Interesting landmarks, museums and other attractions in Berlin Mitte

Important landmarks in Berlin Mitte

Some of the visitors of Berlin don`t even go outside Mitte because there are just so much to see in this area as it includes the historical center of Berlin and some famous attractions. There is a high density of important landmarks in this area. For example, every day you can take tours of the bunkers, cold war defense shelters or flak towers that still exist below Berlin. The Berliner Dom, the Cathedral of Berlin, is also located in this area and you wouldn`t want to miss the Brandenburg Gate, a very important landmark that now symbolizes reunification. Alexanderplatz, where many tours start and end is located in Mitte. Just a short walk from Alexanderplatz you can find the TV tower, which has a staggering height of 368 m and was built in 1965-1969. And this is not all. You can visit the Reichstag, the headquarters of the German parliaments, the tallest building in Berlin, the Park Inn Alexanderplatz or the Famous memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe, which is a vast Holocaust memorial.

Finding apartments in Berlin-Mitte

A large part of the attractive cheap hotels in Berlin is located in the district of Mitte and with good reason. Due to the high density of attractions, bars, clubs and shopping streets it is the favorite place of people who visit Berlin. Although it is a large area everything it is well connected by the U-bahn, S-bahn and busses but most visitors prefer to walk from one tourist attraction to another. Good apartments in Berlin Mitte can be found at lower prices than in the capital cities of other countries in Europe.

Museums and other attractions

There are more museums in Mitte than one could visit in a week. A definitely must see is the Museum Island, built in 1830, where five very interesting museums that focus on art and archaeology are located. One of them is the Pergamon Museum, which is absolutely stunning and hosts three huge collections of antiquities and samples of Islamic art with reconstructions in natural size and with extreme detail. Other interesting museums in Mitte are the Old National Gallery on Bodestrasse, which hosts some famous paintings and sculptures, the Deutsches Historisches Museum, which covers everything from pre-history to our times, the DDR Museum or the Berlin wall documentation center.

Visiting Berlin in the winter

Christmas markets

Most people go to Berlin in the summer because the weather is nicer, but the city has a lot in store for the random tourist even in the winter. Even if it is a little colder, you can enjoy Berlin just as you would have in the summer. If you go during Christmas time you will find the city to be quite magical. There are more than 60 Christmas markets in Berlin and each has its own specific charm. One famous fair is the one at Schlossplatz unter den Linden which starts at the end of November. You can taste the mulled wine, enjoy festive treats and take pictures of the wonderfully decorated Christmas trees.

Berlin accommodation in the winter

Winter may not be the favorite time of tourists, but Christmas is, so you will want to book an apartment in Berlin starting from October or even earlier. As it will be a special time of the year and you may want to stay for the New Year festivities find some cozy Berlin accommodation that offers fine dining, a spa or a pool. The hotel should also organize special events on Christmas day. Pick your apartment in Berlin near the center, as you will want to take long walks during the night to see the Christmas lights and enjoy the snow.

Other winter activities

Your choice of winter sports is limited to ice skating as there are no mountains around, but you will have a lot of fun on the popular ring Marlene-Dietrich-Platz. The entrance is free and renting skates is cheap. In the winter, Potsdamer Platz prepares the Winterworld. It opens in November and attracts many people local people and tourists. There are many food and drinking stalls and you can enjoy special rides like the one on the 70-meter toboggan. If you go to Berlin between October and March, bring your winter clothes, as it can get really cold in the evening.

Mitte - the real center of the Berlin

Why is Mitte important

The district of Mitte is considered by many locals to be the real center of the city. It contains several main sights like the primary boulevard called Unter den Linden, political institutions and basically, the historical center of Berlin. This is the area where you will spend most of your when exploring Berlin. The new Berlin Mitte district includes the Tiergarten with its very interesting park, Potsdamer Platz and the Wedding area, which may not be so interesting for tourists. In Mitte you will find the Museum Island, the Branderburg Gate and the main shopping street Friedrichstrasse. Most tours start and end in this area.

