Berlin
Germany’s largest City
The capital of Germany
is the site for the annual ITB tourism fair, but is otherwise not a major
tourism hub for Sri Lankans. Each year sees new buildings and ever more
developments at Potsdamer Platz, now home to the stunningly modern and
glistening Sony Centre, with the new Deutsche Bahn tower no less striking.
Getting There
Berlin Schonefeld airport offers the best connections to the rest of Europe. From
Colombo, a short transit through Doha will land you at the other airport, Tegel.
Even more economically, you can get there by flying directly to Frankfurt on
SriLankan or a number of other airlines such as Emirates or Qatar Airways. A
Deutsche Bahn train from the airport, via Hannover or the daily direct train,
will take you to the multi-level Berlin main station (Hauptbahnhof), completed in May 2006.
Staying
For those accustomed to expensive accommodation and costs in London, Vienna or
Paris, Berlin is a breath of fresh air. All the major hotel chains are present
in the city, from Hilton, Sofitel and Four Seasons to Ibis, Holiday Inn and Best
Western. There are also many pensions (cheap hostels and family run bed and
breakfasts) for backpackers. During each visit for the past 10 years, I marvel
at how the standard of English improves, and how much more cosmopolitan the city
has become.
Getting around
A 2-zone day pass (Tageskarte)
costs just €6.30, and one that takes you all the way to Potsdam, it
is just €6.80. This is valid until 3am the following day on buses, trams, U-bahn
(underground) and S-bahn (surface) metro trains; and is one of the best deals in
Germany.
Sights
The symbol of the city is the restored Brandenburg Gate, which stands on the
Unter den Linden shopping street (reminiscent of the Champs-Elysée in Paris).
From the gate, if you walk down June 17th Street, you can see an impressive
Victory Column topped by the Golden Else statue.
Checkpoint Charlie is another
attraction for tourists, though the location is not authentic.
Gendarmenmarkt,
Berlin’s Trafalgar Square is another panoramic photo opportunity, which is on
many postcards.
The
Reichstag (parliament), designed by Sir Norman Foster, is open 8am-11pm for
pre-booked visitors. If you are very lucky, you may even be able to shake hands
with Chancellor Angela Merkel as she walks through its corridors.
The
Schloss Charlottenburg (palace) consists of old and new wings, with rococo
state apartments, the mausoleum, a vast garden, an orangerie and even a museum
of prehistoric archaeology. The most awe-inspiring palace is the fabulous
Schloss Sanssouci in Potsdam, with its many palaces, multiple terraced
gardens, gazebo, dragon house and much more. A whole day is required to take in
its Versailles-like grandeur.
If you look down Karl-Liebnecht Strasse, the dome of the Lutheran cathedral is
juxtaposed against the Alexanderplatz Fernsehturm, a television tower,
the tallest in Central Europe. (the photo to the left is the old parish church
Marienkirche). The old town is ideal for a stroll, with plaques
to read every few meters. The underground Holocaust memorial is worth a visit.
Afterwards, visit the grand Adlon Kempinski hotel, where Michael Jackson
controversially dangled Prince Michael II from a penthouse balcony in 2002. The
Story of Berlin, with a built-in World War I bunker, is another captivating
museum if you are interested in the history of the city. Museum Island has five
museums, of which the Old Art Gallery with its collection of Great Masters is
the pick.
Do not leave without seeing the creative graffiti at the open air East Side
Gallery, on the longest remaining part of the Berlin Wall, lovingly restored in
2009. The beautiful red Oberbaum bridge, the only one to survive both wars, is
best viewed from here.
A sight that you must see is the Kaiser-Wilhelm memorial church, all but
destroyed in the war, but kept as a reminder of the horrors of war.
Eat
The city offers twelve Michelin-starred restaurants
for foodies. For those on a budget, the local specialities that you should try
are the Berliner Currywürst sausage and the Berliner (a jam
doughnut). Block House is a chain that is found all over Germany, and Berlin is
no exception. Good value schnitzel, knuckles and fillet steaks are the ones to
try. There are a wide range of ales and beers from all over Germany, and
Mommseneck Pub, “the house of a 100 beers”, has most of them.
To Do
For sports, Berlin still boasts the 1936 Olympic stadium, where Jesse Owens
memorably won 4 gold medals. There is a bewildering array of things to do, not
least a vibrant nightlife for young people. Like New York, the city never
sleeps.
Only Vienna can rival Berlin for classical music. There are seven professional
orchestras, three opera houses, innumerable chamber ensembles and an
enthusiastic student population that brings free, world class playing to the
streets. Sir Simon Rattle heads the flagship – the celebrated Berlin
Philharmonic, which tours the world and broadcasts concerts in high definition
on the web through its Digital Concert Hall. For opera on a budget, the Komische
Oper is a must, where you can get a good seat (not standing room) one hour
before the performance for just €10.
Go Out
Many cities are ideal for a day trip from Berlin. The most beautiful is
probably Dresden, just 2 hours away. Firebombed by the allies, it has been
restored to its former glory. The buildings are suitably aged to capture some of
its ancient heritage. If you have time only for one attraction, the
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Gallery), in the Zwinger palace, is the
one to select.
If you are weary of concrete jungles, you can walk through the Grunewald
(forest) in the South West or the vast acreage of Tiergarten
in the centre. The many faces of Berlin, will make you wish you had more time to
take in its multifaceted glories.
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