Posts Tagged ‘germany’
Michael’s 48 Hours in Berlin
My last trip to Berlin was almost 20 years ago as part of a corporate group for the 2006 World Cup, so I’d been looking for an excuse to go back and explore the city on my own terms and in particular, the history of Berlin leading up to and including the Second World War, the subsequent Cold War and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. The tourist trail in Berlin is heavily focused on these three things, with constant reminders around the city of the pivotal role Berlin played in world events at various points throughout the last century.
Getting There
Travelling from a UK airport to Berlin is simple. Our short, 2-night stay meant we only needed a carry-on bag, so no bag drops on departure and no wait for luggage on arrival. The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport is a modern marvel, run with friendly efficiency, getting passengers through the airport as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
To get into the City Centre, you can take the Airport Express train, leaving every 30 minutes for Berlin Central Station, a regional train, or a taxi, all of which take around 35 minutes. After a quick taxi ride to our hotel and dropping our bags, we headed to Berlin’s best-known and prettiest street, Unter der Linden, both to get our bearings and to see the Brandenberg Gate, Berlin’s most photographed landmark. It’s also close to the 5-Star Adlon Hotel, scene of Michael Jackson’s infamous baby-dangling-off-balcony episode. We headed for a quick bite to eat, then back to the hotel to prepare for what would be two busy and thought-provoking days.
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Stephanie’s Top Tips for Multi-Centre Adventures
Our Senior Short Break Specialist, Stephanie went on an incredible holiday that’s left us all envious! She came back with so many tips that we’ve decided to compile them all for you. Read on for some amazing hints and tips when visiting Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg & Munich!
Berlin
Berlin’s a very large city, so I’d recommend getting the Berlin card. This gives you free transport and discounts on museums. If you’re not here for long, the hop on hop off bus is a great idea and it’s easy to knock off all the big sights in one day. If you’re staying longer, it really helps to get your bearings. You can stay on the bus for the full 2 hour tour or as the name suggests hop off and on. We would get off at one stop, see what we wanted and then instead of waiting for the next bus (only 20mins) make our way to the next stop and hop back on, so we saw not only the big ticket places but plenty of charming places in between. We used the Big Red bus tour and their App was very helpful, you can see exactly where all the buses are and the directions between stops is really clear.