Finding apartments in Berlin-Mitte

Mitte, being the heart of the city and the favorite part of tourists has a wide variety of hotels. You can find budget, mid-range or luxury Berlin accommodation on almost every street. There are many hostels with prices being around 15euro/person/per night. Central apartments in Berlin will costs a little more but the main attractions in the city are within walking distance, the rooms are very comfortable and there are many bars, restaurants and clubs nearby so the investment is well worth it. Remember that Mitte is a large area, so do not forget to check if the location of the Berlin apartments you have found suits your needs.

About Berlin Mitte

Mitte is well served by both the U-bahn and S-bahn lines which you can use if you want to explore the rest of the city. You will not have to walk a lot to find the Brandenburg Gate which is the only remaining city gate and an important symbol of the city or The Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe or the Reichstag which houses the Federal German Parliament. Mitte also hosts the Museum Island developed by the Prussian Emperors, an important UNESCO site. On the island you will find five very impressive archaeological and art museums. There is something of everything in Mitte as it is a mix of old and new and you just need a short walk to discover museums, parks, theaters, flea markets but also clubs, restaurants or any other attractions you might expect from a city like Berlin.

Insider tips for Berlin visitors

Some insider tips

Berlin is a fascinating city and will probably fill your time perfectly, but having some insider tips up your sleeve will help you heighten the experience a little bit, lower the costs and help you get around more efficiently in this city which, few know, is bigger than Paris. The first insider tip is probably the most valuable: get yourself the Berlin WelcomeCard. You can get it from several locations and it will provide free travel on all public transport means for 48 hours or 72 hours and discounts at museums and other attractions. If you are a fan of museums with 15 euro, you can buy the SchauLUST museum ticket, which will give you a three-day pass to several interesting museums. Care to do some shopping? Get to the store early especially in the weekend when most of the stores close at 2pm. Want a very cheap tour of the city? Try the bus lines 100 and 200 that go by the most important attractions and the busses are double-deckers so you are in for a ride.

Insider tips for finding Berlin cheap hotels

What the usual tourist does not know is that while something is always happening in Berlin some weeks are really crazy due to events or festivals. A smart traveler will find out the dates when the events take place and try to book Berlin accommodation on a different period when hotels are competing for clients. In addition, people usually want to find Berlin cheap hotels in the central area and end up choosing the most expensive hotels as they think it’s worth it as they are well situated. The real fact is that Berlin has several so-called centers and if your hotel, no matter its location, is connected to the U-bahn and S-bahn, you will have no problem in getting around the city.

Do it like the locals

If you want to get around easily and find things in no time, you should try to learn a few German words as they can help you a great deal. If you want to take a quick snack, do not go to restaurants try the really good Turkish Kebabs or the Currywurst instead. If you are thinking of going out, do not hit the clubs earlier than 10 PM or you will be drinking alone and remember that you do not have to tip the waiters unless you want to. If you are out all night, you can get around using the public transport lines that work all night but do not forget to validate the ticket.

Free things to do in Berlin

Having fun on a low budget

Germany is not a cheap country and Berlin is not really a cheap city either. Even a short weekend break will make your wallet thinner. Fortunately, there are some free things you can do in order to keep your budget intact and enjoy a wonderful time in Berlin. You might have heard of the free walking tour that starts every day in Alexanderplatz and includes the important attractions of the city. There are three tours every day at 11 AM, 1 PM and 4 PM, but keep in mind that many tourists tip the tour guides. If you want to see the city on your own, you can enjoy the Eastside Gallery, which includes 1.3 km of the former Berlin Wall and now serves as a gallery because hundreds of artists painted on it. If you are interested in museums, plan your stay to be in the city for the first Sunday of the month, when the entrance to most state museums is free. Going for a walk in the parks is subject to no charge. Find the Treptower Park, which you will find to be most interesting, especially the central area where a 1949 Soviet Memorial is placed.

