Heading to Germany next Week. First time! Advice?

So you have five full days? You are going to hate having a car. I'd stay in Berlin the whole time.

If it is a question of going with others or going solo since the others can't make it, I have always gone alone, esp when it comes to going to Germany. You made the right decision. Go to Berlin first then Munich.

Cancel the car rental. It will be a major headache, a ball and chain. With 5 days, don't go to Munich. If you want to see another city, take a day trip to Dresden. You booked into a pretty fancy hotel, wouldn't be my first choice, unless it was a business trip and I wanted to hang with my fellow road warriors.

You're proposing to see a whole country in a few days, in American style. Its about 400 miles from Berlin to Munich. About 300 from Munich to the Rhine. Thats most of two whole days of your trip just in transit. So you won't see much besides the back end of trucks and highway rest stops. My advice would be to spend the whole time in Berlin, or Munich, and do day trips to see a few nearby attractions.

Its hard to quantify the cost of stress and aggravation of having a rental car when comparing to rail, but it is significant. Much of driving in Germany is different from the US, including traffic signs, and parking availability. Most attractions are built for access by public transportation, unlike the US, so that massive parking garages and open lots are not that common.

Casey,

I love your enthusiasm for travel. Can you help us understand where you are coming from on 6/1 and where you are headed on 6/7? To/from US? To/from other countries?

I agree that having a car during all that time will be a nuisance: I would choose to avoid it all together. BUT... If I think like a 20-something, the idea of driving on the Autobahn -- particularly in the areas where there are no speed limits -- is an immensely cool one. If that is why you want to rent a car, think about picking up a car for just one day somewhere close to the highway, like at the Hertz Berlin Charlottenburg location at Kaiserdamm 25a; it's right at the Kaiserdamm U2 station and right beside the A100 with easy access to the A115/A9. From there, you could take a day trip to Wittenberg or Leipzig (if staying in Berlin the whole time). That allows you to avoid driving in central Berlin (a good thing), avoid trying to find parking, and limits car rental cost to only the time you are using the car.

I (and others) are happy to give Autobahn etiquette advice if needed.

Hey, guys! Wow, thanks for all the good advice. I'd like to make a correction on my original post I just noticed. It's Mitte* my autocorrect corrected it to Mitten. I'm sorry if I wasn't too clear regarding travel days. I will have 7 days to explore excluding the flights. I'm actually leaving NYC on 5/31 and leaving Tegel 6/8. Sorry for the confusion.

Somebody mentioned how American of me to think I can see Munich and Berlin in a week. Haha. I don't know if that was meant as a dig but I'll take it either way. I guess, being American and living in a huge country we're used to driving two hours just to get to work in some cases which leads many of us to believe that a 4 hour cross country trip is nothing. You still won't convince me otherwise quite frankly but I agree with your perspective that it's no way to "take in" the country. I will heed all advice as you all know far more than me.

Now that I clarified my schedule do you think Munich is more attainable? 3 days each and 1 days taken by travel. Or even a day trip to Munich by rail?

To answer the question of where I'm coming and going from: I'm coming from JFK NYC to Tegel on 5/31 and leaving from Teigel to Paris 6/8.

With regards to the rental, it was so stinking cheap that I am willing to just leave it at the hotel the whole time if need be. I paid maybe $150 for the whole week rental and since I'm American that's including a "full sized" upgrade. The American in me shudders at the thought of econobox's, haha. I can drive manual though if needed. Plus, they were trying to charge me 1/3 of my total rental cost just for a van pick up and drop off at the airport. That's why I thought it was a no brainer. But I'm getting the feeling a car is a no-go.

Maybe I was mistaken but I looked pretty hard into train tickets and am I wrong when I found them to be about $80 each way from Berlin to Munich given I can't pre-order them?

Also, what is your take on those Berlin "all inclusive" passes for about $80 for museums. I'd like to see some museums what's the cost of an average museum ticket without the pass?

Next question is my phone. I have a Verizon iPhone 7 and they offer something called "Travel Pass" for $10 a day and it allows me to ride off my domestic unlimited plan internationally. I also thought of maybe just getting a German prepaid SIM card? Are they available at the airport? Which do you think is best?

