10 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO BERLIN

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This guide of tips for traveling to Berlin It will help you organize a getaway and not miss anything of this multicultural European capital that we are sure will become one of your favorites in the world.
With thousands of things to do, stand out among many others, take a walk along the great avenue Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate, visit one of its impressive museums, find street art scattered throughout the city, sit on a terrace or Park with a good beer mug or any of the experiences that make you fall in love with this modern city full of good atmosphere.

Based on the two times we have visited the city, in the last one we wrote this Berlin guide in 3 days, we have made this selection of 10 essential tips for traveling to Berlin.We start!

1. What is the best time?

Although any time is good for a trip to Berlin, the best time of the year is in spring and summer, when temperatures are more pleasant, around 20 degrees, and longer days. In addition, this good weather allows you to enjoy the great atmosphere in parks and squares, one of the great attractions of the city, which in other times is more difficult to live.
From October it gets dark sooner and the cold starts to make a dent, although the prices of the accommodations are cheaper and you can visit the main points of interest with fewer people, so this time of year can also be very attractive.
Winter is a cold and dry season, which we only recommend if you want to enjoy Christmas markets and the possibility of seeing the snowy city.

2. Entry requirements when traveling to Berlin

For travel to Berlin, if you are from Spain or from a European Union country, you will only need to carry your ID or Passport, without having to do a visa. If you are not a citizen of the European Union, it is advisable to check online or call the German Embassy or the Foreign Ministry of your country, to find out what are the mandatory documents.

One of the requirements that is not mandatory, but highly recommended, is to carry the European Health Card with which you will have access to German public health. Although despite this do not forget that there are situations such as repatriation, which only enter if you also have the best travel insurance.
We always travel insured with Mondo, with whom we carry a totally adequate insurance to the needs that we will have on the trip. Hiring your insurance here with Mondo, just for being a Street Travelers reader, you have a 5% discount.

3. How to get from the airport to Berlin?

Berlin has two airports: the Berlin-Schönefeld Airport and the Berlin-Tegel Airport, which is believed to close in the coming years due to pollution due to its proximity to the city.
To make the transfer from the airport to the center of Berlin or to your hotel you have these options:

Bus: Schönefeld airport has lines 163, 164, 171, express X7 and night lines N7 and N60, to take you downtown in one hour for 3.40 euros. It is the least comfortable and slowest option.
The Tegel has the TXL JetExpressBus line that will leave you at Alexanderplatz in 40 minutes for less than 3 euros and the X9 JetExpressBus, which will leave you at the Zoologischer Garten, in 20 minutes for the same price.
Train: Airport Express, only operational in Schönefeld, will take you to Hauptbahnhof station in 30 minutes for 3.40 euros.
Direct transfer to the hotel: This is the easiest and easiest way to get to the hotel, having a driver waiting at the airport, with a sign with your name. You can book it here.
Cab: It costs about 50 euros from Schönefeld airport and 30 euros from Tegel airport.

In this post you can find more information on how to go from the Berlin airport to the center.

Use the subway when traveling to Berlin

4. Where to sleep?

If you go to travel to Berlin, especially in summer, it is almost essential to book at the most months in advance, in order to find a well located accommodation at a good price.
Our favorite district to stay is Mitte, located in the center and where the main tourist attractions are located. Within this great extension we recommend you to look for accommodation in the surroundings of Potsdamer Platz, Alexanderplatz or the area of the Jewish quarter.
We stayed at the Park Plaza Wallstreet Berlin, located near Museum Island and Alexanderplatz, with the Spittelmarkt metro stop 100 meters away and good communication with the airport as well as modern facilities, 24-hour reception and a buffet breakfast quality.
Another area well connected by subway to the center and cheaper is Kreuzberg, the Turkish quarter, which has a great offer in restoration and a great nightlife, although if you prefer a quieter and residential environment we recommend Charlottenburg, located half an hour from the center by subway and where you can find good hotels for 50 euros a night.
You can search here for the best hotels in Berlin at the best price.

For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Berlin.

The Cathedral in the Mitte district

5. How to get around Berlin?

Berlin's extensive network has 4 types of public transport: the bus, the subway (U), the train (S) and the tram (M).
All tickets are valid for these 4 means of transport and vary in price depending on the area through which you move. The cheapest, of 2.80 euros, is that of the AB zone that includes the majority of points of interest and the most expensive one of ABC that leaves for 3.40 euros.
Another option if you are going to do more than 2 trips a day is to buy the 24-hour ticket that costs 7 euros or 7 days with a price of 30 euros, both for the AB zone.
Before buying a ticket or a single ticket it is advisable to check if you get more profitable to book the Berlin WelcomeCard, a tourist card with which you will have discounts of up to 50% in more than 200 attractions of the city and unlimited trips in all transport Berlin public.

Another option if you have little time is to book the tourist bus that stops at the main attractions and has comments in Spanish of each of them.

Tourist bus

6. Places of interest

Prior to travel to Berlin It is advisable to make a list of all the experiences you want to enjoy and places you want to know, to make the most of your time.
Among some of the most important monuments and symbols of the city, the Brandenburg Gate stands out, an old entrance gate that looks impressive day and night.
To get to this door you will have to travel the great avenue Unter den Linden, the most famous in the city, with some interesting places such as the New Guard building and the Bebelplatz.
Near the Brandenburg Gate is the moving Holocaust Monument, built in memory of the millions of Jews killed by the Nazi regime, which is another place you cannot miss in the city.
Between visit and visit you can relax in urban parks or take a bike ride or walk through the huge Tiergarten next to which is the Reichstag or Parliament, another of the most famous buildings in the city.

