Berlin is certainly one of the most beautiful cities to explore, but once winter hits, you might find that walking and bike tours are more fitting for the warmer months. Don’t rule out winter as a time to visit, as Berlin’s charm is still visible, if not accentuated by freshly fallen snow, Christmas decorations, and multiple activities reminding you that wintertime isn’t just for hibernating.
With over 50 different Christmas markets spread over the large squares and smaller allys, Berlin really captures the spirit of the holiday season wherever you run into them. And you won’t be running into the same products over and over again, each market seems to specialize in different areas offering you a wide variety of gifts, gadgets, and goodies to browse through.
christmas-marketYou can go to the Gendarmenmarkt which features not only local embroidery, woodwork, stonemasonry, and food, but also there are shows which include performances by acrobatics, jugglers, musicians, and artists. Or if you’re looking for something more low-key (relatively speaking to the glitz and glamour that can take over these markets), you can try the international Market of the Continents which supports social and structural projects from around the world. When the native, handmade products are purchased from these traders it goes to their community to help their development. Even better, this market is held indoors so even the snow can’t stop you.
Outside may be snowy, dark, and cold, but what better way to capture the spirit of the holidays than a show by a world-renowned ballet, soothing orchestra, or fantastical entertainment?
I’ll be the first to admit that anything with the word “palace” sparks my interest, and this experience wouldn’t fall short of any expectations. Enjoying a sumptuous dinner by candlelight in the Charlottenburg Palace Orangery, followed by what feels like a personal performance from the Berlin Palace Orchestra couldn’t make me feel better about escaping the cold in the warm and cozy comforts of this palace.
The Friedrichstadt Palast Stage Show is another alternative, less emphasis on the romance and instead, a complete focus on putting the audience in awe. It’s safe to say that goal is always accomplished at the state-of-the-art theater where the stage is a show in itself. With the addition of talented dancers, acrobatics, singers, and musicians, you’re mind will be in disbelief at what is presented in front of you. Just call it a Christmas miracle.
Who could forget the Nutcracker? Follow the classic story of a young girl and her doll on a Christmas Eve adventure. Music by the infamous Tchaikovsky, and performed by the internationally acclaimed Russian National Ballet, this is one show that is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit!
Finally, there is no better way to warm up than having a drink at a local pub. With authentic taverns and numerous choices of drinks at the cocktail lounges, live music and even rooftop gardens over looking the city, there is no shortage to your options. Berlin is filled with a wide variety of relaxing pubs and lively clubs, but they all give you a taste of the nightlife culture.
This year it’s been 50 years since the Berlin Wall was build. The Berlin Wall separated East Berlin from West Berlin for nearly three decades until it finally came down in 1989.
This picture was taken last Saturday during the 50th anniversary commemorations, from the Bernauer Strasse where there’s still a section of the Berlin Wall standing.
After WWII Germany was divided between America, France, Great Britain and the USSR; Berlin too was divided in four. Soon Germany became a pawn between two world ideologies (Capitalism vs Communism) and the Berlin Wall became a symbol of the Cold War. West Germany’s economy bloomed and many East Germans tried to flee West. The easiest way to this was by reaching West-Berlin, a capitalist island in the communist East. To prevent a complete exodus the communists erected the Berlin Wall, practically overnight on the 12th and 13th of August 1961.
After the 1961 wall was built, another one was erected parallel to it but 100 yards further. The space in between was known as the Death Strip. It was covered with gravel to spot footprints and filled with tripwire booby traps and mines. Guards were also ordered to shoot anyone crossing.
Checkpoint Charlie was the third and most famous checkpoint opened by the US; it got its name from the phonetic alphabet. It was the scene of a dramatic stand-off between American and Soviet tanks in 1961 and from 1962 it was the only place where foreigners visiting Berlin could cross from West to East and back again.