Lastly, as the last poster said--the autobahn is alluring; I must admit. I'd be so grateful for etiquette advice in every respect! I don't want to offend anybody while there. I'd like to leave that to my fellow countrymen. I'm sure they don't disappoint, haha. I've been trying to read up on the do's and don'ts.

If you were me what would you do? I'd like to see both Berlin and pre-war undisturbed scenery/town. That's my only desires. I'm pretty open to do whatever. My family is originally from Bavaria though I'm not sure exactly which town. That's why I really wanted to see the area.

Thanks for all your help. I'm open to all advice.

I would take Emily's advice: cancel the car, stay in Berlin. There'll be a lot to see there. And travelling alone won't be a problem; you'll meet people all over town. And a quick look at my Yahoo weather app shows PERFECT weather conditions there - lucky you!!

Thanks for the replies Shelley and Lubitsch!

Shelley, will ditch the car. But will still grab it. Just may leave it at the hotel if for nothing else, to act as my airport transit. I think the cheap price is worth my peace of mind knowing it's there if I want to venture out. Thanks for the well wishes! I've been watching the weather like a hawk. I'm a little concerned about next Monday (storms) but I'm keeping my eye on it.

Lubitsch, thanks for taking the time to give me a detailed response. You are clearly very knowledgeable and I'm sucking up whatever info you want to toss my way. You're right, Rhine is too ambitious--it's out. I like your blunt matter-of-fact style. You seem like somebody who is worn down from new-traveled people coming on here with crazy unrealistic plans. I can respect that!

You're also right that I don't seem to have much direction on what I want to do. I don't! I'm up for whatever and was going to plan only lightly and just go with the flow wherever it takes me. I really don't even know all the little things there are to see besides the main attractions (Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, etc). I've watched many documentaries, travel and historical and I'm a history buff so I'm familiar was the history of Germany from the German Confederation all the way through reunification but I certainly don't know all the things to see.

Regarding Bavaria, thank you for mentioning the religious split. My family is catholic so I'm assuming that means I'm in the south but like you said one can't be sure. I would have to ask my grandparents if they can be more precise on location.

Lubitsch, my interests are more of a history buff perspective meaning I'd love to see things related to the German Empire, Third Reich, DDR. I have no problem walking several miles, in fact I enjoy it. So if I said: Hey, Lubitsch, what would you recommend for a first timer like me who wants to see the usual stuff and more historical monuments and remnants of the 4 governments of the last 100 years. What would you suggest?

Lastly, what do you guys think with regard to my cell phone? Should I stick with my American international provider which is $10 a day for everything or get a German local SIM card?

Forget calling on a cell phone, pay attention to what is going on around you; just use hotel wi fi for email and internet to communicate with the office (heaven forbid) or your love ones and to look up stuff.
You will be busy on this short trip. The hotel concierge can give you advice as needed.
Everyone speaks enough English where you are going (since USA has had troop bases over there since WW2).

For Berlin, do go on some good walking tours that will cover the themes you are interested in, 3rd Reich and a general overview tour. My preferred tour company is Insider tours as their guides are outstanding. Then check out some alternative type tours, like Berlin Underground, the Stasi museum, etc.
If you keep your car, head to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. This was just for women and their exhibits here are very well done. If you have time, you can go to Sachsenhausen too.

Consider going to the Spree Wald, for some nature stuff. For smaller towns, Potsdam is a treasure, or farther afield, try Lübeck or even Quedlinburg. A day trip to Dresden could be added with a visit to the Green Vault. Leipzig or Hamburg are also closer than heading off to Munich.

Times driving in cars can be deceptive. Traffic jams (Stau) on the autobahn in the summer are notorious and a simple 4 hour trip can easily turn into 8.

The Verizon Travel Pass is a good plan, depending on how you use it.

If you need to call home or text, then by all means, it's great. You can keep your own phone number. I had it when I was in Munich, and it works like it's supposed to work. If you use it once, you're charged $10 but that's good for 24 hours of use. If you do not call, text or use data then there's no charge.

If you do trigger the plan for the day, you will receive a text when your 24 hours is almost up.

I've never tried swapping out the sim card, but I had read that this changes your phone number. Since I need to be available to people back home, I have never gone that route. Perhaps someone else can give you a better idea of how well that works and what it covers.

