The Grey City! Berlin’s nickname doesn’t paint a happy picture: One usually imagines blocks and blocks of the similar-looking concrete buildings and stuffy monuments that have zero flair with major heavy history behind it. While the vision may be slightly true (at least in some cases), many travelers don’t realize that Berlin is one of the most exciting cultural destinations you might plan your trip for!
Learning a few facts about the German capital does help fight the unfortunate stigma, so we set out on a journey to bring Berlin’s many whimsies and abnormalities closer to you, the reader! So, without further ado, here’s our guide to the things you need to know before traveling to Berlin. Here we go!
Article contents
- So, what should you know before traveling to Berlin?
1.1. Here come the waterworks
1.2. Phand your way forward
1.3. Berlin public transport 101
1.4. Validate or else!
1.5. BER’s rocky past, present, and future?
1.6. Divided no more
1.7. Got you feeling so fly like a G6
1.8. Stay sharp
1.9. Tinkle Tinkle Little Star
1.10. Cash and credit sitting in a tree
1.11. The great food debate
1.12. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
1.13. Know your territory
1.14. Other places to see/things to do
1.15. Book tours in advance
1.16. To Trabant or not to Trabant?
1.17. Stock up for the weekend
1.18. Give Berlin some time
1.19. Let’s talk budget - What are the do’s and don’ts in Berlin?
What should you know before traveling to Berlin (Germany)?
To tell you the truth, out of the many places we’ve visited in our lives, Berlin surprised us the most. We always do a bit of research before setting out to a new city, but in the case of the German capital, the few facts were not enough to help us navigate the city’s quirks and traditions.
So, the idea for this article was born: We want you to have all the necessary information (as well as useful tips and tricks) at your disposal, so that you will not be stranded in this city without a few jokers in your sleeves.
Here is our list of things to know before traveling to Berlin, in no particular order:
Here come the waterworks!
And no, we’re not referring to anything particularly melodramatic. The thing is, Berlin’s tap water is known to be one of the cleanest and most mineral rich in all of Europe (well, Iceland and Switzerland aside), so it’s a good piece of information to have under your belt. Because you can safely drink the water straight from the tap here, we really encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottle, — not only is it a more eco-friendly way to roll, but it’ll also save you some cash moving forward.
Side note: From what we’ve seen first-hand, Germans love their bubbles! More often than not, you’ll get a glass of sparkling water when you order Wasser at the restaurant or a cafe. And even if you specify that you want some plain old still water (Stilles Wasser), you will likely be given a bottle that is the same price as sparkling. They don’t usually serve tap water in Germany, so expect to pay up for this essential fuel to your human body. Many stores in Berlin follow the same line of thinking — you’ll see shelves upon shelves of different sparkling waters, with no still water in sight. One more point into the “bring your own refillable water bottle to Berlin” pile!
Phand your way forward
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If you’re one of the people who’s just too chic for lugging around a refillable water bottle, then you’re bound to get acquainted with Berlin’s phand system.
What is phand? It is essentially a deposit you pay when you get some bottled beverage at a store in Berlin (it doesn’t have to be water, and all kinds of bottle materials can fall under the category, even beer cans!).
- The thing that is so great about this concept is the fact that you can get a small refund once you return the purchased bottle. It is, in turn, recycled or reused.
There are a couple of ways to recycle an empty bottle: Either return it to the shop that sold it (if it has more of a corner store vibe) or look out for Pfandautomats — bottle return machines they have in major supermarkets. If you have a lot of bottles to return, your best bet would be a liquor store! Either way, make use of this opportunity to get a few euros back into your travel budget in Berlin that you can put towards some exciting activities the city is so full of!
Side note: If you don’t feel like participating in this very authentic Berlin tradition, then by all means, don’t! However, don’t just throw your bottle in the nearest bin — just put the empty container neatly beside it. Some people in the city rely on the program for some small extra income, and you’ll be doing them a favor by alleviating the need to rummage through the trash bins.
Berlin public transport 101
They sing praises to Berlin’s public transport, and with good reason: It is one of the most efficient and timely systems in the world! The wide selection of transport modes is even more staggering.
