Berlin. The timing of this day depends on how much museum-going you want. January 24, 2007 | $11.99. Home / Blog; Destination: Berlin. 17:00 Ride the S-Bahn from Alexanderplatz to Nordbahnhof and tour the Berlin Wall Memorial (a self-guided tour in most of my books covering Berlin). I enjoy it, too. Like ancient Romans keeping a few vanquished barbarians in cages for locals to spit at, capitalism and the West flaunt victory in Berlin. There's plenty to see and do here. That iconic symbol of the Cold War. 14:30 Follow my guidebook's Communist East Berlin Walk (or the final third of the "Berlin City Walk" / "Best of Berlin Walk"). Expanding your trip? By plugging directly into the present and getting the world’s take on things firsthand, a traveler goes beyond traditional sightseeing. Map. The magic of Europe can make any traveler feel like a kid again. $11.99. It was in this building that the German Republic was proclaimed in 1918. After 1945, this historic home of the German parliament — which saw some of the last fighting of World War II on its rooftop — stood as an abandoned and bombed-out hulk overlooking the no-man’s-land between East and West Berlin. That’s something a lot of travelers don’t take advantage of…and it’s never been more important. As a society, we become easier to manipulate…easier to make money from. These suggested itineraries from my Berlin guidebook will help you prioritize Berlin's many sights, whether you're spending one day, two days, three days, or up to a week in Berlin. 11:00 Tour the Gemäldegalerie; have lunch at a museum café or on Potsdamer Platz. Most restaurants offer it (often as the cheapest thing on the menu), but it’s more commonly eaten at take-out fast-food stands. Nearly everyone had a file. While most European capitals have a handful of clear-cut "must-see" sights, Berlin is more of a "choose your own adventure" destination. Travel can broaden our perspective, enabling us to rise above the advertiser-driven infotainment we call the news to see things as citizens of the world. Daily Dose of Europe: The Castles of Boyhood Dreams . by Rick Steves. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.1'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Memorials across Europe remind us of the unthinkable horrors of 20th-century fascism — and compel us to never let it happen again. My Account. 10:00 Follow my Berlin guidebook's Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate Walk (a.k.a. Across the street at “Snack Point Charlie,” someone sipping a Coke says to me, “When serious becomes kitsch, you know it’s over.”. In Berlin, we explore museums dedicated to the history of the gone-but-not-forgotten Wall. Reading it, I can hear his voice: “eesh been ein Bear-lee-ner” (“I am a Berliner”). Please support local businesses in your community by picking up a copy from your favorite bookstore, or you can purchase it at my online Travel Store. Even if we’ve had to postpone trips to Europe, I believe a daily dose of travel dreaming can actually be good medicine. There are many memorials, including one to the six million murdered Jews of Europe and another to the first victims of Hitler: 96 men, the German equivalent of congressmen, who spoke out in the name of democracy against his rule in the early 1930s. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Across from a very busy Starbucks is one of the “ghost” subway stations that went unused through the Cold War and now feels like a 1930s time warp. My suggested plans incorporate a bit of everything. 11:30 Take my guidebook's Unter den Linden Walk (or the second third of the "Berlin City Walk" / "Best of Berlin Walk"). The Reichstag dome is a powerful architectural symbol. Rick Steves takes us through the city, showing us highlights throughout its history. The nearby hills were created entirely with the rubble of a city bombed nearly flat about 70 years ago. see all formats. read While Germany sits in the driver’s seat of Europe’s economy, it doesn’t take a cultural backseat. the first third of the "Berlin City Walk" or "Best of Berlin Walk" in my Germany guidebook, Best of Germany guidebook, and Northern European Cruise Ports guidebook, and available as a free audio tour). I vowed right there, in my work as a travel writer, that I would expect my readers to be engaged…and made smarter by their travels. Even though we’re not visiting Europe right now, I believe a daily dose of travel dreaming can be good medicine. Here’s another one of my favorite travel memories — a reminder of what’s waiting for you in Europe at the other end of this crisis. 