Where to stay
Last week we stayed in the Meininger Hotel and it was quite nice. We payed 100 euros for 3 nights for two people.
That got us a private room, a private bathroom but no breakfast. The rooms were not the cleanest I have ever seen but definitely not the worst either. The atmosphere in the hotel was great and the common area and guest kitchen were a nice plus.
Don't count on amazing WIFI though.
Airbnb will always remain my favorite style of accommodation. In berlin I suggest getting an Airbnb outside the city center so you get a feel for the real Berlin. You don't need to be afraid of long a commute if you are not right in the center either. There is so much to see in each neighborhood of the city. Often things that are way more interesting than the main tourist sights. But If you would like to see all the mayor tourist attractions, public transport is great and will get you everywhere in the blink of an eye.
I will link my favorite Airbnb Here.
Hostels!
Hostels are always a great choice. I have never stayed in a hostel in Berlin because I have always been with my boyfriend and he hates hostels. But I have heard so many amazing things about this and this hostel from friends that I would highly recommend them.
How to get around.
I will be a public transport advocate untill the day I die. And berlin just has an amazing public transport system. I will explain it in short
U-Bahn: these are mostly underground trains with a lot of stops that are located in the center of the city.
S-Bahn: These trains have less stops and take you all the way to the outskirts of the city and to the Airport.
Trains: Trains go from city to city within Germany but you can hop on them as long as you stay inside the city of berlin.
Busses and Trams: Busses are often a great option because they connect places where there are no direct U- or S-Bahn routes.
What ticket you get depends on your budget and what you want to do.
If you plan to visit a lot of museums and attractions the Berlin Welcome card might be for you
If you just want the cheapest option the berlin Joycard is the way to go.
I do recommend always taking an ABC region card. This way you can travel from and to the airport and visit places that are further out of the city.
You will find these tickets under Tourist Tickets at the Machines that are on the platforms. If you have your ticket you will have to stamp it at one of the small machines close to the ticket booths.
Where to Eat?
This might be my favorite place in Berlin. Brammibal serves donuts, bagels, coffee and cool beverages. Everything they serve is vegan but even if you are not vegan I would advise you to still try their donuts. My boyfriend who is not the biggest fan of the idea of vegan things said they were one of the best donuts he ever had.
Don't miss out on their grilled "cheese" bagel with ketchup either as it was the best vegan cheese I ever ate. Order the amazing mint tea or cappuchino to go with your donut or bagel and you are ready to go to food heaven.
East Side Mall (malls in General)
We stayed close to the East side mall so we only ate here, but I have seen other malls with similar sections. The East side mall has half a floor that is dedicated to food. They have all kinds of food stalls that you can pick and choose from. You can take it away or eat at the tables places in the middle of all the restaurants. The reason I love and recommend this so much is that you don't have to agree on what you are going to eat. My boyfriend wanted Kebab, but I don't eat meat so I went for a vegan curry from an other food stall and we could still enjoy our meal together. The meals here are really good quality, semi healthy and cheap. It’s a fast food option but healthier.
Kebab
Kebab is something you can't miss if you go to berlin. Meat-eaters you will be pleased at every corner of almost every street but for the veggies and the vegans, this is your place to go.
Where to Go
I highly recommend the Time To Momo travel guides and the app. They give you walking routes throughout the city. If you did all the tours during your stay would really know the city inside out. But I understand you don't necessarily have time or motivation to walk around every day so my favorites are: Friedrichshain, Mitte and Kreuzberg.
Tempelhof
The abandoned airport of Tempelhof is an amazing place to chill and have a picnic. You can fly a kite, rent a bike or just simply walk around and enjoy the chilled atmosphere. You can also take a tour of the buildings and bunkers here, The tour is in German but I will go back to do this.
What to Do
There is so much to do in berlin that I will make a separate blog post on my 50 favorite things to do in the city but here are some highlights:
Take an alternative Berlin tour and get to know the real berlin
Just walk around and get a feel for local life
Eat as many (vegan) food as you can. I have never had so much vegan choice in my life.
Learn about the history of the city by visiting museum or taking a history tour.
Experience the amazing art this city has to offer.
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