The first version of the wall was no more than a barbed wire fence. The 1975 incarnation of the Berlin Wall would be the most memorable: 45000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, 3.6m high and 1.5 wide. It had barbed wire, mesh fencing, signal fencing and watch towers.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall happened in 1989 when communism already started the crumble. After a new law was made to allow East Germans to travel freely on the 9th of November 1989 thousands East Germans flocked to the Berlin Wall and people were seen hugging and dancing on top of the wall.
bebelplatz_6462_3Berlin has since become a very popular place to visit and is renowned for its art and culture scene. Take a tour in Berlin on a segway and zoom through the beautiful city visiting all the key places of Berlin’s rich history, like the Berlin Wall.
The German capital will let it all hang out at the Berlin Carnival Parade once again this year on February 22nd.
This cavalcade of dancing, music, entertainment and weird and wonderful costumes has become a firm favourite for locals and visitors on Berlin tours alike.
With its family-friendly atmosphere, this event has grown in scale every year and in 2009 it promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Its route takes the parade from its starting point in Ernst-Reuter Platz and past some of the most famous sights of this fascinating metropolis ending up on Kundaam, which is a key spot for sightseeing and shopping in the city.
In the two decades since the fall of the infamous wall, Berlin has become known as something of European party capital, with renowned nightclubs and world-famous outdoor events.
The Berlin Carnival Parade is certainly one of the year’s highlights and is sure to provide fun for all ages.
Why not book the Super Berlin Tour before you travel?
Christmas Markets
With over 50 different Christmas markets spread over the large squares and smaller allys, Berlin really captures the spirit of the holiday season wherever you run into them. And you won’t be running into the same products over and over again, each market seems to specialize in different areas offering you a wide variety of gifts, gadgets, and goodies to browse through.
christmas-marketYou can go to the Gendarmenmarkt which features not only local embroidery, woodwork, stonemasonry, and food, but also there are shows which include performances by acrobatics, jugglers, musicians, and artists. Or if you’re looking for something more low-key (relatively speaking to the glitz and glamour that can take over these markets), you can try the international Market of the Continents which supports social and structural projects from around the world. When the native, handmade products are purchased from these traders it goes to their community to help their development. Even better, this market is held indoors so even the snow can’t stop you.
Shows and Ballets
Outside may be snowy, dark, and cold, but what better way to capture the spirit of the holidays than a show by a world-renowned ballet, soothing orchestra, or fantastical entertainment?
I’ll be the first to admit that anything with the word “palace” sparks my interest, and this experience wouldn’t fall short of any expectations. Enjoying a sumptuous dinner by candlelight in the Charlottenburg Palace Orangery, followed by what feels like a personal performance from the Berlin Palace Orchestra couldn’t make me feel better about escaping the cold in the warm and cozy comforts of this palace.
The Friedrichstadt Palast Stage Show is another alternative, less emphasis on the romance and instead, a complete focus on putting the audience in awe. It’s safe to say that goal is always accomplished at the state-of-the-art theater where the stage is a show in itself. With the addition of talented dancers, acrobatics, singers, and musicians, you’re mind will be in disbelief at what is presented in front of you. Just call it a Christmas miracle.
Who could forget the Nutcracker? Follow the classic story of a young girl and her doll on a Christmas Eve adventure. Music by the infamous Tchaikovsky, and performed by the internationally acclaimed Russian National Ballet, this is one show that is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit!
Pubs
Finally, there is no better way to warm up than having a drink at a local pub. With authentic taverns and numerous choices of drinks at the cocktail lounges, live music and even rooftop gardens over looking the city, there is no shortage to your options. Berlin is filled with a wide variety of relaxing pubs and lively clubs, but they all give you a taste of the nightlife culture.
This year it’s been 50 years since the Berlin Wall was build. The Berlin Wall separated East Berlin from West Berlin for nearly three decades until it finally came down in 1989.
This picture was taken last Saturday during the 50th anniversary commemorations, from the Bernauer Strasse where there’s still a section of the Berlin Wall standing.
