Berlin, Germany
My next stop after the Netherlands was Berlin. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Berlin; from crazy nightlife to a great bar scene. Honestly though, I was really looking forward to checking out the historical sights from the Cold War such as the Berlin Wall and the incredible street art scene! Sadly, I felt like Berlin was a very grey and modern city compared to other places I’ve visited so far in Europe… Nonetheless the hidden gems I found throughout the city were really cool, and as always I met some great people along the way!
One of the main things I wanted to see on this trip was the sections of the Berlin Wall; still standing and decorated in incredible street art! After some research I decided to check out the East Side Gallery; an amazing collection of art pieces recreated and maintained by local street artists. Most of these depicted iconic scenes from the Cold War showing the struggles between East and West Berlin as well as the political differences between Capitalism and Communism. It was really amazing to see these pieces and really admire them for what they stood for. I’m in love with street art, and this collection was some of the most interesting I’ve seen on my trip across Europe so far!
Berlin itself is full of an amazing history. What I find really interesting is a lot of the historical sights you can experience aren’t that old. It’s crazy to think about, but the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, that’s only 6 years before I was born! We never really got to talk about Vietnam, the Cold War, or history after that in any of the classes I had in school; so it was super interesting to see these places and learn more about them! One of the coolest places I saw besides the wall itself was Checkpoint Charlie. This checkpoint between East and West Berlin is most famously known for the tense moments when Soviet and American tanks met and almost sparked the beginning of World War 3. Thankfully that never happened, and today the checkpoint serves as a historical landmark. The museum next to the checkpoint was a really cool place to learn about the history of the Cold War and life in Berlin at the time.
Although I found Berlin really grey and full of a boring modern architecture, there were a few gems that were absolutely stunning like the Berlin Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gates, and the famous Berlin TV Tower. Alexanderplatz was a unique mix of old and modern and was definitely the best metro station to get off and explore the main sights of the city.
You can’t visit Germany without talking about the food! This was one of my favorite places for food so far on my trip across Europe. Schnitzel, currywurst, sausage, burgers, fries, pretzels, and beer. It almost felt like I was back in the US! My hostel had a restaurant and bar attached to it with great prices so I ate there quite a bit. However, just about every metro station had shops where you can get a quick schnitzel sandwich or currywurst to snack on before hitting the clubs and bars at night!
Berlin is obviously known for its crazy nightlife and club scene. From popular tourist clubs like Matrix to exclusive clubs like KitKat Club or Berghain; there’s truly something for everyone. Personally I didn’t dive into the club scene as much as I probably should have, but be aware that a lot of these clubs are very exclusive. If you don’t fit the scene or look the part, you aren’t getting in to the famous spots. All black attire or wildly outrageous outfits are your best bet for a chance to gain access. I met a really cool group of siblings that were traveling together who went full grunge and was able to get into KitKat! However, one of them had to remove their shirts since it was the wrong color and party in their bra while another guy wore a fishnet top so… you get it. Wasn’t really the scene for me, but the stories they told about what happened inside were interesting to say the least! The best spot I found to go bar hopping and get access into some smaller clubs was just across the bridge from the Warschauer Straße metro station. Fun people, some outdoor bars and food, and a lot of warehouse clubs.
If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t like Berlin that much at all. The city was grey and very urban, it was so spread out and took forever to get to the places you wanted to go. Of course the people weren’t the best, and the metro stations at night were pretty sketchy… If I had some friends with me I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. That being said, I wanted to get out of the city and explore some more of the country; so I packed my bags and hopped on a train to Leipzig. This little town was much quieter than Berlin, a lot prettier, and had a lot to see like beautiful churches, interesting museums, and tasty markets! I also arrived during Bachfest; a music festival celebrating the famous German composer. The free concerts were beautiful and you can even see the choir practicing in the historic churches during the day.
Leipzig was a nice relief after a disappointing Berlin, but I was ready to move on to my next destination in the Czech Republic! I definitely want to visit Germany again in the future, but think I’ll stick to the south where it’s a little more traditional and a lot prettier than the cities of the north. Hopefully one day I can finally make it to Oktoberfest in Munich! Until then, I’ll see you next time.