Berlin & Potsdam on a budget?

Question

We're going to Berlin from this Monday to Saturday. We've already got flights & accomodation (a youth hostel) sorted.

However, we're going on a budget and would like to know what touristy things we can do for free / cheaply in Berlin and Potsdam.

Plus, are there any particularly vegetarian friendly cafes around?

I have a reasonable amount of German (enough to get me by with a little pointing and the odd bit of English), so that's not really a concern.

Thank you!

Answer 1

The best thing you can do for a short break is to use the booklet that comes with the Berlin Welcome Card (see link below). You can buy one from the BVG desk at Schonefelde.

The Welcome Card is the Berlin version of the London Travelcard and gives you unrestriced use of busses, trams, SBahn, UBahn and RE Trains for the duration of the ticket.

They're valid for either  72 hour or 48 hours. Get as many as you need to last for your break; they're valid from when you stamp the in the machine at the stations or on the bus/tram.

The booklet contains discount vouchers for all manner of clubs, bars, restaurants, theatres, tours, museums, massage, flotation tanks, etc.  If you just work your way through  this book you will not only save a lot of money but will effectively be a guide for filling in a 5 day holiday. (see link below).

Try and pick a single place to use as your centre of operations for travel purposes. The Zoo has the best connections for S&U Bahn and is also the main city bus station. The main shopping drags (Ku'damm) and the Erotic museum starts from there. From the Zoo take bus route 100 to the end of the route. This bus passes many of the touristy sites so have your guide book with you. You can use the Welcome Card so you don't have to travel on an expensive tour bus.

The new Haupbahnhof is "ok" but a bit isolated.

In addition to the attractions in the Welcome Card booklet you should visit the Soviet War Memorial at Treptower Park (Treptower Park SBhf, line S9). This is free and gob-smackingly impressive.

You must also go to the Natural History Museum (it's in Invalidenstrasse 5 mins from - U6 Zinnowitzerstrasse). This houses the largest Brachiosaurus skeleton in captivity and a good friend of mine is one of the managers there so I must recommend that you visit. It's discounted in the Welcome Card.

Take a walk through the grounds of Schloss Charlottenburg. There is an entrance fee to the palace itself (not high and well worth it) but the grounds are free and stunning. Look for the compound where they've imprisoned the sad statues. (10 mins walk from Charlottenburg S9, you'll need your street map because they're not adjacent).

The Europa Center near the Zoo is a shopping/restaurant mall with a big water clock. See if you can figure out how it works. It's behaviour at the turn of the hour is quite something.

Go to the Nikolai Viertel (Nicholas Quarter). This is a reconstruction of the original medieaval Berlin town centre. It's a short walk from Marx-EngelsPlatz and the Rote Rathous.

While you're there have some lunch in the Georgbrau. This is one of the dozens of micro-breweries in Berlin and the beer is excellent. NEVER drink the common or garden lagers in Berlin (Calsberg, Stella etc). Their local brews are cheaper and sooooo much better.

For a good vegitarian meal that is away from the main drags - There is a small but perfectly formed Thai restaurant called the Thai Inside. This is in Dircksenstr. 37, near Alexanderplatz station. They do a Quorn Massuman that is unbelievably superb. (see link below).

While you're in the vicinity of "Alex" you should see the World Clock (famous but very disappointing) and take a walk along the river.

From the Zoo station take the RE train to Grunewald. This is the big lake down in the bottom right hand corner of Berlin. You can hire a boat, swim, bask or join the locals skiny-dipping.  A couple more stops on the same line is Potsdam. This is an upmarket suburb and very pleasant to stroll around. In winter they have a good Christmas Market too.

Enjoy. You will want to go back again and again and again.

Answer 2

Welcome to Berlin! There are quite a few places you can go and see without having to pay. The one thing everybody should know is that the number 100 bus takes you by all the sights, so don't book a special sightseeing coach tour. Instead, get a day pass for public transport (zones A and B, that ahould set you bback about 6 euros per person), hop on the 100, go to the top floor and get off whenever you see something that you like. I also recommend a peak at the building of the nordic embassies - fascinating architecture!

When you look an the Brandeburg gate (free), walk down Unter den Linden for a bit to have a look at the famous Adlon hotel (from the outside at least), then take a right and check out the architecture of the British embassy. Also, check out the Reichstag and go up onto the roof (free, but do allow some time for queuing), and walk amongst the stone pillars of the holocaust memorial. Both the Reichstag and the memorial are just a few steps away from the Brandenburg gate.

http://www.visitberlin.de/english/berlin...

http://www.britischebotschaft.de/en/

http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/visitor...

http://www.hotel-adlon.de/en/home/index....

http://www.nordicembassies.org/

I also love the museum about the history of the Berlin wall. By all means, go to Checkpoint Charlie to get a look around, but steer clear of the "museum" there as it's very much bent on effects rather that actual documentation. Go to Bernauer Straße instead (using public transport and your day pass) and have a look at the excellent free exhibition as well as a part of Berlin Wall complete with watchtowers etc.

http://www.berliner-mauer-dokumentations...

Then, after the sightseeing, go for a stroll on Bergmannstraße in Kreuzberg (Bus no. 248 will take you there, or the subway stop Gneisenaustraße is nearby). Get a taste and feel of what Berlin feels like for the locals, and have dinner at the excellent  "Knofi", which doesn't have a very varied menu, but does offer excellent Turkish vegetarian filled pancakes.

Enjoy your trip!