Quick History
After WWII Germany was divided between America, France, Great Britain and the USSR; Berlin too was divided in four. Soon Germany became a pawn between two world ideologies (Capitalism vs Communism) and the Berlin Wall became a symbol of the Cold War. West Germany’s economy bloomed and many East Germans tried to flee West. The easiest way to this was by reaching West-Berlin, a capitalist island in the communist East. To prevent a complete exodus the communists erected the Berlin Wall, practically overnight on the 12th and 13th of August 1961.
- Facts on the Berlin Wall:
After the 1961 wall was built, another one was erected parallel to it but 100 yards further. The space in between was known as the Death Strip. It was covered with gravel to spot footprints and filled with tripwire booby traps and mines. Guards were also ordered to shoot anyone crossing.
Checkpoint Charlie was the third and most famous checkpoint opened by the US; it got its name from the phonetic alphabet. It was the scene of a dramatic stand-off between American and Soviet tanks in 1961 and from 1962 it was the only place where foreigners visiting Berlin could cross from West to East and back again.
The first version of the wall was no more than a barbed wire fence. The 1975 incarnation of the Berlin Wall would be the most memorable: 45000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, 3.6m high and 1.5 wide. It had barbed wire, mesh fencing, signal fencing and watch towers.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall happened in 1989 when communism already started the crumble. After a new law was made to allow East Germans to travel freely on the 9th of November 1989 thousands East Germans flocked to the Berlin Wall and people were seen hugging and dancing on top of the wall.
bebelplatz_6462_3Berlin has since become a very popular place to visit and is renowned for its art and culture scene. Take a tour in Berlin on a segway and zoom through the beautiful city visiting all the key places of Berlin’s rich history, like the Berlin Wall.
- BERLIN GETS INTO CARNIVAL MOOD
The German capital will let it all hang out at the Berlin Carnival Parade once again this year on February 22nd.
This cavalcade of dancing, music, entertainment and weird and wonderful costumes has become a firm favourite for locals and visitors on Berlin tours alike.
With its family-friendly atmosphere, this event has grown in scale every year and in 2009 it promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Its route takes the parade from its starting point in Ernst-Reuter Platz and past some of the most famous sights of this fascinating metropolis ending up on Kundaam, which is a key spot for sightseeing and shopping in the city.
In the two decades since the fall of the infamous wall, Berlin has become known as something of European party capital, with renowned nightclubs and world-famous outdoor events.
The Berlin Carnival Parade is certainly one of the year’s highlights and is sure to provide fun for all ages.
Why not book the Super Berlin Tour before you travel?
- BERLIN WELCOMES THE SUMMER
WITH FAMOUS CONCERT
Visitors on Berlin tours are invited to enjoy a fantastic summer’s evening in the beautiful forests surrounding the city later this year.
On June 27th the famous Waldbuhne wooded area on the outskirts of the city becomes a magical open-air concert venue as the Berliner Philharmoniker brings its season of concerts to a close.
Whole families make the journey to this enchanting spot for the occasion and many bring bountiful picnics of champagne and other gourmet nibbles as they settle down for an unmissable programme of classic music.
The concert usually ends with a performance of the traditional favourite Berliner Luft, prompting much singing-along and swellings of pride among the audience.
This yearly highlight of the city’s cultural calendar stands on a similar footing to the world-famous Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London and is held is very high regard by not only the audience but people all across Germany.
Why not book The Original Berlin by Bike tour in advance?
- BERLIN COMES OVER A LITTLE QUEER
AT THE VERZAUBERT FILM FESTIVAL
The very best in gay and lesbian cinema and short films will be showcased once again this year at the Verzaubert International Queer Film Festival in Berlin.
From March 18th to 25th this event will see the scene’s best-known acting, directing and writing talent descend on the German capital, along with a host of the most promising up-and-comers.
