A Long Weekend in Berlin
A haven for creatives, tech bros, and pretty much anyone looking to have a good time, Berlin is an amazing city you can spend months in. It has actually become a popular spot for digital nomads post-Covid to enjoy the German lifestyle and take months to explore all the city has to offer. I got to go with my sister during the Summer of 2019 for a weekend and had an awesome time. Follow along for a bit of what we did and what I definitely think we should have done in Berlin!
Day 1: Load up on some great food and Check out the Art scene
Once you arrive in Berlin, definitely head straight into the city center to get some great food. You’ll go through Tiergarten, the main park in Berlin’s center. It features the Berlin Victory Column (known as Siegessäule), as a small roundabout which makes for a great place to take pictures. Berlin has some great food, but it’s known for its great choice of beers (sometimes cheaper than water), so make sure to get a strudel along with your beer as a nice healthy breakfast choice!
Next, now that you’re in the city, check out the East Side Gallery, an open-air gallery memorial which rests on the longest standing section of the Berlin Wall. It’s along the Spree, the main section of the Havel river, so it makes for a great choice for a waterfront walk.
Finally wrap up your first night in Berlin at Hofbräuhaus München Berlin, a great beerhall where you can sample all types of beer and enjoy a raucous crowd on all nights of the week. It recreates an Oktoberfest atmosphere in Berlin throughout the year, and start your night there and see where it ends up!
Day 2: Take a tour to see all the major historical sights of Berlin
Get some breakfast and taking a walking tour of Berlin; Sandeman’s is a popular choice across Europe, and I think they give a really comprehensive tour. Through this, you’ll be able to walk across the city and see the main sights, including the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, and the Holocaust Memorial. In particular, the Holocaust Memorial shows how good of a job Germany does in acknowledging its past wrongdoings and memorializing all the Jews who were cruelly treating in Nazi Germany. It’s a humbling + important sight to see.
From there, I suggest getting some doner kebab and enjoying it at the Tempelholfer Feld, an open-air park that was once used for German military practice. You can hang out and walk throughout the park to see local Germans enjoying their day.
Finally, it wouldn’t be a trip to Berlin if you didn’t party all night long, so I suggest going to one of the many cool clubs that the city has to offer. I personally liked Club Der Visionare, a riverside bar with cool electronic music and great drinks. Rutter Butzke and Loophole are also other great options for a night out.
Day 3: Respect history at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
For your last day in Berlin, take some time outside of the city to take an organized tour of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. This was the 2nd largest concentration camp in Europe, housing over 200,000 prisoners. The tour does a great job recounting the history and taking you through the massive grounds. It’s an important part of your trip to Berlin and will give you critical context to see the brutality of the Holocaust. I really am grateful that I had the chance to have this experience, and would urge you all to take the trip and organized tour to Sachsenhausen.
Finally, head from there back to the airport to put a wrap on your weekend in Berlin!
