A football trip to Berlin

The Berlin Wall

Almost everybody is familiar with the Berlin Wall that split Berlin quite recently in two. This wall was built in order to keep inhabitants form the east to go to the west and the other way around. The Berlin Wall was established in 1961 and fell on 1989. Security got stricter on the east side during this period and 192 refugees were shot dead during an escape attempt to the free west side. 5000 people succeeded in fleeing from East to West, where people had more freedoms. The freedom the west side was granted can still be seen today thanks to the graffiti that was placed on walls of the west side. There's no graffiti on the walls of the east side, due to the strict security here. Remnants of the Berlin Wall can be seen at the Bernauwer Straβe, East Side Gallery, Potsdamer Plaqtz, Topografie des Terrors, Checkpoint Charlie and the Mauerpark.

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is a sight you mustn’t miss during your city trip to Berlin. Checkpoint Charlie was a spot where people could travel from the Russian to the American part of Germany and one would be thoroughly checked here. The name refers to the third letter of the NAVO alphabet, because this was the third passageway between East and West Berlin. After the fall of the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie turned into an important memorial for deceased refugees. A museum was added next to the post: the Mauermuseum. The history of Germany and the Berlin Wall will be explained here, as well as the function of Checkpoint Charlie. Personal stories about escape attempts and experiences of inhabitants are shared here, as well.

Friedrichstraβe 43-45, 10117 Berlin
Opening hours Mauermuseum: daily from 9 A.M. until 10 P.M.
The entree prices vary from € 7,50 tot € 14,50.

Reichstag

The German Parliament moved back to Reichstag after the Cold War. The German Parliament has been using the Reichstag as their home since 1894. The building was set on fire by a Dutchmen in 1933 who confessed to be guilty. There are conspiracies that Nazi’s ordered him to set the building on fire, because Adolf Hitler gained power after this event. The building was reconstructed after the reunition of Germany, but the historical aspects have been kept in order. Like the underground alley that was found during the restauration that connects Reichstag with the presidential palace. The big glass dome on the roof is probably the most prominent reason for this building being one of the most popular places for tourists to visit. The dome provides you with an amazing view over Berlin and you can spot several other sights from here.

Address: Plats der Republik 1
Check the official website for opening hours and more information about accompanying a parliamentary session.

Brandenburger Tor

This sight is a must-see during your city trip to Berlin. A Prussian king ordered the erection of the Brandenburger Tor as a memorial of the Third Silesian War. The statue of Victoria, the goddess of victoriousness, is on top of the building. This statue could be made again after its destruction of World War II because the mould of the statue was still located in West-Berlin. When Berlin was split in two during the Cold War, a part of the city was deserted and this beautiful city port stood in this area. It was destructed during the festivities that were held after the fall of the Wall and after years of abuse the port was in need of restoration. It was reopened in 2002 and it symbolizes the unition of Germany and the freedom the country has obtained since then.

Address: Pariser Platz

Holocaust monument

The Holocaust Monument is another sight you should visit in Berlin. This monument was created for Holocaust victims and tries to reflect how the Jews felt during the war: disorientated and isolated. The Holocaust monument contains 2710 cement blocks, varying from hights of 20 centimetres to 4,70 meters with a distance 95 centimetres between the blocks. The Jewish Museum is to be found next to the memorial where you can get more information about the dark history of Germany.

Slot Charlottenburg

This is the biggest castle in Berlin and it was built to serve as summer accommodation of King Frederick I's wife. The castle was demolished after World War II and was restored after. A grand collection of French paintings can be seen in the castle and a beautiful park is located nearby. You can also visit a mansion in the park where a collection of porcelain is exhibited.

Address: Spandauer Damm 10-22
Opening hours: Tuesday until Sunday: 10 A.M. until 6 P.M.
Entry price: €12,00
Website: www.spsg.de

Berlin Fernsehturm (TV Tower)

The famous TV Tower of Berlin can be seen from every spot in Berlin. The reason for this is that it’s the highest building in Berlin with a height of 368 metres. This impressive building can be visited: you can stand in the big bulb and look at the breath-taking view. You can even look 40 kilometres in distance when the sky is clear. The tower was built in East Berlin during the Cold War and symbolized the political and economic power of East Germany. It's recommended to buy tickets beforehand to be sure of your spot in the elevator.

