Does anyone have any recommendations for a trip to Berlin?

Good places and things to eat?
Interesting bars
Lively clubs
Markets
Sightseeing
etc

Thanks!

I was there a few weeks ago actually. If you want to do some sightseeing, I really really recommend doing a "Fat Tire Bike Tour" (see their website!). I've done 2 of their tours and they're great. The guides are really knowledgable and enthusiastic, and the bikes are ridiculously comfortable. It's a great way to get your bearings around the city, and there's lots of opportunities to take photos etc.

restaurant : Grill royal....very expensive, meet the stars in gendarme markt
.................Kebab at imbiss at hakescher markt 2.50€ for the best kebab in Germany

Hakescher Markt and small streest around for great shopping

tv tower...worth a look over berlin

Once Spring hits the Charlottenburg Castle gardens are really nice. Most tourists go into the castle, but the grounds behind it are tops.

There are so many poignant symbols in Berlin. The whole city is a history museum. If it is your first time, I suggest taking a good guided tour with a bent towards history.

For food, check out the Ka De We food court on the top floor has so many great things to eat. It's a feast.

The last time I came back from Berlin was on a DDR train at night, and around Easter Thursday 1983. The border control was somewhere on the edge of Bavaria and quite frightening, with dogs outside and Police in the carriage holding up my GB passport and shouting "Look at me !" (in German of course)

I was travelling first class as all the second class places were reserved and taken, it being Easter many were trying to leave on holiday. The toilets were disgusting and the carriage was about 30 years old. However the second class was quite clean and comfortable. I suppose this was the only way the DDR railway workers could get some revenge on their communist masters!

Somewhere on the Friedrichstrasse (I don't remember where exactly), there is a surprising wasteland where some bands perform.

As for sightseeing, the roof of the Bundestag either at the sunset or at the sunrise (note that there might be a long queue as it is a popular attraction).

Someone on the forum wrote to me last year, asking for recommendations with regards to food and drink. here's my reply (i was a student at that time, so my choices are on the economical side...

turkish food
being that berlin has the largest turk population outside of turkey, turkish kitchen is excellent in berlin. I recommend Hasir, the one in Kreuzburg had a facelift, but was the flagship from 60's

russian
berlin has a thriving russian community leftover from russian communism. the grüne lampe has a very good russian buffet daily until 3pm, but not on weekends.

italian
many italian joints are actually run be turks and arabs. this is one of my favourites

chinese
90% of chinese restaurants are run by vietnamese!
-good friends is good, but a bit pricey. very old school, from 60,s
apparently the head chef ran off to start Fortune, a couple blocks from Good Friends
-the beef noodles at Do De Li is quite good

german
the only german restaurant i am willing to recommend, super old skool, set under a train station.

cafe hardenburg
old skool, TU students hang there a lot, just opposite the university

Cafe Anker
on the river spree that runs through berlin, old skool cafe/pub, great for summer, cold during winter. this is also the Kreuzberg area, lots of turks and indie-alternative bars/cafes, very worth the time to walk around and explore.

kulturbrauerei
this is the Friedreichshain and Prenzlauerberg area. in and around this area there're lots of pubs and cafes, frequented by the local students

I loved the 3 days that I had in Berlin, except that it wasn't nearly enough time.

Here's what I would suggest:
1) Check out the Berlin episode of "No Reservations" (it should be on youtube) for some ideas, and it's got some interesting history as well. There's a deli featured in the show that is a bit out of the way, but I decided to check it out - good food, but a lot smaller than it seems in the show.
2) Also check out HostelWorld's Berlin guide for ideas.
3) If you're into street art and that sort of thing, I strongly recommend the http://www.alternativeberlin.com/ free walking tour that meets at the Alexanderplatz Starbucks (ironically the least "alternative" spot in Berlin).
4) Bundestag - well worth it, even if just for the view from up there, but it is an impressive building in it's own right.

hmmm maybe I should go back!

i used to live near Schloss Charlottenburg, the gardens behind are really pretty and great for long walks. only downside is, its the only thing worth seeing in that neighbourhood, so i would put that lower on "the to-see" list, or if you have time to spare on the way to tegel airport.

the Reichstag is a huge tourist attraction and one can see why, i'd personally recommend it too.

i think "must-see" would be the museum island, i absolutely recommend Berliner Dome (i worked there for a bit) and the pergamon musuem. According to my turkish friends, turkey still want their artifacts back. I always tell them to steal the quadriga :P museums in Berlin are free from 6 pm onwards on thursdays.

if it's summer, you have to check out Cafe am Neuensee, a huge Biergarten set at a lake in the lushest greenest part of Berlin. Just a stone's throw away from the Victory Column, which sits in the middle of, probably, the biggest circle in Berlin. or, as i call it, all roads lead to victory. For Wim Wenders fans.

