Berlin Advice Please

[ofco8]

You must go onto the roof of the Reichstag (the parliament building). British architect Norman Foster designed the glass dome with the spiral walkway on the inside. Great views of city. Near
Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden.
If travelling on the trains make sure you have a ticket. We saw plain clothed ticket inspectors pounce on fare dodgers.

 

[Beach Hut]

Stasi Museum is a must, very interesting and run by communists as well.

The Holocaust park is very thought provoking and the Olympic Stadium tour very good.

Wanted to do Reichstag but large queue and it was raining so we gave up.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Wanted to do Reichstag but large queue and it was raining so we gave up.

There is a public restaurant on the roof of the Reichtag. A way to circumvent the queue is to reserve a table, you can then breeze past the queue, have lunch and wander around and up and down the cupola at your leisure.

 

[Beach Hut]

There is a public restaurant on the roof of the Reichtag. A way to circumvent the queue is to reserve a table, you can then have lunch and wander around and up and down the cupola at your leisure.

Will remember that for next time.

Need some advice for Prague soon and clean as well as we will have a 14 year old in tow !

 

[Ernest]

Will remember that for next time.

Need some advice for Prague soon and clean as well as we will have a 14 year old in tow !

Not a pupil of yours I hope

 

[Beach Hut]

Not a pupil of yours I hope

Very topically but no, it will be Mini no less

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not a pupil of yours I hope

I tried Ramsbottoms for a sit down last night. I agree it's nothing special and they forgot my wife's mushy peas!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Stasi Museum is a must, very interesting and run by communists as well.

Is this the one out in Lichtenburg? Actually in the former offices of the Stasi? I agree it's a must and fascinating and at times quite bizarre; they really did have listening "rocks" and other strange and very amateur spying devices.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I'm out in Berlin at the moment, just chilling out in some of the parks and bier gardens today and going to the power station club tonight as we've travelled the length and breadth of Berlin since getting here.

It's simply an amazing city, get a bike and cycle down the unter der linden and hit all the tourists spots, spend a day on museum island, every single one of the museums is fantastic. Go to the east side gallery, gorlitzer park and the Nueue Gallery if you into modern art. Also the zoo (unless your very bothered about animal wealfare- conditions weren't great!). As others have suggested Topography pf Terror and the DDR museum are both excellent and not on museum island, you could basocally spend a whole day going to both of those! Rosethaler Platz is great for an evening out and packed with bars and restaurants, you'll quite easily find bars to suit all needs open to early morning but don't limit yourself there, many places for evenings out.

It's cheap as well, both food/beer and attractions- going back with half the money I brought out here

Had an absolutely fantastic time, going back tomorrow evening wish I was staying!

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Just in case this has passed you by - they have changed the rules about the Reichstag building in the last year, but most guidebooks haven't updated it yet.

You have to book online AT LEAST a few days before you want to go up into the dome. We turned up on the day (as our guidebook said to) and were really gutted to not be able to (and it was our last day there).

Personally I love the graffiti gallery on the wall near Oststrasse (I think?) and found Sachsenhausen fascinating. My Mrs loved Charlottenberg Palace (frankly it bored the arse off me), but there is an amazing microbrewery pub just opposite it.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Just in case this has passed you by - they have changed the rules about the Reichstag building in the last year, but most guidebooks haven't updated it yet.

You have to book online AT LEAST a few days before you want to go up into the dome. We turned up on the day (as our guidebook said to) and were really gutted to not be able to (and it was our last day there).

Personally I love the graffiti gallery on the wall near Oststrasse (I think?) and found Sachsenhausen fascinating. My Mrs loved Charlottenberg Palace (frankly it bored the arse off me), but there is an amazing microbrewery pub just opposite it.

We turned up and booked on the day just a few days ago (in fact we didnt even book, as we got to the front of the queue we were lucky and a departing tour had spare places), but it is probably worthwhile checking in online anyway

 

[ATFC Seagull]

We turned up and booked on the day just a few days ago (in fact we didnt even book, as we got to the front of the queue we were lucky and a departing tour had spare places), but it is probably worthwhile checking in online anyway

Hmmmm, maybe they have relaxed it again - this was August 2011. We were told you absolutely cannot turn up on the day because they require everyone's passport details in advance - so it's minimum the day before, but realistically a few days during the summer. It was due to a terrorist threat earlier that year so they were stepping up security.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

going to the power station club tonight

Which one? Both Tresor and Berghain are in power stations. I imagine it's Berghain? Berghain is simply incredible once inside. Be prepared to queue and be prepared to get turned away as they have a very very capricious door policy and you will see a fair proportion being turned away as you approach the door. My tips for getting in are to not dress up, not draw attention to yourself, go in mixed pairs and keep your fingers crossed. Oh, and if you look below 25 do not even bother. They like to maintain the balance and mix of punters and this is the reason for the strict door; it's not an elitist club. My favourite is The Panorama Bar upstairs and behind the main floor. Good luck.

If you cannot get in either go back Sunday morning and try again or try Katerholzig which is the new kid on the block and great fun; think Shangri-la at Glastonbury.

 

[£1.99]

The Sanssouci Palace just outside Berlin in Potsdam is well worth a visit.

 

[Beach Hut]

Is this the one out in Lichtenburg? Actually in the former offices of the Stasi? I agree it's a must and fascinating and at times quite bizarre; they really did have listening "rocks" and other strange and very amateur spying devices.

That's the one at what was the Stasi HQ

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

going to the power station club tonight

Did you get in?

 

[Bedsex]

I'm in Berlin at the moment too. My first time here and I concur that it's a wonderful city. Very easy to get around, each u-bahn station seem to only to be a few hundred metres apart. There are a few beggars though and they happen to be the smelliest human beings on the planet .

We went on a boat tour on the Spree on Saturday, which was a good way to get ones bearings and a basic overview of the city.

Running the marathon was another great way to see the city, albeit quite hard work!

 

[Rogero]

Look at Trip Advisor. Loads of info.

 

[Charlotte1988]

Don't go to Berghain - I don't get all the hype around it :/

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't go to Berghain - I don't get all the hype around it :/

What dont you get? And what is 'all the hype'?