Last month I took a sleeper train for the first time.
21.07.2023 - 08:07 / roughguides.com
Few other European capitals can compete with Berlin, a city that’s simultaneously funky, cultured, gritty and glamorous. And whether you want to see museums, or be seen at trendy galleries, there are enough free things to do in Berlin to keep you busy for a week or more.
For far-reaching views across Berlin, climb to the top of the glass dome that rises above Germany’s parliament building. Designed by Sir Norman Foster and completed in 1999, it has a rooftop terrace and restaurant, both of which are open to the public. Visiting is free, but advance registration is required.
Walking beside the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall is a rite of passage for any first-time visitor, providing a chance to reflect on the city’s divided past. Known as the East Side Gallery, this mural-covered section of the wall follows the River Spree for more than 1.3km.
Berlin Wall with TV Tower © pixelklex/Shutterstock
Centred on the towering sandstone Victory Column, Tiergarten is home to Berlin’s biggest park – and where locals come to picnic, barbecue and unwind. There are more than 23km of pathways and running tracks weaving through the park, linking flower-filled meadows with chiselled sculptures and beer gardens.
Planning your trip to Berlin? Don't miss our guide to where to stay in Berlin.
A sobering sight, the expansive Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe features more than 2,700 slate-grey blocks arranged in a series of disorientating lines. It’s free to wander among the slabs, and visitors are invited to explore the subterranean information centre, which documents the extermination of European Jews.
Flower in Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin © EvrenKalinbacak/Shutterstock
Berlin’s art scene moves at breakneck speed, with new exhibitions opening every month. To find out what’s hot right now, check out the free galleries on Auguststraße, in Berlin Mitte, many of which double as restaurants.
Every Wednesday at 9pm, the B-flat Jazz Club on Rosenthaler Straße hosts free-to-watch jam sessions led by double bass extraordinaire Robin Draganic. The quality of the musicianship is consistently top-notch.
Run by locals, Alternative Berlin aims to help tourists get closer to the city’s many subcultures. The company’s free tours, which run daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, call at artists’ squats, urban farms and daytime raves. Paid-for tours are also offered.
This ‘ecomarket’, which sets up in the trendy neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg every Thursday, isn’t the cheapest place to eat. But resist the bounty of organic goodies, from plump red berries to bratwurst, and browsing is still enjoyable. A predominantly organic market also sets up here on Saturdays.
This grand, tree-lined boulevard cuts an east-west line
Last month I took a sleeper train for the first time.
In some cities, they’re called convenience stores, in others, bodegas, but in Berlin, those pint-sized late-night shops you see everywhere are Späti, and they’re integral to the city’s everyday life.
Last month I traveled by train from London to Berlin and back.
Western Europe’s most populous country doesn’t always spring to mind as a low-cost destination. However, in a place this big and diverse, there will always be a smarter way to spend your euros.
From the beloved yellow subways to the highly efficient short-distance and regional trains, and the panoramic double-decker buses, Berlin's public transit system is a well-choreographed symphony of movement. But wait, there's more!
Berlin is a city where families will feel welcome.
Germany is the world’s fourth-biggest economy, has a history that’ll take you a lifetime to unpack, a capital city that seems to be crawling into the future and a population of more than 80 million people, almost one-fifth of whom have an immigrant background – that makes it almost impossible to form any generalisations about a singular Germany. Instead, expect a country full of bewildering contradictions, quirky social norms and, in the capital especially, stereotypes turned on their head.
Berlin has long enjoyed a reputation for being a city of bargains, but don’t be fooled: it’s catching up with London, Tokyo and New York – and fast!
Berlin is a place that makes boredom impossible. Discovering Germany’s capital, and its true depth of historical and cultural richness, gifts you jam-packed days and sprints between attractions. And that’s just the sightseeing! There is also so much cool stuff to do.
For grand castles and gritty industrial architecture, half-timbered taverns and edgy techno nightclubs, head to Germany.
German low-cost carrier Air Berlin filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, after one of it’s largest investors, Etihad Airlines, declined to finance a business-saving bailout.
One of the richest countries in the world is a small European nation that very few people put on their bucket list: Luxembourg. Or as it is officially known: The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The country of much less than one million inhabitants and smaller than 1,000 square miles, is a mysterious one for many. The head of state is a Grand Duke, there are three official languages, and all public transports are free.