15:00 Ride the U-Bahn (U2 from Potsdamer Platz to Senefelderplatz) and stroll the heart of Prenzlauer Berg, from Senefelderplatz to Kollwitzplatz to Kastanienallee, Oderberger Strasse, and the Mauerpark (with my Berlin guidebook, follow its Prenzlauer Berg Walk). Years ago, when I got my history degree, I said to myself, “I’d better get a business degree, too, so I have something useful.” But I’ve learned over the years that if more people knew more about history, our world would be a better place. 17:00 Follow my guidebook's Communist East Berlin Walk (or the final third of the "Berlin City Walk" / "Best of Berlin Walk"), or stretch your museum time. History is constantly speaking to us. 13:00 Grab a takeaway lunch to enjoy on a Spree River cruise. With knowledge of the past, we can better appreciate the significance of what’s happening today. Jerked around too much by their politicians in the past century, Germans are determined to keep a closer eye on them from now on. The amazing story of Berlin swirls through my head: Speer’s vision, Hitler’s burning body, the last stand on the rooftop…the communists, the heroic American airlift, when the Communists attempted to starve a free Berlin into submission…Kennedy’s speech, followed 24 years later by Reagan’s demand to “tear down this wall”…the euphoria-turned-challenge of Germany’s reunification, and the gleaming city visitors marvel at today. Pick up in store. With every visit, I remember my spooky first time there in 1971, when tour buses returning to the West were emptied at the border so mirrors could be rolled under the bus to see if anyone was trying to escape with us. In Berlin, it’s clear that history is not contained in a book — it envelops the entire city. They had a united government entering a new century with a new capitol building, looking into a promising future. Germany is blessed with some of Europe's most high-powered sights. You can also find clips related to this story at Rick Steves Classroom Europe; just search for Berlin. Online shopping for Books from a great selection of Reference & Tips, Europe, United States, Asia, Atlases & Maps, Specialty Travel & more at everyday low prices. But all this can distract us from a more important reason to travel. And one of my favorite places for that “king-of-the-castle” feeling is in the Bavarian and Tirolean Alps. December 10, 2014. To see if pickup is … But a knowledge of its past gives it far deeper meaning. Sure, fun in the sun, duty-free shopping, and bingo can be a big part of your vacation. But like Berlin, it's definitively Protestant. Lowlife characters sell fake bits of the wall, WWII-vintage gas masks, and DDR medals. Free shipping on orders over $35. Buy the Paperback Book Rick Steves Germany 2019 by Rick Steves at Indigo.ca, Canada's largest bookstore. 9:00 Head to Checkpoint Charlie and see the sights, including the Topography of Terror exhibit, en route to Potsdamer Platz (with my Berlin guidebook, follow the "Fascism & Cold War Walk"). Rick Steves' Europe. 18:00 Head to Hackescher Markt (take the S-Bahn from Alexanderplatz, or walk from Museum Island) and explore the market and nearby sights (laid out as the "Scheunenviertel Walk" in my Berlin guidebook). But with the collapse of communism in the 1990s and the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, Berlin became the capital of united Germany. With Rick Steves’ Germany and Austria 2007, travelers can experience Rick's favorite destinations in Munich, Bavaria, Baden-Baden, Rothenburg, Würsburg, Frankfurt, the Rhine Valley, Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, the Danube Valley, Salzbu When we travel, we have the opportunity to see history as it’s unfolding. They capped it with a glorious glass dome, incorporating modern architectural design into a late-19th-century icon, and opened it up to the people. Before posting, please read our Community Guidelines. Today’s Berlin is vibrant with youthful energy, and it’s changing fast. This story appears in my newest book, For the Love of Europe — collecting 100 of my favorite memories from a lifetime of European travel. It requires a vigilant and engaged populace. It occurred to me that most of these people were old enough to remember the difficult times after World War II, when their city lay in rubble. But freedom, not Hitler, won. Travelers enjoy a privileged way to hear it — and sometimes an up-close chance to witness history in the making. How to choose? 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