Thanks for the additional information, Casey. I'm flying back from 3 weeks in Germany as I type this; I sprung for internet on the plane and have nothing better to do than give excessive travel advice! So you will have your day of arrival + 6 full days. I personally like the idea of hanging out in and around Berlin for that time. If you decide to go to Munich, you are going to lose a good part of 2 days to traveling. You could pull it off, but I think you can see a lot more if you stay closer to Berlin. Here is what I did with 2.5 weeks in Germany/Austria, including 8 days in Berlin.

Things to consider doing:
1. Walking tours: I agree with Ms. Jo on doing a couple of walking tours. It really helps give some context to what you are seeing. I think many people here like Insider Tours, which are relatively inexpensive and apparently quite good. I'm partial to Context Travel -- more expensive, but group size is no more than 6 (their tours generally need 3 participants to happen) and tours are led by a master's or PhD level "docent." A Berlin Underground tour has been on my planned itinerary for Berlin twice, but got bumped by other things.
2. If you want "to see things related to the German Empire, Third Reich, DDR," consider a visit to the Deutsches Historisches Museum on Unter den Linden. Open 10:00-18:00, it can easily fill a day. Admission price 8 euro.

3. German Empire (Holy Roman/Prussian): Unter den Linden, Siegessäule (Victory Column) in Tiergarten
4. Third Reich: Visit the Reichstag (now Bundestag), whose burning led to Hitler becoming chancellor. You can walk the cupola (with an audioguide) for free, but you need to register online in advance to get an assigned time and to avoid long lines. I schedule a time a little before sunset, did the audio tour, hung out on the roof, and watched the sun set on Berlin from that vantage point. A Third Reich walking tour will take you to other places of interest.

5. DDR: Visit the Berlin Wall Memorial (free), where you can see the wall as it truly existed. The Documentation Center is excellent. The Stasi prison is a fairly sobering experience; the English tour is definitely worthwhile. There are 2 DDR museums. I have been to neither, but I understand the one in the Kulturbrauerei gives a better sense of the good and the bad during DDR times than the one near museum island, which is more "Ostalgic" (nostalgic about DDR life). I want to see both, but haven't been able to get to them despite having spent 16 days in Berlin in the last 13 months!).

6. Take a walk in the Tiergarten. Lonely Planet has a really nice "leisurely Tiergarten meander." Google that phrase and you can find the map/plan for free on Google Books.
7. I really like Lubitsch's idea of going somewhere in the Harz Mountains. Here is a website to give you an idea of what you can see there.
8. I think a day trip to Wittenberg or Leipzig is also worthwhile, though Wittenberg may be crowded given the 500th anniversary of Luther nailing the theses to the castle church door.
9. Potsdam is full of all kinds of German Empire and WWII history.
10. If you have interest in the Holocaust, Wannsee Conference Center (the site where the "Final Solution to the Jewish Problem in Europe" was implemented. The exhibition there is excellent (and sobering).
11. Ravensbrück is a very interesting place to visit, as Ms. Jo notes. I took public transportation there; a car is not required.

Rental Car:
Even with your explanation, I would still recommend canceling the rental car. Once you get off the main streets in Mitte, the intersections have no stop signs, yield signs, or lights. The rule seems to be that the first car to the intersection goes first. I sat on a bench with a friend watching one of those intersections about 2-3 blocks south of where you are staying. We agreed we had no interest in negotiating those in a car. It looks like the Westin charges 32 euro per night for valet parking, which appears to be the only option for parking at the hotel, so that will certainly add to your cost, too. The Westin website says a cab ride there from Tegel is around 20 euro; a pick up by a private driver such as a Blacklane driver (where the driver holds a little sign with your name on it where you exit baggage claim) is 40 euro. Even cheaper, use public transportation. A 7-day public transportation pass is around 35 euro, and Berlin's public transportation is very easy to use. Even if you don't use public transportation to get to the hotel, Berlin is enormously spread out; you will need to use public transportation.

Smart Phone:
I have never switched out SIM cards, so I honestly don't know how that works. I find my smart phone invaluable, though. The DB Navigator app is enormously helpful to me in terms of figuring out how to get from one place to another using public transportation. I am map-challenged, so Google Maps is helpful to me, too; I put in my destination, and then start walking; it helps me figure out if I am going in the right direction. I turn off the cellular capability of all my apps and then turn off the cellular function, using it only when needed to conserve data (though it sounds like your plan is different than mine).

