Berlin itinerary for early December

November 15, 2008 9:24 AM

My wife and I are going to Berlin for 7-8 nights at the beginning of December. We have been before and did most of the local sights and loved it, but that was in summer. I would love some itinerary ideas for this visit.

We love to sightsee and enjoyed Checkpoint Charlie, Reichstag, TV Tower, the zoo, Brandenburg Gate, Museums and Galleries.

We enjoy nice cafes, rock music, christmas, markets, boat trips, eating, live music, safe environments!, gadgets, football, swimming (lots).

Please give us some ideas - we go on a wednesday and leave on the thursday following

thanks

posted by trashcan to travel & transportation (9 answers total)

Dresden in a very interesting day trip. The museums are fantastic if you like baroque art (I don't especially, but these are fabulous collections). What I like about the city is watching the progress of the rebuilding from WWII.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 10:40 AM on November 15, 2008

berlin.unlike is great for discovering places and shops worth visiting, last.fm lists live music, Berliner Bäder Betriebe directs you to the swimming pools. Enjoy!
posted by willem at 10:51 AM on November 15, 2008

Soviet Soldiers' Memorial in East Berlin.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:42 AM on November 15, 2008

There's a very cool outdoor pool actually sunk into the river (hard to explain, but the river laps up to the edge of the pool) somewhere down in Kreuzberg or beyond; I can't remember the name or if it's heated (I think it is).
Cafes: top floor of KaDeWe; Paris Bar on Kantstrasse; Savignyplatz; thence the network of small Charlottenberg streets towards Kudamm, eg Momsenstrasse. Or else for a younger louder scene walk down Kastanienallee in Mitte/Prenzlauerberg.
For fresh air and fun after a night out maybe walk up to the top of the Teufelsberg. Mind the wild boar!
posted by londongeezer at 11:46 AM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]

Previously.
posted by disillusioned at 12:47 PM on November 15, 2008

If I were there I'd go by yellow sunshine to eat some vegan fast food. Then maybe I'd got to the keirin berlin bicycle cafe.
posted by beerbajay at 3:26 PM on November 15, 2008

On the morbid side, but it is Berlin...

If you enjoyed Checkpoint Charlie you ought to take the tour of the Stasi Prison. If you go on the German tours, the volunteer tour guides are ex-inmates. It's like walking into 1984.

Sachsenhausen KZ is a fairly short train ride away. It's very strange to see the different layers of history there: the Nazi camp, and then the Nazi camp turned into a Soviet monument.

Finally, the huge, abstract Holocaust memorial right downtown is not to be missed. I am usually not one to be moved by public art, but the design of this thing...

.
posted by Beardman at 7:11 PM on November 15, 2008

I cannot recommend the Liquidrome Berlin highly enough: it's a sauna/massage/swimming/relaxation center. In addition to a full service sauna (with hourly Aufguss), they have a steambath, an outdoor hottub, indoor hottub, and a pool (I can't describe the architecture of the pool except this picture) In addition, they provide facilities for tanningbeds, massages, and offer drinks (and I think, fingerfood. Don't remember). Easy (five min, max) walk from UBahn Moeckernstrasse, or just a hair longer (six min, max) from S Bahn Anhalter Bahnhof.

Olivin Sauna/Lounge (Schönhauser Allee 177, 10119 Berlin ) is a low-key, relaxing just-a-sauna and garden (with massages, juices offered) in Prenzlauer Berg, and it's next to a biergarten. Friendly staff, nice cozy atmosphere.
(During the month of the World Cup or EM football championships, it was amusing to be completely relaxed in their bamboo garden... and still hear a tremendous cheer for good plays/what have you)

If football/soccer interests you, see a BSC Hertha game at the 1936 Olympic Stadium (it's an impressive monolith of a stadium... and since Hertha is climbing the bundesliga rankings right now (won their last 3 at home), it would probably be a pretty exciting game.

The Berlin Adler are the GFL (American) Football team for Berlin, but their season ended in August.

The outdoor pool that londongeezer is talking about is called the Badeschiff (Literally, bathing-ship) and you can find their webside here. They also have a club and what have you attached- in the winter, they have a large covered portion that is pretty interesting to check out.

I'd second the idea for Savignyplatz- if the weather isn't too bad, just wander around and find a place for dinner/drinks.

I'll add something if I think of something else, or feel free to send a note with questions.
posted by Seeba at 8:44 PM on November 15, 2008

Oh. Also, on the 6th or 14th, there are Handball matches at Max-Schmeling-Halle.
If you've interest in sports, check out a video of german handball on youtube. Fast paced, interesting game.

www.fuesche-berlin.de
posted by Seeba at 8:50 PM on November 15, 2008