In Berlin, you have:
- U-Bahn (underground),
- S-Bahn (suburban rail),
- trams,
- buses,
- and even ferries to choose from.
If you’re a night owl that’s looking to discover Berlin’s club scene, then you must know how the public transport operates at night. On weekends, trains run 24/7; and during the week night buses cover the areas where trains usually run.
Even though the transportation options might seem daunting for a first-time Berlin visitor, there are only a couple of things you need to know before coming here: Zones and tickets!
Berlin and its greater area are divided into three fare zones:
- A — Berlin’s city center, all the major tourist landmarks are located here;
- B — Berlin’s outskirts,
- C — areas that surround Berlin proper; Potsdam and Berlin Airport are set in this zone.
Judging by the division, it’s safe to say that you can focus on getting mainly AB tickets for the major part of your trip; an ABC one if you’re going to or from the airport.
And now for the tickets. Usually the same ticket works on different kinds of transportation, but make sure to check the details before buying each particular option.
Depending on your needs, you might look into the following deals:
— Single ticket: Starting from €3.50 for the AB zone, this option gives you a two-hour window to make as many stops as you want in the process! Only caveat is that it’s a one-way ticket! If you want to return home (or if you simply ran out of time when exploring Berlin), you’ll have to buy another one.
— Short Trip ticket: Starting from €2.40, this option gives you the ability to ride three stops on the subway, or six stops on buses and trams. It’s a great option for when your shoes are killing you at the end of the night and you cannot possibly walk the last few blocks to your hotel.
Pro tip: It’s better to buy your single and short trip tickets in packs of fours! That way, you can save the amount of almost an entire ticket price.
There are also some options like day ticket (€9.90 for the AB zone), group day ticket (€31 for the AB zone), if you’re traveling with your family, and 7-day ticket (€41.50 for the AB zone) which is great for a week-long marathoner of Berlin’s iconic locations.
For easy navigation in Berlin, we would recommend you download the BVG app — tickets, real-time updates, and route planning are all the things that make this application essential to a capital’s visitor! It also helps when you’re stuck with your credit card on a tram in front of a ticket machine that accepts coins only. Go to the app and buy the ticket there.
Validate or else!
One thing about navigating Berlin’s public transport system that we haven’t mentioned yet is the art of ticket validation — it is THAT important, getting its entire separate section on our list of things to know before traveling to Berlin.
Buying a ticket here is simply not enough — you also have to validate it. Look out for little yellow or red boxes that are usually located next to ticket machines (in buses and trams, the validating devices are located inside) and make sure to actually validate your ticket.
- The absence of turnstiles or any other ticket checkers upon boarding a train in Berlin makes it very tempting not to play by the rules… However, please do not break the honor system here — the ticket checkers in Berlin are like ninjas, you’ll never see them coming!
And trust us, they won’t let you get away with even the slightest mistake. Not validating a ticket, or using a ticket that expired by mere minutes, leads to a hefty fine (€60, expected to be paid in full within 14 days of the offence). Remember that they will never take cash! If a “ticket checker” tries to play you by accepting a cash bribe, know that they’re a scam artist.
It won’t hurt to repeat the basic process of using the public transport in Berlin:
- Buy a ticket;
- Validate it before using!
BER’s rocky past, present, and future?
Since October 2020, Berlin stations only one international airport, the infamous Brandenburg Airport (BER). Why infamous? Well… the constant miss of deadlines (the construction lasted almost 10 (!) years longer than it was planned) and budget overruns (the entire process went more than €4 billion (!) over the agreed budget) have created the messiest reputation a facility could have!
The Berlin Brandenburg Airport’s rocky start continues to haunt its daily operations: We have flown here a few times, and each of our experiences was heralded by a slow security check system, crazy long lines, and distances so large our backs were aching from carrying our luggage.
It’s safe to say that the airport hasn’t found it’s groove yet, and many Berliners openly mock the structure that promised so much but delivered so little. The sheer amount of funds put into the project will be felt in capital’s economic state of affairs for years to come!
Even with all the downsides the Brandenburg Airport is so famous for, it is the only functional airport in Berlin. They joke that it’s the best Berlin’s airport, just because it’s harder to land in Tempelhofer Feld (a park that was made out of a decommissioned airport) with all the people in the way.
