(Untitled)

[velvetdahlia]

M and I have booked a trip to Berlin. (Thanks to vampyresheep for the cheap airfare tip).  This is going to be an adventure-- revisiting a place I have never been but that somehow formed me as an uber-politicized teen.

So, I need travel tips from anyone who has been-- what not to miss, etc.  We are going to be looking for a holiday apartment so we can cook

Comments

[vampyresheep]

Excellent! When in November are you going? (I am currently surreptitiously researching my own birthday trip there for end of Nov)

Personally I love Friedrichshain area, lots of bars, cafe's and shops (not to mention the fact that the biggest goth club K17 is in that area, along with several metal/alt bars). However, it is gradually getting trendier round there, heard stories of Boxhagenerstrasse becoming "party central" at weekends but I've not witnessed any of that myself!
Don't know much about Kreuzberg, other than its a bit grittier and more ethnically diverse (very Turkish!). I think if you aim for some place along the Landwehrcanal, you get to the more scenic areas, with cafes along the canal side etc.

For an artsy experience, you must check out Tacheles (an artists commune sited within the ruins of an old department store) and Cafe Zapata located on the ground floor. http://www.cafe-zapata.de/

Gothness :-) - the Last Cathedral is an excellent kitsch horror bar. You might also enjoy White Trash Fast Food restaurant/bar nearby, not made it there myself yet but its supposedly got a punk/retro sort of vibe.

Breweries - quite a few located around Hackescherhof. I've been recommended to try the Weihstephan brewery there (although that's more Bavarian than Berliner!). I've also yesterday found info on a "proper" brewery in Friedrichshain, called Brauerei Hops & Barley. Can't find the website now but a search on google maps might bring it up!

and i could go on......................:-)

[velvetdahlia]

Wow! Thanks for all this. Please do go on! I hope I see you at some point before we go so I can pick your brain. (If you wanted to meet up some time after work, perhaps I can ply information from you with a pint or two at Zeitgeist?)

This all sounds awesome. I'm excited. We are leaving on the 10th-- that is probably too early to coincide with your birthday but that would be so fun if it did!

[vampyresheep]

Feel free to ask any questions! I know i've only scratched the tip of the surface of Berlin, as we tend to revisit all the places we like each time but hopefully can be of some assistance.
I'm sure i could easily be tempted into a planning meeting at Zeitgeist! :-)

We're going at the end of November, to tie in with my birthday and the first week of the Christmas markets.

[vampyresheep]

Just realised, you're there around time of the commemoration of the fall of the Wall! The commemoration day itself is on 9th Nov but there might still be stuff going on when you're there: http://www.mauerfall09.de/

[velvetdahlia]

Wow-- I knew we were going around the time but I didn't know it was so close. Thanks for the link-- I'm going to check it out. xoox