Choosing Berlin cheap hotels

If you don`t have any friends or relatives in Berlin, staying there for free will be very difficult, but don`t worry. There are plenty Berlin cheap hotels and most of them are very clean and offer a good service. If you are organized enough to search for cheap apartments in Berlin in advance you are likely to pay even twice less than you would pay on the spot. Also, try the last minute booking websites if you know there is not festival or big event in Berlin at the time of your visit.

Places you can visit for free

Do you like cars? Visit the Volkswagen showroom where you will find all the VW cars and cars made by Bugatti, Seat or Bentley. If you don`t go on the free tour at least go to the Parliament building, the Reichstag, to visit the famous glass dome. It is better to get there before 9AM. A very interesting free museum is the Stasi Museum, which shows devices used by the former secret police of East Berlin. In this museum you can get an idea of how life was in the old East Germany. The Holocaust Memorial is an impressive place where almost 2700 concrete slabs are placed in the memory of the people that were victims of the Holocaust. Berlin is packed with street artists which will delight you especially around Breitscheidplatz and along Ku`Damm so even on a low budget you can have a great time in this city.

Cultural and historical attractions in Berlin

The marks of history

Berlin is a very diverse city and has a lot to offer. A big part of the visitors are interested in the history and culture of the city and some of the biggest reference points are the activity during the Cold War and the time of the Berlin Wall. Traces of the wall still exist today and some visitors even choose to retrace the places where the wall used to be by taking a long walk in the city. Most tourists got to the memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which is a dramatic and impressive sight, dedicated to the 6 million victims of the holocaust. A very important landmark of the past is the Brandenburg Gate built between 1788 and 1792, which is next to the Reichstag Building famous for its dome. Berlin offers more than 150 museums and six of the most important ones are places on the Museum Island or the Museumsinsel found in the center of the city. Unmissed attractions are the Dahlem museum which holds impressive art from non-European continents, the Museum of Photography, the Primeval and Early History museum where pre-history and the Middle ages are well represented in marvelous collections and, of course, Checkpoint Charlie.

How to find a nice apartment in Berlin

The great number of sights and the tumultuous history of Berlin attract millions of visitors every year. For that reason, hundreds of hotels were built after the reunification of East and West Berlin, which means that finding a very comfortable apartment in Berlin at a good price will not be an impossible task. The general rules of finding good, cheap accommodation in Berlin are: book in advance, tell them you have other options and try to negotiate, check the reviews, search the hotel on the map and make sure is connected to the U-bahn and S-bahn. If you follow these rules, you should manage just fine.

Cultural events

Berlin is an appealing city to visit for the variety of cultural events. For example in February, the Berlinale takes place. This is the Berlin International Film Festivals, which was started in 1951. In March, you can attend the MaerzMusik Festival with orchestral, chamber and experimental music. In the summer, you may catch the German-American Festival and enjoy many American style fairs, carnivals and a piece of American culture. In October, you can enjoy the wonderful Berlin Jazz fest, which is a traditional festival in Berlin, and in December, you will be delighted by the incredibly beautiful Christmas markets. Each time of the year is marked with a special event that will let you taste a little bit of the German or International culture.

Out of the ordinary places in Berlin

Weird places to visit in Berlin

Like any big city, but probably more than most, Berlin has its weird places and attractions. Let`s see what are some of these places that could make some really good stories for back home. The first out of the ordinary place is the Tempelhof Park, best visited by bike or roller skates. The interesting thing about it is that it used to be an airport terminal. It`s huge, it`s in the center and full of ruins of old planes. All in all a very interesting place. Berlin has another interesting attraction, a museum, which is entirely dedicated to the currywurst a German sausage and here you can learn everything there is to know about this sausage, see it, taste it and smell it. Another weird museum is Design Panoptikum, which features all kinds of rare items collected by a Russian artist. The museum is full of bizarre things and you can even purchase some of the objects there.

Finding unusual apartments in Berlin

Most of the apartments in Berlin are very clean, comfortable and normal, but if you are looking for something special and a little crazy there are some options. For example, you could go to the Propeler Island City Lodge, which is one of the strangest hotels in the world. Each room has a weird theme like the Flying Bed Room or Upside Down Room; however, visitors say, in the end, it was a creepy experience so maybe you should stick to finding normal Berlin accommodation, with a normal room and a normal bed for a normal comfy experience. If you feel a little adventurous, you can ask for the top floor apartment, with a big balcony and a view.

