Berlin is a fabulous city and all around Berlin, there are loads of places and towns to discover too. When you fly into Berlin you can see the city surrounded by lakes and many of them a really worth a visit. With this blog post, I would like to share some of these places with you and show what we found travelling on the outskirts of our city. Stunning scenery, great resort hotels, beautiful quaint towns, tasty restaurants and even good local wine. Read on, discover a different side of Berlin and do try it!
Around Berlin
November 2018
Germany, Berlin
Carmen Hackmann
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More from the Berlin Region
My favourite three Berlin Beer Gardens
c:Berlin
a:Müller-Breslau-Straße
r:Berlin
a:Müller-Breslau-Straße
r:Berlin
A typical Beer Garden, according to Wikipedia is "an outdoor area in which beer and local food are served, typically at shared tables. Common entertainment includes music, song, and games, enjoyed in an atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit." I would like to introduce you to some of the lovely beer gardens in Berlin. On a nice and warm day, so many people are drawn to the beer gardens, restaurant terraces, and beach bars that are dotted all over the city, maybe you like them too on your next visit? **Schleusenkrug** This is a beer garden called "(link: http://www.schleusenkrug.de/ text: Schleusenkrug)" located in the "Tiergarten" park, next to the small river called Landwehrkanal. It is quite a large beer garden with an extensive beer selection and a good choice of typical German food. It is all self-service and you can reserve a table ahead of your visit to make sure you get a seat. The beer garden has approximately 300 seats and many of them are covered so you are safe, especially this summer when the odd rain shower comes along. It is a lovely place, very busy as it is located in the middle of the city and people can get there from many different directions. It is easily accessible by bike, public transport, by car, or on foot. Great for that after-work beer, as a break during your walk through the park and as a meeting point with friends and family. Don't forget to bring cash, no cards are being accepted. **Cafe am Neuen See** (link: https://www.cafeamneuensee.de/ text: "Cafe am Neuen See" )is another Beer Garden within the Tiergarten park area. In this spot, you have two choices for food and drinks. You can either choose the restaurant with service or the beer garden directly by the lake with self-service. Both are serving great beers and tasty pizzas in a very lovely setting by the lake under the big trees. It can get very busy as it is next to the Zoo and close to a residential area. They also hold events here, play music and many people who walk or cycle in the park come to this place for a break. Very popular! **Zollpackhof** The (link: https://www.zollpackhof.de/en/welcome-to-zollpackhof/ text: "Zollpackhof") Beer Garden is located on the outer Tiergarten park area, in between the Chancellor building, the parliament, and the government area. They have a restaurant in the main building as well as a large beer garden underneath the trees looking out on the river spree. This beer garden gets very busy in the evenings as it is within easy reach of the main train station and the government buildings, so many people come here after work and on their way home. It feels like a really nice place with views of some of Berlin's very well-known sights and among trees which have been declared natural monuments. And guess what, the elector Friedrich Wilhelm started the first restaurant here already back in the 17th century. So I guess the Zollpackhof was always meant to be a place for people to get together for great food and drinks... Cheers!
Walking the Berlin Mauerweg (Wall Trail)
c:Berlin
a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
West Berlin was once a little island in Eastern Germany and was surrounded by a 160km long wall. Nowadays you can walk or cycle along this former wall trail, visit the old border crossing stations, see old wall fragments and many different sights along the way. A part of that wall trail lies within the city of Berlin, but a large part also takes you to the outskirts of the city. It is very clearly sign-posted all along the course of the trail and you can easily follow the signs (walking or cycling), that are placed exactly at a height of 3.6 meters (the height of the former wall). We have taken parts of the inner city wall trail numerous times before and decided to walk a part of the outer city trail. We took the S-Bahn to "Griebnitzsee" station, got off the train, and walked down to the water to start this (link: https://www.berlin.de/mauer/en/wall-trail/western-route/from-griebnitzsee-to-wannsee/ text: 12km) long track by foot towards Wannsee. All around Berlin are many lakes and in this particular section, the wall used to run in the middle of the lake for a while. In the beginning, you are walking down streets, along the shores of the lakes, past beautiful old Villas, the castles Babelsberg and Glienicke, through the woods and along the water. About every other kilometre you will find a restaurant or beer garden to stop and take a break. And all in all, we walked about 4 hours in total, a walk packed with history, nature, a little rain (weather wasn't perfect..) and some exercise. I have included the link above to a page with lots of details on the wall trail, the course and the sights you find will find along the way which I hope is useful. I loved this as a Sunday activity and look forward to the next excursion very soon.