Divided no more
It’s hard to explore Berlin without diving even a little bit into its troubled history. However, it’s much harder to actually build your itinerary in accordance with a list of Cold War sites to visit in Berlin. Thankfully, we have just the article for you! Our guide includes everything you need to know before going to each particular location: Opening hours, ticket prices, main highlights to look out for, and useful tips to make your outing as educational and productive as possible.
If you’re particularly strapped for time, here’s our short rundown of the most well-known Berlin Cold War locations:
- East Side Gallery — the longest permanent open-air gallery in the world, this stretch of the Berlin Wall is a true testament to the people’s resilience and fight for a brighter future. Don’t forget to snap a pic with the iconic mural depicting the “Fraternal Kiss” of Erich Honecker and Leonid Brezhnev.
- Checkpoint Charlie — a replica of one of the most important wall crossing points in Berlin, this location has become a tourist trap. Expect to run into lots of traffic surrounding the area; so if you’re not really into crowds, make a beeline to the BlackBox Museum — it is just around the corner, and it offers way more insight into Berlin’s heartbreaking past.
- DDR Museum — our personal favorite Cold War site in Berlin, this is one of the rare instances where a museum is 1,000% worth visiting! Interactive displays and a unique look into the regime of the years past will make even the least enthusiastic visitors want to stay and explore the exhibit for longer!
Got you feeling so fly like a G6
Don’t get too excited: Even though we’re huge fans of aerial-based activities (hot air balloon and helicopter rides are our guilty pleasures), in Berlin, you don’t have to have your feet off the steady structure to feel like you’re up in the skies! The city has no shortage of great viewpoints.
While we feel that this topic deserves its own place on our website, we still feel it’s important to give you a taste of what a bird’s-eye view of Berlin might look like from different lookout points.
So, here’s where you can both literally and figuratively elevate your Berlin experience:
- Reichstag Dome rooftop — the cherry on top of all the capital’s viewpoints, this is your chance to visit Berlin’s most important government building and witness the panoramas of the Spree River and the neighboring sites (with the iconic Brandenburg Gate in full, though a tad distant, view).
- TV Tower — another all-star destination, this time it’s the highest building in Europe open to the public! The views of the surrounding Berlin cityscape are almost on par with the curious structure itself: Tall, with a steel sphere that resembles a lollipop. They say that Berlin’s TV Tower would be like a walk in the park for Tom Cruise: With the height of 368 meters, it has nothing on the 830 meters of Burj Khalifa that he climbed. Still, it has all our love as the most exciting viewpoint in Berlin.
- Klunkerkranich — a trendy bar on top of a car park (!) with unbeatable sunset views over Berlin. Come here for the panoramas, stay for the drinks and beatnik-esque setting.
- Humboldt Forum observation deck — one of the more “humble” (heh) observation decks in Berlin, this one sits proudly atop the nest of museums in the building that is so beautiful it can bring tears to the unsuspecting eyes.
Stay sharp
Speaking of museums, one of the top answers to a Google search of what to do in Berlin is actually paying a visit to one of the city’s extensive collections and archives. Even though we’re not usually big on exploring exhibits, Berlin has won us over: So much so that we have created a detailed guide to the city’s best museums and galleries.
We don’t want to give too much away, but mentioning Museum Island is almost Universe-ordered! After all, where else can you find an entire island dedicated to the preserving of knowledge and showcasing the world’s artefacts to the general public? This UNESCO Heritage site is comprised of five museums:
- The Pergamon Museum — archeology and ancient civilizations; the majority of its exhibits are closed for renovation until 2027, but you can still see a small part of the collection.
- The Bode Museum — huge collections of Byzantine art and sculptures.
- The National Gallery — Impressionist paintings galore! If you love Monet and Renoir, this is a place to visit first!
- The Neues Museum — vast Egyptian collection (very mummy-forward), plus great Pre-History and Early History exhibits.
- The Altes Museum — Classical Antiquities, an amazing coin and jewelry archive that is perfect for those who constantly think of the Roman Empire, but in a much tamer way that the society has led you into preferring.
