If you are planning your next holiday destination and Europe is your choice, I recommend that you look at Berlin. The city is full of history, culture and innovation merged into one. And with that, various activities for different kinds of tourists. So, let’s start exploring Berlin!
Brandenburg Gate
We will start our journey with the Brandenburg Gate. This monumental construction is a symbol of countless stories of the sanguinary past of this city and its reconciliation. Take some pictures and use your inferring skills to catch the echoes of history reverberating within the arches.
Designed and built in the 1780s and the 90s by Carl Gotthard Langhans, commissioned by the king of Prussia Frederick William II, and modeled after the Acropolis in Athens. It was created as a statement of peace by a nation seeking to be seen as a bastion of enlightenment.
Since its creation, the Brandenburg Gate has witnessed moments of great historical change. From the convulsions of the Second World War to the East and West Berlin’s divisions during the Cold War.
Museum Island
And here, I would like to call all history admirers and art fans! Museum Island is a place of bliss for you. This UNESCO World Heritage site in Berlin has five of the best museums in Europe. Among them are the Pergamon Museum and the Altes Museum.
These museums together constitute a cultural meeting point, inviting guests to follow threads across time and space through the history of human creativity and ingenuity. Museum Island speaks volumes about the enduring power of art and culture to inspire and educate us.
Allow yourself to fall into the depths of ancient civilizations, admire works of art and satiate your intellectual thirst with the rich historical tapestry.
Berlin Wall Memorial
Try exploring the past and see fragments of the Berlin Wall. This symbol of suffering reveals the past of the city, splitting it into two parts because of the tense political situation during the Cold War. This wall pays tribute to those who have endured during this unstable time. Explore the exceptionally well-preserved wall, stirring stories of the heroism of the people and the strength that is alive even today.
The Documentation Center at the memorial is particularly impactful because it provides insight into the wall’s past, those affected by its construction, and how it continues to haunt its city today. People experience the sense of displacement that the wall brought about through interactive stations, archival footage, as well as personal narratives of people who experienced the Berlin Wall first-hand.
Tiergarten
If you are seeking a place to leave the developed world behind, then this is it! Move deep into the huge Tiergarten, Berlin’s green sanctuary. Whether you are looking for leisure and relaxation or you need to go for a casual walk, then this is the park to go to.
Originally a 16th-century royal hunting ground, Tiergarten was transformed in the 19th century into a well-manicured urban park full of winding pathways, placid lakes and picturesque gardens. And it is still one of the city’s largest and most popular green spaces. The park is home to joggers, sunbathers, cyclists and picnickers in all seasons.
Do not forget to visit the Victory Column from where you can admire the glorious image of the city. Visiting the park is one of the best ways to start exploring Berlin.
Kreuzberg
Happiness and whim reign here. Kreuzberg is a colorful place decorated with street art, boutiques of independent store owners and cozy coffee shops. They bring themselves enough harmony to rule anyone’s notions surely.
Kreuzberg’s cultural diversity can be best experienced through its various food joints. From kebab stalls, neighborhood cafés and trendy fusion restaurants, the area boasts the best culinary fusion experience. Whether it’s a takeaway of a hot falafel wrap from a street food vendor or a lengthy brunch at a hipster joint, no one will be left disappointed by Kreuzberg’s offerings.
Culinary innovations aside, Kreuzberg offers everything from hardcore and techno to jazz improvisation and rock ‘n’ roll, in small basements and sweaty clubs. With people coming together from all over the city for a good time, generating an air of celebration and creativity that carries on.
Berlin Cathedral
The Berlin Cathedral is a place that is worth admiring as the domes and bell towers are marvelous and awe-inspiring.
Built in two stages between 1894 and 1905 by the architect Julius Carl Raschdorff, the Berlin Cathedral (or Berliner Dom) is a monumental structure in neo-Renaissance and neo-Baroque styles, identified by its impressive central dome, crowned with four smaller domes. Its intricate facade is adorned with sculptures, mosaics and other ornaments.
The majestic pipe organ is one of the most impressive in Germany, and the continuous organ concerts and choral performances have shaped the cathedral’s sensory landscape and popular image. Daily, visitors hear the booming sounds coming out from the instrument. Its powerful tones reverberate throughout the magnificent spaces, making for an intense auditory experience.
You can go to the top of the Cathedral if you want to admire the surrounding panorama. There’s an elevator that you can use, or you can use the staircase to go to the top to enjoy the panoramic views. The visit to the cathedral is paid, you can book tickets using this link if you plan to visit.
East Side Gallery
Art lovers, rejoice! East Side Gallery stands practically as a living museum. The murals incorporate works of writers and artists from all over the world whose words speak about freedom, struggle and hope. This power is represented through symbolism and art, enabling us to gain a clear view of how they survived and managed to conquer.
Each wall in the East Side Gallery tells a story. These are all to a greater or lesser extent memorials to one moment in history and a celebration of the struggle and triumph of the human spirit. Works such as Dmitri Vrubel’s “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” (popularly known as ‘The Fraternal Kiss’, as it depicts Brezhnev embracing Ernst Thälmann), or Birgit Kinder’s ‘Test the Best’, have become the iconic images of the zeitgeist.
It’s important to know that Berlin is more than just a city, it’s a place where you can experience the living and breathing testament of human resilience, creativity and the enduring human spirit. It’s a place where the past meets the present, where diversity reigns, and where each street corner heralds a tale the telling of which remains dormant but propagated through the generations.
Thus when you embark on your journey, take with you the Berlin spirit – tall, cool and unpretentiously unique. And be sure that whenever you again feel the urge to travel, this splendid city will always be there waiting for you with lots of love.
