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Top Facts About Berlin You May Not Know

We visited Berlin a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed our time in this memorable city, visiting the sites for which Berlin in known such as the remains of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and The Brandenburg Gate.

As you probably know, Berlin the capital of Germany is a city rich in history, some of it dark but always fascinating. During World War 2 it was the headquarters of the Gestapo, the German secret police and Hilter spent much of his time there. If you are interested in the history of this a visit to the Topography of Terror, an exhibition on the former premises of the SS headquarters, is highly recommended, but leave the little ones at home due to the nature of the exhibit.

The Brandenburg Gate

After World War 2 Germany was divided into two separate countries, East and West Germany. East was communist under the control of the Soviet Union and West was democratic and allied with Britain, France and the US.



Part of the Berlin Wall that still stands

People in East Germany started to leave and move to the West as they didn't want to live under a communist leadership and to prevent this in 1961 the Berlin Wall was built. People were stunned as the wall seemed to go up overnight, and until the demise of the wall in 1989, over 5000 people escaped to West Germany. Guards on the wall were ordered to shoot anyone trying to escape and over 200 people were killed.


The sign illustrates how Berlin was split into East and West after WW2 and prior to 1989 at Checkpoint Charlie


As you can see the modern history of Berlin is dark and at times depressing but don't let that put you off visiting this amazing city. Berlin is also known for its diverse architecture, its interesting nightlife,and its creative industries. With a booming street food scene and a number of Michelin star restaurants, foodies will also not be disappointed.

Below are some facts about Berlin you may not know about.

Top Facts About Berlin You May Not Know
  1. The city of Berlin is nine times bigger than Paris and over 180 kilometres of the navigatable waterway.
  2. With more than 4,650 restaurants, 900 bars, 190 clubs and 175 museums, you will never be bored or hungry.
  3. It has more bridges than Venice.
  4. In 1924 the first set of traffic lights in Europe was installed in Potsdamer Platz. Today you can go and admire a replica of the lights in the same spot. 
  5. There are more doner kebab houses in Berlin than there are in Istanbul. 
  6. The International Berlin Beer Festival has the longest beer garden in the world.
  7. It is Germany's biggest university city and over 130,000 students study in Berlin every year.
  8. Of Berlin's 3 million population nearly 30% have a migrant background.

Tell me have you ever visited Berlin?

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What To Do In A Weekend In Berlin

Recently I was lucky enough to be swept off to Berlin for a long weekend. Berlin, the capital of Germany is a very cosmopolitan city. With a population of only 3.5 million and an area of approximately two-thirds of the size of London, the capital of German has lots to see and do and great shopping.

I am no expert on Berlin but this is my guide as a first-timer on what to do in a weekend in this fascinating capital city.

When to go


A Christmas Market In Berlin

Summer is a popular time to see the city's parks and attractions and another popular time is December to see the Christmas markets.

We went in December and can highly recommend visiting at this time of year. In the Christmas markets, stalls abound with Christmas decorations, trinkets, mulled wine and decorated gingerbread. It does get very cold at this time of year so wrap up warm. When we were there in December, temperatures went as low as -6 degrees C and it snowed one day.

The Language

English is spoken in most places in Berlin so if you only know a few words of German it should be no problem, although it's only courteous to learn a few phrases to get you by on a short trip.

Transport

As the attractions in Berlin are spread out I would recommend using the local public transport to get around. The transport system is easy to use - one ticket can be used on the U-Bahn (underground) the S-Bahn (train) and the bus and tram system. A day ticket cost 6.9 euros. If you are not a fan of the underground you will be pleased to know it is much less crowded than in London. Tickets on the underground are bought from ticket machines in English and German and you can buy a ticket for one journey or a ticket to last you all day. The machines do not take MasterCard and Visa although Maestro is taken so make sure you have Euros with you to pay as a backup.

Official Taxis are metered and prices are comparable or slightly cheaper than in London.