Miscellaneous Other Cool Places to See in Berlin:
1. An English tour of Tempelhof Airport is really cool. This de-commissioned airport has a quite incredible history. It was designated an airport in 1923, massively expanded by the Nazis in the mid-1930's (with quite classic Nazi architecture), and used by the Allies after WWII. It was the primary airport used for what I consider to be one of the US's greatest moments, the Berlin Airlift. The tour is one of my favorite things I have done in Berlin. There is a memorial to the pilots who lost their lives during the Berlin Airlift just outside the airport.
2. The Rausch Schokoladenhaus. Just a couple of blocks from your hotel is a chocolate shop with many, many chocolate sculptures and a cafe on the second floor that serves wonderful hot chocolate and chocolate desserts (along with full meals centered around chocolate). The cafe also has nice views. If you want to visit the cafe, reserve online.

Your next trip:
Think about traveling "open jaw," i.e., flying into one place and flying out of another. The cost is usually quite similar to flying round trip -- just use the "Multicity" function on airlines' websites. A Berlin/Munich combo for this trip would have made more sense for this trip if you flew into Berlin, stayed 3 days, had a travel day to Munich, stayed in Munich 3 days, and then flew out of Munich. I personally think it would have short-changed Berlin, but I love Berlin and think Munich is overrated (though the area south of Munich -- the Bavarian Alps -- is awesome).

" I'd love to see things related to the German Empire, Third Reich, DDR."

Berlin and Potsdam have enough on these areas to keep you busy for your entire trip. I agree with everyone else - ditch the car, focus on Berlin/Potsdam, and if you insist on a side trip, look at Dresden or Leipzig for a night or two. Accept that you will only see a sliver of Germany on this trip, and plan another trip later to see other parts of the country.

In addition to what's already been mentioned, the German History Museum is a must, and could fill an entire day.

If you want to see things related to the German Empire, ie Imperial Germany, then forget Munich, stay the whole time in Berlin.

Rent a car only to see the old time Prussian villages in the Gross-Berlin area, numerous museums focusing that history and WW2 are located in these small towns. I've been to five of them. They are esoteric museums dealing with the historical periods you mentioned, (eg, the German Confederation (since 1815), don't expect audiophones to be available, they may have them and may not. The explanations are in German, no English next to them unlike at the German Hist Museum on Uner den Linden. When I saw them in the last few years, they knew I was a foreigner/tourist, no mention of them was made to me...didn't matter at all anyway.

Wow, you guys are the best!! Sorry I didn't get back to everyone yesterday. I have been washing, packing and getting everything together. Thank you so much for all your detailed suggestions and the time you took out of your day to help a total stranger; particularly Dave and Lubitsch but of course everybody else as well. You guys wrote more to help me than I did for my university thesis, haha.

Ms. Jo, thank you for writing. I came across the Third Reich tour by Insider Tours. Since you recommend it, I will purchase the tickets. I saw that tour a few days ago and it caught my eye but I wasn't sure how good it would be or if I should have just sprung for the "all inclusive" $80 Berlin pass. Dresden has been mentioned to me a few times as a good place to go. Stasi museum is so cool. Will look into that!

Steph, thank you so much for helping me decide my precious phone dilemma. I know some people think being on your smartphone is blasphemous on a vacation but I need it!! Lol! I will simply just go with the Verizon "Travel Pass" rather than getting a SIM. Already signed up. Not a bad deal.

Dave, thank you so so much for basically writing the blueprint for my vacation. You've made my life much easier and my vacation better. I ordered the same airline wifi gogo plan to keep me busy during the flight. I really appreciate your suggestions on tours and the recommended tour guides. I saw the two companies you mentioned in my online searches. Also, Teirgarden, Templehoff and DDR museums are fantastic suggestions. I have since looked into it. How was your vacation? Three weeks, huh? That's a proper vacation. That's what I plan to do in the future.

I, too, find my phone to be invaluable and will probably just use the Verizon plan that aquamarinesteph referenced.

Lubitsch, I think you're doing a service for some of us overly ambitious Americans who think we can see the world in 7 days. A sobering voice like yours is necessary to force travelers to be more realistic with the plans and expectations. Because of you and the rest of the helpful folks on this thread I narrowed down my plans to focus on two specific areas rather than zig-zagging the country and seeing only bumpers and the autobahn for my trip.

