BERLIN Economic Travel Guide
Journey to the German capital..
Berlin is a packed city that ranks first among the places to go when it comes to Europe.. While wandering aimlessly in the streets of this city, the smell of history, cultural activities, cosmopolitan human community, works of art, architectural structure will draw you in and you will not notice how time passes.. You will never get bored here. You can find millions of things to do, list hundreds of places to visit and see every day, so you can gain a lot of new information and experience.
Berlin, It’s like an open-air museum that hosted the most embarrassing moments in world history, destroyed by bombs and then rebuilt from time to time.. Although the Hitler era is almost never mentioned (you neither hear his name among the people nor see his name anywhere), you will feel a great bitterness while visiting museums, squares, Jewish monuments and the Berlin Wall in this city whose traces have not been completely erased.. For this reason, it would not be wrong to say that you either love or hate Berlin. We are one of those who have “ticked” Berlin a few times.. Thanks to our German friends, we had the chance to have a very local holiday and experience the nightlife, food and daily life, and we also had the opportunity to enjoy Berlin during the Christmas period.. However, Berlin is still a place that leaves a bitter smile on our lips and we can’t decide if we really like it.
There is a very high probability that 90% of them are Turkish.. You can eat Turkish food, you can even hear Turkish music while passing by the shops.. For this reason, you will not get lost or feel yourself in a forgotten area.. Berlin is one of the rare cities where you can have a comfortable holiday alone with your backpack.. After visiting and completing the touristic places in Berlin, we recommend that you walk without a route in its streets, raise your head and pay attention to the architecture of its buildings, and take a break in its cafes.. In some cafes, activities such as sitting at home are organized at the weekend by bringing your own drink and having a large group of friends from the buffet food provided at the venue.. Without the logic of renting a place! There’s no such thing as a “dress code” in most nightclubs or entertainment venues.. People are quite comfortable, unpretentious, clean but very exaggeratedly well-groomed, make-up etc.. not. This is another feature of this city that makes you feel very comfortable.
E TRANSPORTATION: HOW TO GET TO BERLIN?
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By plane: There are two airports in Berlin: Tegel in the northwest and Schönefeld in the southeast. Almost all airlines offer direct or connecting flights (usually via Frankfurt, the largest airport within Germany) to these two airports.. It is quite possible to find direct and cheap flights to Berlin from Turkey.. You can find very cheap flight tickets for the expeditions organized almost every day, especially excluding holidays or holiday periods.
By train: German railway network Deutsche Bahn ( DB), like other European cities, is quite large.. Berlin station is the largest in Europe. You can have an easy and comfortable journey with ICE, InterCity and EuroCity trains, both from within Germany and from other European cities.
BERLIN PERCITY TRANSPORTATION
It takes 30 minutes from Berlin Tegel Airport to the city center by bus. In addition to buses from Schönefeld Airport, S9 and S45 suburban trains are also available, but you can prefer buses as they are more easily accessible.. You can download the transportation plan from the official BVG website, get information about ticket prices and list alternative transportations by typing your departure-arrival points.
In Berlin Urban transportation is very easy with subway (U), suburban (S), night bus (N), bus, tram (only in East Berlin) and taxis and all these means of transport are connected with each other.. The public transport system is divided into three parts, A, B and C.. Except for the ABC ticket covering Schönefeld Airport, only the EU ticket within the city will suffice. There are ticket vending machines on all U-Bahn and S-Bahn platforms and toll booths at major stations.. There is a Turkish option in vending machines, so you can do your transactions comfortably as if you were in Turkey.. Instead of buying a single ticket, we recommend that you choose cards that will provide you with multiple uses. You will get a discount anywhere and you will also receive a pocket guide, city plan and transportation network plan.. Don’t forget to validate your tickets at the machines on the platforms before boarding the transportation vehicles, otherwise you may be fined for traveling with unapproved tickets.
ACCOMMODATION IN BERLIN: BERLIN’ WHERE TO STAY IN?
Berlin is a very touristic and crowded city, so there are many accommodation alternatives.. When comparing hotel, hostel, Bed&Breakfast options from Booking.com or airbnb, you should carefully read the reviews and consider the location of the hotel you will stay in and its proximity to transportation means such as metro and bus stop.
THINGS TO DO IN BERLIN?
Picnic at the Tiergarten: What is Central Park for New York, Hyde Park for London? for Berlin at Tiergarten. We recommend a short walk and picnic in this park.