Address: Panoramastraβe 1A, 10178 Berlin
Opening hours: from March until October: 9 A.M. until midnight – from April until September: 10 P.M. until midnight
The last elevator leaves at 11.30 P.M. and the restaurant closes at 11 P.M.
Entry prices vary and can be seen on the official website.

Tours in Berlin

Berlin offers many different kinds of tours. One of these tours is a private walking tour which shows you all the highlights of Berlin. There's also a tour which is utterly in the theme of the past or a World War II tour. There is one more walking tour through the concentration camp Sachsenhausen, which is absolutely worth a visit.

If walking is not one of your favourite hobbies, then you might find a bike tour a better option! You could either choose for a private bike tour or a public one where you will explore the city with other tourists. This could perhaps be a nice chance to exchange tips with each other! You could choose for a bike tour which rides past all the sights in Berlin or one that will show every piece of the Berlin Wall that's still standing. Are you looking for something more adventurous? Then you could explore Berlin from another perspective: the water. You will canoe on the waters of Berlin and Kreuzberg. You could also do on an excursion on a boat. The options are endless!

Top three clubs in Berlin

You can not only discover everything about the wars the country had to endure; there’s also many fun things to do in Berlin. Berlin is the best place to spend a night out after visiting a football match. Look for example at club Berghain. Berghain is the absolute number 1 club in Berlin. It is the most famous club of Berlin, which makes it a crowded club, too. You will have an amazing evening when you decide to go out at Berghain!

Rüdersdorfer Str. 70
10243 Berlin
Opening hours: Monday: midnight until 6 A.M., Thursday: 10 P.M. until 4 A.M., Saturday midnight until noon, Sunday all day long, closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Berlin Icebar
Shivering in the Berlin Icebar! This bar is utterly made of ice: the walls, the bar stool you sit on and even the glass you drink from. This bar is not only fun, but also a sight for sore eyes. It would be, however, clever to wear a winter jacket and gloves to keep yourself warm. When visiting Berlin during the summer, you should reserve a spot in the bar and you can also hire a winter jacket and gloves. An amazing experience!

Spandauer Str. 2
10178 Berlin
Opening hours: Wednesday until Friday from 5 P.M. until midnight
Saturday until Sunday from 4 P.M. until midnight
Closed on Monday and Tuesday

Anomalie Art Club
You might expect to find pieces of art in this club, but this is far away from the truth. The décor, however, is quite impressive. The club is also used for art exhibitions and to record movies; that’s the reason behind the impressive interior!

Storkower Str. 123
10407 Berlin
Opening hours: Tuesday until Friday: 10 A.M. until 6 P.M. Saturday: 2 P.M. until midnight, Sunday from noon until midnight closed on Mondays.

Restaurants in Berlin

Michelberger restaurant

This restaurant is part of the Michelberger hotel, but is open for non-guests, as well. The restaurant changes the menu weekly and is based on the season. Let yourself be surprised and taste the seasonal products from the region.

Warschauer Str. 39-40
10243 Berlin
Opening hours: Monday 7 A.M. until noon, Tuesday until Friday 7 A.M. until noon & 6 P.M. until 11 P.M., Saturday 8 A.M. until 2 P.M. & 6 P.M. until 11 P.M., Sunday 8 A.M until 2 P.M.

Saparito

Everybody loves Italian food, which you can find in Saparito. It’s recommended to book a table beforehand, because it’s a cosy little restaurant.

Straβmannstraβe 21
10249 Berlin
Opening hours: every day from 4 P.M. until 11 P.M.

Augustiner Bräu am Gendarmenmarkt

You can order delicious German delicacies in this restaurant – certainly worth a visit when you want to taste a scrumptious schnitzel or a simple beer with a curry wurst.

Charlottenstraβe 55
10117 Berlin
Opening hours: every day noon until 1 A.M.

Restaurant Nolle

This restaurant is adored by the Berlin folks, which is reason enough to spend your evening here. The restaurant is decorated in the style of the 1930’s and there is something for everyone. Ideal when you’re being accompanied by difficult eaters.

Georgenstraβe 203
10117 Berlin
Opening hours: Monday until Saturday from 11:30 A.M. until midnight, closed on Sundays.