Berlin, the capital city of Germany, is a dream destination for culture and history lovers alike.
Situated in north-eastern Germany, Berlin stands as a living testament to its tumultuous past. From the scars of World War II and the division of the Berlin Wall to its reunification and subsequent transformation into a symbol of unity and resilience. Today it’s a dynamic and multifaceted metropolis that effortlessly blends a rich historical heritage with a vibrant contemporary culture.
Why I love Berlin
Berlin is a place I’ll never tire of returning to time and time again. On the list of my favourite cities in the world, Berlin sits high at the top.
Berlin’s eclectic neighborhoods each have their unique character, from the bohemian vibes of Kreuzberg to the art-centric atmosphere of Prenzlauer Berg. The city’s cultural scene is unparalleled, with world-class museums, galleries, theatres, and a unforgettable nightlife. Then there’s its progressive mindset, open-minded attitude, which as we know wasn’t always like this.
The city has evolved while not erasing its dark past. Berlin truly is one of Europe’s greatest cultural hotspots and should be experienced at least once in your life.
Where I stayed
I stayed in Meininger Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof for just £25 a night. Impressively this cheap price doesn’t reflect what you pay for – expecting to be confronted with small rooms and a broken toilet we were impressed to be greeted with accommodation of modern design, good location and an overall high standard of maintenance, in fact I couldn’t recommend this place more highly! This leads me onto another great bonus of Berlin: it’s friendly on the pocket without having to sacrifice the good life!
If you have unlimited funds, take a look at more hotels here.
There’s so much to do in Berlin, it’s impossible to fit everything in one visit. In this guide I’ve tried to encompass a bit of everything, but ultimately it’s best suited to first-time visitors of the city.
Learn more about the city's challenging past
The Jewish Museum
The Jewish museum is an insightful and poignant place, and somewhere all visitors should go to gain further insight into the history of one of the world’s most destructive periods. Reading all the literature and seeing the photographs inside the museum is emotionally very difficult to digest but crucial nonetheless. I learnt quite a lot which I missed from my history lessons in school.
Holocaust Memorial
Another place dedicated to WW2 is the Holocaust Memorial inaugurated in 2005. A striking piece of architectural design. It can be enjoyed in different ways; run down it, climb over it, skate on it – it’s there to be celebrated.
Some people might think it’s disrespectful to use the Holocaust Memorial in such ways, but I read an article about the architect who designed it which made me change my opinion.
He wanted people to enjoy it and the more I think about it, the more I find myself agreeing with his point of view. We hear stories of people denying the Holocaust or people who simply don’t want to think about it. Therefore this memorial ensues the Holocaust will not be forgotten.
If it enables younger people to remember and learn about the holocaust through interaction then it’s another way to keep the dialogue going. Initially, someone might not know what the meaning is behind these abstract concrete blocks. However, being curious, they might look to sought out the meaning. This memorial is an invitation to learn, to keep the conversation going between the past and present.
Explore the creativity of East Berlin
Independent galleries, vintage shops and speak-easy(ish) bars and clubs set the tone for the East of Berlin. Every street feels like something thing cool and new to find.
Historically artists and creative people mostly chose to live in East Berlin. This is because after the fall of the wall, the flats were very cheap, so it’s generally livelier than West Berlin.
Some people may disagree, but, although the division between East and West Berlin seizes to exist, it can still somewhat be felt through the difference in architecture and the more conservative atmosphere prevalent in West Berlin.
The positive aspect of this is that it adds to the diversity of the city both culturally and visually. If you’re interested in finding out where loads of incredible street art lies then check out my other posts: Street Art Alley in Hackescher Markt and Teufelsberg Spy Station.
Explore Museum Island
‘Museum Island’ is by no means misleading – the collection of art work and historical artefacts in one place is incredible and for this reason it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.
Equally, The Kulturforum should not be missed. A cultural centre which contains several significant galleries, including the New National Gallery hosting works by the likes of Gerhard Richter. If you like art, then Berlin is one of the best places in the world to explore.
For more information about art museums and galleries in Berlin read: An Art Lover’s Guide to Berlin: Museums, Architecture & Street Art.
For Bauhaus lovers, you might also be interested in: The Bauhaus Archive Museum in Berlin.
Finally, Lee and I enjoyed the Deutsche Guggenheim where we saw Agatha Snow’s Access All World exhibition. There’s always new and exciting exhibitions going on it London. The only problem will be trying to make a decision which ones to see!
3 Responses
Dear Shing,
I’m working on a project about photography in social medias and one small part is about pictures taken at the memorial. I made some basic research over the web and discovered this page and I was very happy to read your text. Because it changed my perception of these pictures. First I was quite shocked by them, but I also thought that it must be very heavy and dark for young people to discover this monument and the massacre of Jews, Tziganes, homosexuals, disabled persons and so on. What to do with this? What to do in front of these tons of concrete? So your text gave me one more element: to enjoy it, to enjoy and play with this wonderful and so smart architecture to handle it, maybe it is a good way to not be mashed and then be opened to listen to this nightmare, what happened, what was created and immagined by humans like us. Some pictures are really clumsy, and close to be sick, but out of some very specific cases maybe, most of the young who made them are not guilty, it means adults, teachers, parents didn’t take time to get the right words, not just to explain and let them with maybe a feeling of injustice, (why should I feel myself guilty of this?) but to exchange on it, to exchange on the other genocides which happened, on what does mean to be human, the ethic, the compassion, the justice, racism and tolerance. You have asiatic origins, I’m sure you already have a clear idea of what racism is in some of it’s forms, you’re a woman too, so you already begin to discover what sexism is, what to be considered as being different, or inferior, or perverse, or more sexual than just human. Sorry my english is quite rough. So I mean here that this monument is not only the memorial of the genocide of yews and Tziganes and massacre of many different humans, it is your monument too, it is the monument of non-acceptation of difference, of jealousy, of fear, of stigmatization, of the use of these in economicl and political strategies. And all of this still happens in many different ways. So here it is why I was touched by the two pictures you’re on, and by your text. Thank you a lot. Nico
Got a similar picture to yours in the Holocaust memorial! hehe
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prakashporelmundo/13952634504/
I thought Berlin lacked of vibe, nobody is smiling and after like 6pm you don’t see many people on the streets. But it has the best nightlife on this planet, if you like house/techno music its the place to be. Berghain/Panorama Bar on Sunday mornings/evenings is the reason I would return to Berlin (if your lucky to get in!)!!