Short Break in Berlin
We were given a busy itinerary and using a Berlin WelcomeCard for museum admission and public transport, so I could experience the city in the same way that my clients would. The group all met at Belfast International Airport where we used the bag-drop for our low-cost airline flight and then used the fast-track security before having a coffee in the Causeway Lounge. As we had priority boarding it was an easy walk on to the aircraft for our short flight to Berlin Schonefeld. We were then met by our private transfer and taken to our hotel for the next three nights – Courtyard Berlin City Centre. This modern hotel is well situated just a few minutes away from Spittelmarkt U-Bahn station and about 10 minutes walk from Checkpoint Charlie. As well as a great location this hotel offers good, spacious rooms and is ideal for exploring Germany’s capital.
After a late lunch we set off that evening our first visit to the Brandenburg Gate Museum, taking the U-Bahn. This museum located near the famous Brandenburg Gate offers a unique perspective on the last 300 years of Berlin history through high-tech screens and an amazing sound system. From there we took a bus to the Brauhaus Lemke where we had a tour of this micro-brewery and then a great meal including Weiner Schnitzel – lovely!
The following morning a sightseeing tour had been arranged whose main topic was about the Berlin Wall which fell nearly 30 years ago. This fascinating tour included the Berlin Wall Memorial where part of the wall is preserved along with the stories of the people who had to live through this. Afterwards we had lunch (Currywurst) in the revolving restaurant at the TV Tower – unfortunately low cloud prevented us from getting any of the amazing views that this restaurant is famous for. Lunch was followed by a visit to the New Museum on Museums Island, where despite the name this is the Museum where ancient antiquities are displayed including their highlight - the bust of Nefertiti!
After a quick change we were out again and this time it was for an early dinner at the acht&dreißig (38) restaurant. After a super meal we were off to see the show VIVID at Friedrichstadt-Palast. This musical revue in a mixture of German and English is famous for the amazing costumes and stage sets. Afterwards we found a great Cuban bar – QBA with live music and a super atmosphere to finish our evening.
Next morning off we headed (again taking the U-Bahn) to the concept mall Bikini Berlin. This unique mall is a haven for new designers as well as having a terrace where you overlook the monkey enclosure at the zoo. If you are in this area of an evening, I would recommend you visit the Monkey Bar or NENI restaurant next door for spectacular views. We then took the U-Bahn to the Kreuzfeld area for a walking food tour. This visit included craft beers, tofu, dumplings and Goldies Berlin – which is probably the most ‘unique’ chip shop I have ever visited. After our tour we had a free hour and I took the opportunity to visit the Topography of Terror exhibition which is a place of remembrance on the site of the old Gestapo HQ building. This is a chilling exhibition highlighting the crimes committed during the 2nd World War but well worth a visit.
For our last evening we had dinner in the popular Night Kitchen followed by dancing at Clärchens Ballhaus. The latter was just amazing – live music and something for all ages combined with great service and a wonderful atmosphere, if you are in Berlin definitely visit, the queue to get in is worth it.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Berlin visit, I want to return and would definitely recommend it as a short break to everyone, and for getting about do purchase a Berlin WelcomeCard.