From our first visit – in a freezing February, Berlin managed to win us over, which is not surprising, given that we like big cities, where something is always happening and which have many things/activities to offer. And Berlin won us over precisely with this “big city life” vibe.
The cold was a bit of a hindrance then, and on a subway ride from one museum to another, we decided that we would return to Berlin and that we would take the city at our own pace, that we would explore it in the true sense of the word, as we had not been able to do before.
After the two trips I made to Berlin, I thought I would write this (practical) travel guide that would include all the information and travel tips that any traveler who is going to Berlin for the first time would need.
With the experience of two trips to Berlin in mind, I thought I would come to your aid and offer you this practical travel guide for one of the most cosmopolitan, modern and fascinating cities in Europe – BERLIN!
I am not going to go into historical data – because you are just a click away from the Wikipedia page, but rather I want this article to be a practical one, which includes data related to the best time to visit the German capital, information about transportation – how to get from the airport to the city, urban transport, as well as some itineraries such as: “must see tourist attractions”, “Berlin museums – for lovers of art, history, science and cars”, “Historical Berlin – a journey through time” and “day trips from Berlin”.
So, sit back and get ready for this journey through the grandiose Berlin!
The best time of year for a vacation in Berlin
February 2023 – when -3 degrees Celsius feels like -13 degrees Celsius.
I told you before that for our first trip to Berlin we chose the second worst time of year. We were inspired enough not to choose the winter months, but naive enough to believe that spring in Berlin feels the same as spring in Italy.
We arrived in Berlin at the end of February, and from the moment we got off the plane, the harsh wind hit us, a clear sign that 3 hard days were ahead for our skin. I could feel even now the wind pushing us from behind, and the cold penetrating through our clothes and hats.
It would have penetrated even through our gloves, if we had had them. :)) It was terrible! And to give you an idea of the cold we endured, in those days the -3 degrees on the thermometer felt like -13. Later, our friends told us that that week was the coldest in the 4 years they spent in Berlin.
But on the second trip, which took place in June 2024, we weren't so lucky either :)). On the first day, the wind and rain made us take refuge in a shopping mall. On the second day, however, we had very good weather, clear skies and lots of sunshine.
However, one thing you should keep in mind: in northern Germany the weather is changeable, and if you want to enjoy long walks on the city streets, you should consider the summer months.
How To Get To Berlin
Depending on what you want to do and the time you have available, you can choose between a flight, in the case of a city break, or a car trip, in the case of a road trip.
Plane – there are several direct flights between major cities and Berlin.
If you read older articles, you will find that Berlin has two major airports, Tegel and Schonefeld, but this information is NO longer current. In 2020, the two airports were closed and replaced by the new airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
The new airport (BER) is located 18 km from the city center, in the state of Brandenburg.
How to get from the new airport – Berlin Brandenburg Airport – to the city center (Alexander Platz): S-Bahn – Line S9 – departure from terminals 1,2,5, to Alexander Platz. A trip costs 4.30 euros.
Accommodation in Berlin
When choosing your hotel or apartment, don't forget to pay close attention to the area where the accommodation is located. It makes no sense to tell you that it is important to choose a good area, which is close to tourist attractions or has access to the metro or bus.
Coming back to Berlin, I want to mention once again that Berlin is a huge city and that the possibilities are endless. In other words, Berlin has something for every budget. The area where you choose to spend your nights is at least as important as the price, we know that from experience.
I am convinced that you do not want to end up in a less famous area or spend tens of minutes on the metro, changing 2-3 metro lines just to get to the center. I know that these two things can greatly influence your vacation, especially when it comes to a city break.
So, my advice is to look for hotels or apartments in the Friederichstadt area, right in the heart of the city. By staying in this area, you will be extremely close – within walking distance – to all the city’s major attractions.
Another suitable area would be Kurfurstendamm. We chose a hotel in Kurfurstendamm (unfortunately I don't remember the name of the hotel) because the prices were a bit lower, but also because there is a pretty good connection to the city center (for example, it was about 4-5 metro stops to get to Potsdamer Platz).
How to Get Around Berlin – Public Transport, Public Parking, Bicycles
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
In big cities, public transport is a real wonder, and if those cities also have an underground transport network, it is even better for the tourist who wants to get to different parts of the city quickly and cheaply.
