Just wandering around Berlin is already much fun! There is much to see and discover. But here are some cool free tips you can’t miss…
Mauerpark on sunday
While begin pretty boring on the week days, Mauerpark on sunday is a whole other experience! Live music, food, flea market or just a place to chill-out. It’s all there on sunday. But IMO the best of the best is the “Bearpit Karaoke”.
Grab a seat at the amphitheater and laugh, sing and enjoy! Feeling adventurous? Grab the mic!
The formula? A enthousiast man with a karaoke set on his bike, shameless people and a audience who sings and claps along.
Why this is so much fun? I don’t know exactly, but it sure is!
To be sure the Bearpit Karaoke is happening? Check their facebook or twitter. Sometime the weather is too bad or the founder is just doing something else.
The impressive history of Berlin
Lots of places tell the impressive history in Berlin. We name a few free.
When thinking about Germany, you might think of World War II. And when thinking about Berlin, about the Wall.
You can still see parts of the wall in Berlin.
The “Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer” is located at the Bernauer Strasse. This also has a watchtower and a documentation center. The wall can be seen in as it was back then, including bullet holes and the guard towers.
A true work of art is made from the wall at “East side Gallery”. This is at the Mühlenstrasse.
You can also find some parts at the Mauerpark. (But I won’t visit this park just for the wall).
“Checkpoint Charlie” was a checkpoint at one of the passages from East to West Berlin. For this you have to go to Friedrichstrasse.
At the time of the wall, the Tränenpalast was the nickname of the departure hall (and the place they said goodbye to their loved ones) for travelers by train from the East to the West. It now locates a free museum. This is at the Friederichstrasse train station.
Where the Gestapo headquarters used to be, now “Topographie des Terror” is located. This is a documentation center on the Nazi crimes. The many information on the right (below street level) is freely accessible. You can find it at Niederkirchnerstrasse 8.
We ended with a visit to the “Holocaust Memorial”. It was built in memory of the persecution of the Jews and can be found at Cora-Berliner-Strasse.
Klunkerkranich
On the top parking deck of shopping center Neukölln Arcaden is a nice rooftop bar with garden and many art objects. When there are no festivities, it is free to enter. Although they like and deserve a small contribution. Also, you will probably spend some money on a delicious drink or snack …..
To get there take the elevator to the parking deck and then walk up to the top parking deck.
Reichstag
This building houses the Parliament of Germany and a dome is built on top. You can visit this for free but it is mandatory to register first and have your passport with you. You can register in advance trough the internet, or otherwise, you can register on front of the building upon availability that day or a later day.
There is a free audio tour available in 11 languages. You then walk into the dome, while a voice in your ears names and explains all kinds of buildings in the view.
Please leave a comment if you have some other tips of (free) things to do worth sharing!