Berlin, DE

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Tips:

This is a very historical city and definitely worth checking out the Berlin Wall and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe but this area is the most common tourist area. Don’t be afraid to hop on a subway and explore other neighborhoods. Kreuzberg is a hipster type locale and Penzlaurberg has tons of great Vegetarian and Vegan spots.

 

Common Phrases:

• Bitte Please

• Danke Thank you

• Hallo Hello

• Guten Morgen Good morning

• Guten Tag Good afternoon

• Ja Yes

• Nein No

 

Unique:

If you are any type of crafty, design savvy or creative then you will need to check our the Modular building at Moritzplatz U bahn stop. It has a store 3-4 floors large and full of any craft or hobby you can think of. Paint, pens, decorative papers, trendy tapes, DIY kits, small scale models, t-shirt making and even custom 3D printing! If you can dream it, this place can make it reality.

 

Food & Drink:

• In most grocery stores and many restuarants you should find bottled tea called “ChariTea.” The lemonade what perfectly sweet and bitter and the green tea is much lighter and equally delicious. If you want a refresher then go for one of these because it goes to a good cause.

• If you are lucky enough to be in Berlin on a thursday then it is a MUST to check out Markthalle in Kreuzberg. It is an indoor food market where you can get typical street eats from all over the world but also tray some spectacular cocktails. I had fresh oysters, a pizza slice, some papas from the Spanish tapas place, and a unique vegan burger with a German dumpling in it. I had friends try the Korean spot and some typical German spots and all were satisfied so I don’t think you can pick a bad thing here. The Markthalle is open on the weekend but its full of farmers market type  goods instead so you don’t have the same vendors or the same lunch options.

• One must have is Bun Bao. Korean style burger and many options. There is one Vegetarian and one Vegan option. We got the “Bean me up Scotty” vegan option but were hesitant because it has spice mung bean and I’m not usually a fan of mung bean. I am super happy to have chosen it because it changed my thoughts on mung bean. It was tremendously tasty.

• I am a big fan of the Moscow Mule and my boyfriend is a big fan of unique drinks that showcase a bartenders abilities. The best bar we found in Berlin was the Catwalk Bar connected to the Marriott Hotel near Potsdamer Platz. The  drinks aren’t cheap (around $14) but well worth a trip. You can get the regulars or specialty cocktails. The bar is pretty posh as well.

• If you have a sweet tooth then try California Pops in Kreuzberg. They hove both dairy and non dairy options and in crazy delicious flavors like chai latte, cheesecake or mango.

 

Budget:

• The word “memorial” often comes with somber feelings and silence but the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is both beautiful and fun. Its almost a maze and if you go with some crazy friends or family then I would agree on a meeting point in case you lose each other.

• You can’t miss the massive amounts of graffiti in this city. But just in case you don’t want to do all of the roaming yourself you can take a FREE tour that takes you around to see much of the street art. Its called the Berlin Alternative Tour.

 

Shopping:

• Der Schöne Laden is a tchotchke shop with all sorts of popular items perfect for gifting.

• Unverpackt is a no waste grocery store and the first of its kind globally. If you are from the US or familiar with Whole Foods then this will look relatively small compared to the amount of bulk, package-free items you can buy at Whole Foods. Their ambition is applaud-worthy though. Since they have received so much press on their tiny store they have more tourists visit for photos than locals actually buying. So if you want to check it out then do some prep work and bring a jar or container with you and plan on buying something to support. They have loose teas as a back up if you don’t want beans, grains or other dried goods. If you are prepared to bring liquids home then it could be worth your time to buy a glass flask or bottle at the shop and fill it with locally made alcohol (gin, whiskey and vodka when available).

 

Downfalls:

Many places only took Maestro card. Your Mastercard, Visa or Amex will not work in many places. Bring cash and get it before you land. Finding an ATM in the airport can also be difficult and not all cabs take other options either. This includes train and subway machines. Most only except coins so its smart to make sure you have small change and not all paper bills.

 

Travel Details:

• Work 2 days 2015

• Weekend Leisure

• Halloween weekend