Dates, flights & room are now confirmed, 17-20 Aug, and find myself now searching for sightseeing options - any other suggestions?

 

Yepp. Some beer and watches...or the other way around If you want some "off Broadway"- Bar Action, let me know.
Will be back in Berlin by then, @Delbok probably too?

 

I was in Berlin for a couple days in late Spring and Mr Yossarian & Delbok were a joy to share dinner with. I can tell you they are both a couple stand-up cats.

Hit the Beer Garden on the far end of Tiergarten Park. Cafe am Neuen See. Great spot.

 

I frequent Berlin quite a lot as my friend has a start up over there!

What exactly are you looking for?

A day doing the sites in West Berlin is enough - plan your own walking tour. Essentials are a trip up the Obelisk in the centre of the Tiergarten (about 4 euros and the best view over the city and the Brandenburg gate). Tiergarten is worth a nice walk around.

From here, visit the Brandenburg gate - its vast and really interesting. If you wish to do the Reichstag, make sure you book well in advance or join the queue early.

The Holocaust Museum is essential - its incredibly well produced and very moving. Worth the queue of circa. 1 hour at busy times. Entry is free.

Checkpoint Charlie is okay, worth a tick in the box - nothing more.

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I'd then spend a whole day in East Berlin. Start with a walk down the East Side Gallery, the largest remaining section of the Berlin wall (https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...d191041-Reviews-East_Side_Gallery-Berlin.html).

Definitely visit Boxhagener Platz, grab a beer from an Off Licence (some great beers, reasonably priced and it is very common in Berlin to walk around the streets with an open beer) and explore!

Pubs and beer halls are easy to find. Enjoy!

 

well..common for Tourist to do that and Boxhagener Platz is actually for people who also enjoy Disneyland. This recommendations..Berlin hates you

 

I think when I discovered Boxhagener it was with my friends wife who has lived in Berlin her whole life. I guess it’s down to preference, I loved it - there was a great market and nice beers. Great restaurants too, Vietnamese in the area was spot on.

Other than that, I hope you enjoy your trip. I keep going back for the very reason that it’s such a great city and there is so much to see and do.

 

The lonelyplanet-attitude and a great misconception of this town. but at least it keeps most of the easyjetset out of some last ressorts. no offence.

 

Thanks! I was already eyeing those attractions in my most likely list of candidates! I will definitely pack a pair of low-drag walking shoes (something to compensate for all the drinking activities ) BTW, you just confirmed what to expect from Checkpoint Charlie - however, I do plan to visit the museum.

I was not tracking Boxhagener in any of my research..

that's the intent! thanks!

You need to fill me in with all the other good stuff that takes place under ground! I assume low probability of finding a vintage Speedy at the flea market in Boxhagener?

 

Hmm, strong words about Boxhagener Platz and Disneyland. Berlin is a rapidly changing city (except for the new airport where the only thing that changes is the opening date ) so please update because my -in-laws live there but don't know: Where in the east do the locals now go for innovative restaurants, interesting shops (non-watch) and good bars? About 3 years ago we stayed on Boxhagenerstr and the Friedrichshein area looked to be getting more cafes and restaurants as it gentrified, but it had a way to go. Are the areas around Kollwitzplatz & Kulturbrauerei now mainly for tourists? We also stayed a number of years ago on Linienstr near Oranienburgerstr and there were interesting shops and good eateries around there (including for breakfast at a time when it was hard to get a breakfast out in other parts of the city), and all the way back to the touristy Hackescher Markt. Please let us non-locals in on the secret, promise not to tell Lonely Planet.

 

Was there last month for four nights staying near Alexanderplatz in the old East Berlin side.
Had a great walking tour with 'Berlin like a local', enjoyed the restaurants near Nikolai Kirche and in Bergmannkeitze and thought the DDR Museum well worth a visit coupled with the cafe society on the banks of the Spree.

The Alexanderplatz telecommunications tower


The wall


Bergmannkiez



And because this is a watch forum......The beater I wore

 

Where ever I go on holiday I always try the free walking tour if possible. A great way to get the lay of the land and maybe give some ideas for where to return later on.

 

We are prepared, will drop you a line
@Delbok

 

I’ll be ready for happy hour!

 

Buy one of these, or maybe not. Have fun

 

Calling @mr_yossarian ???

 

Sadly, most of the places you mentioned are tourist areas, some to the Disneyland-degree. Can't tell if it got worse the last 3 years since you were there but overall the last 10 years where terrible for parts of the city.

It's not tourism per se, but the kind of tourists the city marketing attracted. Easyjetset, cheap hostels, cheap beer, the City and people 24/7 as set for the party, not limits, no rules, smashing bottles, pissing in doorways etc..that for example describes the Boxhagener Platz and it's surrounding like Warscheuer Strasse, Simon-Dach-Strasse etc. quite exactly.

Having been work&leisurewise to most of Europes bigger Cities & Capitals and knowing people there, I can tell you that the behaviours shown here lead to an arrest in Madrid, London, Rome etc..but not in Berlin. For multiple reasons. It has become a failed city, not to a degree New York was in th 80's but enough too be sad about it.

And to close this. I don't think you belong to this kind ot tourists but as always: you only get the full impression when you live in a place.

 

Thank you, very interesting perspective. Years ago we were looking at buying an apartment in Berlin, when prices were much much cheaper than now, and we looked in Simon-Dach Str and Krossener Str, among other areas. Just took a look on Google Street View and those 2 streets are now full of bars & food outlets at street level so glad we didn't buy, we wouldn't be able to get to sleep at night.

 

and we are here! I expect this to be a great weekend!

 

Great pics! Berlin is such an amazing city, especially for the funkier cultural artifacts left over from it being essentially two different cultures for forty years. I'm on my way to Paris when you're leaving Berlin, but glad to be partaking in the fun while the Euro is at a low point.

 

And now the important things