Thanks for these links Simon. So much to see and so little time in Berlin. Oh well we can always get a train from Gdansk on next year's visit to stay longer.simon wrote: ↑Mon May 29, 2017 11:29 am Berlin's a wonderful city and remarkably comfortable for a capital. Because of it's relatively recent history there's a lot to see, on top of the usual capital city sights. Public transport is very good though so it's quite easy to get about. But if you're there for just a day you'll have to be selective.
Berlin has an historical division based on east and west, even though it's been all one for 3 decades the clues are still there. I like the Reichstag, the seat of parliament, where the last of Hitler's most loyal soldiers made a stand against the Russians at the fall of Berlin. Sir Norman Foster designed the glass dome on top and the two cool spiral ramps that climb to the top. It's free but you need to book a few days in advance as entrance is limited.
https://www.bundestag.de/en/visittheBun ... ion/245686
From there its a short walk to the Brandenberg Gate. The wall was built just in front; there are some evocative photos of a different time.
https://www.berlin.de/en/attractions-an ... te.en.html
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=brand ... 24&bih=714
The main avenue looks down through Tiergarten, with the Soviet war memorial just down the way.
Just around the corner is the outdoor Jewish Memorial which has a fascinating museum below ground.
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/memor ... -of-europe
And then it's a short stroll to the site of Hitler's bunker. All that's there now is a residential car park and a sign, but it's still somehow powerfully evocative. (Downfall is a great film BTW.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BChrerbunker
There's probably a busy morning's worth there if you crack on and don't study the reading materials too much.
I guess Checkpoint Charlie museum is worth a visit too, though it's 15 years since I've been so don't know what it's like now. But I found just walking down streets that were once partitioned fascinating.
https://www.berlinpass.com/berlin-attra ... useum.html
In the middle of the centre is Museum Island with 5 world class museums. I haven't been to any of them yet, as I've not managed to squeeze them in during visits to Berlin.
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/museum-island
Not far away is the DDR museum which portrays life in the former East Germany. Which I thought was okay.
https://www.ddr-museum.de/en
We really enjoyed the Stasi museum though, but it might not be for everyone. It's a short journey further in to the old east, and is in what was the Stasi headquarters. If you watched Deutschland 1983 a year or so ago the Stasi scenes were filmed here. I found it quite surreal sauntering through what was once Erich Mielke's office, somewhere once so secretive.
http://www.stasimuseum.de/en/enindex.htm
There are still bits of the wall left, though most has come down. There is a Berlin Wall Memorial:
http://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de/en/
And there's the East Side Gallery, ~1200m of wall that remains and is the largest outdoor art exhibition space, or something like that. 15 years ago I thought it was quite moving - the original panels of the wall were still obvious and the artwork was closer to graffiti and expressed some raw emotions. Now it's somewhat more sanitised, I guess it's not unreasonable to want some of the more unpleasant memories to be diminished; the panels have been rendered to form a smooth canvas and some of the murals are protected with Heras fencing. A lot of the paintings are very good though and it's worth a stroll.
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/east-side-gallery
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=east+ ... 24&bih=714
If shopping's your thing then Kudamm was the place to go in the West. I'm no shopper but I imagine there are top shops all over Berlin now.
The local drink is Berliner Weisse - a white lager-type beer to which they add flavourings. It comes in red or green! (Raspberry or woodruffe.) I enjoyed them well enough but not sure I'd want a skinful!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berliner_Weisse
There's so much more to do in Berlin, but your challenge will be choosing what to do in your day. (Amsterdam's alright too )
I would like to see the Stasi museum but Mrs L having lived through Communist rule in Poland won't accompany me there.
I wonder if anyone on here has seen The Lives of Others
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lives_of_Others
A terrific film about the antics of the Stasi and excellently acted.