Other strange places

If you are in Berlin, don`t miss the Kunsthaus Tacheles which used to be a luxury department store and today is a bizarre building and art gallery. You will meet some outgoing people and see some amazing art pieces. For a completely weird experience try the Nocti Vagus Dark Restaurant to eat using all your senses, but not your eyesight as you will eat in total darkness. These are not the only strange attractions in Berlin and a walk in the city will reveal many other out of the ordinary, safe, places.

The districts of Berlin

The districts

Each major city is separated into several administrative districts or areas. Usually each district has its own personality and knowing them and what to expect from them is useful when you are looking for accommodation or anything else for that matter. As you already know, Berlin is huge and it has many areas that claim to be the center. The city is divided into 12 boroughs (it used to be 23) which are grouped into six districts: Mitte, City West, East Central, North, East, South. The one you will hear most about is Mitte, which is the historical center of Berlin, formerly placed in East Berlin and is full of museums, sites of historic interest, clubs or cafes. City West is a place where you will find many restaurants and good hotels and is the main shopping area in the city. East Central is a noisier district with many Turkish immigrants, young artists, students and is full of cafes, bars or out of the ordinary shops.

Districts and finding an apartment in Berlin

Berlin is well interconnected by public transport and you can book Berlin accommodation in any district but the most popular ones are Mitte and City West for the abundance of important tourist points and shopping areas. Moreover, these are the areas with a higher density of hotels. If you want something more spacious find an apartment in Berlin placed in the North district. Avoid the East district as it is not as interesting and the buildings there are duller although there are some sites that must be visited if you are interested in history.

North, East and South districts

The North district is more spacious, with beautiful old towns where nice villas are preponderant. The East district has more dull buildings but some interesting sites as, for example, the Stasi prison. The South district is a place of contrast where both the greenest and richest part and the poorest part of the city cohabitate. There are many patches of forest around the biggest lake in Berlin, which can be explored by bike. Every district has its own history, identity or charm so wherever you find an apartment in Berlin, you will experience something new and intense.

Orientation and language in Berlin

Orientation

Berlin is a large and beautiful city and most of the areas are worth visiting so if you are not careful you may get lost occasionally. Avoid this situation by getting a good map that covers not only the center but the outer areas too. You should have a transit map because the public transport system might be confusing as in the larger stations directional signs may not be present. Remember the final station or stop of the U-bahn and S-bahn because the trains will be headed in that direction and that stop will be indicated on the signs. Memorize the name of the important districts or boroughs, as these are what the signs will point to. For any further info go to the Tourist Information office in Berlin.

Orientation and language problems when finding Berlin accommodation

Locating, contacting and booking cheap hotels in Berlin should be easy, but sometimes can be a small adventure. Most of the employees in hotels usually know English at some level and you can communicate with them. Check the website of the hotel to see if they offer support in your language. Pay attention when they are explaining how to get to the hotel. Ask them to repeat the address, give you more details and if they can, to send you a map. When you get there ask the receptionist to mark the location of your Berlin accommodation on the map so you will know how to find it.

Language in Berlin

The main language is German but you can find information in English and French. Most of the public transport staff and the people at the touristic points of interest will know English although at a beginner level. When you need to ask for directions or help, approach younger people, as there is a greater chance of them knowing English, but talk slowly and clearly and without an accent. Don`t expect them to be a walking info center about what happens in Berlin or to know all the public transport routes. Many of the people you see on the street are recent immigrants or tourists like you. In some places, you may do better with Russian than English. Take a dictionary with you, if not to learn some words, at least to use it to show other people what you are saying. All in all, people are rather friendly and you will easily find someone to help you.

