hen I was making the decision to pack up my life on the Gold Coast and move to
Scandinavia, I had an extensive pros and cons list. I mean, the Gold Coast is a pretty
spectacular place to call home, and there had to be some pretty heavy hitters in the ‘pro’
column to whole-heatedly convince me to swap what is essentially vacation living for the cold north.
Other than the overwhelming fact that Denmark is my partner’s home country, one of the major
selling points that tipped me over the edge was the possibility of exploring the rest of Europe with
ease. Recently, my partner and I took a short weekend-trip to Berlin – one of the fastest growing yet
historically provocative cities in northern Europe. While we were only there for a short while, we still
managed to jam-pack our time with a mixture of café-culture, historical reflection, outdoor activities and
of course lots of sightseeing. Here’s a quick guide on how we made the most of this captivating city in
just 48 hours.
1. Education through travel – sites you NEED to see
People often say that there is no better education than travel. This is probably more applicable to Berlin
than many other places. Not only can you experience day-to-day life in one of the most popular places to
live in Europe, but there are a multitude of opportunities to educate yourself as a tourist.
For any history buff, Berlin is an absolute gold mine for museums of both culture and art, and while the
topic may be a little gloomy, undoubtedly two of the most prominent and interesting topics that occupy
the walls of the museums are World War II and the Cold War. A centrepiece for both conflicts, Berlin
houses some of the most authentic memorabilia from the period and there is of course the symbolic
structures that still stand today.
This naturally leads me to the Berlin Wall. Having learnt all about the Wall back in my earlier school
days, it was almost surreal to finally see the structure that physically and ideologically divided the city
during the Cold War. A must-see is undoubtedly the East-Side Gallery, where you can see the famous
mural by Dmitri Vrubel of Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker kissing.
Another sightseeing highlight was the Reichstag building (the German parliament building). If you
book in advance, you are able to get free access to the dome that sits atop the historical structure. It’s an
excellent and cost efficient way to get a bird’s eye view of Berlin. The original Reichstag was actually
set on fire during WWI, and architect Norman Foster who won a commission to design and rebuild the
building in 1993, added the dome.
Last but definitely not least, I thoroughly appreciated our visit to the art-installation that is a memorial to
the Murdered Jews of Europe. Although it can be quite confronting to see the large black pillars and read
the testimonies inside the memorial building itself, it is also compelling and thought-provoking.
Other notable sites to add to your list include Check-Point Charlie and any of the museums on Museum
Island. Check-Point Charlie was the name given to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between
East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War, and the checkpoint itself remains today. This is a
relatively quick visit, but still worth seeing.
2. Instagram-friendly places to Eat
So now to the important stuff. I do love the educational opportunities that Berlin presents, but the way
to my heart is definitely through my stomach, and it is really because of its exciting café culture and
restaurant options that Berlin made its way onto my list of top European cities to visit.
A popular ExPat destination, Berlin’s eating options largely take influence from other places around the
globe in addition to the traditional German delicacies of pretzels and sauerkraut. If you’re into posting
cute pictures of your holiday meals on your Instagram account, like me, here are some of the eateries we
absolutely loved.
Common Ground is located in the very stylish Mitte district, which is also a great place to find
accommodation. Even if you’re not camping out close by, Common Ground can be easily accessed via
Pindara Magazine 71
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Berlin – one of the fastest growing
yet historically provocative cities in
northern Europe.
pindaramagazine.com.au