Germany in October

Hi, Debra. Welcome to the forum. If you share your interests, that may help us suggest something unique but interesting to you for Berlin and Munich. Also... if you give us dates, we have a local from Berlin who sometimes drops by and suggests a street fair or some such thing based on when you will be in the city.

Oh yeah... as of right now, a COVID-19 test is not required of vaccinated people entering Germany from the US, but things can change. I've found the website of the German Missions* in the United States (germany.info) to have up-to-date info on entry requirements for Germany -- just scroll down to the "News" section and click on "Coronavirus (COVID-19)".

Despite the lack of a requirement for a COVID-19 test prior to entering Germany, I got one just to be a good global citizen -- an extra step to try to minimize the risk of me taking COVID-19 into the country I'm visiting.

*Embassy and consulates

We will be arriving in Germany on the 4th of October and staying 2 1/2 weeks.. We really enjoy the usual historic museums and sites. However, we like to try things that are unique to the area, such as the Ice Bar in Stockholm, The Bletchley Enigma Bar in London, or the Palio in Siena. We will be in the Berchtesgaden area and would love to find a luge ride. I hope that helps.

If your idea of "something unique to do in Munich" is a special sports experience, how about surfing in Munich? :-)

If you are going to be in the Berchtesgaden area for at least a few days, I highly recommend the guide book written by David Harper, one of the owners of Eagles Nest Historical Tours.

https://www.eagles-nest-tours.com/guide-book/

An unusual activity in Berlin: ​Unsicht Bar -- A dark restaurant. Enter the establishment; order a drink and your food in the upstairs bar; go to a transitional room where you meet your visually-impaired server who leads you through a door into a pitch black dining room and guides you to your seat; eat in pitch dark. The idea is that other senses (including taste) will be enhanced by eliminating visual stimuli. https://www.unsicht-bar-berlin.de/en/html/home_1.html

A rewarding activity in Berlin: Do a private tour with Robert Sommer. He was the 15-yo son of an East German (DDR) bureaucrat when the Berlin Wall fell. He lived as a squatter and was of the punk rock scene. Later, he got a PhD, his thesis dealing with prostitution in concentration camps. Super interesting guy who can give a lot of insight into the old DDR days and into Berlin in general. http://www.thetrueberliner.com/references

An over-the-top (but pricey) unique activity in Berlin: Get Robert to take you to the bunkers outside Berlin that held Soviet nuclear weapons that were to be turned over to the DDR military in the even of nuclear war to "engage" West Germany. It's expensive because you have to pay Robert, a driver (not accessible via public transport) and the guy who owns the land where the bunkers are located, but super cool. It also requires good mobility due to quite a bit of walking and the need to climb up/down ladders in the bunkers.

Unsicht Bar -- A dark restaurant

That is a fantastic idea, I can only second that. There are, if I remember correctly, two dark restaurants in Berlin. I have actually been to one of them, but I can't remember which one it was. It is definitely a unique experience (not recommended for people with certain phobias though).

The idea is that other senses (including taste) will be enhanced by
eliminating visual stimuli.

That, and also you experience the world of blind people in an amazing way. I couldn't believe how quickly I lost my bearings after just a few steps into the dark. And trying to find peas and potatoes on your plate without them ending up on your pants sure is a special experience too.

For Berlin, there are also two very special venues that are worth looking into: the Bar jeder Vernunft and the Tipi am Kanzleramt. Not sure what they can do during Covid, but I have seen amazing shows there, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Just be sure that you choose a program that does not rely heavily on language unless you speak German well.

If you are in Munich from Oct 16-24, you would be there during Auer Dult which is a traditional market held 3x/year.

Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestions. I will definitely look in to them. If you think of any others, please let me know.

I think dinner in the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) in Berlin is pretty nifty. The restaurant is a revolving restaurant, has decent food and has great views of the city. If it sounds worthwhile to you, I would suggest getting a reservation a little before sunset. Pay extra for a window seat (it's worth it). Eat slowly and order dessert! See how the cityscape changes with one revolution in daylight, one revolution during twilight, and one revolution after dark.

Berchtesgadener Land: I'm still thinking of something unique. An Almabtrieb, the annual moving of the cows from the alpine highlands to the valley, would be very cool to see, but it looks like most of those have been cancelled. The brass music festival about an hour away across the Austrian border at Ellmau would also be cool to attend, but it is also cancelled.

There is nice walk (hike would be a strong term) from Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden's parish church St Sebastian through the Zauberwald ("magic forest" complete with a water-driven miniature village along the way) to Hintersee. When I did the walk, the river kept getting more impressive as I rounded each corner.

The moving of the cows and the brass music festival sound like fun. It is a shame it has been cancelled. We will definitely look into the restaurant and the hike. Thank you so much for the suggestions. I am having the best time researching all of your recommendations. I will keep checking for any additions.