Going on a tour of Berlin

Some popular tours

The high density of important sights in Berlin make a walking tour on your own a very good choice, but a guided one is even better. Visiting the city with someone who can explain the history and cultural importance of what you are seeing is probably the best way to see the city and find out something about its history in a short amount of time. There are several tours you can choose from. You can take a Ticket B City tour, which is led by architects, and which will take you on some amazing architectural routes as Berlin has been reconstructed in an impressive manner in the last twenty years. The tour is led in several languages like English, Italian, Spanish or French. You will have the chance to go inside the most interesting buildings of Berlin. If you like, you can go on a tour by boat or even by helicopter. A very popular tour is the Alternative Berlin tour, which starts in front of the Starbucks in Alexanderplatz at 11 AM and covers many areas of interest and gives you a feel of the less known Berlin: the art culture, the landmarks of music or the technological achievements The amazing thing about this tour is that is free although tipping is expected as the tour guides do this on their own time.

Booking a tour from your apartment in Berlin

You may be so preoccupied with getting to the capital city of Germany and finding good, cheap accommodation in Berlin that you forget about booking a tour. No worries. Most tours can be booked at the reception of your cheap hotel in Berlin. They usually have some flyers or catalogs with walking tours or more exclusive bike, boat or car tours. Just tell the receptionist that you want to see the city and he will help you.

Other interesting tours

If you are interested in a tour by boat on the lakes of Berlin, try at Stern un Kreisschiffahrt which is the biggest boat company. A sure way to find a good tour is to contact the people from The Berlin Experts. They offer a large variety of tours that touch important aspects like architecture, history or culture. These tours are perfect if you want to find out less known facts about Berlin. The tourist info centers also have information about many interesting guided tours.

Going out for a drink in Berlin

The fun areas of Berlin

Walking, visiting and hopping from one museum to another can get you tired so in the evening you must go out to get a drink and relax. This is also a perfect way to get to know local people. Bars are all over Berlin but there are a few places where you will find the most interesting ones. For example if you go on Warschauer Strasse or Simon-Dach-Strasse you will find a wide variety of bars and also a lot of people as it is a very popular meeting point. These streets are connected to the U-bahn and S-bahn so will be easy to find. For some interesting cocktails or a nice choice of wines go to Die Legende von Paula und Ben, a long name but a cool bar. For a great coffee at a fair price go to Café Einstein but the real treat in Berlin is to drink the beer that is brewed and sold right there on the premises of a Brauhaus, a brewpub. There are several brewpubs around the city and they all make remarkable beer. If you enjoy some Irish music or you want to watch a football game go to an Irish bar, there are plenty of these in Berlin. If you are in the bar and want water, order Leitungswasser and you will get free tap water or Wasser to get Mineral water.

Finding Berlin accommodation near the bars

Berlin holiday apartments that are in the reach of bars are quite popular. After a few drinks nobody wants to walk for several miles, let alone take the U-bahn for half an hour. Make sure that your accommodation is in Mitte, Prenzlauer berg, Kreuzberg, Schoneber or Warschauer Strasse if you want be close to where the bars are. Most of the areas with many bars are near a major U-bahn or S-bahn station and taxis are cheap at night so even if you find Berlin accommodation in a quiet zone you will still be able to enjoy a drink in the evening. Moreover, most hotels have a bar of their own.

Making friends

Berliners are very friendly and before going to the clubs, they go out for a drink so you will most surely make friends. Check out local guides to see what are the coolest clubs and bars as new ones appear all the time. If you want a more intense experience, go to Green Mango, which is the biggest karaoke bar in Europe.

Day trips from Berlin

Popular trips from Berlin

Berlin is as a major tourist attraction on its own and it can take days for you to visit all the main sights, but if your stay is extended or you are an active person who wants to see as much as possible in a short vacation you will be interested in what day trips you can take from Berlin. The first suggestion is Potsdam, which is a small town near Berlin, easily reachable by S-bahn. In Potsdam, do not miss the Sanssouci Park, which is a world heritage site. You can get to Potsdam in just half an hour. Sachsenhausen is an important attraction just outside Berlin. This is the place where the Nazi concentration camps where situated.