Side note: One of the good things to know before visiting Berlin is the fact that the city offers free (!) admission to most of the exhibitions on the first Sunday of each month! You just have to book your ticket on this website.
Tinkle Tinkle Little Star
Berlin has notoriously horrible state of affairs for when it comes to public restrooms. There simply aren’t enough of them! And it simply baffles us, that in a city that is so insistent on getting you drunk on Pilsners, they do not provide sufficient spaces to relieve yourself when nature calls.
And it’s not all: Many public venues, like cafes and coffee shops, also do not have restrooms inside. We went to some big cafes with 30+ seating that didn’t even have a sink to wash our hands in. To tell you the truth, this stark contrast even made us appreciative of the paid (!) restrooms that we found in places you would expect to answer the nature’s call for free — shopping malls, nightclubs, or fast-food chain restaurants like McDonald’s. You’re expected to pay €1 or more to have one of your basic human needs fulfilled.
Side note: Thankfully, the general public is united in their displeasure of the whole Number 1 and 2 fiasco, so some bright minds are pushing back! You can download EasyPZ app to help you find the nearest restroom in Berlin for the situations where you’re in a particularly sensitive pinch.
Cash and credit sitting in a tree
Should you bring cash to Berlin? Yes. Despite being a modern metropolis, Berlin has a surprising love affair with cash. Sometimes it’s the only way to pay for your coffee or lunch, as many smaller shops, cafes, and even restaurants (!) only accept cash payments. While some larger establishments do accept credit cards, it’s always a good idea to carry enough cash with you for the entire day of adventures in Berlin.
However, there’s another side to the story: Some places are insisting on a credit-only method of payment, so leaving your card at a hotel also seems like a bad idea. You can’t win with Berlin! To avoid future discomfort, take a page out of the Boy Scouts playbook and Always Be Prepared!
If you need to withdraw cash, we would suggest avoiding non-banking institution brand ATMs (like Euronet, for example). They have crazy fees and are generally not as reliable. However, they are everywhere you look, especially in Berlin’s city center — trust us, immediate availability is not worth it in this case.
The great food debate
We have long known that Berlin is as multifaceted as the cities come, but when it comes to food, the German capital might have outdone itself. You won’t find a gastronomic scene so varied in any other city on the planet. The truth is, between a slice of New-York style pizza and a dinner at a fancy French restaurant, traditional German dishes are harder to come by here, as though they are lurking in the shadows! That’s why you must know the particular delicacies and where to look for them.
It’s hard to narrow down the list of things to try when in Berlin, but these dishes are bound to provide the most authentic of German experiences:
- Currywurst — nothing screams “Berlin” louder than a cut-up sausage doused in curry-spiced ketchup! Some might even call this naughty fast food the unofficial dish of the capital. To get the best experience, head to Curry 36, where both locals and tourists willingly stand in line for hours just to get this yummy treat.
- Döner Kebab — this originally Turkish dish made Berlin its home, and now its dual citizenship is showing: Enjoying a Döner in Berlin is a rite of passage for every tourist, no matter their diet preferences! There are plenty of Kebab shops all throughout the city, but we prefer to get ours at Kebab Kitchen — the food here is always fresh, hot, and delicious!
- A plain old burger at Burgermeister — we know, we know, this is a fast food chain, and the burger isn’t an essential part of German cuisine (however, people of Hamburg would definitely disagree with us on this one), but our research had always led us here, no matter how hard we tried to find a hole-in-the-wall authentic eatery in Berlin. Upon trying it out, we realize we were too quick to judge: This establishment would put McDonald’s out of business were it to come to the American soil; that’s how good their burgers are!
- As for drinks, a glass of chilled Riesling or a pint of Berliner Weisse (sour beer) is your saving grace: With all that fatty food, a cold and refreshing beverage is exactly what you will be craving!