I really like the Potsdam and Prussia advice. I am facisnated by Prussia and in the future would love to check out old East Prussia/Poland and Danzig/Gdansk. The Harz mountains is something that jumped out at me as soon as I read it. I'm looking into that. Admittedly, many of the locations and "things to do" you guys mentioned I'd never heard of which is exactly why I came here and am grateful you all took the time to guide me towards interesting things. Because as an American, even a well read one (I'd like to think, anyway) I'll never know what is the best places and locations to see. I'm simply not experienced like you all.

I will see if I can get a copy of Iron Kingdom on my iPad to read on my 8 hour flight.

Lubitsch, do you live in Germany by a chance?

Hey Harold, thanks for your suggestions. Will note German History Museum. The name alone sounds like my kind of place. I am very interested in the GDR. Just watched another documentary on it tonight, in fact. It was a German-made documentary with subtitles. It was very good!

Fred from San Fran, love San Fran by the way. Thanks for taking the time to toss some advice my way. Much appreciated. Prussian villages in the Gross-Berlin area strike my fancy. Any particular ones off the top of your head to recommend? I wouldn't mind just "getting lost" and seeing what I can find.

Question: I usually use credit cards for EVERYTHING. Will I be able to use them much of the time? I read Germans don't use credit cards as much as Americans do. What is a good ballpark amount of cash I should withdraw assuming I'm going to try to use credit as much as I'm able to?

Again, thank you all so much. I will continue to post throughout my trip!

Hi,

You can do this as a day trip from Berlin if you are bent on seeing Prussian "stuff" as you mentioned. I'd do it from Berlin.

Take the train from Berlin to Lüneburg via Büchen. See that museum in Lüneburg, prepare to spend the afternoon there. Look at every single exhibit. You'll find it captivating and enlightening, obviously, if you have a good level of reading German.

On getting a rental car and seeing villages connected to Prussian history and such museums in the Groß-Berlin area....numerous villages....Großbeeren, Wustrau for the Preußen Museum, Neuhardenberg...very poignant, Seelow, Lübbenau, Potsdam (on the S-Bahn ) to see Neues Palais and the Brandenburg-Preußen Museum, ca 15 min walk from Potsdam Hbf, Rheinsberg, and Neustrelitz, former of Mecklenburg-Strelitz connected to the dynasty.

If you are willing to get lost driving, seeing the villages, etc, take the route gong east , ie from Berlin to Frankfurt an der Oder.

As far as using a car to get from Tegel to your hotel, the TXL bus, which goes every 10 minutes will get you to within 1 block of your hotel for 2.80 EUR in 30 minutes. You'll be there before you've even got to the head of the line at the rental desk. You can buy tickets on the bus from the driver.

Your stop is Friedichstrasse & Unter den Linden, then walk 1 block south on Friedrichstrasse to the Westin Mitte. Just parking at the Westin will eat up a lot of change. Friedrichstrasse 158-164, Berlin,. There is a Contipark underground garage about a block from the hotel that charges 8 EUR/day. Using the hotel's valet parking will probably be a lot more.

Hi,

I am probably too late with my reply to be of any real help, but there is one paragraph in a previous post that I simply can't leave uncommented:

"Once you get off the main streets in Mitte, the intersections have no
stop signs, yield signs, or lights. The rule seems to be that the
first car to the intersection goes first."

Absolutely not! There is a perfectly clear rule for that in Germany, and that is: If there are no signs saying otherwise, the vehicle coming from the right has the right of way.
Never apply the American rule of "first come, first go" on German intersections, or you'll find yourself in trouble!

That said, I do agree with the others that a car is simply going to be the most cumbersome thing you can imagine in a city like Berlin. You may have got a cheap rental, but you probably did not consider what it will cost you in parking. And have you figured out what you're going to be spending on gasoline for a trip to Munich?
Most of all though, it's just no fun experiencing Berlin by car. You'll spend most of your time looking for parking. Public transportation is great, and a day or week pass really isn't that expensive.

If you insist on taking a trip to a farther-off destination like Munich within such a short stay, you will also enjoy it so much more after a relaxing train ride (make sure you book a seat!) instead of a whole day on the road. Have a look at Google Maps and see what a treat you're going to be in for with the construction zones on that trip. Don't even dream of "no speed limits" near a construction zone.