Berlin monuments
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a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
Berlin is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. The city straddles the banks of the River Spree and is surrounded by many lakes. Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science. And the metropolis is a popular tourist destination too. It is home to three World Heritage Sites, some well-known landmarks, a huge number of museums, cultural attractions, and significant historic sites. Additionally, Berlin offers a food scene with a huge variety, so many music and entertainment attractions that will never let you get bored. I am sharing some of the classic sights with you and a number of my personal favorite things to do in this exciting city!
Gendarmenmarkt
c:Berlin
a:Gendarmenmarkt
r:Berlin
a:Gendarmenmarkt
r:Berlin
In my opinion, the "Gendarmenmarkt" is Berlin's most beautiful square and monument at the same time. It was first built in 1688 as a marketplace to expand the city further. Between 1701 and 1705, the older one of the two churches, The French Church was built. The German Church followed in 1708 and belonged to the Lutheran community. The Konzerthaus located between both churches was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1821. Most buildings in this area were destroyed during World War II and rebuild after the German Re-unification. Today the Concert hall is the home of the Konzerthaus Orchestra, the German church is a museum of German history and the French Church has a viewing platform, a restaurant, and a Huguenot museum. For me, it is a beautiful spot to visit, spend some time and soak up the Berlin atmosphere, take stunning photos and visit one of the best Christmas markets in Berlin during the course of December.
Berliner Dom
c:Berlin
a:Am Lustgarten
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a:Am Lustgarten
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The cathedral of Berlin is the city's largest church and is the center of the Protestant church in Germany. It was first erected in 1454 and reinaugurated in 1993 after the removal of the war destructions. It is located in Berlin's Mitte district and is part of Museum Island. It attracts many visitors every day for church services, concerts, tours, and events. Outside the cathedral is a park called Lustgarten where people stop and take a break, admire the views, listen to street musicians, and watch the world go by. One of my favourite buildings in Berlin and probably the one I took the most photos of.
Victory Column
c:Berlin
a:Großer Stern
r:Berlin
a:Großer Stern
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This monument is located in the heart of the "Tiergarten" park in die middle of a big roundabout called "Grosser Stern". It was built between 1864-1873 and designed by Heinrich Strack to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian war. It was moved to its current location in 1939 and survived World War II without much damage. Today, it is one of the most visited sights in Berlin. As a pedestrian, you can access it through a tunnel from the park. To climb up the 282 stairs to the top you need to buy a ticket for 3€ per person. You walk through a monument exhibition first to then climb the stairs all the way to the top. If possible, choose a bright day for the best possible view and photo opportunity. But even on a grey day, you have fabulous views of the city. From all the way up there you can see well how big Berlin really is.
Brandenburger Tor
c:Berlin
a:Pariser Platz
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a:Pariser Platz
r:Berlin
Probably Berlin's if not Germany's most well-known landmark. The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument. Located in Berlin's Mitte district and the entry to the boulevard "Unter den Linden". During Germany's separation, the gate was not accessible as it was directly next to the Berlin Wall but it was featured prominently during the break down of the wall in 1989. War damages were restored afterward between 2000 - 2002 and the Brandenburg Gate nowadays is again the site for many historical events and a symbol of European unity and peace.
Reichstag
c:Berlin
a:Platz der Republik
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a:Platz der Republik
r:Berlin
The "Reichstag" is the building where the German parliament met Between 1894 to 1933 and again since 1999. After Germany's reunification, it was decided that it was to be used again as the Parliament building for Germany. In 1994 the British architect Sir Norman Foster received the order to plan to restore the building. Today it is being used again as the German parliament and can also be visited by tourists from all over the world. Do plan ahead if you want to visit as you need to reserve a time slot, queue to get in, and bring your passport to be allowed in.