You already know that we use public transport a lot and that we always dedicate a special column to this aspect, but what you don't know is that Berlin gave us the most headaches.
The public transport map in Berlin is a madness of lines and routes, of completely unknown terms such as S-BAHN and U-BHAN and of metro stations with names that are hard to pronounce.
On our first visit, we were completely lost in front of the map, and quite a few times we got on the wrong trains, as we often had headaches when we had connections at different stations.
On the second trip I can't say it was any clearer, but we were accompanied by two local friends and it was a little easier. So, I did my homework, wrote down everything that needed to be written down, to give you all the information you need if you plan to use public transportation in Berlin.
Glossary of terms:
- S-BAHN – Stadtbahn – A type of urban-suburban railway
- U-BAHN – underground
Subway stations and important routes – To make it easier for you, we have made a list of all subway stations and s-bahn and u-bahn lines for the most important tourist attractions:
- S1 – for Potsdamer Platz and Brandenburger Tor
- U2 – Potsdamer Platz and Hausvogteplatz station – for Gerdamenmarkt
- U6 – Kochstrasse station – for Checkpoint Charlie
- U5 – Rotes Rauthaus station – for Berliner Dom, DDR Museum, Alexander Platz and Museum Island (Museumsinsel)
- S3, S5, S7, S9, (S75) – Warschauerstrasse station – for East Side Gallery – Berlin Wall and Zoo (Tiergarten station)
- U7 – Richard Wegner Platz station – for Charlottenburg Palace
- S9, S45 – Brandenburg Airport – Flughafen Brandenburg Berlin
Zones, prices and passes – On the public transport map you will find that Berlin is divided into three zones – A, B and C. Zones A and B correspond to the central area of the city, while zone C includes the city of Potsdam and Brandenburg Airport.
The cost of a trip is calculated according to the zone in which the trip takes place, so we find the following prices:
- 3.80 euros/trip for zones AB
- 4.30 euros/trip for zones BC
- 4.70 euros/trip for zones ABC
If you think you will use public transport more often, then a one-day or seven-day pass would be the best option.
- Tageskarte (a card valid for one day) costs 10.60 euros (zones A and B), respectively 12.30 euros (zones A, B and C) – It is good to know that these cards are not for 24 hours, but are valid from the first use until 3:00.
- 7-day pass – 44.60 euros (zones A and B) and 52.70 euros (zones A, B and C).
Prices and routes are in accordance with those on fahrinfo.bvg.de. For more info access this link.
PUBLIC PARKING
When we arrive in big cities like Berlin, we try as much as possible not to use the car to get from one tourist attraction to another. If the hotel has access to the metro/bus, we prefer to leave the car at the hotel and then use public transportation.
Indeed, this option may be less convenient, but if you think about the traffic, the search for a parking space or the costs, you will come to the conclusion that it is much better and much cheaper to leave the car at the hotel.
On the other hand, if you need to use the car, it is good to know that Berlin (like all of Germany) is extraordinarily good in terms of parking. In the central areas you will find a lot of covered parking lots where you can leave your car.
These covered parking lots do not impose a maximum stay time like the street ones, where you can leave your car for 30 minutes or a maximum of 2 hours, but on the other hand they are a little more expensive. For example, an hour of parking at the Mall of Berlin costs 2.5 euros.
But as I said, it’s incredibly easy to find a parking space in Berlin. You simply look for the “P” sign – Parken, which often has the number of free spaces or the word “frei” (free in German) next to it.
Hop-on – Hop-off Tours in Berlin
The third option is suitable for the “lazy tourist” or for the tourist who only has a few hours to visit the city. Hop-on hop-off buses are ideal if you want to get the pulse of the city on the go or if you want to reach all the major tourist attractions of the city without any hassle.
City-sightseeing and BigBus are the two companies, found in all major cities, that offer such tours. Most classic tours include stops at the Berlin Wall, the Berliner Dom, Potsdamer Platz or the Brandenburger Tor. While, deluxe or premium tours also include other experiences: river cruises, walking tours, currywurst tasting, etc.
I hope this article will be useful when planning your trip to Berlin.