3 DAYS IN BERLIN
Hello, travel buddies! March 2016 has been a tough month and at the end, I decided to spend my Easter alone in Berlin in order to take back control of myself. I booked everything few days in advance and I was still able to catch a Flixbus and to book a hostel.
Here what I did, in 3 almost full days, spent walking along the city. Walking, as it has more benefits than you think. It's relaxing, it's free, and you get to see many things more than if you were in the tube. Clicking on the different sightseeing sites you will be redirected to Google maps, so you can have an idea of where they are and organize your itinerary.
Day 1. My kilometric walk begins!
From Bremen I take the bus and before lunch - packed in my little backpack, I don't need anything more than spare pants and socks - I'm at the Berlin ZOB. It is not too far from the Charlottenburg Schloss, so that's my first sightseeing. I read some reviews and get into the castle is not really suggested, so I just stroll around the garden, which is very beautiful. Here I manage to take a picture of a red squirrel! I'm amazed as in Italy we're plenty of grey ones, so this was a little joy. On the way to the city centre, I spot a kiosk of Currywurst 36. Apparently, currywurst is the most berliner specialty (can I say that?) and I have to try. After all, it's not too expensive! But I hate that they completely cover your Wurst and pommes frites with sauces. My German is that bad that I couldn't stop the guy squeezing mayonnaise and ketchup on those poor fries. Going on, here we have the Kaiser Wilhelm Church: you can enter for free in this magnificent church. Usually I don't like church, but this one definitely worth a visit. I start now heading toward the Reichstag, but on the left side of the Tiergarten, this big park right in the centre of the Capital, I spot this tower with a golden statue on top. Yes, I'm still in the exploring phase and I don't read any touristic guide, otherwise I would have known I was staring at the famous Victory Column! I'm curious and I want to get in. I take a subway as the square looks like a big cross that if you step into you'd be hit by a vehicle in no time. The entrance is €2,5: affordable. ALWAYS take with you your student card! On the ground floor there is a little, interesting museum which retraces the history of the most famous monuments in the world. And then you go up - stairs, of course - to enjoy a magnificent view of Berlin - that means you won't see anything because of the clouds. The weather here is like this, you have to get used to it. I proceed my DIY tour with the Reichstag. Time to take a couple of pictures and rest a few minutes. Being a biologist, a can't miss the Natural History Museum. After a short queue I'm in (entrance: €5). Dinosaurs, stuffed animals and the famous specimen of Archaeopteryx, the first animal known capable of flying, are just few of the fabolous things stored in this museum. The visit takes a couple of hours, and then I make my way to the hostel, passing by the Brandenburg Gate. The hostel is very far away, moreover if you've been walking all day long, but finally I'm here. For 13 euros per night, in Berlin, over Easter, I couldn't ask for more. I'm in a 6 beds dorm with two middle-aged ladies. My stomach is claiming FOOD. Walking slowly, I find an Imbiss where I take a falafel sandwich. Coming back, I spent half an hour with a couple of girls just met in the room. And now it's time to charge the battery for tomorrow!
Here what I did, in 3 almost full days, spent walking along the city. Walking, as it has more benefits than you think. It's relaxing, it's free, and you get to see many things more than if you were in the tube. Clicking on the different sightseeing sites you will be redirected to Google maps, so you can have an idea of where they are and organize your itinerary.
Day 1. My kilometric walk begins!
From Bremen I take the bus and before lunch - packed in my little backpack, I don't need anything more than spare pants and socks - I'm at the Berlin ZOB. It is not too far from the Charlottenburg Schloss, so that's my first sightseeing. I read some reviews and get into the castle is not really suggested, so I just stroll around the garden, which is very beautiful. Here I manage to take a picture of a red squirrel! I'm amazed as in Italy we're plenty of grey ones, so this was a little joy. On the way to the city centre, I spot a kiosk of Currywurst 36. Apparently, currywurst is the most berliner specialty (can I say that?) and I have to try. After all, it's not too expensive! But I hate that they completely cover your Wurst and pommes frites with sauces. My German is that bad that I couldn't stop the guy squeezing mayonnaise and ketchup on those poor fries. Going on, here we have the Kaiser Wilhelm Church: you can enter for free in this magnificent church. Usually I don't like church, but this one definitely worth a visit. I start now heading toward the Reichstag, but on the left side of the Tiergarten, this big park right in the centre of the Capital, I spot this tower with a golden statue on top. Yes, I'm still in the exploring phase and I don't read any touristic guide, otherwise I would have known I was staring at the famous Victory Column! I'm curious and I want to get in. I take a subway as the square looks like a big cross that if you step into you'd be hit by a vehicle in no time. The entrance is €2,5: affordable. ALWAYS take with you your student card! On the ground floor there is a little, interesting museum which retraces the history of the most famous monuments in the world. And then you go up - stairs, of course - to enjoy a magnificent view of Berlin - that means you won't see anything because of the clouds. The weather here is like this, you have to get used to it. I proceed my DIY tour with the Reichstag. Time to take a couple of pictures and rest a few minutes. Being a biologist, a can't miss the Natural History Museum. After a short queue I'm in (entrance: €5). Dinosaurs, stuffed animals and the famous specimen of Archaeopteryx, the first animal known capable of flying, are just few of the fabolous things stored in this museum. The visit takes a couple of hours, and then I make my way to the hostel, passing by the Brandenburg Gate. The hostel is very far away, moreover if you've been walking all day long, but finally I'm here. For 13 euros per night, in Berlin, over Easter, I couldn't ask for more. I'm in a 6 beds dorm with two middle-aged ladies. My stomach is claiming FOOD. Walking slowly, I find an Imbiss where I take a falafel sandwich. Coming back, I spent half an hour with a couple of girls just met in the room. And now it's time to charge the battery for tomorrow!