My love story with hotels, and this one in particular
c:Berlin
a:Charlottenstraße
r:Berlin
a:Charlottenstraße
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**What I do** In this article, I would like to introduce you to another part of my life. It is a big part for me, as I would like to tell you about my work, my day-to-day job. I am often curious about what it is people actually do on a daily basis. And I would like to tell you what I do and how I got there... I think my love story with hotels started when I was eleven years old. In summer 1989 my dad took my mum, my sister, and me on holiday to Turkey. That was our first trip to Turkey and we stayed in an absolutely beautiful resort, the Robinson Club Pamfilya in Antalya. The stunning resort was widely spread out, all buildings were white with blue pointy roofs, the swimming pool and beach were to die for and the restaurants were fantastic. They had entertainment for kids where we made many new friends and had entertainment around the clock. During that holiday, I became fascinated with how everything worked in this resort, the kind of people that worked there, and the fantastic hospitality that was offered to us. This experience stayed with me and when it was time to decide which direction my professional life should take, it was clear to me that it was supposed to go towards the tourism industry. I tried my luck with the university first, but it became obvious pretty quickly that studying would not get me to where I wanted to be. I did a u-turn, tried a few things and got accepted at the Hotel and Tourism school in Leipzig. I moved there in the summer of 1999 and started my degree. I spent two years in school and a third-year with two different internships, one on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura, where I worked in F&B and one in London at the German National Tourism Office in Sales & Marketing. Once the second internship was successfully completed I was ready to go and to start working. And I was given the opportunity to stay and work in London a bit longer. That is how started working in hotels, with my first job at the Regional Sales Office for Kempinski Hotels. I found out that Sales was my thing and from there on I worked my way up. I worked for an English company called Thistle & Guoman Hotels, followed by the Steigenberger Regional office in London and then on property at their beautiful flagship hotel Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. A restructure at Steigenberger took me to the Small Luxury Hotel Schlosshotel Kronberg and from there I moved to the job which I still have at the moment. I became the Director of Sales & Marketing at the (link: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10074&awinaffid=727981&clickref=Regent+Berlin&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FHotel_Review-g187323-d190664-Reviews-Regent_Berlin-Berlin.html text: Regent Berlin) and moved to Germany's capital city. **Regent Berlin** The Regent Berlin is the hotel I have been working for, for the past five years. It was opened in 1996 as the Four Seasons in Berlin and was the first luxury hotel in the city after Germany's reunification. Located in the heart of city center east, in the middle of that part of the city that was closed of for so many years. Walking distance to the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island, and right within a great shopping and dining neighbourhood. Regent Berlin is an elegant, sophisticated hotel with many warm colours, marble, and flowers. It has a lot of understated elegance which kind of never goes out of style. It is not in your face but offers a warm, cozy and beautiful surrounding to the people who are looking for a perfect place to stay while they are in Berlin. The guests who stay at the Regent either travel for business or pleasure (sometimes both), they come from all over the world and they really appreciated the excellent location, the absolutely fantastic food, and the very attentive service. And this service that is being offered is the unique selling point of our hotel. It is the people that make all the difference. And I don't say this because I work there, I say it because I have experienced it first hand. I can safely say I have never been welcomed to a job anywhere like here before. From the first time I stepped into this hotel, everyone has been friendly, welcoming, and helpful. This goes from the times where they did not know who I am to the times when they knew I was one of their colleagues. This team has something very valuable, they help each other and are friendly to each other, not only to the guests but to one another too. And I think our guests can feel that too. Of course, we argue, of course, we disagree but I feel that we always make up and find a solution in the end that everyone can live with. **My Job at this beautiful hotel** I started working at the Regent Berlin in December 2011 and this is the longest I have ever stayed in a position. My job is to look after the Sales and Marketing department of the hotel. I have a team of 10 people, a Marketing Manager, five Salespeople, and four persons in Meetings and Events. In general, we are responsible for marketing and "selling" the hotel. We look for potential customers, for new opportunities, keep guests coming back to us, introduce the hotel to new potential guests and customers and establish cooperations. We listen to their wishes, do presentations, site inspections of the hotel, negotiate contracts, attend trade fairs, invite customers to dinner, travel around the world, cold call old and new clients, keep our database in check, never take "no's" personal and our glass is always half full. I love my job, every day is different and I get to meet so many interesting and diverse people. It is a great people business and we get to provide a home away from home to everyone who comes to visit. We look after our guests´ every need through the tools of our profession with our authentic selves. It is the job I´ve always wanted!
