The best of Berlin

Berlin is Germany’s capital and largest city with history and art that makes it such a great place to travel to. No matter what, you will always find something to love about this historical city whether you’re there for vacation or on a day trip. Immerse yourself in Berlin’s creative atmosphere. Let yourself be inspired, seduced and enchanted.

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is a famous border crossing that was once located at the Berlin wall. The crossing was built to separate East and West Berlin during the Cold War. It was very important from 1961 to 1990, being the main entry and leaving point for people including diplomats, journalists and non-German visitors.

Across the road from Checkpoint Charlie is a museum known as Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. This museum contains a handful of information about Checkpoint Charlie and the separation of East and West Berlin along with documentation on the escape attempts from people trying to get from East to West. There are about 900,000 visitors every year.

“The rooms in the old part of our museum are famous as here history was written in these rooms,” said Alexandra Hildebrandt, chairwoman of the board at the Mauermuseum-Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. “People helped other people who could escape and activists came here during the Wall time and the founder of our museum, Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt, helped them.”

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and has a small fee for the entrance cost: adult tickets cost €12.50; students cost €9.50; and school pupils from 9- to 18-years-old are €6. Those wanting to take photos within the museum have to pay an extra fee of €2.

Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was the barrier that divided East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989 during the Cold War. There are various types of graffiti art on the wall, each telling their own story. You can just spend all of your time looking over all of the art. The wall is this creative force that lies behind the city’s distinctive vibe. There are many tours available that take you to see the wall, but the best way to see it is to take a short walk from Checkpoint Charlie so you can really take in what the wall once stood for.

Brandenburg Gate

For decades, the Brandenburg Gate has been a symbol of division and it has always been the beating heart of a major city bursting with millions of ideas. It is built on the site of the former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg. You can find the gate at the western part of the city center. During World War II, the gate suffered a great amount of damage and was fully restored between 2000 and 2002. The gate is a very beautiful piece of history to go and see while in Berlin. It is said that the statue on the top of the gate represents a symbol of peace.

Bars and Restaurants

The nightlife in Berlin is one of the best in the world ― the city comes to life during the night and there are countless great restaurants and bars to endulge in. If you are looking for a restaurant that serves great German food and has a great atmosphere, then Marjellchen is the place to go. It is located on a quiet suburban street and offers great service. Some of the waitresses speak English and the food is outstanding and well worth the cost.

For a restaurant with a more upbeat and edgy vibe, there is the White Trash Fast Food restaurant. It is a great place where you can eat with friends before a great night out.

As you walk into the bar, it has a very “rock ‘n’ roll” atmosphere and always has live music playing. The service is fast, excellent and it’s possible to get a seat quickly, even without a reservation.
The menu is based on the traditional American menu, offering the traditional burgers and fries which are worth dining in for.

For more information about Berlin, visit www.visitberlin.de/en.