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Nine things you should do in Berlin, Germany

September 2nd 2019

By STUFF

THE ONE ISLAND

Berlin's big, serious traditional museums are concentrated in one place. Museum Island in the central Mitte neighbourhood hosts the Neues Museum, which majors in Ancient Egypt, and the Altes Museum, which hones in on Greece and Rome. Meanwhile, the Pergamonmuseum focuses on monumental ancient architecture, and the Alte Nationalgalerie has a massive collection of 19th-century art.

THE ONE PARK

THE ONE WALK

Bernauer Strasse, just north of the city centre, is home to remnants of the Berlin Wall. But most importantly, it has been largely preserved as a memorial. It shows clearly how it was not one wall but two, with a "death strip" in the middle, and has museum-esque displays on the guards, split families, escape tunnels and those who died trying to cross. 

THE ONE DRIVE

Berliners have a semi-fond nostalgia for the divided Cold War era, and the Trabi Safari is an example of this. These tours of the city take place in old East German Trabants, the largely hapless, spluttering engine-propelled cars of the time. The novelty factor of getting behind the wheel makes it far more fun than a generic bus tour.

THE ONE MEMORIAL

Deliberately abstract and incredibly disturbing to walk through, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a field of 2711 grey concrete stelae of varying heights. It looks a little like a cemetery, and the pathways through the slabs are intentionally narrow to ramp up the sense of intimidation and unease. It's next to the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's most famous symbol.

THE ONE HIPSTER HANG-OUT

RAW-Gelande, in the former Friedrichshain train yards, is Berlin's most impressive street art hot spot, but it also hosts nightclubs, an artificial beach bar, a poser-friendly pool inside the shell of an old factory, plenty of food trucks and art galleries. Basically, it is much of what makes Berlin cool in one grungy setting. 

THE ONE SCHNITZEL

The setting is key for the Rio Grande.  On the bank of the River Spree, it's a fine place to stretch the meal out and watch boats going past.  It also serves up mighty fine schnitzels – served with a more-ish pickled potato salad and cranberries.

THE ONE BAR

A fine encapsulation of Kreuzberg quirk, Madame Claude is a former brothel, accessed via dingy stairs. Once down there you can enjoy rudimentary cocktails and local craft beers, if you're not too weirded out by the upside-down theme. Tables, chairs – even cigarette packets and decks of cards – are hanging from the ceiling. There's live music or DJs most nights.

THE ONE HOTEL

The signature rooms at the Weinmeister have been given over to individual artists. Room 402 sees portraits of icons such as Muhammad Ali and Jack Nicholson being covered in tattoo-like words and symbols. There's also a plunge pool on the roof, and plenty of quirky design touches, such as the CCTV-esque reading lights built into headboards. Doubles cost from €131.

ONE MORE THING

The doner kebab as we know it was supposedly invented in Berlin. Pay tribute to this magical creation at one of the many, many Turkish restaurants and "imbiss" stalls. Kottbusser Tor in Kreuzberg has a not-so-healthy cluster of them.