German beer has taken on a mythical quality both within that country and across the world. Many non-German beers claim to be brewed based on the specifications of the Reinheitsgebot ( or purity law), a beer regulatory standard in place since the fifteenth century. Many people have taken to very specific types of German beers […]
This year, Berlin-Without-A-Wall celebrates its 21st birthday. It officially becomes a grown-up, able to party and vote and go to war. But hear this: the war is over, the city has voted in a gay mayor, and don’t tell anyone, but Berlin started partying a long time ago!
There are many must see sights that nearly all tourists flock to when in Germany’s capital city – the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie – but one not to be missed is KaDeWe.
As I was searching for a place to stay for a week in Berlin , I was drawn to Schoenberg (in former West Berlin, near Charlottenberg) because of its central location (near Potsdamer Platz) and the choice of excellent hotels in the area. As I researched the area, I discovered how unique and colorful Schoenberg’s history […]
Few things are more exciting than digging for treasures from times gone by at European flea markets. From mid-century vases to old photo albums, antique pill boxes to vintage sunglasses, you never know what you might find. Each treasure holds a story, so as I inspect each artifact, I imagine who has owned it and […]
Many visiting Berlin opt to stay in the city center, amidst the more famous tourist sites, perhaps within walking distance of the Brandenburg Gate or near the chaos surrounding Checkpoint Charlie. A unique approach to Germany’s capital city is to stay in a residential neighborhood, such as Kreuzberg, a historically Turkish district and now an […]
Why I love the street musicians in Europe: January, 1999: I’m 19 years old and in Paris for the first time. As I scuttle down into the Metro to escape the winter wind, I hear the strains of an accordionist playing Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose.” I am transfixed and my love affair with […]
One of the world’s most infamous sports stadiums sits just to the west of downtown Berlin. The Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) was erected at the request of Adolf Hitler ahead of the 1936 summer Olympic as a demonstration of the power of the newly elected Nazi party. It was designed to resemble the Roman coliseum, but […]
If you are traveling to Berlin, be sure to take advantage of the new Berlin Welcome card that has lots of added features and enhancements. With the Berlin Welcome Card, you get (per adult):
Berlin is one of the most popular European touristic destinations. But it is also probably the largest European artistic center, full of young (and not so young) people with progressive ideas who are creating, innovating and leading the vanguard trends. There’s always something important going on in Berlin, so forget for a while the TV Tower […]