A Weekend in Berlin
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to spend even a week in every city you visit. If you, just like us, happen to come to Berlin only for a weekend, don’t get discouraged. Yes, Berlin is huge, but even during a weekend, you can check out its most amazing places! Of course, classical sights such as Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and Berlin wall go without saying. And then we recommend to spice up your visit with less obvious locations. We have a couple of them in mind, all tested personally by us! The weekend is short, so we have chosen only the best ones!
Flea Market at Mauerpark
Bernauer Str. 63-64; Sunday 10am-7pm
Even if you’re not a big fan of treasure-hunting at flea markets, you can have a lot of fun at the Sunday flea market at Mauerpark. It’s not just an opportunity to shop for antiquities and random junk, it’s also a street food and music festival! Along the park alley, bands play in different styles, and if you’re lucky you can witness a huge karaoke event with about 800 participants, a lot of them tourists from all over the world! Dress warmly in the cold season and maybe bring your own alcohol, as getting it there can be a tad bit expensive.
Museum of Technology
Trebbiner Str. 9
One of the best technical museums we’ve seen in Europe, Berlin Museum of Technology is a modern and interactive venue displaying huge collections in the history of cars, aviation, computers, ships and trains. The collection of locomotives filles two roundhouses of an actual locomotive depot. If you walk around the outside territory of the museum, you can also see two windmills (one German, one Dutch), a brewery, and a forge powered by a water wheel, all in working order.
Party at RAW
Revaler Str. 99
If you want to feel the atmosphere of Berlin underground culture, RAW is the best area to head for a night out. Once a line of storage buildings along the railway, not it’s a cluster of weird bars, night clubs and dancing venues. There are numerous cosy places inside and outside to relax with a drink, and also a climbing wall for those who can’t sit still!
Berliner Unterwelte (Berlin Underground)
Ticketshop: Brunnenstraße, 105
To those who want to explore the dark side of Berlin, we suggest visiting one of the guided tours with Berliner Unterwelte organization. By the way, by “dark” we mean literally dark – Berliner Unterwelte is an association that studies the underground bunkers and infrastructure of the city. They arrange tours around Second World war air-raid shelters, subways and even tunnels under Berlin Wall. The guides are superb and really passionate about studying Berlin history and the tours are available in English, German, Italian and French. The last two are not arranged every day, mostly on the weekends, so make sure you check the schedule on the official website before going for a tour! Tickets can be bought only directly in the ticketshop. Expect a long line of the weekend!
Local treats
Of course, this article would not be complete without advice on where to eat in Berlin! We have a couple of awesome places in mind, where you can eat like local!
Mustafa’s Kebab
Mehringdamm, 32
Did you know that kebab was actually invented in Berlin? Turkish workers were wrapping meat and veggies in bread to make it more filling and this is how the iconic Berliner meal came to life! To try the best local kebab head to Mustafa – you will find it right near the exit from Mehringdamm U-Bahn. It’s a small kiosk with a huge line, so you won’t miss it! And yes, tasting a kebab there is definitely worth waiting in line. We are not big lovers of such meals, but this one was just hea-ven-ly!
Markthalle Neun
Eisenbahnstraße 42
To those who prefer to sit while eating, we can suggest Markthalle Neun: a covered market that offers huge variety of foods from all across the world. We personally have tried fish dishes there and wow, they were good! Markthalle offers dining at different price ranges, so do not hesitate to head there even if you have already spent all money on shopping and have literally no euros left!
