Berlin in June
There were a few contenders for where to spend June, but when Amsterdam proved impossibly expensive, we opted for Berlin, Germany.
Jeff had been to Berlin a couple times before and was eager for me to visit. During the month of June, Jeff met his friends in Paris to spend a couple weeks traveling together, which gave me the opportunity to experience Berlin solo. It was a superb city for a solo female traveler; it felt safe, easy to navigate, and there was a fantastic array of activities to enjoy.
Here are some highlights from a June spent in Berlin!
German Cuisine
The food - I loved the food! Germany’s traditional classics reminded me of home, and it was fun to indulge in schnitzel, potato salad, spätzle, currywurst, bratwurst, pretzels, and cinnamon rolls while there. In terms of liquid libations, Berlin offered great beer (as expected), but we also enjoyed the wine more than anticipated, especially rosé during hot summer days (who knew Germany produced such great rosé?). We also were grateful for Berlin’s modern coffee scene. It was a welcome respite to enjoy a wide range of quality coffee beverages, especially flat whites and cold brew in the summertime.
The best part of Berlin’s dining scene is the affordability - we could comfortably dine out often, allowing us to try a variety of great restaurants.
Here were some of our culinary highlights from Berlin!
Prater Garten - I loved this amazing beer garden! Prater Garten is the oldest beer garden in Berlin (since 1637!), and it was conveniently located just a couple blocks from our apartment. Walking into Prater Garten on our first night in Berlin was everything; it was the perfect beer garden of my imagination, with an endless amount of long, traditional tables beneath a canopy of trees. Prater Garten is a lively space, full of a diverse mix of people. There’s a beer stand and a separate stand for casual bites of sausages, sauerkraut, potato salad, and pretzels, as well as a separate restaurant serving sit-down meals like schnitzel.
Currywurst - Before hopping on the train to Kreuzberg one day, Jeff asked if I wanted to try my first currywurst at Konnopke’s Imbiss, a popular currywurst stand that sits under the U-Bahn bridge. It was a perfect snack, and it reminded me so much of home! It was new but familiar, with a steamed-then-fried bratwurst chopped up and topped with a dusting of curry powder, served with fries, ketchup, and mayo. Currywurst would fit in well in the bar scene of Wisconsin!
Schnitzel - One night, Jeff took us on a date to Jolesch in Kreuzberg, where I had my first taste of schnitzel. It was AMAZING, served with fantastic potato salad and a little jar of lingonberry sauce. Later in the month, on one of our last nights in Berlin, we had dinner at Schnitzelei for a final round of schnitzel goodness.
Potato Salad - True German potato salad is made with vinegar instead of mayo, and it is delightful. We especially enjoyed the potato salad at Prater Garten.
Rhubarb - I loved the popular presence of rhubarb, which reminded me of my Grandma Alice. Rhubarb was a common flavor that I noticed in a variety of forms, including in sorbet at an ice cream shop, baked into a cinnamon roll, and as my favorite flavor of Fritz Spritz.
Spätzle -These delicious egg noodles were best when topped with cheese and onions.
Döner kebab - Berlin also boasts an impressive variety of international cuisine, due to its immigrant and refugee populations. One of my favorites was the döner kebab - I could have eaten them every day! There’s a significant Turkish population in Berlin, who we can thank for the delicious döner kebabs, halloumi, and falafel found all over the city. We enjoyed them im dürüm folded into a flat wrap and im brot in a classic little pita bread pocket. I tried them from five different places, and one of my favorites was conveniently in our our neighborhood (K'Ups Gemüsekebap). Other favorites included Mustafa's Gemuese Kebab, Tadim, and Konyali.
Summer in the City
Berlin is a fun place to be in the summer. The city reminded me of home and Wisconsin in a lot of ways, and the way that Berliners relished the summer months was one of those familiar feelings. I will say, though, that Berlin (like much of Europe) doesn’t believe in air conditioning. Not only was our apartment a tiny little oven, but the city’s shops, restaurants, and worst, the U-Bahn, lacked cool air, too.
One night, Jeff and I enjoyed a date night with outdoor cinema at Freiluftkino in Kreuzberg. We took the train to Kotti, picked up kebabs from Tadim and Konyali, then stopped into a cool craft beer shop to pick up a few bottles for the evening. We enjoyed our kebabs and beers as a casual dinner al fresco before heading to the outdoor movie nearby. It was the perfect weather for an outdoor movie, and it was a really fun time. We saw I, Tonya, which we both had been wanting to see after getting a chance to watch many of the other 2018 Oscar contenders during long flights across continents earlier in the trip.
And then there was the Mauerpark Sunday Flea Market and Outdoor Karaoke…! This amazing market took place every Sunday just one block from our apartment, and I went three times! The market offers a mix of classic flea market antiques (lots of old German beer steins!), but also handmade goods, records, vintage sunglasses, and more. There are also plenty of food stands throughout, generating wafts of delicious food. After exploring the stalls and grabbing a bite to eat, I would wander over to the grassy area of the park to find the amphitheater full of people cheering for Bearpit Karaoke, which is a must-see party of brave volunteers singing karaoke in front of an international audience of drunk, happy strangers.
