The vibrant city of Berlin is one of the most exciting and charming spots to visit in Central Europe and is a common weekend destination for UK holiday makers looking for a cheap and easy get away.
Unlike some other short break destinations there are a variety of tourist destinations, clubs, bars, restaurants and accommodation to be enjoyed on all types of budgets that can make Berlin an inexpensive place to visit. Here are some tips for making your money stretch as far as possible.
Accommodation
Berlin, like many capital cities, has a good variety of hostels dotted around the city and whether you are a solo traveller happy to bunk in a dorm room or a couple in need of privacy there are rooms to suit. You can normally find hostels from around 15-40 Euros a night; however prices may be higher or lower than that during peak times. If hostels aren’t your thing then you can find good deals in AirBnb accommodation or in hotels by booking well in advance.
Travel
Due in part to its history, Berlin has no city centre to note, rather it has a variety of different areas with mini-centres all linked together. While the vast expanse of Berlin and the distance between different areas could make travelling around a headache, Berliner’s are lucky. They have excellent public transport options with buses, trams, taxis, trains and subways all in operation. What’s more, many of the transport options have universal tickets so a day card which costs around 7 euros will allow you to travel on the bus, tram, U-Bahn and S-Bahn.
Food
Food is where you can make some huge savings in Berlin. As a multi-cultural city with a youthful population, Berlin has some of the best food around. From high-end gourmet dining to street food, Berlin has a bit of everything. You don’t have to look to hard to find cheap Turkish kebabs, buletten, Vietnamese noodles and the local delicacy – currywurst which all tend to be available around the clock on Berlin’s side streets. If you have special dietary requirements like halal, kosher, vegan or vegetarian then you’ll also find plenty of restaurants, cafes and street food vendors that will be able to cater for you.
Things to do
When it comes to occupying your time in Berlin, there’s plenty to see and do without sinking too far into your budget. Here are a few of our favourites:
Tempelhofer Feld
When the sun is shining Berlin transforms and parks like the Tiergarten and Mauerpark are where the locals hang out for picnics, BBQ’s and even karaoke. If you’re looking for something special though then check out the Tempelhofer Park, a former airport complete with disused runways which is now enjoyed by the public – a great spot for cycling, rollerblading and flying kites.
Brandenburg Gate
Probably the most iconic building in Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate has stood solid since 1791 and was inspired by ancient Greek architecture. In 1946, when post-war Berlin was divided the Gate was located in the Soviet controlled section of Berlin. When the wall came down in 1989 hundreds of thousands of locals from all sides of the wall gathered by the Gate to celebrate their reunification. It has since become a symbol of unification for the city and is available to visit all through the year.
East Side Gallery
Once part of the Berlin Wall, the 1.3 kilometere structure known as the East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. Trailing the banks of the Spree, it is also the longest open-air gallery in the world, featuring art and graffiti all the way along from renowned artists. A must see if you are visiting Berlin.
Have you visited Berlin recently? Do you have any special travel tips of your own? Tweet us at @TimeForYouGroup and let us know.