Christmas Market – Gendarmenmarkt: French cathedral (Franzözischer Dom /French Cathedral), German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom /German Gendarmenmarkt, an impressively beautiful square with 3 important buildings, Cathedra, and Concert House (Konzerthaus /Concert House), is where the most eye-catching Christmas markets in Berlin are set up.
Join free walking tours: If you don’t want to miss the highlights in Berlin, but also want to meet other tourists and visit locals, you can join free walking tours.
Tempelhof: Berlin Tempelhof Airport was used as a parade ground by Prussian forces. In 1909, the Frenchman Armand Zipfel made his first flight demonstration at Tempelhof. One of the most distinctive features of the airport was its wide canopy style roof, welcoming the most contemporary aircraft that were at their heyday in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.. The main building of Tempelhof Airport was among the top 20 largest buildings in the world and was located in the duty-free shop. This former airport, which has not been operating since 2008, still lives as a place where Berliners cycle, ski and fly kites.
Welcome Card: 25% by purchasing a Berlin WelcomeCard. You can get discounts up to .. Berlin is a city that will require a lot of walking for a 2-3 day holiday, so if you are following our route, especially 2. and 3. We recommend you to use the means of transportation every day.
WHAT TO EAT IN BERLIN? WHAT TO DRINK?
First of all, let’s specify; You won’t go hungry in Berlin. In this city, there are many food alternatives and restaurants, as well as many quick snacks.. German beers will make your stomach swell enough, and the prices are quite affordable.. But of course, there are a few things we would definitely recommend you try.
Currywurst: Steamed and then fried sausage flavored with curry ketchup sauce. Pork sausage is in the majority, but if you say you don’t eat pork, there are some made from beef or even chicken meat.. You’ll just have to do some research.
Weissbier: Wheat beer. We think we don’t need to mention that Germany is the homeland of beer and that Germans drink beer like water (more precisely, like soda in our country).. If you are in Berlin and you like beer, we recommend you to try all the beers you come across on the menu.
Steak: Germany is generally a steakhouse heaven. One evening in Berlin, you can go to a steakhouse and try T-Bone steak.
Schnapps: A set of various liquors containing high alcohol content. You should definitely taste it. If you take it as a dessert after a meal, they say it helps digestion
Pfannkuchen (Berliner): It contains jam, chocolate, marmalade etc.. There are also these sweet and powdered sugar doughs in Turkey, but we still recommend you to try and compare them when you’re in Berlin.
Bretzel: Bagel-like but crunchy like crackers, a bow-shaped food with rock salt added instead of sesame. Actually, most Turks don’t like the taste, but frankly, we ate it almost every day.. They also gave us the cheesecake on the plane (which we loved), but we were very sad that we couldn’t find it in the city.
SHOPPING IN BERLIN
Berlin is a city where you can find more than what you’re looking for. You should visit the markets and stop by the flea market next to the big shopping malls and the stores of famous brands in the city center.
You can find a market in Berlin almost every day.. You can choose; Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg (Thursdays and Saturdays), Kudos along the Kreuzberg canal (Tuesdays and Fridays) and Markthalle Neun especially on Thursday evenings.. Footnote: Kreuzberg is a Turkish neighborhood where Turks live intensely.
Flea Market: Whether you like it or not, if you are in Berlin, you should definitely stop by a flea market.. Arkonaplatz for old classic products, Nowkoelln Flowmarkt for Berlin fashion and designs, and Mauerpark for electronics.
BERLIN CITY TOUR
Day 1: Journey to History
We aim to spend a day on our route that we have prepared for you on the first day, by walking for 4 hours, visiting the important points and learning a little more about German history, Nazi Germany and Jews.
Berlin Wall, Reichstag Parliament Building, Brandenburg Gate, German History Museum on Unter den Linden Boulevard, Berlin Cathedral and DDR Museum, Museum Island, Berlin Television Tower, Alexanderplatz, East Side Gallery, Soviet Monument, Treptower Park, Jewish Museum, Charlie Checkpoint, Topography of Terror, Potsdamer Platz, Murdered at the Holocaust Memorial, Gendarmenmarkt is among the things we will see.
Berlin Wall (Berlin Wall – Berliner Mauer): To prevent East German citizens from escaping to West Germany The 46-km-long Berlin Wall, which was started to be built on 13 August 1961 with the decision of the East German parliament, was first built as a wire mesh, then a reinforced wire mesh, then a concrete wall.. Located between the Wedding and Mitte on Bernauer Straße districts, this wall used to divide Berlin into East and West, also known as the “wall of shame”.
There are sections such as the Memorial to the Victims of the Wall, the Documentation Center and the Chapel of Reconciliation.
