|
|
Trip Two - Berlin
Home » Germany » Germany - Three Day Itinerary » Trip Two - BerlinThe new Berlin remains a city in transition. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, the country's largest city has become even more cosmopolitan. Most are familiar with the Brandenburg Gate topped by its triumphal chariot, the Victory Column and Charlottenburg Palace, but this lively metropolis is difficult to define – Berlin is many cities in one.
Day One
If you’ve decided to visit Berlin, you probably have at least some intention of seeing the remnants of the Berlin Wall. Start your visit at the "Haus am Checkpoint Charlie" Museum. Established in 1962 next to the legendary Checkpoint Charlie border crossing, this is an exhibition on the history of the Berlin Wall and the partition of the city.
Use the afternoon to explore the city and get a feel for what Berlin has to offer.
In the evening, catch a show at the Deutsche Oper. The largest of the Berlin opera houses is renowned for its excellent acoustics and for the fact that every seat has a wonderful view of the stage.
Day Two
No trip to Europe is complete without some shopping. Start you morning by visiting Kurfürstendamm, which runs from the Memorial Church to Lake Halensee. This marks the beginning of the exclusive "villa district" in the west of Berlin. The top end of Ku'damm is packed with department stores and fashion boutiques, and is a shopping paradise for young and old alike. From Adenauerplatz the stores become more exclusive: designer names from Jil Sander to Yves St. Laurent in elegant fin de siècle buildings. Friedrichstrasse links the glory days of the Roaring Twenties with modern architecture. With its new buildings, smart offices and coffee shops, it brings a flavor of New York to the heart of Berlin.
In the afternoon, check out Europe's largest Jewish museum and add some education to your day. In Daniel Libeskind's spectacular new museum building, shaped like an exploded star of St. David, this remarkable permanent exhibition documents the highs and lows of German-Jewish history from the Roman age to the present day.
Day Three – Potsdam
Just outside of Berlin is the city of Potsdam, summer home of the Prussian Kings. The Potsdam palaces - Sanssouci, New Palace and Charlottenhof - still retain some of the magic of bygone eras, as do the extensive palace grounds dotted with little buildings such as the gilded Chinese Tea House.
Related Germany - Three Day Itinerary Articles