Berlin: Ich Lebe Berlin

I really enjoyed Berlin. Once a jewel in the Imperial crown, Berlin was left to languish in the chaotic period after World War Two, becoming more a centre for espionage and intrigue than a tourist stopover. One of the ways you can explore this interesting past is to trace the path along the former Berlin Wall, along PotsdamerPlatz, Checkpoint Charlie, and the fantastic look out point at The Berlin Wall Documentation Center on Bernauer Strasse.

With the toppling of The Berlin Wall in 1989 Berlin tried to reassert itself as Germany’s leading city. Town planners and architects got together to solve the Berlin Problem: reunifying two parts of a very divided city that evolved under different ideals and had two of everything (two zoos, two airports). Now Berlin would seem incomplete without its Communist erected buildings, like the Fernsehturm television-tower and apartment complexes around Alexanderplatz. These buildings remain fascinating reminders of a time when iron-fisted politics ruled all and strolling among them gives visitors a real sense of what it must have been like to live under strict Eastern German rule.

Today Berlin is almost a totally modern city, not really surprising when you find out that 90% of the city was destroyed in the bombings of WWII. It’s a far cry from a ruinous bomb site though – it has some of the most fantastic architecture I’ve ever seen. What was once one of the world’s deadliest boarders is now a tranquil pedestrianised path where Berliners ride bikes and push baby strollers. Modern architects have been given free rein in formerly run-down areas, especially in the new Parliament Quarter and the area around the Sony Centre and PostdamerPlatz. Norman Foster’s modern glass dome sits pleasantly on the Reichstag (the German Parliament), well worth the (free) trip up the elevator for 360 degree, bird’s eye views of Berlin. Berlin also has some of the finest museums in Europe. The Pergamon Museum is worth the trip to Berlin alone, offering unparalleled reconstructions of ancient temples and monumental city gates.

Berlin is not Europe’s most well-preserved city, parts that weren’t heavily bombed in the war were ruined as Western and Eastern parts of Berlin became divided. Some older parts of the city manages to escape the wreckage: The Brandenburg Tor, Museum Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Tiergarten gardens, several churches and main boulevards (like the lovely, tree-lined Unter der Linden).

Quick Tips:

An early visit to the top of the Reichstag is certainly one of the best ways to get one’s bearings. The trip to the top is quick, but with increased security measures it’s best to go early in the morning to avoid long queues. The dome and roof terrace are generally open daily from 8am to midnight (last admission is at 10pm), but there are periods when it’s closed to visitors. A quick check on the website www.bundestag.de should reveal whether it’s open during your visit. There’s a very helpful kiosk desk at the point where you start queuing. They have free, multiple language leaflets describing the history of the building and a map describing what you’ll see when you get to the top – very useful for orientating yourself.

I’m glad we checked the weather before we went and it might be a good idea to do the same before you leave too as the weather systems over Europe, and especially Germany, can vary widely. We stepped off the plane in May into glorious, 32 degree C, sunny weather. A far cry from the 17 degree C weather we had back in London. BBC’s website (www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0050) and Eurometeo (www.eurometeo.com) are generally quite reliable.

Best Way To Get Around:

Berlin’s comprehensive public transportation system consists of trams, buses, U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains. The network is run like clockwork by the Public Transportation company – the BVG – which has an informative website at www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/Start. The website allows you to print out detailed network maps, create detailed journey planners and download information on the various discount cards available for your stay.

Tickets are either dispensed from ticket machines inside S and U-Bhan stations or are issued directly from bus drivers. If you buy tickets from a ticket machine you MUST STAMP the TICKET to validate it, otherwise you’re likely to get fined.

Most hotels and sightseeing is located in zones A and B of the travel network. The most basic ticket is a Single Ticket which is valid for two hours and allows you to travel in one direction, with unlimited transfers, using buses, trams, S-Bahn, U-Bahn trains and all regional rail transport and ferries. The price of a Single Ticket is 2,10 euros.

If you’re planning on using Public Transport a lot on a particular day it may be best to go for a Day Ticket which allows you to travel as often as you want until 3am. It costs 6,10 Euro for zones A an B and is easiest to get from a ticket machine – especially if you don’t speak any German like us!

We had a lovely stay at Altberlin. The three-star hotel is in a turn-of-the-century block in a relatively modern part of Western Berlin on a busy street, not incredibly central, but located near some good transport links.

While the outside is unremarkable the inside has undergone recent renovations and is rather unique in Berlin. Every effort has been made to recreate a cosy, historic ambient. The inside is furnished according to the old traditional Wilhelminian style, with antique pieces dating back to 1874 and furniture built according to Rike’s (the owner’s grandfather) old plans. The wood panelled 'Rike's Gasthaus' (Rike's Restaurant) leads off the parlour/reception area. Some of the decor is rather heavy, but the overall effect is comfortable and welcoming. The staff are even dressed in traditional German costumes. Very snug.

Despite the traditional atmosphere downstairs our room was modern and airy. It was clean and included a complimentary Lindt chocolate on the pillow (always welcome!). Our room overlooked the courtyard garden below and was quiet – probably one of the better rooms as some rooms faced the busy road to the front. It was a tad on the small side, but included all the usual glut of modern amenities: hair dryer, minibar, and a TV with some English language channels. The beds were very comfortable and the room was very pleasant overall.

After a very busy day of sight-seeing we decided to stay at the hotel for dinner. Rike’s restaurant was wonderful. The menu was traditional Berliner food from the turn-of-the-century recipes. The portions were huge and it was so convenient.

