[Travel] Berlin travel info

[happypig]

If you're into WW2 & Cold War history, fascinating museums

That's pretty much the purpose of my visit. Not really one for clubbing or wild nights out, a couple of beers whilst people watching and reading a book is more my thing these days.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Where would you recommend in Berlin for:
1) drinking German beer (not just lager)
2) cocktail and wine bars (for Mrs Cottager)
3) outdoor swimming (for junior Cottager and me) and parks
4) museums - assuming we'll do Jewish, Stasi, Reichstag. What about WW2 (or is that verbotten)?
We're staying in Friedrichshain.
Danke.

 

[Binney on acid]

Stayed in Berlin for a few days about 6 months ago. It's like one colossal building site. The food is c**p, and architecturally it was very disappointing, primarily because of the war damage inflicted by the allies. No attempt has been made to blend any of the modern buildings in with the ones that were not destroyed in the war. There were times when we wanted to eat outside, but the smells emanating from the drains had a negative impact upon our appetites. Glad that we visited Berlin, but couldn't possibly recommend it. Sorry.

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

Where would you recommend in Berlin for:
1) drinking German beer (not just lager)
2) cocktail and wine bars (for Mrs Cottager)
3) outdoor swimming (for junior Cottager and me) and parks
4) museums - assuming we'll do Jewish, Stasi, Reichstag. What about WW2 (or is that verbotten)?
We're staying in Friedrichshain.
Danke.

4) I enjoyed the DDR museum and the Checkpoint Charlie museum

For the beer establishments paging @Herr Tubthumper

 

[Goldstone1976]

…The food is c**p …

I’m told the burgers are good.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Where would you recommend in Berlin for:
1) drinking German beer (not just lager)
2) cocktail and wine bars (for Mrs Cottager)
3) outdoor swimming (for junior Cottager and me) and parks
4) museums - assuming we'll do Jewish, Stasi, Reichstag. What about WW2 (or is that verbotten)?
We're staying in Friedrichshain.
Danke.

First a a couple of questions.

When you say German beer do you mean other traditional styles like Kolsch? Or modern craft beers? Or both?

Outdoor swimming, lakes or swimming pools?

 

[redoubtable seagull]

And when in Berlin, is it worth taking in a Hertha Berlin match at the Olympiastadion?

Am thinking of a long weekend trip to Berlin in early August.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And when in Berlin, is it worth taking in a Hertha Berlin match at the Olympiastadion?

Am thinking of a long weekend trip to Berlin in early August.

If history is your thing maybe, it’s a historic stadium of architectural merit. But Hertha BSC were relegated last season so watching them in a half empty 70,000 stadium might not be appealing. Maybe try Union instead, it will certainly be a better all round footballing experience.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

If history is your thing maybe, it’s a historic stadium of architectural merit. But Hertha BSC were relegated last season so watching them in a half empty 70,000 stadium might not be appealing. Maybe try Union instead, it will certainly be a better all round footballing experience.

Thanks. I had thought getting Union tickets is impossible as the ground only holds 22000 and their membership is now 45000. Hertha rarely sold out in B1 other than when facing well supported opposition.

Am torn between a Berlin or Copenhagen football and culture weekend or a Belgium / SW Germany football trip.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thanks. I had thought getting Union tickets is impossible as the ground only holds 22000 and their membership is now 45000. Hertha rarely sold out in B1 other than when facing well supported opposition.

Am torn between a Berlin or Copenhagen football and culture weekend or a Belgium / SW Germany football trip.

A Copenhagen football and culture weekend will be excellent. I have only been once but loved it, it ticks so many of my boxes. Well, I loved it until I got my credit card bill..it's very expensive.

 

[amexer]

I’m not a smoker but I don’t have an issue with it. If I want a smoke free bar there’s plenty to choose from.

For the atmosphere always worth trying to fit in a football game. Have not seen one for a few years but was surprised last time people were smoking and drinking at there seats. Is this still allowed.
Herr Tubthumper Do you follow or watch any football in Germany

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

For the atmosphere always worth trying to fit in a football game. Have not seen one for a few years but was surprised last time people were smoking and drinking at there seats. Is this still allowed.
Herr Tubthumper Do you follow or watch any football in Germany

Drinking is certainly allowed, smoking in some grounds. Last time I was at Hertha people were puffing away behind the goal.
I dont really follow much football in Germany, the Albion takes all my footballing energy.

 

[happypig]

Where would you recommend in Berlin for:
1) drinking German beer (not just lager)
2) cocktail and wine bars (for Mrs Cottager)
3) outdoor swimming (for junior Cottager and me) and parks
4) museums - assuming we'll do Jewish, Stasi, Reichstag. What about WW2 (or is that verbotten)?
We're staying in Friedrichshain.
Danke.

