Berlin has risen from the ashes of its troubled 20th-century past and grown into one of the most liberal and safe cities in the world.
Looking at Berlin today, it’s hard to imagine that the city was divided by barricades for nearly three decades during the Cold War.
After living for several years in the German capital, I’ve learned the unspoken language of the city: how to behave in certain circumstances, how to avoid uncomfortable situations, and the do’s and don’ts when the sun goes down.
Berlin is full of magic, positive energy and excitement – but there are places where a little caution is wise. Here are the top things you need to know before a visit to Berlin.
1. Travel at off-peak times
Berlin is Germany’s top tourist destination, and there’s a lot of competition for hotel rooms and transport at peak times. The city is always busy during the summer season from June to September; visiting either side of this period means cooler weather but smaller crowds and slightly lower prices.
Things also get very busy during Oktoberfest and at Christmas – unless you’re sold on crowds and long waits for drinks, you’ll have an easier, cheaper trip at other times of the year.
2. Book tickets in advance
It’s a good idea to book tickets or make reservations ahead of time for major sights, particularly if you want to tour the Reichstag. You can try your luck for a space after you arrive by dropping by the Reichstag Visitors’ Centre on Scheidemannstrasse, but it’s very popular.
The book-ahead rule also applies to reservations at prestigious restaurants such as Coda, Rutz, Horváth or Kin Dee.
3. Save money on transport
Traveling from the gleaming new Berlin Brandenburg Airport to the center by taxi is expensive. Instead, take either the FEX Airport Express train, Deutsche Bahn train RE7 or RB14, or the slower S-Bahn 9 train to Hauptbahnhof station in central Berlin; the train station is in Terminal 1.
If you plan to use public transport in Berlin, it’s worth downloading the BVG Tickets app for Berlin’s public transport company, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, before you come.
You can use it to buy a 24-Stunden-Karte (day pass), which covers all forms of public transport for 24 hours. The Berlin Welcome tourist card covers public transport and…
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