Tiergarten

Among the best museums in Berlin stands out the Pergamon, which has a collection with some of the wonders of the world, such as the Istar Gate of Babylon, the Altar of Zeus of the city of Pergamon over 2,000 years and the market gate Roman of Miletus.
If you do not want to waste time in the queue, quite long especially in high season and holidays, you can book this quick ticket or this day pass that will give you access to all the museums on the island.
Another essential museum is the Neues Museum, which has in its perfect bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti of 3300 years, its great jewel. You can reserve the ticket without queues here.
Near the island of museums you have the Cathedral with good views from its dome, the beautiful Nikolaiviertel and Alexanderplatz neighborhood, where the 368 meter high Television Tower is located. To climb the tower you can book the entrance on this page or a fancy dinner at its revolving restaurant.
Another of the best things to do in the city is to see urban art in the famous East Side Gallery outdoor gallery, located on a stretch of the Berlin Wall and that is another of the most important places in the city. In addition to this, other places with numerous graffiti are the Turkish and Jewish neighborhood, where you can also find beautiful interior courtyards.
Finally you can approach the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, one of the few places that have not been rebuilt after World War II and Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous border crossing of the old Berlin Wall that separated the two Germany.

Another of the tips for traveling to Berlin is to complete this list of the best things to do in Berlin and this one of the 10 essential places to visit in Berlin.

7. Routes through the city

If you have to prepare a trip to Berlin for a few days, it is important to optimize the itineraries around the city so you don't miss out on anything important and make the most of your time.
Based on the time we spent in Berlin we have made these personalized guides that will help you not miss anything interesting about the city if you have 1 to 3 days.

If it is your first time in the city it can also be very interesting, to know the history, combine these routes for free with one of the best free tours in Berlin with a guide in Spanish.
In addition to free tours, there are other types of guided tours in Spanish that focus more on certain topics such as:

Berlin

8. Where and what to eat in Berlin

Another one of the many reasons for travel to Berlin It is to try their copious food, always accompanied by a good beer mug. Some of the most typical dishes are:

Currywurst: German sausage cooked or roasted and accompanied by a tomato sauce or curry powder.
Eisbein: pork knuckle with sour cabbage and pea puree.
Kasseler: Pork steak with cabbage, onions and mashed potatoes.
Döner Kebab: thin slices of meat served with pita bread and vegetables.
Boulette: fried beef meatball accompanied by parsley and mustard.
Kartoffelsalat: potato salad.
Berliner Pfannkuchen: sweet bun that can be filled with jam, cream, chocolate ...
Käsekuchen: cheesecake
Apfelkuchen: Apple pie

In addition to trying all these dishes do not forget to go to a Biergarten, typical German terraces where locals meet and a tourist to drink mostly beer.

Among the restaurants, located in the most recommended tourist areas, you have: Curry 61, Zur Gerichtslaube, Marjellchen, Mustafa's Gemuese Kebab, Dean & David, Centolire, Tony Roma's and Burgermeister.

For more information you can consult this list of restaurants to eat in Berlin.

Currywurst

9. Tours and excursions

If you have extra time in your trip to BerlinWe recommend you take a day trip to one of the most essential places to see in Germany.
The first recommendation would be the visit to the beautiful city of Potsdam, located 30 kilometers away and declared a World Heritage Site where you can visit its many palaces and gardens, old kings' residences.
To get to Potsdam you have to take the S7 line of the Berlin S-Bah metropolitan train that will leave you at the city station in 40 minutes.
If you want to know better the history of the city and each palace you can book this tour with a guide in Spanish.

The second proposal to travel to Berlin it is the excursion to the touching concentration camp of Sachsenhausen, located about 40 kilometers and in which 30,000 prisoners were killed.
To reach the countryside, located 40 kilometers away, you can take the S-Bahn metropolitan train in the direction of Oranienburg and from there take a bus or walk about 20 minutes to the entrance door although it is highly recommended, to become aware of what really there It happened, book a guided tour in Spanish.

The last proposal is Dresden, one of our favorite cities and one of the best excursions from Berlin.
This city suffered one of the most horrible bombings of World War II that left it completely destroyed and after years of reconstruction of the historic center, known as the "Florence of the Elbe", regained all its maximum splendor.
The best way to get to Dresden in less than 2 hours is to take the train that leaves from Hauptbahnhof station. Another option to learn about the sad history of the city and its main monuments is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish by bus.

Dresden on a trip to Berlin

10. More tips for traveling to Berlin

Other of the best tips for traveling to Berlin They are:

Learn some words in German like hallo (hello), good morning (guten morgen), good afternoon (guten abend), good night (guten nacht), see you later / see you soon (auf wiedersehen), yes (ja), no (nein ), thanks (danke) and you're welcome (bitte).
Rent a bike to reach the furthest places or to take a walk in the Tiergarten park since Berlin is a friendly city with this means of transport and has hundreds of kilometers of bike lane
Buy a souvenir worn by the famous Ampelmann, a silhouette that came out at the traffic lights of the German Democratic Republic and that still remains one.
Most pieces of wall that are sold are fake, keep that in mind if you want to buy a souvenir.
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
The plugs are the same as the Spanish.
Go on a Sunday to Mauerpark, a market with food stalls and a karaoke that we are sure, you will love.
If the weather is nice, don't forget to go to Berlin's beach in Yaam, a small Caribbean oasis.
If you have more time and are going to make a route through the country, we recommend following this list of essential tips for traveling to Germany.

Berlin Wall

Do you want to organize a trip to Berlin?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Berlin here
The best hotels at the best prices in Berlin here
Book the best tours and excursions in Berlin in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Berlin transfer here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here