Berlin is stunning and stark, a unique mix of cement and neon. If you end up wandering the wrong street, the city may not lead you in the right direction. Don’t get caught in the Checkpoint Charlie trap, a piece of Germany’s history that’s tiny, unimpressive, and unrepresentative of what Berlin is today - unless you’re craving McDonald’s or KFC. Two “restaurants” anyone should recognize as the most undignified signs of a tourist trap. I’ve visited Berlin twice during wintertime, in January 2017 and November 2018. The city this time of year is outwardly cold, wet, and oftentimes grey, the buildings blending in with the cloud cover, but lining the streets are some of the trendiest people and places. Trendy in a truly cool, collected, fashionable, understated German way. The heart of the city pounds like a dark Drum and Bass track, beating ceaselessly throughout bars, cafes, clubs, and hostel lobbies. The music has no definite finish nor start, as DJs blend into each other, creating a timelessness that late-night conversation flows alongside. It could be 8:00am or 8:00pm, no one cares either way, they’ll order another craft cocktail or little European beer. The real City That Never Sleeps, with clubs that are open for two or three days the partiers refer to a trip to Berghain as “going to church” on Sunday mornings. Entrance isn’t cheap, but the before/after party kebabs are. I’ve never been so satisfied spending €3.50 on a meal. Pair your lamb, chicken, or falafel doner or durum with pommes frites (french fries) buried under a dallop of creamy mayo. Or head to a currywurst shop for a sausage and fries combo topped with sweet sweet currywurst sauce.
If you want it all, including a pizza shop and bakery, stay at the Circus Hostel at Rosenthaler Platz (Platz loosely translates to “square” or “space”), a stop on the U-Bahn just minutes out of the more central Alexanderplatz. It’s not the cheapest hostel, but it’s surrounded by cheap eateries and good bars - including the microbrewery/bar in the basement! Delicious steins of home-brewed Hefe for €4 and Karaoke on Thursday nights. Circus Hostel also has a lovely outdoor seating area on the street, right next to a central tram line, and across from a 24 hour corner shop. Grab a bottle, sit down outside and watch Berlin. Rosenthaler Platz is dotted with vintage shops, quaint cafes, and strange little bars nearby if you get bored of hostel chit chat. If you get extremely lucky and come back to the hostel at 9:00am, scheduled to check out in three hours and exhausted, to find that the penthouse suite has opened up just in time to be booked - take it. It’s more than worth the price (€100) for the panoramic view of Berlin, ruby red interior, wrap-around terrace, shiny kitchenette, bluetooth speaker, and full bed complete with two twin sized duvets (not sure if this is normal in Germany). It’s difficult to put the vibe of this city into words - for somewhere that was so recently divided by such extremes, it seems to be the antithesis of what it was prior to the winter of 1991. The city is youthful and experimental, in every sense. Hostel: The Circus Hostel at Rosenthaler Platz. Basement bar, book in advance! Spots to See: Museum Island - is what it sounds like! A gorgeous little island on the Spree river in the middle of downtown Berlin, inhabited by architecturally magnificent museums. If you don’t want to pay entrance fees for the museums, they’re just as lovely from the outside. Beautiful buildings are rare in Berlin. (Central Berlin) Brandenburg Gate - famous as the central backdrop for the fall of the Berlin Wall, it’s a gorgeous pillared structure. Just a stroll from the impressive Reichstag building. (Central Berlin) East Side Gallery - a 25 minute walk from Cafe Luzia in Kreuzberg, the East Side Gallery is a portion of the Berlin wall that has been turned into an art gallery of famously politically-charged murals. Beautiful and evocative, symbolic of what Berlin represents today. (East Berlin) Paul’s Boutique - lovely little vintage shop near Circus Hostel with lots of lovely little restaurants nearby, very fun vibe and lots of clothes to choose from. Walk in this direction if you’re looking for a nice spot to eat outdoors! (Near Rosenthaler Platz) Neukolln Market - only on SUNDAYS but a lovely market with food, bars, music, jewelry, and clothing. Come for anything and everything, I would recommend staying for lunch and a beer. (East Berlin) Bars: Ankerklause - sat above the river and next to a Friday market. Go in the late afternoon after wandering through the market. Watch the bars’ porch lights come on as the sun sets and the swans pedaling below you in the river. Enjoy a Hefe for €3.50. (Kreuzberg area) Cafe Luzia - a more typical cafe during daylight hours but with a swanky Berlin vibe, the bar turns into a Drum and Bass, candle-lit nest at night, packed with groups of people dressed in black, ordering coffee with their cocktails. Cheaper wine and beer, cocktails closer to €10. (Kreuzberg area) Mein Haus am See - just around the corner from The Circus Hostel, great techno bar set up in a gutted movie theater. The seats for the cinema are gone, but the amphitheater arrangement survived, so you can sit up high in a worn-in couch and watch the foot traffic circle around, below at the bar. Cocktails closer to €10. Clubs: Tresor - upstairs for House, downstairs for Drum and Bass. Would definitely recommend for a “Berlin” experience, intense, loud music, incredible lights and entertaining, dark set-up. Don’t speak English in line. (East Berlin) Kit Kat - haven’t made it to this spot yet, but it’s on the list. Known for kink nights and liberal dress code (less is more). Try to remember DJ names at the door, don’t speak English. (East Berlin)
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