I originally wrote this for me, and used it to record stuff I need to plan and visit the city.  It’s still pretty much the same. It might be useful for others. I first stayed there at the end of the summer 2005. We stayed at the art’otel mitte im Mitte and visited the centre of Berlin with a quick trip to the Story of Berlin on the Ku’f’dam, which is worth revisiting. I posted my pictures to a  Berlin set in flickr which is now displayed as a slide show below/overleaf. I returned on business in 2007 and for a citybreak in Jan 2019 and again in March 2019.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Covid 19

It seems Berlin is opening up. 31/5/2020

1. Berlin’s public life from visitberlin.de
2. Germany plans to re-open it’s borders to EEA+ citizens

Hotels

I revised these links in 2019; I deleted those that I might have merely been interested in, inserted the 2019 Hotel and kept two that I might still visit. I have stayed at the art’otel mitte, and Victor’s Residenz. The Google Map has the other’s that I have heard of, or considered.

• Victors Residenz, Berlin, 2019 4*s, got an upgrade, to a suite which was very roomy, good if staying for a while; I wish my flat in Londn was as big. I found this via Expedia. Here’s its restaurant menu, and Trip Advisor’s 10 nearest restaurants.
• Hotel Myers, found this while looking some time before 2007, looks rather fab and don’t want to forget it
• Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackescher Markt, inspired by the same chain in Frankfurt

The map (see below) now has a bunch of hotels placed upon it, in both East & West Berlin, some came from a BA flight magazine, some just from looking for places to go, and/or the Rough Guide, it now included some recommended by Expedia.

Transport

All trains, trams and buses are under one price scheme. They have three zones, A,B&C. Day Tickets can be bought for AB or ABC. Schönefeld is in C, I bought a one way ticket for €3.40 on arrival, and another on the way back. The Hotel sold me day tickets,for the other days. It might be best to buy the return at the Schönefeld ticket machines; the buses only take coins. One way tickets need to be used within two hours of validation and you may not double back. Tegel is in Zone B The tube map, …

Getting there

I have travelled via Tegel and Schönefeld, the choice is taken by your carrier, ideally, I depart from LCY which currently is an available route by BA.

1. Things to do at Tegel, by sleeping airports; they recommend a lounge or the view platform.
2. Things to do near Tegel, by Trip Advisor or not so near!
3. Things to do at Schönefeld , by sleeping airports;
4. Or Things to do near Schönefeld , by Trip Advisor

Apartments

Homeaway, a flat listing site (2013), and one particular flat complex in Schoenberg

Food & Drink

I am told that next time I should visit Savigny Platz which also has a huge number of restaurants. I found this article on Vegan Food in 2019.

TV Tower Restaurant Menu

My Map

View Larger MapI returned in 2019, and here are my pictures

Created with flickr slideshow.

Things to do

– Lots left undone!

• Timeout suggest a top 16 to do’s.
• Should I check this out, the Bendler Block.
• The Zoo
• the Mauer Park is this the best wall memorial: probably not!
• the Flea Market at the Mauer Park  ✔
• the DDR Museum, im mitte
• Karl Marx Allee, maybe best done by bike ✔
• Stasi Museum
• TranenPlast
• Sans Souci in Potsdam
• The Botanical Gardens
• Berlin Wall Memorial
• Templehof, no longer an airport
• Visit Berlin’s History tours
• Boating, headlines  & dingy sailing
• The Trabi Museum
• The Soviet War memorial at Treptow, not quite visible from the train to & from Schonfeld
• Is there anything at Wannersee?
• Fernesturm, both restaurant and viewing platform, can these be booked in advance ✔

Things to do again

• Visit The Story of Berlin exhibition, ends in an atomic bunker, but deals with the History of Berlin from its foundation as the capital of the Duchy of Brandenburg