However, we don’t want to leave out the major part of our (and many other people’s) diet out of the running for the places to patronize in the capital — where can one get a coffee and a sweet treat in Berlin? Due to our personal affinity to this “food group”, we have created an entire guide to Berlin’s best coffee shops, and we will give you a sneak peak into the coveted list right now:
- Father Carpenter — our personal pick for the best coffee in Berlin; this is the place where we get breakfast 90% of the time we’re in the city;
- FREA Bakery & Café — if you eat gluten, this should be your mecca in the capital, we’re not playing around!
- The Barn — amazing coffee and great atmosphere: If you need to finish a deadline from your laptop in a caffeine-fueled state, we would do it in The Barn (Café Kranzler is the most perfect location in this regard).
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Of course, nobody expects you to hit a 365-day streak on Duolingo, but learning a few key phrases in German might earn you some brownie points in Berlin. Even if you don’t use them, knowing that you can talk your way through an authentic (albeit, probably short) conversation is exactly the reassurance you need to confidently step out in a new and foreign place.
These are the phrases we would stick to if we were traveling to Berlin for the first time:
- Hallo — Hello;
- Guten Morgen — Good morning;
- Guten Tag — Good afternoon;
- Danke — Thank you;
- Auf Wiedersehen — Goodbye;
- Es tut mir leid — I’m sorry;
- Wie Geht es dir? — How are you?;
- Gut, danke — Fine, thank you;
- Tisch für zwei bitte — Table for two, please;
- Ich möchte ein Bier — I’d like a beer;
- Wo ist die Toilette? — Where is the bathroom? (this one might come in handy — see section 10).
Most Berliners, especially the ones working in more touristy areas, speak great English. In fact, they are very good at judging who’s a foreigner and who’s not, so they might even switch to English before you attempt your carefully practiced “Guten Tag“. Though a bummer for language learners, this is the fact that will help you feel more at home in Berlin.
Know your territory
Berlin’s many neighborhoods could also be snowflakes: There’s not a place in the world where districts look and feel as unique as they do in the capital. Because of this, it is essential to learn the differences prior to your arrival, so that you can choose the area to stay in during your time in Berlin. We have an entire post on the best neighborhoods in Berlin that can help you navigate the intricate web that is the capital’s city planning.
For now, these are the three neighborhoods we would look into first:
- Alexanderplatz — a great central area perfect for first-time Berlin visitors; this is where culture, shopping, and entertainment all come together into a cohesive mix.
Our hotel choice in the area: 4* The Social Hub (from €100 per night) - Kreuzberg — a place where culture and counterculture live under the same roof; this is the coolest neighborhood in the entire city!
Our hotel choice in the area: 4* Huttenpalast (from €95 a night; just look how quirky it is!!) - Charlottenburg — a chill area located off the main tourist routes in Berlin; this is a perfect place to choose for a family stay! Vast green spaces and amazing connections to the city center make the neighborhood that much more enchanting!
Our hotel choice in the area: 3* Leonardo Hotel (from €75 per night)
You have to keep in mind that accommodation in Berlin is expensive, especially in high season, and in areas close to the main tourist attractions. Prices for hotel rooms usually start at €80 a night.
Other places to see and things to do
Every conventional tourist Berlin itinerary starts with hitting the heavy weights of the tourist attractions first: Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, etc. We’re no different! Our detailed itinerary wouldn’t be complete without setting up a good base of iconic sights you need to see in the capital. However, our guide is special, as it moves away from the been-there-done-that mentality and goes over to the once-in-a-lifetime kinds of experiences!
Again, we cannot possibly reveal all of our cards right here, you will have to pay closer attention to our aforementioned article. However, just a small bite of our tried-and-tested appetizer platter never hurt anybody!
So, what are the things you need to do in Berlin?
- Have a picnic at Tempelhofer Feld — have you ever wondered what it would feel like to walk around the actual airport runway? Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore! Tempelhofer Feld is a curious place: It was once a functioning airport in Berlin that has now been transformed into a public park, with tons of visitors having a grand ole’ time on its vast territory day in and day out!
- Defeat the Final Boss of nightclubs — of course, we’re talking about Berghain! This nightclub is infamous for turning people away for the strangest (undisclosed) reasons, and getting inside is like unlocking Berlin’s greatest achievement. If you didn’t make it to the techno hub of the world, don’t worry: Just join a pub crawl and Pilsner your sadness away!