Finding suitable Berlin accommodation for day trips

What does suitable Berlin accommodation for day trips mean? If you are going to take some trips outside Berlin, as they will take some time, you will either need to be close to the train station, or at least the S-bahn or you will need to rent a car. Make sure the cheap hotels in Berlin that you are booking have a car renting service, that they are offering rides to the train station or that they are close to the outskirts of the city. You will not want to waste time travelling in the city when in fact you want to go outside the city.

Longer but more interesting trips

If you are willing to take a longer trip, you can go to the Muritz Lake region where there are a few hundred lakes or to the Spreewald reserve for some quiet time or incredible scenery. If you want to see other German cities, take the train to Dresden or Leipzig or even Frankfurt an der Oder, which is near the Polish border. You can also go to Usedom to see the Baltic Seashore or to the Neuhardenberg Castle which is 30km from Berlin and where in the summer concerts are hosted. If an even longer trip is not a problem and you have a visa for Poland go to Szczecin or Poznan in Poland, both beautiful cities.

Things to do with your kids in Berlin

Why kids love Berlin

Are you travelling with your children? They will love Berlin. There are plenty of places you can take them to have a good time. The first and most important attraction is Kollwitz Platz in Prenzlauer Berg. This is one of the biggest and best playgrounds in Berlin, which will keep you Kinder busy for a few hours, or even a whole day. There are numerous coffee shops and ice-cream parlors around from where you can watch your kid. Probably even better than Kollwitz Platz will be the Berlin Zoo, the oldest zoo in Germany where the famous bear Knut lives. Here, all your family will have a good time as it equally impressive for both the parents and the children.

Berlin accommodation for families with children

If you have children and you are taking them with you in Berlin, you have to find an appropriate place to live for a couple of days. Most holiday apartments in Berlin do not charge for a very small child and offer a free bed, but you will have to ask first to make sure. Some hotels even have special services for families or day cares where you can leave your kid for a few hours. Talk with the owner of various central apartments in Berlin or with the receptionist and tell them you have children coming with you. If they know, they will prepare and extra bed and they will remove dangerous items from the room.

Impressive places to visit with your child

A child, especially a boy will be impressed by the airplanes, engines, ships and locomotives from the German Museum for Technology so take him there. The museum even has a special audio tour for children. After that, you can take your child to the biggest park in Berlin, the Tiergarten where your child can run free and play in the well-maintained park. Are your kid fans of Lego? Take them to the Legoland indoor theme park in Potsdamer Platz where they can see 1,5 million Lego bricks that form a miniature Berlin and enjoy many rides and trails made entirely out of Lego bricks. There are many other small parks with playgrounds and Berlin will surprise your child and keep him entertained without any effort on your part.

Public transport in Berlin

Ticketing

When you will visit Berlin, you will most likely travel within the A and B public transport areas. In Berlin, the same ticket works for the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams. One standard validated €2,10 ticket is good for two hours no matter how many transfers you make. You can also buy a €1,30 ticket for short rides (maximum 3 stops and no transfers). There are several ticketing options depending on the number of days and areas you want to explore. You can check all the options and the fares at the ticket vending machines. The ticket machines are easy to use and several languages are available. Remember to validate the ticket before you use the public transport, if you don`t you will get a €40 fine.

Berlin cheap hotels and the public transport system

It is advisable that when you search for Berlin accommodation to ask or to check if the place you are booking is connected to a public transport line. You can use a taxi but on the long-term, they are more expensive. The fastest way to move around the city is the U-bahn. Most Berlin cheap hotels will be in zone A or zone B of public transport and they will even have tickets for sale.

Public transport explained

The S-bahn is the train system in Berlin and used to be excellent, but now delays and cancellations are possible so if you are in a hurry use the U-bahn, the busses or the tram. The U-bahn is the subway system, it works perfectly and covers a pretty large area. In weekends and on holidays the U-bahn and S-bahn run all night and during the week they stop running at 1 AM so you can count on them when you are going out for a party or a drink. The tram service is mostly available in the eastern part of Berlin and some routes are quite picturesque. Buses get where the U-bahn and the S-bahn do not, but they are slower. The bus routes 100 and 200 are very popular among tourists as they pass by many important sights. The busses are usually yellow double-decker, which you will recognize immediately. Buses and trams also accept cash.