History

Berlin has a troubled and violent history. During World War 2 it was virtually destroyed by bombing and artillery. At this time in history, it was the centre of the Gestapo - the German secret police and Hitler spent much of his time in Berlin and had one of his many residences there. Even after the Second World War, the city was divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall. I'm not an expert in history so I have added relevant links throughout this post if you are interested in reading up more.

What To See 

Topography of Terror

This indoor and outdoor museum on the site of buildings which during the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945, was the headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS. The boundary between the American and Soviet zones of occupation in Berlin ran along the street, so the street soon became a fortified boundary, and the Berlin Wall ran along the south side of the street, A sombre but worthwhile museum about Berlin from 1933 to 1945.

The Berlin Wall


A Section Of The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was a barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989, constructed by the German Democratic Republic, that cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin until it was opened in November 1989. Many people tried to cross the Berlin Wall and not everyone survived. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls which circumscribed a wide area - the "death strip" that contained anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" and other defences. 

The Eastern Bloc claimed that the wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" in building a socialist state in East Germany. In practice, the Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that marked East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period.

 There is an interesting free museum that explains the history of the Berlin Wall and charts the timeline, those that escaped and those that died trying to escape as well as the fall of the wall.

 Checkpoint Charlie



Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. Today you can have your photo taken with the 'army guards' that are employed for tourism.

Berlin Zoo

The Berlin Zoo is the oldest and best-known zoo in Germany. It is considered to be the most visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. With over 20,000 animals, there is a lot to see and do. It's a perfect family attraction and great for some light sightseeing.

The Brandenburg Gate



 The Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century archway in Berlin, and one of the best-known landmarks of Germany. It is built on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel. During the post-war Partition of Germany, the gate was isolated and inaccessible immediately next to the Berlin Wall, and the area around the gate was featured most prominently in the media coverage of the opening of the wall in 1989.

Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate was often a site for major historical events and is today considered a symbol of the tumultuous history of Europe and Germany, but also of European unity and peace.

Where To Eat

There are lots of cosmopolitan places to eat in Berlin with cuisine from all nationalities, and you can find many excellent places, both independent restaurants, chains, and cafes. We had gluhwein (mulled wine) and the local lager at a traditional German pub and ate from the menu of German specialities including a German version of Wiener Schnitzel.

German specialities are hearty and many are based on meat and potatoes with ingredients such as cabbage popular. For snacks, Bratwurst which is a German sausage is eaten at many stalls at the side of the street. Currywurst, which is a sausage with ketchup and curry powder wasn't as bad as I imagined! 


Currywurst

Le Faubourg Restaurant

This French restaurant, part of the Sofitel Berlin Kurfuerstendamm, ranks highly on TripAdvisor and is worthy of one Michelin star in my opinion. Choose from traditional or nouveau style food, and with dishes like saddle of venison with pancetta, sweet potato, brussel sprouts and mushrooms and sautéed sea bass on champagne lentils with straw potatoes, you will be in for a treat. A special occasion place, expect to pay 100-150 euros for a meal for two with wine.

Hard Rock Cafe, Berlin

Always dependable where ever you find them around the world, the Hard Rock Cafe at Kurfuerstendamm is no exception. I think you can't beat the burgers here and my son rates the rack of ribs highly. Use priority seating via the website to have first seating when you arrive and to avoid a long wait. Expect to pay 40-50 Euros for a meal for two, more if you are having alcohol.

Where To Stay

We stayed at the Sofitel Berlin Kurfuerstendamm. A lovely hotel in the west of the city with large modern rooms and a surprisingly affordable cost for a city centre hotel. Expect to pay £100 - £150 a night for a room for 2 people. I couldn't fault the hotel but as many of the sights are in the East of the city perhaps I would stay in a more central hotel next time if we visited Germany again. If you're wondering where to stay in Berlin, Katie from Wandertooth has a great guide here.

For more information, check out this guide on what to do with 72 hours in Berlin.  

 So this is a guide on what to do and see in a weekend in Berlin, as I said I am not an expert.  Tell me, have you been to Berlin? Do you have any recommendations on what to do and see?
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