My plane landing over Berlin’s Tegel Airport marks my first time ever in Germany. This country that I hear about ever since I was in high school with all its history. Berlin particularly has been up on my list of cities to visit but finally with the support of VisitBerlin I got there and I enjoyed it. Touching the rests of the Berlin Wall, partying in the trendiest clubs and learning from its multiple museums were all unforgettable experiences! Read more for details…
When I first arrived I took the TXL bus to get to my hostel located in Warschauer Strasse. I stayed at Industrie Palast Hostel it has a very strategic location as it is just few stations away from the centre of Berlin and it is literally located in the centre of the nightlife area of Berlin. Just 5 minutes walk and I was at the trendiest parties of the city, the metro stations and tram are just in front of it. There is also the tempting option of renting bikes at the hostel which can be very enjoyable during a sunny day. Unfortunately, it rained a lot when I was there so I get back to my cosy room to get warm in a confortable bed. I stayed in a private room but there is a range of choice concerning rooms at the hostel, dorms prices start from just 20 euros per night. If you also add it as option, the breakfast provided is quite rich. From cereals to nutella and cheese and much more, all what I needed to kick off my day. Who wants to stay in Berlin, should look at the Industriepalast. More information can be found on the website: ip-hostel.com.
On my first day, I took some time to get familiar with the city so I took it easy and started with the classics of Berlin. I walked from Alexanderplatz passing by the TV Tower then ending up in the mythical Brandenburg Gate where I stayed for a bit admiring this monument and speaking to some locals around the square. Following this, I walked to the Holocaust Memorial which is by far one of my favourite attractions in Berlin. Then I got to Potsdamer Platz where I have seen for the first time ever my first pieces of the Berlin Wall. Later, I got to Check Point Charlie that used to be one the main checkpoints in the city during the Cold War. Berlin used to be divided into West (France, USA, UK) and East (USSR).
From Check Point Charlie, I joined a CouchSurfing meeting in Mitte by U-Bahn (metro). It is fairly easy to travel within Berlin’s public transport especially after getting a Berlin WelcomeCard. For just 32,50 euros I had unlimited use of transport during the whole 5 days I stayed there, several discounts for cultural and tourists attractions, a guide book with all information and the ultimate Berlin City Map to never get lost! Some of the attractions comes at a discount price with BerlinWelcomeCard. I got the chance to enjoy some of them like: Berlin On Bike tours, Berlin Museum Historale and the Jewish Museum. More information about Berlin WelcomeCard here.
The Berlin Museum Historale was on my way to Brandenburg Gate so I stopped by. It was really worth it as it is my type of museums. Small but full of information and interactive expositions. I like to be in a museum where I can easily walk without being crowded. That museum was perfect for that. I learnt a lot about Berlin and its history, one of my favourite thing in the museum was a short film about Berlin during the Cold War.
Another important cultural attraction in Berlin is the Jewish Museum which I would definitely classify as architectural beauty as well. Not only it gives full history of Jews in Germany but its building is simply magnificent. I got actually lost around there few times but it seems like I was not the only one, people around me were also impressed. I won’t speak much about this, well I don’t have the words to describe it anyway… check out my pictures or if you are in Berlin, you must see this!
In order to be in some more hidden places of Berlin, I took a bike tour around the Wall with Berlin On Bike. The tour was one of my highlights as well as I heard lot of stories about the Berlin Wall. Not the classical history that we all read in books but some stories concerning individuals, that’s why I liked this tour! It was also quite easy going, the guide leaves the group at its own rhythm without any rush. We even got to stop for a long coffee break at the middle where we got the opportunity to meet other travellers. I also got to use for the first time my sport camera to record our ride for the Vlog that you will watch soon! Book the most historical bike ride of your life here: http://berlinonbike.de/
Every night in Berlin was a surprise, I went out few times to discover the city but only my last day was special as I got to be with a local. We have been to places around my hostel and I got to see how Berliners party hard! It was 8am in the morning but no one is going home yet… Apparently on week-ends party is literally non stop until Monday morning. You can if you wish go to a club at 10am on a Sunday morning, I’ve heard that it is also the easiest way to get to Berghain one of the most famous Berlin club where you would need to queue for 2-3 hours to get in on a Friday or Saturday night. So better try on Sunday!
To wrap up my trip with some adrenaline rush, I did a base-fly in the Park Inn by Radisson on Alexanderplatz. It was definitely the adventure of my life! Base Flying is a vertical controlled fall from the top of the 125 meters of the building. Not only the base flight is an fantastic experience but also the view is stunning right in front of the TV Tower. I recorded this on video to make it a moment for life just as my whole trip was. Don’t miss this, book your base fly here. My extra tip is to tape this on video as it’s worth to watch reactions after. I will release mine on Episode 6 of Vlog.
This article comes after a collaboration with visitBerlin. For more useful tips check out their blog. Don’t forget to like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter too. 
Photo Credits Brandenburger Gate © visitBerlin/Wolfgang Scholvien Berlin WelcomeCard © visitBerlin
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