I was in Berlin for several days on my own and went on two half day tours, one with Lee and one with Jeremy. They were both great. I had originally contacted Jeremy but since he wasn't available on my first day in Berlin, he recommended Lee. They worked together to make sure there was no overlap in our tours. I toured with Lee on my first day and Jeremy on my third day. Jeremy focused on Jewish history in Berlin and did an amazing job. He knows so much about Berlin and Jewish history. Lee gave me my introduction to Berlin and took me to several important places in Berlin. Both gave me great ideas of what to do on my own and suggested restaurants. My tour with Lee ended at the Topography of Terror and he directed me to a wonderful Israeli restaurant right next door. He also recommended a restaurant I loved called Night Kitchen. On my last day in Berlin, Jeremy suggested I go to KaDeWe, a food emporium in a historic department store.
As you can see, they were not only tour guides, but incredible resources during my trip. I recommend them highly.
Meri
Posted by
Southeast US
3857 posts
Berlin has some great guides! Glad they helped you enjoy my favorite city!
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8947 posts
Those are the 2 guides I always recommend for Berlin too. Lee actually helped Rick write his section about Berlin. Both are so chock full of interesting facts and knowledge, but are fun and not boring.
Posted by
Sonoma, CA, USA
21 posts
How do I contact these guides?
Thank you!
Posted by
OP
9 posts
In Rick’s book or here:
https://www.berlinguidesassociation.com/guides
And Here are their emails.
Jeremy :theberlinexpert@gmail.com
mailto:leetheberlinguide@gmail.com
Good luck!
Posted by
1 posts
Let me start by declaring that Jeremy is the best! We spent four hours covering some very common and a few not so common Berlin spots, with a bit of history and often humor along the way. Honestly, if we had more time, we would have spent the whole day with Jeremy! I had originally asked Jeremy to cover Cold War Berlin. We got a Cold War Berlin tour. But Jeremy included World War II history lessons (because how can you understand the origins of the Cold War without understanding some of war’s history?), as well as engaging in a few entertaining Berlin cultural discussions. We were very fortunate to have a cool, but sunny day late March morning/early afternoon for our tour, as we walked and walked and walked! We picked up public transportation, as well, but we walked and talked. My husband and I learned things about Berlin and the sites within Berlin that we would have not learned otherwise. Jeremy took us to a location (that will remain unspoken) that provided us an outstanding view of what was West Berlin and spy towers. He explained how one of the subway stops became lined in beautiful red marble. We discussed the direction in which the Soviets invaded Berlin during World War II and why certain monuments are where they are. Yes, it’s true that Berlin numbers trees in public spaces and now I can’t look at trees in Berlin without looking for a number tag! Jeremy took us to the outdoor Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe that my husband and I would not have otherwise visited, as we were unaware of this odd, yet very moving memorial. He recommended a visit to the sixth floor of the KaDeWe, to take in the crazy food hall, unlike anything I’ve seen anywhere (I’ve heard people compare it to Harrods in London, and yes, it was amazing!). Jeremy made us feel like we had an old friend taking us around town. Our time with Jeremy was time very well spent.
I found Jeremy via a Rick Steves online recommendation. I emailed Jeremy, asked about rates, availability, etc., and he responded very quickly. Our communication, from the time I originally reached out to Jeremy to the moment we met at our hotel, was outstanding. Jeremy practices proactive communication that is clear and consistent. His main concern throughout our time together was whether we were getting the tour we wanted (yes, he definitely delivered). He followed up afterward, as well, to ensure we were satisfied and to provide an extensive list of reference materials for our reading and viewing pleasure (we had asked).
I highly recommend anyone wanting a customized and informative tour of Berlin to reach out to Jeremy. He takes only cash, so be aware of that, and I believe he has a four hour minimum tour duration. Both non-issues in my book.