I'd highly recommend https://www.berliner-unterwelten.de/ for cold war and WW2 bunker/underground stuff.

 

[BrightonCottager]

First a a couple of questions.

When you say German beer do you mean other traditional styles like Kolsch? Or modern craft beers? Or both?

Outdoor swimming, lakes or swimming pools?

The answer to both questions is both. I've had Altbier in Dusseldorf and liked it. But I'm not a massive fan of blonde lager.
I swim in the sea and the chloriny Prince Regent - yuck. I loved some pools in France - open air, heated, cleaned with salt or ozone- even one with a stainless steel bottom so you could see the reflection of clouds (Angers) .

 

[PeterT]

A Copenhagen football and culture weekend will be excellent. I have only been once but loved it, it ticks so many of my boxes. Well, I loved it until I got my credit card bill..it's very expensive.

I saw 2 Copenhagen games last season. The first was good, but freezing cold! The second was the last game of the season and I bit like a friendly with nothing on it and the crowd not so interested. Easy enough to get tickets though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The answer to both questions is both. I've had Altbier in Dusseldorf and liked it. But I'm not a massive fan of blonde lager.
I swim in the sea and the chloriny Prince Regent - yuck. I loved some pools in France - open air, heated, cleaned with salt or ozone- even one with a stainless steel bottom so you could see the reflection of clouds (Angers) .

Beer in Germany is very regional and although there are varying style across the country, e.g. Altbier and Kolsch, you will not easily find these styles outside of their regions in a bar. If you go to a traditional corner bar (Kneipe) you will almost certainly be served a lager from one of the Berlin breweries. An alternative to a bar, and a popular part of our culture, is grabbing a beer from a Spati and drinking this outside; some Spati's have seats outside to do this. You might find a few more regional beers in a Spati. A Spati is an old DDR hangover, a late night shop which has developed and is now rooted in Berlin culture. You can sit outside and drink the beer and during football tournaments they also have tvs outside so you can watch the games.

There is a small brewpub in Friedrichsain which sells a few different types of beers: https://hops-and-barley-berlin.de
There are also two Berlin craft brewers with tap rooms in F'sain: https://www.braeugier.de/en/ and https://strassenbraeu.de.
There is also a cool beer garden at Urban Spree close to these. Urban Spree is in a complex called RAW (pronounced air-ah-vay). RAW is an old train yard which has been repurposed into an area of ramshackle bars, clubs, music venues, skate park, climbing wall, art galeries , markets etc. It worth a visit before it gets turned into apartments.

That's beer. I'll cover the rest shortly.

 

[BBassic]

A Spati is an old DDR hangover, a late night shop which has developed and is now rooted in Berlin culture.

This amazed me when I first went to Berlin just before COVID hit. Went with some mates to see Slipknot and we had one of these places just over the road from our AirBnb. We ended up sitting out there most nights after we'd done our exploring for the day.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Beer in Germany is very regional and although there are varying style across the country, e.g. Altbier and Kolsch, you will not easily find these styles outside of their regions in a bar. If you go to a traditional corner bar (Kneipe) you will almost certainly be served a lager from one of the Berlin breweries. An alternative to a bar, and a popular part of our culture, is grabbing a beer from a Spati and drinking this outside; some Spati's have seats outside to do this. You might find a few more regional beers in a Spati. A Spati is an old DDR hangover, a late night shop which has developed and is now rooted in Berlin culture. You can sit outside and drink the beer and during football tournaments they also have tvs outside so you can watch the games.

There is a small brewpub in Friedrichsain which sells a few different types of beers: https://hops-and-barley-berlin.de
There are also two Berlin craft brewers with tap rooms in F'sain: https://www.braeugier.de/en/ and https://strassenbraeu.de.
There is also a cool beer garden at Urban Spree close to these. Urban Spree is in a complex called RAW (pronounced air-ah-vay). RAW is an old train yard which has been repurposed into an area of ramshackle bars, clubs, music venues, skate park, climbing wall, art galeries , markets etc. It worth a visit before it gets turned into apartments.

That's beer. I'll cover the rest shortly.

Brilliant post, thank you! I'd spotted RAW in a guide book and thought it sounded interesting.

 

[PeterT]

My first visit to Berlin was in 1978 as part of a 2 week holiday to the old GDR with my parents/sisters. It has given me a lifelong Ostalgia and I try to get back there regularly and lap up any decent books/films on the subject or just set in that era.

 

[Jesus Gul]

lots of football in berlin

we stumbled across BFC Dynamo - the old Stasi club playing in an amazing stadium (Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Sportpark) when we visited the Mauerpark flea market. That was 7 years ago - don't think they play there anymore. Lots of lower-league options