Berlin

blocparty

Myself and my friends are going inter railing at the end of the month and we decided that we would each plan a city to make it fair on everyone. I got Berlin so im looking for peoples personal experiences about the city.

We will be going to belin at the start of September and will be staying there for 3 days or if its a really cool city maybe 4 days. We are going to Amsterdam after berlin so i think we will all be looking forward to that a lot. I want to do berlin justice so i want some really cool things to see. I dont want us saying screw this lets go to amsterdam after 2 days.

Im also looking for peoples opinions on hostels to stay in. I know that east berlin is cheaper than west berlin so if anyone stayed in berlin id like to know their opinion on which side of the city to stay in. the cheap side or the nicer side.

cheers

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Stayed in the Generator, think it was East. Paid about 14€ per night for a bed in a form dorm room. You can get cheaper in an 8-bed dorm. Good facilities, clean, crap food tough (only a fiver, though!)

To see? Depends on what you're into. The historical bit can be done free (well, for tips only, officially) with this lot in a morning
http://www.newberlintours.com/nbt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2&lang=en

Good views from the top of the dome on the reichstag and the telecom tower (large spherical shaped thing on a pole - you can't miss it)

If the weathers good, head out to Schlacktensee(sp?) in the South West - lovely lake for some swimming, nice bar at the station too.

Night - Techeles bar was my fave. fgraffiti decour, artsy kinda place.

Hope that helps.

blocparty

ya thanks for the reply. someoneelse recommended that hostel so we might stay there. theres 4 of us so it will be handy to get 4 a private room.

did you go on any pub crawls or anything like that?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Same crowd that do the tour above do a pub crawl that picks up up from the hostel. 10€ for free beer, shots and entry into six bars/clubs (the mix'n'match a bit) ... Well recommended!

Click on the link in my last post and on the left hand side, you'll see 'pub crawl'. The free beer runs out quick though...

Sgt. Sensible

Well I live in Berlin so I'll try suggest a few things.

For a start I recommend these hostels

http://www.globetrotterhostel.de/ (nice bar in it, and another one, Red Rooster, underneath it, close to long remaining stretch of the berlin wall)

http://www.baxpax.de/

What music do youse like? Very important for bar and club recommendations.

Simon Dach Str in Friedrichshain is the pub mile, nice for barhopping. There's the huge Kulturbrauerei (http://www.kulturbrauerei-berlin.de) which houses lots of bars and different types of clubs. Wiener Str in Kreuzberg is another street with lots of restaurants and bars. Generally bars don't shut til late next morning depending on how many people are in.

As well as stuff already mentioned, Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the jewish museum, the topography of terror exhibition (in ruins of former gestapo hq, museum island and the Sony centre are all worth visiting for the culturally inclined. There's loads and loads more, any specific questions fire away.

I would also say that sharing a room with others is ok, as you can invite them along and get a good gang out.

Sgt. Sensible

blocparty wrote:

the cheap side or the nicer side.

There is practically nothing of interest on the nicer side, except some of David Bowie's old haunts. Everything is pretty much in Friedrichshain, Prenzlauerberg, Kreuzberg, Mitte and around Tiergarten.

blocparty

hey thanks for the links

as for music we're into indie and the like but we would listen to most types of music. we're not into techno though

thanks for the recommendations.

is 3 days enough to get berlin in? i know its a short time but do you think its enough?

Sgt. Sensible

blocparty wrote:

hey thanks for the links

as for music we're into indie and the like but we would listen to most types of music. we're not into techno though

thanks for the recommendations.

is 3 days enough to get berlin in? i know its a short time but do you think its enough?

Get the listings magazines Zitty or Exberliner (english language mag) when you arrive to see what sort of music is on in what club any particular night. Maybe try Club Knaack (http://www.knaack-berlin.de/), very famous place with 4 or 5 levels. 3 days is ok, not enough to see stuff like Potsdam and Sachsenhausen though.

STaN

The circus hostel is quite good and central. I would recommend it over the generator.

Its located near alexanderplatz and right beside an U station.

I'd say you could get berlin in in 3 days. Its an amazing city. Check out the techno clubs?

blocparty

ya i think 3 days will be enough to see most of the city.

thanks for the tips.

for anyone else who is going to berlin check out:
http://www.rte.ie/tv/howlowcanyougo/

they went there and had a laugh so its worth having a look at

Ruthy23

Hey,

I love Berlin, it's such a great city, it's just so unlike other european cities, you'll have a blast!

I stayed in Alexanderplatz the last time i was there and that's a pretty cool area.
Don't bother going up the TV tower though, the views aren't amazing and the building itself looks a lot cooler from the outside.

Also, Oranienburger strasse is great for cheap grub and a strip with loads of bars. I thought the nightlife there was excellent, all sorts of music.

I thought the TV museum was pretty cool, but unfortunately i can't remember where it was!!

If you go to checkpoint charlie, don't bother going into the museum, it's a rip off for what's actually inside (a collection of newspaper cuttings and photos!) and the more interesting sites are outside anyway! there's a nice mexican cafe across from the museum though, tasty cheap burritos if you get sick of the frankfurters!

Have a great time, it's such a brilliant city!!

blocparty

hey ruthy thanks for the tips.

it now looks like myself and my 3 friends will be joined by maybe another 4 friends for the 3 days that we are there.

is there anything that would be good for a large number of people?

Kevcol

Hey guys,

I know this is an old thread but I was just wondering if the nightlife during the week is good in Berlin. My friends and I are going at the end of October and hoping that it won't be too quiet!

Thanks