Cultural activities in Berlin

Theatre, opera and concerts

If you are in the mood for some cultural activities, you are in luck. Berlin is full of theater houses, concerts, cinemas, opera houses and other cultural events, which you can attend every night. If you want to go to the theater you can choose from Deutsches Theater, which is a classical theater, Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz for a modern theater or the Friedrichstadtpalast for cabaret or ballet shows. There are other theaters of course like contemporary theaters, historic theaters, popular theaters with TV celebrities and even controversial theaters. If you are more inclined to go to the opera check out Komische Oper for modern operas or Deutsche Oper for classic opera. Neuköllner Oper has been voted the best off-opera house and plays some modern pieces and Staatsoper Unter den Linden is worth a visit if only for the impressive building. A good recommendation is the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra, one of the best in the world, at the Philharmonie.

Finding comfortable apartments in Berlin

A night at the opera or at the theatre cannot be ended by returning to some ugly apartment. You have to consider this when you are searching for Berlin accommodation. The best choice is booking apartments in Berlin-Mitte, which are well situated. Most apartments in this area are usually very comfortable. Check the pictures and the review before booking anything. Sometimes it may be better to pay a little extra if you want to live in comfort. If you find Berlin apartments in Mitte then you will be close to most cinemas, opera houses and theatres.

Cinemas in Berlin

There are many cinemas in Berlin but most of them show movies that are dubbed in German so search for those notated OmU, which means original with subtitles. A normal ticket to the cinema is between €5 and €7. Some of the biggest cinemas are CineStar at the Potsdamer-Platz, Babylon Kreuzberg, Kino Moviemento which is the oldest (was built in 1907) and Neue Kant Kinos for less known European movies.

Going to Berlin to work or study

Studying in Berlin

You may want to study in Berlin for a while. That gives you time to visit the city and the country extensively. There are many colleges and universities in Berlin and you can aim for a scholarship. It usually helps if you know the German language. The best universities are Freie Universitat, which is the largest in Berlin, and it is known for its outstanding professors, Humboldt Universitat the oldest university in Berlin that gave some great personalities like Karl Marx or Albert Einstein and the Technische Universitat, which has a great reputation for its research.

Finding Berlin accommodation when working or studying

If you come to Berlin to work or study for a few months the first smart move is to find some cheap accommodation in Berlin for the first few days and then look in the local newspapers or ask for the help of locals to find a good apartment in Berlin. If you are looking for cheap accommodation you should forget about the center of the city and look in the other parts of the city where it may be cheaper. It may help to find some other people to share your apartment with and split the costs. Make sure that your apartment in Berlin is close to the U-bahn, S-bahn or at least a tram or bus station.

Working in Berlin

Finding work in Berlin is not an easy task although the economic climate is quite stable. The best thing you can do is to learn German as that greatly improves your chance to find something. It is also good to have experience or to master a skill that separates you from all the other people. If you have some academic background, you could teach a foreign language in Berlin. Try to find some temporary work at trade fairs or convention and apply for a job at specialized agencies. Other fields of work you can try are tourism, call centers, media, modeling or the movie industry. English-language jobs are rare as there just a few multinational companies in Berlin.

Getting around in Berlin

Public transport

A new city is a new challenge and Berlin is no exception. You have to figure out how to get from one location to the other in a small amount of time. The first step in any city is to get a good map. You can do so from hotels, tourist info centers and you should check the website BVU.de for maps and schedules of the U-bahn, S-bahn, trams and busses. On the website, you can calculate the fastest way between one point and another and you can check the ticket fares. To get around in Berlin you can easily use the buses, the trams, the underground service or the trains. If you want to travel in a more comfortable manner, you can take a taxi. They are not too expensive. Taxis with a yellow light on top are available, but you can also take one from a taxi rank. If you get lost, you can call the BVG customers service from some U-bahn and S-bahn stations. You should also know that there are buses and trams that run all day and all night. To find a public transport line look for an orange plate and a white M.

