House of travel Northern, Central & Eastern Europe Brochure 2017 | Page 17

Berlin
Talk about a city of contrasts! One minute you’re following the path where the
Berlin Wall stood, reading the graffiti on some of the sections that still stand or
feeling the choking emotion that comes over you when you are dwarfed by the
plain grey columns that have been erected as a Holocaust memorial. The next you
are wandering the peaceful and tranquil paths that wind through the Tiergarten. At
Potsdamer Platz, where after reunification, an architectural competition was held
and international architects vied for the right to rebuild a complete city district
in the heart of the city – talk about modern! One of the most fascinating areas of
Berlin is the pre-war Jewish Quarter that has been taken over by contemporary art
galleries to create ‘gallery mile’.
Our favourite things to see and do
Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) – Located
on Pariser Platz, it’s the last remaining gate from medieval
times in the city. Today it is one of Berlin’s most important
landmarks and a symbol of the city.
Reichstag – It’s the seat of the German government, housed
the first German Parliament, and remained in use until 1933. It
was where, in 1918, the German Republic was announced, and
since then it has hosted many key political historical events.
It pays to get there early or the queue can be quite long, but
entry is free and it’s worth the wait.
Tiergarten Park – The world’s largest inner-city park. It
stretches from Brandenburg Gate in the east to Zoo Station in
the west. You’ll definitely want to search out Germany’s oldest
zoo, The Zoologischer Garten. With 19,000 species, the zoo
houses the most diverse variety of animals in the world.
Berlin Wall – Not much is left of the wall at its original site
as it was destroyed almost everywhere. You can find a 80
metre piece of the wall at the Topography of Terror, site of the
former Gestapo headquarters, halfway between Checkpoint
Charlie and Potsdamer Platz. A longer section can be found
along the Spree River near the Oberbaumbrücke, nicknamed
East Side Gallery. This stretch of the wall, with 106 graffiti
paintings by artists from all over the world, is a memorial for
freedom, making it the largest open air gallery in the world.
Our favourite places to stay:
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Novum Select Hotel Berlin Checkpoint
Charlie, (Formerly Winters Checkpoint
Charlie)
Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre
Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint
Charlie
Sofitel Berlin Kurfurstendamm
Potsdamer Platz – The central hub of Berlin. Here
you’ll find a plethora of shops, cinemas and restaurants; it’s
definitely one of the liveliest squares in the country.
Guided Walking Tours – You learn so much more about
the city and its history – some spots you would walk straight
past and have no idea how significant they were otherwise.
Street Food Thursday – Once a week you can get a taste
of what Berlin has to offer. Sample lots of little snacks from all
over the globe. Located at Markthallen Neun between 5pm-
10pm every Thursday.
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