What to do in Berlin?

Hey you german flashaholics!! I need you advice. My girlfriend is going to Max Planck for a conference in November. Her schedule is rather tight for the days of the conference. but she is staying two extra days to sightsee.

What is there to do? I saw the "Berlin Welcome Card" and the various tourist attractions. What would a local Berliner recommend?

When I traveled to Berlin a few years back, I enjoyed the technology museum in Berlin. Not sure what it's called.

Steve K.

OMG, where should I start?

Culture and entertainment:

There are quite some events plus two operas and countless theaters, clubs,
museums, galleries and the like.
So for a starter, a guide might help to sort all this out:

http://www.visitberlin.de/english/suchen-buchen/e_sb_veranstaltungen_kultur.php

http://www.berlin.de/international/index.en.php

If your girlfriend is a flashaholic as well, maybe a "Berliner Unterwelten" Tour
(Berlin Underworld Tours) could be of interest:

http://berliner-unterwelten.de/guided-tours.3.1.html

Sightseeing:

City west and city east (downtown):
My usual tour that leads to almost all sights of downtown would be this:

Start at Kurfürstendamm , go to "Bahnhof Zoo"
(zoo station and yes, one of our zoos is right there) and from there
through the Tiergarten (sort of a central park) to the Brandenburger Tor.
Then follow the main street " Unter den Linden" to Alexanderplatz.
Take a guidebook to pick all the sights and places you want to see along this route.
(I think one can't do them all in two days)

If the weather is fine this will be a nice, minimum 3 hour walk, or for a shortcut
and if she don't needs a guided tour, go to "Bahnhof Zoo" and take the Bus #100,
as this one follows almost the mentioned route to Alexanderplatz.

Some other districts:

Kreuzberg:
Lots of pubs, restaurants and night live.
Points of interest:
"Potsdamer Platz", a newly build place with shoping mall, cinema, casino.
Nearby are the philharmonic concert hall, national gallery, state library.
The above mentioned "Museum für Verkehr und Technik" (museum of traffic and technology)
The area around subway station "Schlesisches Tor".
There's nothing of general interest to see, but I like the atmosphere of this place.

Prenzlauer Berg:
The new eastern night live and "in" district, especially around the "Kollwitzplatz".
The "Karl Marx Allee" nearby has a very unique architecture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl-Marx-Allee.

If she's into castles, there's "Schloß Charlottenburg" and Sanssouci in Potsdam near Berlin.

For shopping shoes and these other women things, the malls at "Friedrichstraße"
might be a good place where all these designer brands are offered in fashionable
shops.

Of course I just could scratch the surface here, so if you need more detailed information,
feel free to ask.

Hope this helps somehow.

Thomas

Hi - I just returned from a week business trip in Berlin - not my first time there, and always interesting. Frankly, 2 days is not enough to visit Berlin, but I have a few favorites.

I did not visit the zoo - because lots of cities have zoos. That does not mean they don't have a nice one, but time is limited.

I think the new main train station is neat. I am not really a fan of building new train systems here for various reasons, but the one in Berlin is quite interesting. Lots of shopping for the GF.

There is a hotel / bar (cannot remember the name) with a large tall cylinder shaped aquarium. There is an elevator that goes up the middle, and it is something like 10 - 20 meters dia. I found this to be a unique, fascinating item, and the beer in the bar was good as well. Maybe one of the locals can point it out here.

The new capital buildings where the govt meets is a big glowing dome you can go into and up a ramp - also neat - and a museum as well.

One thing nice - you can hardly walk 50 meters in Berlin without finding someone that can speak English, at least well enough to find the essentials.

I spent 2 years in the Berlin Brigade, Tom 123 has great suggestions. Plenty to do and see with his recommendation. I liked Berlin so much I often thought to live there, quite the city. I'm sure it's different now though, no more wall. I wish I could go back for a bit. Have her sample some curryworst, pomme frites mit mayo, Gyros, and of course if she likes beer you won't find anywhere that has more variety. A different brand on every block. Brings back memories, very good ones. Take alot of pictures too, you'll regret it later if you don't. :thumbsup:

How could I forget about the Currywurst.
"Konnopke's Imbiß" is a good place to taste one.
He's in Prenzlauer Berg district under the viaduct near subway station "Eberswalder Straße".

The name of the Hotel with the aquarium is Domaquaree.
It's nearby the western end of "Alexanderplatz".

Just to prevent misunderstandings, visiting the zoos (we have two of them, BTW)
in November isn't a good idea of course.
But the nearby Station, "Bahnhof Zoo" is located in the middle of the western city
and is still an important public transportation junction, hence a good place
to start a tour or to reach almost every destination within Berlin.

Regards
Thomas

Not knowing how old you are and what you're into I did most of the things mentioned already while I was there but Berlin also has a wonderful if not quite active/sometimes confronting nightlife...
Theres the Berghain, and KitKatClub to name just two clubs I went to while there... The latter being quite 'out there'

As far as more mundane places I loved relaxing in the parks around Berlin and tried to find a different park each day... Mauer Park is one I recommend there a market there on sunday, with street performers etc gathering... Really great day out...