City break to Berlin

The Reichstag

Although I found this statement rather pretentious (different to what exactly?), I will admit it does have some truth in it.

Where to stay

• We stayed at the award winning, centrally located Wombats City Hostel on Alte Schönhauser Strasse. As a hotspot for young travellers from all over Europe, America and Australia, it’s great for meeting new people, but still a good place to enjoy a relaxing break. Wombats was modern, spacious and clean, and with rates of around £15 per night it was perfect for us poor struggling students on a budget.

The seventh floor ‘WomBar’ with views of Berlin’s skyline provided a vibrant, friendly atmosphere, and offered traditional German beers for just €1 during happy hour. The staff were great, and although the sour faced waitress in the restaurant left rather a lot to be desired (as she sullenly announced that “chick’n fingas” were the only cheap meal choice, and no you can’t have chips with that), she did provide us with a great deal of comedy value.

What to do

• To find our way around we opted for the New Berlin walking tour of the city. Although it lasted three hours the tour was free, and thus very student friendly. It was well worth the walk, as it covered all the main points of interest including the Brandenburg gate, the Reichstag (German Parliament), the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Hitler’s bunker, the Holocaust Memorial, and not forgetting the hotel from which Michael Jackson famously dangled his baby.

Also worth a visit is the Memorial Site at the former Sachsenhausen concentration camp, just outside the city but easy to reach by train. Admittedly it’s not a cheerful experience but there is a wealth of information and history to discover, if you’re interested.

View of the Holocaust Memorial, consisting of 2,711 concrete slabs

To get a taste of the nightlife we also went on the New Berlin bar crawl. At €12 it was quite pricey, but having gone on the walking tour we were given a slight discount. This was very popular, somewhat rowdy but good fun, and the leaders of the bar crawl quenched our thirsts with tasty shots in between bars.

We ended up at Matrix, one of the biggest clubs in Berlin, located in Warschauer Platz 18, which was, rather oddly, underneath a train station. With five floors, a stylish VIP area and a diverse selection of music from R‘n’B, reggae, dance, and techno to breakbeat, gothic or metal depending on when you go, the club guarantees a night to remember.

Weather, Food and Prices

• Having travelled in early October the low temperatures and heavy rain did put a slight downer on the trip. The best time to go is between May and September when it’s warmest, although if you visit outside of these months, you can expect fewer tourists and shorter queues, as well as cheaper rates in hotels and hostels. I’d recommend the Sony Centre, for rainy days. The large modern complex boasting a range of shops, restaurants, art and film museums, an IMAX theatre, and a small version of LEGO land is not one to miss.

I took this opportunity to test the German cuisine in one of the restaurants (sausages of course), and was not disappointed. In general the food was good, and very reasonably priced. I’d recommend Monsieur Vuong, a trendy and extremely popular Vietnamese restaurant on Alte Schönhauser Strasse. The menu was small, but the food and atmosphere were excellent, and with main courses for around €8 it was great value.

Students are well catered for in Berlin, with museums and transport fares offered at a discounted rate, a wide variety of low priced hostels, and flights from Easyjet starting at around £20.

The Bottom Line

• Berlin has had a tumultuous history, but has nonetheless emerged as one of the most exciting and distinctive cities in Europe. With heaps of history, fascinating architecture and vibrant nightlife, Berlin is perfect for a short city break. And what’s more, for a capital city in Western Europe it’s surprisingly credit crunch friendly.

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.