One day I walked along the Landwehr Canal in Kreuzberg. As I passed Admiralbrücke, a charming bridge, I noticed a grassy area full of people lounging in the sun. I happily walked over to join in the canalside hangs and eat a kebab while sitting near the water, watching the swans pass by.
Friends
While in Berlin, we had the opportunity to spend time with two of Jeff’s friends, Markus & Marcia. Jeff met Markus when he worked out of the Berlin office of a company he used to work for. Markus and Marcia were kind, welcoming, and fun, and they made our experience in Berlin even better. I feel fortunate to call them friends now, too.
We enjoyed dinner with them a few times, including a fun night at Markthalle Neun Street Food Thursdays. Markthalle Neun is another example of an old market hall reinvigorated into a modern food market. On Thursdays, they host a fun event of food stands, and we tried a variety of tasty bites including Nepalese dumplings, Syrian wraps, and Swabian maultaschen.
Other fun get togethers included watching the World Cup, enjoying a night in with homemade goulash, and lounging in the park with other Berliners on nice summer nights. Marcia was also kind enough to show me around a hip new neighborhood called Friedrichshain and check out a new brewery called BRLO with me while Jeff was away!
Homemade goulash!
History
Berlin’s history is not warm and fuzzy, but I wanted to experience it while we were there; I wanted to be reminded, and learn more, and thoughtfully consider the historical significance of where we were.
One day, I visited the Berlin Wall Memorial in Prenzlauer Berg. It features an original, preserved section of the wall including the “death strip” and lookout tower. After visiting the memorial, I walked along Bernauer Straße to learn more about the wall from educational markings. I realized the Berlin Wall Memorial was everywhere. I also realized how truly surrounded by history I was; our apartment was located in what was once East Berlin, very close to the wall that separated East from West (at Bernauer Straße). It was heartbreaking to read the stories of individuals who attempted to jump the wall, and the gravestone markings of those who died while doing so.
Other historical and architectural highlights in Berlin included Brandenburg Gate, Berliner Dom, and Gendarmenmarkt, a beautiful square flanked by two cathedrals and home to the Konzerthaus.
One day, I visited the Reichstag to get a glimpse of Berlin from above. The Reichstag presents a unique juxtaposition of the old original building (built in 1894) and the modern glass dome that sits on its roof. I walked inside the dome, which is covered in mirrors inside with a top open to the sky (similar to the one we loved in Kanazawa!). The dome and the rooftop offered great panoramic views of Berlin, though being up there really emphasized how flat Berlin is!
On another day, I visited the Topography of Terror, a museum on the former site of the Gestapo headquarters outlining the history and nightmares of Nazism. There was an outdoor timeline called “Path to Dictatorship” and an accompanying exhibit indoors. It was an unsettling but informative museum.
The most significant and necessary stop during any visit to Berlin is to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It’s difficult to describe the experience of visiting this memorial. Walking through with Jeff, I realized how easy it was to disappear within its unseen depth.
Street Art
Berlin has an impressive street art scene and is considered the epicenter and birthplace of street art within Europe. The city streets feature artwork by over 3,000 different artists from all over the world. Wandering the streets of Berlin is best experienced with your phone down, in order to enjoy the art surrounding you!
Early in the month, Jeff led us to Kreuzberg to show me around the neighborhood. While there, we visited the East Side Gallery, which turned out to be an absolute highlight for me! The gallery is a long section of the original Berlin Wall that is covered with murals which were added by artists from all over the world in 1990. It was a very different Berlin Wall experience compared to the one I had in Prenzlauer Berg, when I encountered a section of the wall for the first time in its original, stark, concrete form. It was fascinating to walk along and view the continuous stream of art, but it was also sad to think that residents couldn’t even see the river back then (or now).
On one of my solo days, I took an Alternative Berlin tour (thanks for the recommendation, Kira!). This free 3-hour tour offered a great introduction to street art of Berlin, exploring multiple neighborhoods along the way; the tour started in Mitte and ended in Kreuzberg.
I learned that the origins of Berlin’s street art scene can be traced to America - it kicked off in Kreuzberg while the area was under American control of West Berlin!
The tour ended at YAAM, a unique place located on the river. It’s known as a hub and haven for African migrants and refugees, and it features African food stands, an indoor club, and an outdoor beach bar. I stuck around to enjoy a beer with the rest of the tour group. It was a unique mix of people from all over the world (Hong Kong, Serbia, UK, America!).
Thanks, Berlin
Berlin is a very livable city; it’s a big city that doesn’t feel big. The city is flat and spread out, making it easy to manage on foot or bike, but it also has a well-run mass transit system of trams, busses, and trains. It’s not densely-populated and never feels too busy. The city is diverse and exciting, with plenty of things to do. It’s also centrally located in Europe, allowing for convenient travel to many other destinations. Berlin is not as cheap as it once was, but it’s still more affordable than Paris, London, Copenhagen or Amsterdam.
Both of us felt similarities between Melbourne and Berlin. Like Milwaukee, Madison, and other Midwest cities, it’s also a superfun place to be in the summertime, with locals taking full advantage of long days and warm nights, with plenty of activities to do outdoors.
Thanks for a great month, Berlin!