Finding a well-connected apartment in Berlin

When you are searching for Berlin cheap hotels or a holiday apartment in Berlin make sure they are in zone A or B of the city. These are well connected with trams, buses, trains and the underground service. If the cheap hotel in Berlin that you booked is somewhere in the center of the city you have nothing to worry about, you will be able to get around easily and you will probably have a taxi rank or a 24h transport line somewhere close.

General advice

If you are used to house numbers that run in one direction, forget about that in Berlin, as on many streets on one side the numbers ascend and on the other they descend. If you want to find a certain number on a street, go to the street corner and check the numbers that are written there. The names of the local points usually contain the word street, square or park so Strasse means street, Platz means square and Schloss means castle. When in doubt ask a police officer, a taxi driver or local people for directions.

Impressive churches in Berlin

Where to start your tour

Visiting the old churches of a city is a great way to learn something about the history, the culture and the religious life of a place. Berlin is no exception. You can see some very interesting churches with a remarkable history and architecture. The biggest and the most impressive of them all is the Berliner Dom built at the end of the 19th century. You can find it near the museum island and for 5€ you can climb on top of the dome. Nikolaikirche is very interesting as it is the oldest church in Berlin, built in the 13th century. You can visit it for free. Friedrichswedersche Kirche, built in 1830, is also located near the museum island and is an excellent place to admire the English Neogothic style. In Bebelplatz, you will find the Domed Church St. Hedwigs Kathedrale, which is the oldest and biggest Catholic Church in Berlin.

Finding Berlin accommodation near the churches

If your are mainly focused on visiting the famous churches of Berlin you will want to find an apartment in Berlin which is close to the area where these can be found. A good advice is to look for Berlin accommodation near the Museum Island or Alexanderplatz. That way you will be in walking distance from the major churches in Berlin. Don`t worry too much about the location of your apartment in Berlin. Anywhere will be fine as you can easily get where you want by S-bahn or U-bahn, but remember that most old churches in the historical center were destroyed in the war, although there still are some nice ones to see there.

Other impressive churches

In Central Berlin in Gendarmenmarkt, you will find the Twintowers of the German and the French Cathedral, which are worth a short visit. A symbolic and very interesting church with a hexagonal bell tower is Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche that was built in 1891-1895. If you find yourself in Alexanderplatz visit Marienkirche which has the highest church tower in Berlin, 90 meters high, and is the oldest one in the historical center.

Parades in Berlin

Themost known parades

Apart from the festivals, when you are in Berlin you may stumble upon some really funky parades or you might even want to go to Berlin especially to see some of them. One major parade that gathers something between 500000 and 1 million people is Karneval Parade, which takes place in February or early March. This is inspired by other similar carnivals in Germany, like the one in Cologne, but some people say it is not as interesting as the original ones, but it might be worth watching. Karneval der Kulturen, which is held in May or June, is something you must not miss. Various ethnic groups will attend and show their traditional costumes, present their dances and they will play their traditional music.

How to find good Berlin accommodation during the parades

Not all the parades gather many people, but some do. If you know there is a parade in Berlin you should check where it will be held or what is the route. That way you can either find Berlin cheap hotels that are on that route so you can see the parade from your balcony or you can use the information to find Berlin accommodation in another part of the town, thus avoiding the noise and the crowd. The date when some parades are held change from time to time so it is better to search for details once in a while or to ask your travel agent about them. If you know that the parade attracts a notable bunch of people, book a room a few months before the event.

Out of the ordinary parades in Berlin

Some of the parades are kind of crazy. There is the Hanf Parade in August, which gathers people that demonstrate for the legalization of hemp. In August, there is also the Haterparade or the Fuckparde, which demonstrates against the more known Love Parade and is a mix of political speeches and electronic music. The rights of the gay culture are represented each year at the Christopher Street Day Parade and it is worth seeing as people show up in very interesting costumes. There are other smaller parades that should not be missed and Berlin can always surprise you with one.