The man behind the scenes
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a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
a:Unknown Address
r:Berlin
I would like to introduce the man who makes all this possible. Please meet Alex, you might have seen him in one or the other picture on this site but he really is behind the lens on most occasions. It is really because of him, that I started writing this blog. He is one of those people that everybody likes... He is quiet at first sight but can talk a lot if you let him. He is very funny and has this dry, child-like sense of humour which makes me laugh out loud all the time. And he is really good with the camera, has a great eye for detail and style, likes to get his teeth into the subject he is working on and will only stop if it all works out. On one hand he is a Project Manager for a Berlin Start-up company in the IT and Music Industry and on the other hand he creates personalized websites for people and companies, takes fantastic photos and gets creative with his website and this blog of course. He built this site from scratch, taught me how to use and creates new features and gimmicks to further develop this page and the look and feel of it. **Alex** He grew up in Cottbus, 90 minutes south of Berlin and moved to the big city over 10 years ago. He has been working in the Berlin Start-up scene ever since and this is how he developed and grew his passion for all things digital. He is really into music, used to play in a band for fun and would be my "phone a friend" for all questions related to music, musicians and songs. He loves food and there is nothing he wouldn't try. He is the most patient person I know and really easy to be and work with. **LA** If he could have it his way, he would move to LA in a heartbeat. He has visited this city many times and has fallen in love with Los Angeles and California at the same time. It is his happy place and he can't get enough exploring this city time and time again. **The Tools** For photos, he uses the Fujifilm X-T4 camera and has recommended this camera to many people already. His computer is of course from Apple he would never exchange his iPhone for another brand. To see more of his work visit his website www.parkwayberlin.com or follow him on Instagram (link: http://instagram.com/alexgloeckner/ text: @alexgloeckner)
Berlin breakfast spots
c:Berlin
a:Sredzkistraße
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a:Sredzkistraße
r:Berlin
We love having breakfast and in Berlin, you have so many different breakfast places to choose from. People enjoy having breakfast outside and they take their time when going out for the first meal of the day. Here, we are putting together our recommendations of places we have tried and tested ourselves. Once we have been to a new place we will add them as we go along. I hope some of our choices are useful and give you an inspiration of where to go next time. Enjoy and Guten Appetit! **Elbspeicher** The cafe "Elbspeicher" is located in the heart of the district Prenzlauer Berg and the name would let you think it is an old warehouse by the river Elbe. Quite to the contrary, it is very light and bright looking in typical northern style but is also reminds of a typical Berlin apartment as it is laid out over more than one floor and in different rooms. You do not only get to have breakfast, but you also get an idea of what typical Berlin flats look like in this part of town. We went there to have breakfast but it is also a great place to enjoy a delicious coffee and cake which you see all on display. The breakfast menu offers a great choice of dishes, coffees, and drinks and I can definitely recommend "Elbspeicher" for a great breakfast location for couples, girlfriends, and families. **Kaffeehaus SowohlAlsAuch** If you are in Prenzlauer Berg you have a great choice of coffee houses, breakfast places, and restaurants to choose from. For the last breakfast in 2016, we chose "SowohlAlsAuch" which is located in the middle of the Kiez, in walking distance to the great weekend market at Kollwitzplatz and in between the many great shops and boutiques of the area. The place was buzzing when we arrived around 11ish, but we were lucky and got a table straight away. Looking at the menu, we saw a fantastic choice of a la carte breakfast dishes for everybody's taste, many different coffees and teas, and tasty dishes for lunch and afternoon which made us want to go back another day. The restaurant is decorated in warm colours, and has a decent size so your chances of getting a table are good. In summer they also have a big outside terrace in addition to their indoor space. Our food arrived quickly, the portions are big, the price is fair, the atmosphere cozy and the staff really friendly. I would definitely go back for breakfast or for the fantastic-looking choice of cakes! **Nalu Diner** One weekend, we tried out Nalu's Diner in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin. It is located next to Helmholtzplatz and offers a true American breakfast experience. For starters, you can sit and eat at the bar which I absolutely love. Especially when you are alone but also if it is just the