Reichstag Building (Reichstag building): residence of the German Federal Parliament. If you wait for your turn, ignoring the long and crowded queue, you can go up to the glass dome on the top floor of the building and enjoy a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the city.. Access to this roof terrace is free, but you must register at least 2 days in advance.. You can fill out a form on the registration website.
Brandenburg Tor/ Brandenburg Gate: Designed as the main entrance to the city and completed in 1791, Brandenburg Gate is located in Berlin. It is one of the most iconic and touristic items of. It has been closed to vehicle traffic, buses and taxis since October 2002.. Although it existed for the division of the city into east and west during the cold war, it became the symbol of the German Union after the fall of the Berlin wall.
Unter den Linden Boulevard (Unter den Linden Boulevard ): Along the boulevard stretching from the Museum Island to the Brandenburg Gate, apart from many monuments and sculptures on the right and left, there are also Humboldt University, Opera House (The State Opera), City Library (The State Library), German Museum of History (The German Museum of History). ) and embassies.
German History Museum: A museum where you will have detailed information about Germany’s deep-rooted history. At least 2-3 hours will pass here in the blink of an eye.
Berlin Cathedral (Berlin Cathedral/ Berliner Dom): Berlin Cathedral is located in Berlin with its striking green dome. The area is one of the most popular and favorite centers. We recommend that you pay a small entrance fee to enter the cathedral and climb 270 steps to reach the top of the dome, where you will enjoy the magnificent view of the museum island.
DDR Museum (DDR Museum): The museum is completely The daily life style of the people living in East Germany in those days is explained and the belongings of those years are included.. Unlike others, in this museum where there is no official, you can look closely, touch, examine and take photos at the exhibited objects.
Museum Island: It is located on the Spree river. There are 5 museums on this small island, which bear the traces of 6000 years of history and culture.. The island on which the Pergamonmuseum (Bergama Museum), Bodemuseum (Byzantine art works are exhibited), Neues Museum (New Museum- New Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery-Old National Gallery) and Altes Museum (Old Museum-Old Museum) are UNESCO is on the list of world heritage sites. These museums, which were almost destroyed during the war, were later repaired and took their present form.. Of course, entrance to the museums is paid, but if you wish, you can get a 3-day Berlin Museum Pass.. With this card, you can enter all museums for free for 3 consecutive days by paying 24€ (12€ with discount). Besides, if you are not a museum type, it is free to enter the museum island and visit the museums!
Berlin Television Tower (The Berlin Television Tower): This TV tower, also known as Berlin’s Eiffel Tower, located on Alexanderplatz square, was built in 1960, has a 368m It is one of the tallest and most iconic buildings in Berlin, with a length of 1.2 million visitors per year.. 360 degree panoramic view of the city can of course be watched from here. With the Berlin Visit Card, you can enter with a 25% discount.
Foot note: You can find any product you want in the Alexa shopping store at Alexanderplatz.
East Side Gallery: The longest remaining piece of the Berlin wall, 1.3 km long, stretches along the River Spree. After the fall of the Berlin wall, 118 artists from all over the world (from 21 different countries) turned this ruin into an open-air museum.. This colorful East Side Gallery is filled with graffiti, writings and drawings that contain messages of peace and love as well as political messages.. Russian painter Dmitri Vrubel’s “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” The graffiti work “Brotherly Kiss” or (Fraternal Kiss, German: Bruderkuss) with its message is one of the most famous pieces.. Almost everyone who goes to Berlin has a photograph taken in front of this work.. Click for other works in the east side gallery
Soviet Memorial and Treptower Park: Approximately 12 m. In the square, where there is a war memorial depicting a Red Army soldier with a length of 70 tons, holding a sword and a child, on the fragmented version of the Nazi symbol, the swastika symbol, there are also the graves of approximately 7 thousand Red Army soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin. .
Treptower Park is an ideal place for a walk or picnic.
Jewish Museum of Berlin (Jewish Museum /Jüdisches Museum): It is a museum with the most impressive modern architecture dedicated to the memory of 2000-year-old German Jews.
Checkpoint Charlie: Divided Berlin’ de East-West crossing point It is the gateway used as the third alliance crossing point from 1961 to 1990 after Helmstedt (“Alpha”) and Dreilinden (“Bravo”). After the end of the World War II, on October 27, 1961, the Soviet Union and the US soldiers and panzers faced each other for 16 hours without firing a single bullet.. The only bullet to be fired in that date is 3. It is thought to be the beginning of World War II.. The tension in question was caused by the then US president J.. F. It was fixed as a result of Kennedy’s talks with the Soviet president.