- Buy knick-knacks at a flea market — from the hip Mauerpark to the more upscale Kunstmarkt Straße des 17. Juni, these Sunday-centric destinations will be your hangover cure and your shopping therapy solace! Just don’t forget that you’ll have to carry everything you’ve bought home, so maybe pass up on that rare Soviet china set and get a vintage keychain instead!
- Shop at Späti like a local — think of these little shops (short for Spätkauf, or “late buy”) as your bodegas and use them whenever you need something. The stores are open 24/7, and they sell everything from beer to toiletries.
- Bare it all out for Berlin — though not officially approved, nude sunbathing is a thing in Berlin! Locals have a pretty relaxed attitude towards nudity, and you might even stumble upon some bare-butted individuals in such parks as Tiergarten! If you’re not brave enough to join them, just remember not to stare — it is considered rude, no matter how little a person is wearing.
Book tours in advance
If you’re fonder of structured pre-planned adventures, then booking a Berlin tour might sound like a terrific idea! Thankfully, there’s no shortage of unique ways to explore this wonderful destination:
- Take a walking tour (almost 4800 reviews!) — learn all the interesting facts about Berlin’s top attractions at the most appropriate speed for this activity. Walking around Museum Island and stopping to take a pic in front of Checkpoint Charlie together with your knowledgeable guide is the way most travelers choose to cover their Berlin knowledge bases. You can always add more to the main mind map, but the information given here is essential to understanding the city better.
- Ride along the Berlin Wall and explore the Government District with a bike tour of Berlin (2300+ reviews!) — in our opinion, this is the best way to see the city! Riding a bike in Berlin is an essential activity, just do it in an educated manner: Bike lanes are strict business here, as well as biking etiquette. Don’t forget to signal your turns and respect traffic lights — trust us, you’ll be fine!
- Take your time with a hop-on hop-off bus tour (2540+ reviews) — choose the pace with which you discover Berlin’s most notable attractions and relax your legs in-between stops, — this is arguably the most comfortable way of being a tourist and a leisure appreciator at the same time!
- Get out onto the water with a river boat cruise (2500+ reviews) — a unique way of seeing the city from a lesser-known angle. Most tourists claim that the views from the Spree river aren’t as exciting as those from the Seine in Paris or Amstel in Amsterdam, but we strongly disagree! Yes, the architecture is more minimalist, even brutalist at times, but that’s the beauty of Berlin. Plus, the sheer novelty of being out on the water is reason enough to book this tour!
To Trabant or not to Trabant?
Ah, the eternal debate of a world traveler: Gain more freedom and rent a car in a new city or stick to the public transport and save money and mental peace on all the things that come with the process?
In Berlin, we would stick to the latter, and here’s why:
— Berlin’s public transport is very efficient and reliable; even if you’re going outside city limits, the train system will have your back!
— Traffic jams and general lack of parking in the city will make your driving experience a thing of nightmares.
— Rental fees and gas prices could rack up a significant bill, while a simple Deutschland Ticket (€49 a month!) lets you travel all around Germany for a very affordable price.
— Lack of authenticity: When you travel to a new place, you might want to do as the locals do, and with Berliners, that means taking the train. A car is great for roaming around free from public transport schedules, but it soon becomes its own little bubble, with little to no integration with the outside world.
However, if you particularly appreciate the freedom a rental gives you (or if you want to travel to very remote places outside city limits), then by all means, rent a car in Berlin! Our only advice in this case is renting it through DiscoverCars service — it’s a reliable website that streamlines the entire process, from start to finish.
Stock up for the weekend
Sundays in Berlin are NOT for getting your weekly shopping done. This is the fact that cost us off-guard during our first city visit. It’s true: Most shops in Berlin close on Sundays, leaving you high and dry with no groceries (or even medical supplies!), looking for food-adjacent things in some back corner vending machine.
But fret not, you’re reading this guide, so you’ll be fully prepared for the shut-day! Just make sure to have all of your shopping done before Saturday evening, when most of the stores run out of the essential produce. Ideally, use a Saturday morning for this very chore, and leave Sunday morning and afternoon for a lazy brunch and a walk with new friends.