two of you, I love sitting next to each other on comfy chairs and with enough space to eat and watch the goings-on behind the bar. The menu offers you typical American breakfast dishes like pancakes, omelets, and free refills for coffee. The food took a little longer to arrive but it was really tasty with big portions. I can definitely recommend Nalu's Diner for the real deal American breakfast in Berlin. And I heard the Burgers are good too. I guess we have to go back one of these evenings... **Allan`s Breakfast Club and Wine Bar** On a Sunday morning, we finally managed to have breakfast at Allan's Breakfast Club in Prenzlauer Berg. We recently found this place and it had a great review on Foursquare so we had to try it out. And it didn't disappoint. Reserving a table is a must before you go because it gets really busy. The vibe is great, the staff is all guys wearing jeans aprons all with their unique individual style. Super friendly and fast, great atmosphere and really tasty food and coffee. Different dishes on the menu from your usual Berlin breakfast eatery and if you don't look out of the window you could easily imagine being in Australia and not too far away from the beach. A great feeling in cold January. A must-visit in our opinion if you are in Prenzlauer Berg and looking for a place with a great vibe and great food. Big thumbs up from us!! **Benedict** I have heard so many people talk about „Benedict“ as the place where one can have breakfast twenty-four hours a day. For us, it is located on the other side of the city and it took us nearly 45 minutes to get there. They don’t take reservations so do expect a queue when you get there. We waited for quite a while but the food was definitely worth the wait. The menu is extensive and they offer a huge choice of all kinds of breakfast dishes. Our dishes were really tasty and we felt the price was fair too. If you are in the area, do give it a try! **Betty ‘n Caty** Betty ‘n Caty is a very popular breakfast choice in Prenzlauer Berg and I would absolutely recommend making a reservation before you go to avoid disappointment. They have recently moved to this larger restaurant facility and have a great inside and outside space. The terrace looks lovely with lots of plants, sunshine, and street views. Inside the restaurant is stylishly decorated and very inviting. They offer a great breakfast selection from smoothies and juices, great coffees and teas to delicious muesli and egg dishes. The cake and salads on offer looked great too, but I guess I will just have to come back for that!
Fleamarkets in Berlin
c:Berlin
a:Marheinekeplatz
r:Berlin
a:Marheinekeplatz
r:Berlin
(link: https://www.berlin.de/en/shopping/markets-and-flea-markets/ text: Flea Markets) in Berlin are a great way to spend the weekend. All over the city, the variety is huge and you are really spoilt for choice. Especially on Sundays where all shops are closed, it is a great thing to do. You can find anything from second-hand books to art, antiques, and clothes to small little treasures. Or you can just go there to enjoy the atmosphere, be outside and watch the people go by and have something lovely to eat as there are always good food trucks or stalls available. I would like to recommend the following two: **Flohmarkt Marheinekeplatz** We have recently moved apartments and had quite a few items we wanted to sell. We have been to some flea markets before and it is definitely not one of Alex’s favourite things to do on a weekend. But he does it to help me and I really appreciate that. So I had a look to see which market to try out and we decided to give the flea market in Kreuzberg a try. Every Saturday and Sunday in the heart of Kreuzberg within the famous Bergmannkiez at Marheinekeplatz. It takes place next to the Markthalle Marheinekeplatz as there is a small park next to it. The stalls are all set up around the green of the park and the organiser tells you which one is yours. The market starts at 11 AM, so you don't have to be there super early as a seller. Some sellers are regulars and some only do this occasionally like me. It is not crazy busy and most visitors are Berliners. The market has a familiar friendly atmosphere and people are happy to have a conversation and haggle a little too. I can definitely recommend this one to sell your stuff but to visit too. It is not too busy so you can actually get to the stands, see the things for sale and speak to the people. Great atmosphere and a more off-the-beaten-track market. **Mauerpark Flohmarkt** This one is very popular and I can also really recommend visiting this flea market. It is the busiest and probably the most well-known is the market in Mauerpark in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg. You take the U2 to Eberswalder Straße and follow where everyone else is going. Walk down Eberswalderstraße for about 10 minutes and you get to Mauerpark. One part of the experience is all about buying and selling on the market. If you don’t feel like it, you can easily just sit in the park and listen to many street musicians or watch various artists performing their art. Or you join the crowd at the Amphiteather for karaoke or some comedy.