The festival is now in its 18th year and since its inception in 1991 has grown from strength to strength, which included a name change to include the word ‘queer’ to reflect the gay community’s reclamation of a word formerly used as a means of denigration.
This year’s event promises to be as big and as bold as ever and with a host of screenings, premieres, events and parties on offer, visitors on Berlin tours should stop by during the event for a unique insight into the world of gay and lesbian cinema.
Why not book the Wintergarten Variete Theater tour in advance?
- SHOPAHOLICS ON HIGH ALERT FOR
BERLIN’S LONG NIGHT
Some cities offer late nights of gallery openings or midnight film screenings and while this kind of high-brow cultural activity is very much a part of Berlin tours, the Late Night of Shopping usually attracts just as many visitors.
On selected dates every March and October, the German capital’s famous retail strip of Kurfurstendamm and the surrounding area opens far later than usual, coinciding with the altering of the clocks and the change of the seasons.
Many stores open until around midnight and there are several fairs and street parties to make the event even more special.
Live music and other entertainment is on offer at a number of specially-erected stages around the city centre, so even after all the credit cards have been maxed visitors to the city can still have a good time without spending a single Euro.
Why not book the Famous Insider Walk Tour in advance?
- BERLIN WELCOMES SPRING WITH
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Berlin will herald the coming of the spring with one of the highlights of its cultural calendar from March 20th to 29th.
The Maerz Musik festival will include a busy schedule of performances of works by some of the world’s leading contemporary composers.
A number of the most famous and promising performers in this field will be in the German capital as part of this innovative and forward-looking event, which will also include a number of lectures and talks, as well as experimental attractions including sound installations and workshops.
Notable elements of the programme include the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble’s performance at the Jewish Museum on Sunday 22nd and Nieuw Ensemble Amsterdam at Radialsystem V on Monday 23rd.
Whether lovers of the contemporary classic scene or curious newcomers to this challenging and fascinating cultural world, visitors should make a point of including Maerz Musik in their Berlin tours this spring.
- BERLIN GETS SET FOR AN EVENING OF
MOTORCYCLE THRILLS
Pulses will be set racing at the FIM FMX World Championships – Night of the Jumps in Berlin on March 21st and 22nd.
The O2 World in the German capital will be the venue for this fast and frenetic event, which will see the world’s most daring motorcycle stunt riders compete for the coveted title.
Over the course of the event each contestant will attempt to outshine their rivals with death-defying aerial stunts as they soar into the air from the specially-constructed jump.
This kind of freestyle riding is growing in popularity all over Europe, with many fans viewing it as a fitting summertime alternative to the kind of ‘big air’ contests taking place in mountain resorts during the winter.
Alongside the main attraction there will also be an array of other stunts and shows, glamorous pit girls and pyrotechnics to keep the huge crowd entertained.
Visitors on Berlin tours should definitely grab some tickets as this high-adrenaline sporting event is not to be missed.
- LONG NIGHT OF THE MUSEUMS IN
BERLIN
On the night of August 30th, visitors to Berlin museums will be able to see exhibitions well into the wee hours as part of the 2008 Long Night of Museums.
Access to exhibitions across a selection of venues will be granted from 18:00 to 2:00.
More than 100 museums are set to take part in the event, which runs twice a year in January and August.
Visitors can purchase one ticket for the evening, which provides them with access to every museum taking part.
This year”s theme is Castles, Parks and Gardens, meaning that participating venues are required to showcase collections and exhibitions in keeping with the topic.
In addition to the permanent exhibitions, various institutions offer concerts, readings, dance and theatre shows, special tours and exotic menus to see visitors through to the early hours.
The organisers add that due to the variety of Berlin”s museums and the collections they have to offer, tourists and non-German speakers can enjoy the Long Night of Museums just as much as locals.
Culture and Sightseeing – City Tours – Whichever city you are in these tours will help to ensure you do not miss a thing.