Altberlin is located relatively close to the Sony Centre and PotsdamerPlatz. The bus right outside the hotel takes you directly into town to AlexanderPlatz. The U-Bhan underground station at Kurfürstenstraße is approximately 200m away down a busy road that I would feel safe enough to walk home form at night.

Breakfast was included and went above and beyond the usual continental breakfast. There were yogurts, homemade breads and preserves, eggs, ham and lovely home baked cakes - pretty much anything a hungry Berliner could wish for, including a healthy breakfast section with fresh fruit, low fat yogurt, and muesli. A friendly waiter came and took our hot drink order. Breakfast could be eaten inside the wood-panelled restaurant or outside in the courtyard garden. It was sunny so we went out into the bright and eclectically decorated courtyard garden and ate outside on smart tables set with freshly washed table-clothes.

As I said, we enjoyed our stay at Altberlin. The only slight snag I would say is the location – a little bit too far out. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for people who want to be right at the centre of the action, but overall, it was a lovely hotel, perfect for a quiet, romantic weekend away. Good value too – the breakfast alone warrants a stay.

The informative website can give you more information: www.altberlin-hotel.de.

After a very busy day of sight-seeing we decided to stay at our hotel for dinner and try the food at Rike’s Restaurant. The food was wonderful and the dark-panelled wood and candle-lit interior was very cosy. It reminded me a little of traditional Bavarian drinking parlours in the South of Germany, but with more flair and polish.

English menu’s saved us from having to unskillfully decode German. We were told the food is historic, Prussian food typical of the Berlin and Brandenburg region taken from recipes left to Rike by his grandmother.

A romantic story, but is it true? I’m not too sure but the food was delicious. A mixed German-style antipasto of sausage, salami, and cheese tempted us, but the waiter suggested it would be too much. Instead we were brought fresh bread and herb-scented lard while we mulled over the menu.

The menu was relatively small, but there was a good range of traditional German food. Heavy on the meat, so probably not the best place for a vegetarian. There seemed to be quite a selection of local, German and European wines, but we opted for their beer which comes from a local, traditional brewery.

I ordered traditional Wiener Schnitzel (a finely breaded, pork cutlet) which came with a huge salad and lots of oniony, pan-fried potatoes. It was huge – it absolutely covered my plate and it was very tasty. My partner ordered a traditional pot-roast of beef that was served with a rich gravy, mountains of vegetables and heaps of oniony, pan-fried potatoes. He really enjoyed it and I saw what the waiter meant about a starter being too much.

The dessert menu was rather simple. There were about three choices in all, rather uninspiring things like stewed fruit and cheese. After such a hearty meal we couldn’t quite face eating anything heavy so we just had some espresso coffees. We were even offered some traditional Berlin post-dinner liquor on the house afterwards.

The atmosphere was rather cosy. We ate inside in the wood-panelled, candle-lit interior of the restaurant. The lights were turned down low. The decor was rather upmarket - tables were set with fine white tables cloths and flowers. It appeared to be a place couples would go rather than large groups of people or families with young children. In fact, the only other people there were two other couples – though I gather that the restaurant can hold up to 60 people. I’m told that there are more tables outside for summer dinning which might be more suitable for families with children – more room for children to run about.

We really enjoyed our meal and thought it was excellent value for money considering the atmosphere, attentive service and care given to the food. I would recommend it for people who want a taste of traditional German cooking in a traditional, romantic atmosphere. We would certainly eat there again – probably combined with a stay in the adjoining Altberlin Hotel.

One of the most memorable places I saw in Berlin was the Pergamon Museum, possibly one of the most unique museums in Europe and an essential place to visit if you ever find yourself in Berlin.

Located on Berlin’s Museumsinsel (Museum Island – in itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site) the Pergamon Museum is in fact three separate museums housed in a classically elegant building from the turn-of-the-century. The most well-known pieces are in the antiquity collection – located directly off the main ticket hall.

A ticket will set you back 10 euros. Quite steep for a relatively small museum, but the reconstructions inside are well worth the money. It would probably be wise to invest in an audio guide too as many of the smaller exhibits are written only in German. We saw many people using them and judging by the interested expressions on their faces an audio guides are probably rather informative.

First you come to the colossal room housing the monumentally reconstructed Pergamon Altar. The altar was built around 180 – 160 B.C in the ancient Greek city of Pergamon. The altar is huge – covering an area about the size of a tennis court. Amazingly this reconstruction is only one third of the original size of the altar. Running along the base of the altar is the original, marble frieze, depicting the struggle between the Greek Gods and the Titans. Steep steps lead to the imposing colonnade above. Surprisingly, you can actually climb the steps to where the altar would have been – though they’re quite steep so it might be a good idea to hold on to the railings at the side. Information boards in German and English and a small-scale model of ancient Pergamon give further information on this amazing majestic piece of ancient architecture.

A door to the right of the altar leads to the reconstructed Market Gate of Miletus. The huge, two-story gate dates back to the Roman Period, but was, unfortunately, undergoing renovation work during our visit.

Walking under the Market Gate you come to Ishtar’s Gate, the imposing Babylonian reconstruction standing over 14 metres high. The imposing gate is surmounted by high parapets and uses cobalt blue tiles and golden figures of mythical beats for decoration. Some of the tiles are original and date back to 575 B.C. Leading out from the gate leads an equally impressive processional walkway. Off of this main hall are smaller, but no less impressive, exhibits housing smaller artifacts and collections from Mesopotamia.

I only wish we had more time to do the museum justice. I would certainly come back to the Pergamon Museum and recommend it to anyone interested in a museum that’s beyond measure.

Note: I read on the website that the Pergamon Museum will be undergoing renovations starting in 2008. It should remain open, but I would check on the website (www.smb.spk-berlin.de) before planning your trip to avoid disappointment.