If you do nothing else in Berlin, make sure you book onto a walking tour. They cost about $12 and in just four hours you have a guide take you to all the main sites around the city. Well worth the money!
Berlin -- probably my favorite city in the world! So much to do and see, and positively steeped in history! The food is excellent, the people are friendly, and the beer is world-class! Don't forget to take a walking tour, only 9 Euro with an ISIC card and well worth the money! After one day (and one night) here, you will never want to leave!
Forget the doner kebab, try the curry wurst!! We ate it for four days in a row and finally had our stomachs pumped, but we would be lying if we said we didn't enjoy it. Berlin is affordable for back packers. It's different! Enjoy it!
The Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket is now thirty euro, and is only good for one day (on either Saturday or Sunday). It is still good for up to five people and still only for local transport. Döner kebab and curry-wurst were both invented in Berlin, so try them both!
We found Berlin a very safe place, much more than Paris or London. For those like us wh like history there's plenty of things to see and do. Even think to plan a week to spend there. We recommend Deustches Historiches Museum (one full day from opening until closure). Topographie des Terrors. German Resistance Memorial (Stauffenbergstrasse). Deutsch-Russische Museum in Beriln Karlshorst. Sowjetisches Ehrenmal in Treptower Park. Sowjetisches Ehrenmal in Strasse 17 Juni. Reichstag. Checkpoint Charlie. Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Berlin boasts many other interesting places not so directly connected with recent history, a very interesting place.
The Schöens Wochenende (Happy Weekend) train ticket is an amazing deal if you have more time than money. For only €28 up to five people can travel all weekend on local trains (that's €28 total for up to 5 people!). If you wanted to, you can travel all the way from Berlin to Switzerland on nothing but local trains (but it takes about 10 train transfers and 10 hours to do it). Buy a pass at any German train station.
Berlin … Visit one of the spas as mentioned in Frommers. Ten different saunas to choose from, swimming pool, cold plunge. Don't bring a bathing suit because they're coed and nude!
Berlin … Watch out for the crazy American students (and the British ones too --they are worse -- I was one) in the doner kebab shops at about 3 a.m. Also when you order your doner ask for all the sauce alles bitte.
Berlin … Doner kebab... if you don't know what it is, you will after you visit Germany. It's best after midnight, preferably while intoxicated.
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