For a more offbeat variety, you can check out Kreuzberg and Neukoeln. for markets, i'd recommend the turkisch market on Maybach Ufer

Berlin Tips

>>> Musea
- Jewish museum: An absolute must-see! Breathtaking architecture and a truly impressive collection go hand in hand. Left me totally speechless.
- Berggrün Collection: Relatively small museum with the private collection of the Art-trader Heinz Berggrün. Mostly Picasso and Klee. By exception, the audiotour is also worth a listen as mr. Berggrün tells how he acquired some of the pieces from the artists themselves. My favorite museum.
- Pergamonmuseum: Archeological finds of spectacular size, including a completely re-assembled tempel. Spectacular.
- Technikmuseum: huge, impressive new wing on ships and airplanes, check out the massive mechanical computer by Conrad Zuse
- Neue Nationalgalerie: Changing exhibitions, mostly of highest level artists, most beautiful building in Berlin (Bauhaus) in my opinion.

also worth checking out:
Hamburger Bahnhof (modern art), Martin Gropius-Bau (exhibitions), Berlinische Galerie (local modern art), Bauhaus-Archive

avoid:
Berlin-Wall museum: exhibits might be interesting, it is very chaotic and there are just too many people

>>> Sightseeing
- you can get a nice overview over the city from the Fernsehturm, but especially the Berliner Dom and the red brick flat at Potsdamer Platz
- East-side gallery: the last large remaining part of the wall, covered with paintings
- Karl-Marx allee: HUGE soviet style show off parade street with the famous Kino International cinema and Cafe Moskau
- you can get tours at the Berliner Philharmonie: fantastic architecture and interior
- Palaces in Potsdam
- check out the huge parks like Tiergarten, Treptower Park and Volkspark Friedrichshain
- Flea markets are great in Berlin, the best are at Boxhagener Platz and Arconaplatz (both on sundays)


>>> Nice streets and areas ("Kiez")
Berlin is a weird combination of beautiful streets and old buildings, but also of ugly flats and wide lifeless streets. To get a feeling of the city, you could check out these nice areas for strolling, shopping and eating

- Bergmannstrasse / Chamissoplatz (Kreuzberg)
- Winterfeldplatz / Goltzstrasse (Schöneberg)
- Savignyplatz / Mommsenstrasse (Charlottenburg)
- Boxhagener Platz (Friedrichshain)
- Kastanienallee / Zionskirchplatz (Prenzlauerberg)
- Kollwitzplatz (Prenzlauerberg)
- Oranienstrasse / SO36 (Kreuzberg to-the-max...)
- Hackescher Markt / Sophienstrasse / Hamburger Strasse (Mitte): loads of galeries and shops

Berlin is a very safe (almost boring!) city where you can walk around anywhere at anytime but do avoid Neukölln, Wedding and Marzahn, be careful at Kottbusser Tor at night


>>> Shopping Walhallas
- Ku-damm: both chic and trashy at places...
- Kadewe: h-u-g-e
- Friedrichstrasse
- Mitte, near Hackescher Markt: trendy
- Savignyplatz/Mommsenstrasse: chic, expensive boutiques

avoid: new mall at Alexanderplatz ghaaaaaaaa, Potsdamer Platz Arcaden, boring.


>>> Hungry?
Quick/fastfood/cheap/lunch
- Barcomi's: great sandwiches, cakes, and superb coffee: Sophie-Gips Höfe, a "patio" at the Sophienstrasse
- Molinari & Co, Riemannstrasse: italian sandwiches and pizzas, best coffee in the world
- Gorilla, Knesebeckstrasse: great for (especially vegetarian) lunches
- Curry 36, Mehringdamm, Konoppkes Imbiss, Kastanienallee: berlins #1 places for currywurst, however Fritz&Friends at the place next to Kadewe is MUCH better
- M-Der Imbiss, Kastanienallee near Zionskirchplz: hip Naanpizza's
- Witwe Bolte's Knusperhuhn, Uhlandstrasse: best chicken in town, period.