Side note: Speaking of brunch, cafes, coffee shops, and other similar establishments might have weird opening times in Berlin. There are places that only start their day at 4 in the afternoon, or that are open only on the weekends. Because of that, always check the opening hours of a place before making a trek all the way down there.
Give Berlin some time
Berlin is not as easy to understand as other European cities like Paris or Prague. A mixture of various architectural styles, conflicting trends, and turbulent history might initially confuse you. That’s why we advise you set aside time to feel the city. So how many days is enough for Berlin? At least five days, no less — that way, you will be able to do a little more than scratch the surface of this multifaceted capital.
Side note: To fully enjoy your vacation, you need to choose the right moment. The best time to visit Berlin is either in summer (nice weather) or in April–May and September–October (fewer tourists and lower prices), depending on your preferences.
Let’s talk budget
It’s been long established that Berlin is an expensive city, so how much money do you need to save for your travel budget? Let’s crack the numbers, shall we?
🏨 Accommodation: €80–€150 per night for two
Even though you can find a hostel in Berlin for as low a price as €27 (like this one), we would advise you spend a little extra on more comfortable and private dwellings. Trust us, after a day spent exploring the city, you will want nothing less than coming back to a room of your own.
🚌 Transportation: €10–€20 per day for two
It all depends on the area where you’re staying and how packed your itinerary is: The numbers can be a lot smaller if you get a week pass or if you simply resort to walking around as your primary mode of transportation.
🍕 Food: €50–€100 per day for two
This is where you can either go all out or stay stingy. We would encourage you to splurge a little and taste your way through Berlin: You can always earn more money, but you might not get another chance to try that tasty currywurst ever again!
🤩 Entertainment: €20–€50 per day for two
Thankfully, Berlin is a city that has no shortage of free entertainment. And even when an activity is paid, it costs no more than €5–€10. That’s a win in our book!
💶 The Grand Total: €160–€320 per day for two (with accommodation)
Depending on how boogie you plan on being (and the number of beers you plan on having), this number can go drastically up or down. All of our previous trips to Berlin amounted to a budget of around €200 per two; and it included multiple coffees and sweet treats throughout the day!
What are the do’s and don’ts in Berlin?
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Even though we’ve already covered a lot of ground, advice-wise, there are still a few things you need to remember when visiting Berlin (some of the more important ones are repeats from earlier, just to drive the point home). Our Berlin cheat sheet to not look like a tourist!
Do’s:
+ DO always validate a ticket! The ticket inspectors in Berlin might as well work for the FBI — you will never see them coming. It’s not worth the gamble, in our opinion.
+ DO save money on transportation! Buy multiple-trip and day tickets and look for special discounts on the BVG app.
+ DO tip the German way! That means putting your calculator away and just rounding up the bill or adding about 5–10% for good service.
+ DO carry both cash and card with you. You never know when an establishment might ask for only one or the other as a form of payment.
+ DO embrace the local love for bubbles. Try drinking only sparkling water for a day, as many Berliners believe that still water is for tourists and fish.
+ DO try speaking German. It’s a good opportunity to learn a new language and meet new friends.
Don’ts:
— DON’T overpay for water! Bring a bottle because it’s perfectly safe to drink tap water in Berlin!
— DON’T rush things! Berlin is a big city with a wide mixture of sights and activities — set aside plenty of time to explore all of it!
— DON’T get lost at the train station! There are different levels for trains and the subway, so look at the signs closely to find your way around.
— DON’T take Berliner Schnauze (”Snout”) personally! Berliners are known for their gruff exterior and coarse sense of humor, but under all of that is a heart of gold! Think of it as the British stiff upper lip, but with the soul of the Italian nonna.
— DON’T jaywalk, especially in front of kids! You will get disapproving looks if you do. Berliners are known to be strict about rule following, and this is one of the most common examples of this phenomenon.
— DON’T walk in the bike lane. Here, you might be lucky to only get disapproving looks and nothing more.
So, there you have it, folks! We hope that we’ve covered every possible question you might have before setting off on your Berlin pilgrimage, but if we haven’t — leave your comment in the section down below. Auf Wiedersehen!