Topography of Terror: The ruling of Nazi power These buildings, located in the area where the headquarters of the Gestapo, Intelligence and SS units, which were the most important means of oppression, fear and intimidation between 1933 and 1945,. It was destroyed by bombs falling on the city during World War II, and before the construction of the building was started in 2005 and completed in 2010, this place was an open-air museum.
Potsdamer Platz: From World War II This square, where the heart of the city beat first, was almost a deserted area from 1945 until the wall was demolished in 1989.. The square is now home to the Sony Center, skyscrapers and thousands of shops, as well as the annual Berlin Film Festival in February.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe/ Holocaust Memorial: Berlin is a mausoleum dedicated to the 6 million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
Gendarmenmarkt: One of the city’s most impressive squares, Gendarmenmarkt is close to Friedrichstraße where luxury shops are located.. Concert hall, German and French Cathedral are located here.
2nd day: Local areas, squares, parks
In this 4-hour walking route, you will spend more time in the squares where the heart of the city beats and observe the local life. Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin Victory Column, Kaiser Willhelm Memorial Church, Kurfürstendamm, Tempelhof, Hackescher Markt are on this route among what we will see.
Charlottenburg Palace (Charlottenburg Palace/ Schloss Charlottenburg): Berlin’s largest palace, Charlottenburg 17. It was built towards the end of the 18th century and. expanded during the century. There is a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theater and a pavilion within the territory of the palace.. The palace, which suffered heavy blows during the Second World War and was in ruins, was restored and took its present form.. Not only the palace, but also the garden of the palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Berlin.
The Victory Column (Siegessaule/ Berlin Victory Column): Located in the middle of the Tiergarten park, this The monument was built to commemorate the Prussian victory and a golden statue of the goddess Victoria was placed on top of it.. If you don’t mind climbing 285 steps, you can watch a wonderful view of Berlin from the top.
Kaiser Willhelm Memorial Church: This protestant church is seen as a symbol of West Berlin today.. Church Emperor of Germany I. It was built as a monument to Wilhelm. In November 1943, the Church was badly damaged during a bombardment and still stands today.
Footnote: The location of the Church is in Breitscheidplatz, which is also in West Berlin
Hackescher Markt: The heart of the city of Berlin, Hackescher Markt is filled with many cafes, art galleries, historical courtyards and theaters. It is a challenge. Weinmeisterstrasse, Alte Schoenhauser Strasse and Rosenthaler Strasse, which are in the immediate vicinity, are cooler streets full of boutiques, designer shops, vintage goods and accessory shops.
Day 3: Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial:
day 3: Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial:
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, located a little outside the city, was built in 1936 and operated until 1945, the camp where Jews were captured. There really isn’t much to say about it.. You can enter many other scary rooms in the camp, except the gas chamber.. For this trip, we recommend you to join the tours organized by the locals and the adult fee is 16€.
ENTERTAINMENT AND NIGHTLIFE IN BERLIN
Berlin’s colorful and different there is a nightlife. Although it is similar to Istanbul in this sense, it is still quite different and must be experienced with its striking clubs, bars and discos with different concepts.
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT CLOSE TO BERLIN: ALTERNATIVE TOURS
Although it is a bit outside of Dresden and the city, you should definitely go to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
BERLIN TRAVEL NOTES
- Relax. Exaggerated hair, make-up, high heels, etc. Choose your most comfortable sneakers and an outfit that you feel comfortable in.. We cannot pass without mentioning that Berlin, like all of Germany, is really cold during the winter months.. For this reason, if you are traveling in winter, do not forget to take thick clothes with you.. Even if you buy one or two sweaters so that your suitcase is not heavy, it will be enough because you can easily shop in Berlin if you need it.. Prices are generally close to Turkey’s prices, and there are many large shopping malls.
- Do not ask unfamiliar Germans about Hitler and the Holocaust.. Read the things you are curious about on the internet or in a book.. The Germans are not proud of their dark and painful history, and your questioning and accusatory questions may be considered rude and inappropriate.. Even in friendly conversations with your own German friends, you already realize how nervous these questions are.
- Before going to Berlin, you can watch the movie “The Lives of Others” and even a few You can watch documentaries and do some research.
- Museums to visit in Berlin are endless. For this reason, try to prioritize the ones that will interest you most and spend the rest of your time on the local streets.
RESOURCES
- Lonely Planet
- Visit Berlin
- Telegraph
- Go Germany