Cheap-to-midprice
- Rani, Goltzstrasse: extremely cheap but local, unstyled, and fun Indian restaurant..this is a city not disneyland
- Il Cassolare, Planufer: wacky "punk" pizzeria, not as good as it used to be but go there in summer and sit outside
- Schwarzwaldstuben, Tucholskystrasse: hip version of the Schwäbische Cuisine
- Umspannwerk Ost, Palisadenstrasse: nice restaurant in old electricity transformer station
- Lui & Lei: Wilsnacker Strasse: multicultural, vegetarian, bad area but the best restaurant I know in Berlin. Be amazed.
- Garcon, Sigmaringer Straße: French cafe with simple but tasty food and great style
- Jules Verne, Schlüterstrasse: great, great, great Austrian food, check the Wiener Schnitzel...ohhh! My fav.

Midpriced-to-kind/of/expensive
- Cafe Einstein, Kurfürstenstrasse: Austrian food, Vienna style cafe, a Berlin classic, magnificent
- Florian: Grollmanstrasse, french/german cuisine, not overdone but classy
- Oxymoron, Hackesche Höfe, unusual combinations, great food, nice club for dancing, later!
- Via Manin, italian, Güntzelstrasse: cute, tasty! Do not ask for a spoon
- Ottenthal, Kantstrasse: refined and elegant austrian restaurant, great wines

Expensive
- Paris-Moskau, near Hauptbahnhof: fantastic atmosphere, and great food!

Go have breakfast in a nice restaurant in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain or Prenzlauer Berg! Avoid the ones with buffets.


>>> Music
- Berliner Oper / Staatsoper
- Philharmonie: make reservations or go there just before the concert....
- Schlot, Chausseestrasse: nice jazz basement, great bands
- Quasimodo, Kantstrasse: pop/blues/jazz
- Bebop-Bar, Willibald Alexis strasse: tiny "sitting room" club for jazz and acoustic music, my favorite jamsession on sunday
- B-Flat, Rosenthaler strasse: nicely styled jazzclub with great bands
- Columbia Fritz/club, columbiadamm: good rock concert, medium sized, nice atmosphere
- SO36: infamous kreuzberg club, punk rock, loud and heavy.

Buy a "zitty" magazine, it lists all concerts, parties, tours and all other activities, phone numbers and addresses listed as well


>>> Party
- Clärchen's ballhaus: very, very Berlin, audience from 18 till 80, both corny and hip at the same time, saturday live band (called "tanzkapelle") my favourite!
- Trompete, Lutzowplatz, (in)famous after-work party on thursday, dance music you know, not too late, nice people
- Roter Salon / Grüner Salon, rosa luxemburg platz: great DDR building, nice parties
- Kaffee Burger: trashy but interesting DDR style bar/club


>>> Public transport
- BVG (public transport) de-valuate your ticket! Don't forget :-)
- Don't ask a busdriver how to get somewhere, they are unfriendly....
- Ask at a BVG sales point what the best ticket is, it can get confusing when you are with a family
- Bus 100/200 are like a sightseeing tour and much cheaper and less annoying
- To change from U-bahn (=metro) to S-Bahn (=also metro) you sometimes need to walk out of the station

I would recommend the following:

Mauer park market in the area of Prenzlauer Berg – all day Sunday.
Nearest S-bahn is Eberswalder strasse.

Mauer park karaoke (in the mauer park) – Sunday afternoon.
Seeing is believing – check it out on You Tube.

The Solar Bar – great bar for chilling out and with unbelievable views over Berlin. The address is 76 Stressmann strasse (close to S-bahn Anhalter strasse). Check out www.solarberlin.com

Best Thai restaurant in Berlin (in my opinion) is Thai Inside on Dircksen strasse 37. Nearest S-bahn is Hackeschermarkt
www.thai-inside.de
Booking is recommended.

Good restaurants and bars on Bergmann strasse in the area of Kreuzberg. Nearest U-bahn station is Gneisenaustrasse.

Good area for staurday shopping and cafes is around the Hackescher Hof (get off at S-bahn Hackeschermarkt).

Good area for bars and nightlife is along the (in)famous Oranienberger Strasse. This is where all the pub crawls go.
Get off at Oranienberger tor S-bahn station.

Good museum is the Mauer Museum (the official museum of the Berlin wall) on Bernauer strasse. Nearest U-bahn is Bernauer strasse.

Checkpoint charlie museum on Friedrichstrasse is good . . .but only if you like crowds.

If you like shopping go to the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus Des Westerns)
Right next to U-bahn Wittenberg Platz.

That’s just a few ideas of course. I lived there for 10 years until I started my new job here 8 weeks ago. In fact I still have all my gear and appt there.
Actually I go back quite regularly as my girlfriend is still there until she finds a job here too.

Maybe we’ll be there at the same time and could meet for a beer!

If you need any more info please let me know by PM and I could call you.
Bye for now,
Basher.

Also check out the English magazine 'EXBERLINER'
www.exberliner.com