. The only thing I recommend is that you go about 30 or 40 minutes before so you don't run out of seats.

Enjoy the best street food on Thursdays

German gastronomy is quite rich and comforting but, if you do not want to have to go to knife and fork restaurants and prefer to try more everyday food, you should know that every Thursday is installed the so-called Street Food Thursday, a weekly food fair that is organized in Eisebahnstraße 42/43 and offers a wide variety of dishes at a very affordable price and with free access if you simply want to go for a walk and learn a little better this rich cuisine.

If you come to Berlin for more than three days, I strongly advise you to take advantage of the time to get to know the surroundings of the city. It is clear that the capital alone can offer you an unforgettable experience full of panoramas. But, since you have already made the whole trip to the German capital, it is interesting to get to know its surroundings.

The good thing about Berlin is that it is located in a point of the country from where you have several places of interest less than 1 hour away. Thus, there are many excursions and tours from Berlin that show you an important part of Germany's history and are worth dedicating part of your trip to.

Sachsenhausen concentration camp

I'm not going to deceive you, this tour can be quite hard and in no case it is advisable to do with small children. But, if you want to know the history of Germany, it is necessary. It is a visit to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, used during the Nazi era.

There, you can have a guided tour through all the sheds, crematoria and courtyards where such barbarities that conditioned world history were committed. The entrance to these tours is usually around 25 €, they usually last half a day and I assure you that they will not leave you indifferent.

Potsdam

If what you want is a short excursion to know the German splendor, I recommend you to hire a tour of Potsdam, one of the most stately cities in Germany.

The place was commissioned by Frederick II and has a multitude of castles and palaces just an hour from Berlin. These tours usually cost 20 € and are ideal if you want to know a more bourgeois part of German culture.

Berlin is a city that can boast of having visitors all year round. However, in high season, millions of people go to walk its streets, visit its museums and see firsthand the remains of the wall. That is why one of the best recommendations, especially if you are traveling with children to Berlin, is to make sure you book in advance to avoid long lines.

This might be a pretty general recommendation, but believe me there are tourist attractions in Berlin that, if you don't secure your tickets before coming to the city two or three weeks in advance, it will be impossible for you to get in.

One of these places is the famous German Parliament. To enter, it is mandatory to come with your reserved ticket. No tickets are sold at the box office and, due to its great popularity, it becomes impossible to get tickets from one day to the next. If you don't want to miss the spectacular views from the dome of the Bundestag, I recommend you to go to their official website and book in advance.

Last but not least, keep in mind that if we travel to Berlin in advance it is best to book a parking space at the airport. This way we will save a little money that we can use in some activity during our trip.

Berlin is known as one of the capitals of techno in Europe and that's why one of the best tips I can give you is to take advantage of a night out to get to know the atmosphere in Berlin.

Although, like most European cities, Berlin closes its stores and attractions early, the truth is that the nightlife is very wide and you can find nightclubs that are open all night as Berghain.

If you decide to go out at night in Berlin I have two recommendations for you. The first one is that, in spite of having a lot of fame for partying, Berlin does not usually have areas or neighborhoods dedicated exclusively to leisure, so the clubs are scattered around the city and it is difficult to move from one to another; the best thing is that you have clear in advance where you want to go to spend the night.

The second thing is that, before you go, be clear about what kind of party you are going to because, although in Berlin they are quite flexible with fashion stereotypes, there are some parties or events that require a certain type of outfit and they are even able to forbid you to enter if you do not go as the invitation dictates.

It may seem a bit strange in this day and age, but Berlin is a city where carrying cash can always get you out of a tight spot.

It is true that in the downtown areas and in the vicinity of tourist attractions, most of the establishments, souvenir stores and restaurants accept cards when paying without a minimum amount. However, if you go a little off the beaten track, it is very likely that the locals will only accept cash.

If you are walking around the city in the middle of summer and want to buy a bottle of water at a kiosk, they may not let you pay with a card and you may have to resort to some cash. Keep this in mind when traveling and always carry something loose in your wallet to avoid incidents.

With all these tips, your visit to Berlin is sure to be perfect and unforgettable. Now all you have to do is pack your bags and get on a plane to visit the fascinating German capital.