Some things take time. Like good wine. Like smelly cheese. Like this post. ^^
So even though it’s been a week and many things have happened since, it’s never too late to share our amazing weekend tips from our Berlin experience “à trois”: Alex, Sarah & me.
Here are some of the places we’ve been to, on purpose or not; the bars we hit, the silly games we played and all the fun. If you’re going to Berlin, you might want to follow our trail. I can guarantee it’ll be fun. Well, that’s if your company is as amazing as mine was.
Breakfast at the Reichstag
If you book a table at the Reichstag Rooftop Restaurant, say for breakfast as did we, you avoid any queuing and go straight to the top. Note that visits take some planning as you have to provide your ID card details and DoB 48hs in advance. But it’s a breathtaking view on the city for free.
Reservations:
Fleamarkets
Berlin is packed with fleamarkets. They usually take place on Sundays but you can stumble upon some on Saturdays. The most famous is the one at the Mauerpark. An incredible Karaoke takes place as from 3pm ish. Worth a visit. We wound up at a smaller one; but as it happens most times, it’s not things that are the treasures, it’s the people.
Play in the Park
Berlin has dozens of green places. Squares, gardens and huge Parks. The perfect excuse to play silly.
Photoautomat souvenirs
If you click here, you can find the city map to these babies. For 2 Eur you get an amazing souvenir. Plus all the faces you pull are great against ageing signs and wrinkles :P
Plain silly games
Berlin is a city filled with fun, graffitis, fashion, bars and pretty much every kind of everything. It’s an unpretentious beauty. So don’t feel like you have to behave. You can feel free to be yourself. So why not take the opportunity and be your silliest self?
I did.
Eat and Drink, duh
Eating and drinking in Berlin is pretty cheap. Plus the variety is ginormous and it’s usually pretty good, too.
We had a delicious brunch at Blaues Band Restaurant. The pancakes were dreamy. Plus you’re at the trendy shopping Neighbourhood. So you can spend some of the pancake calories fitting freaky creations.
Not far, in Augustr. 24 stands the mythical Clärchens Ballhaus. You should definetely pop in here to see the Room of Mirrors and try some of their delish food. The place is quite an institution and has recently blown its 100 candles.
East side gallery
Ok, your Lonely Planet, travel agency, Tripadvisor already told you to go there. I’ll say it again.
Go to the East Side Gallery to see the longest piece of standing wall, covered on street art. We got to see the temporary Wall on Wall exhibit, more on it here.
Chill by the river and feel the hunger creeping in on you. Then go to one of the bars and restaurants on Köpenickerstr.
We went to Sage Restaurant. The decor is great. An old brick building with an industrial feel to it. They serve German specialties as well as woodfire oven pizzas and pasta. The music is a tad too agressive for my taste. Hammers your head after a while. But a definetely come back.
Take pics for the sake of taking pics
Berlin is so arty you might get tricked into feeling you’re an artist yourself. And you feel like the pictures you take or feature in are the next best thing since Oreos and soon enough they’ll be calling you from Vogue to use your amazing shots ;)
Ok, as always I’m overdoing it but you get the gist.
The Jewish Memorial
Despite all the positive incredible vibe you get in Berlin, you never forget the past. And you shouldn’t. And the city makes sure you don’t. One of the many Denkmals (Thinkofits) is the Jewish Memorial, near the Reichstag. It’s an open monument. It’s beautiful and solemn. You get lost in the cement maze and cross srangers at every intersection. They pop up out of nowhere and sometimes startle you.
Etc.
Hang out in Prenzlauerberg, Scheunenviertel, Kreuzberg.
Talk to strangers. Drink Rhabarberschorle. Eat a disgusting Curry Wurst. Eat a Bretzel. Have a huge beer. Or not.
Enjoy Berlin. It’s a fabulous city. My favourite, I daresay.
If you can go with a merry crowd like me, and be three cuckoos in Berlin, all the better.