If you are a history buff, Berlin's the city for you anyway. I completely agree with some previous poster: In that case, forget Munich. Stay in Berlin for the whole time. You'll end up wanting to spend your whole week there anyway and won't regret the decision for a minute. You'll find all of German history plus a lot more right there as a concentrate.
Nobody seems to have mentioned the Museumsinsel yet, it seems. Several world class museums are to be found there, and they surely will have audioguides in several languages.

If you do want to take day trips, again, I'd absolutely recommend public transportation. Potsdam and Dresden would make more excellent destinations for a history buff.
Someone mentioned the coast (Baltic Sea) and the Harz mountains, but for those destinations you probably would in fact need a car, and I think that's just too much for one week anyway. Save something for your next trip.

Credit cards: Most major places in Berlin will accept them. Debit cards are more widely accepted though. And don't try to pay with either one at a place like a local farmer's market.

Cell phone: Unless you are really going to do a lot of telephoning, I think it's not worthwhile getting a local SIM card for just one week.

If you do: Make sure you understand if your phone is unlocked and will work with a different SIM card. Or simply get a cheap phone with the SIM card.

Yes, you will get a new phone number (a German one, obviously) with a different SIM card. If you do a lot of traveling, you may want to get a dual SIM phone so you can use your usual phone number and a local one interchangeably, and people can still reach you at your regular phone number.

Have a good trip and enjoy Berlin!

Have you notified your credit cards that you will be traveling abroad and what country? If you have not notified them, they will likely think there is fraud and block your account. My bank allows you to setup a travel notice online which makes it easy.

Hi,

I recommend for academic reading on Berlin and Prussia not only the book by C. Clark (an excellent work by an excellent historian) as suggested above but also that of Alexandra Ritche, both highly competent, scholarly, thorough, readable. Clark's book was readily translated into German, if you want to tackle that too.

Hey guys!! I'm 40,000 feet in the air in the middle of the Atlantic as I write this. I went for the GoGo wifi. The guy I'm sitting with is German and couldn't be nicer. My flight got off to a rocky start. There were people in my seat! The nerve , haha. They told me they re-arranged the seating before we boarded. But this flight is quite long from NYC to Tegel. But the tech the planes have make it much easier.

I've still haven't got a solid plan. Most likely not going to Munich after you wise folks talked sense into me. Still trying to debate if the all inclusive "Berlin Pass" is worth it.

Anna, thanks for your tips! Will keep them in mind. I will check in as soon as I get situated. I will most likely stay around Berlin. I want to just walk and take the city in for the first day. I can't thank you all enough. You gave my trip direction and informed my agenda more than you realize.

Sam, thanks for the parking tip. I looked into it. I wonder if they will allow me to come and go for the flat day ratecor will charge me each time I enter?

I will write more when I check in at the hotel.

Hey guys,

I just got back home yesterday. I LOVE Germany! So much so I want to go back and rent a flat for a month or something.

Everybody here was right. I got the car but stashed it at Greisdreick Park Haus for the whole time pretty much. It was only €10 a day or €50 per week so that was fine. I walked about 10-15 miles per day and only took the U Bahn 3 times. Which by the way I love they run their public transport on the honor system, haha. But I found walking to be he best way to see the city. Every street was something new. I stumbled on the Bendlerbloch by accident, for example.

I went to see everything you can see in Mitte. I was out for 12 hours a day and only went to my hotel for sleep and food. My feet are shot but I don't care. I ended every night sitting at the Brandenburg Gate or should I say brandenburger tor? They had it blocked off for several days for the Deutsches Turn Fest which was kind of cool because I got to walk the straße des 17 juni from the statue of victory to the gate in the middle of the road as they blocked all traffic on that street from the roundabout.

I just loved everything about Germany. To the point where I got home and started thinking of living there or staying there for several months. I love their funny rules. I learned the first day as I walked from my car to my hotel about the sanctity of the bike paths. You don't walk on the damn bike path! Lest you want to get the bell or worse! In my case it was getting shouted at after I ignored the bell, haha. I found it hilarious how they will wait at 3am for 3 minutes or longer with no human life in sight for the amplemann to turn green before crossing the street. You don't want to set a bad example for the children apparently--even at 3a.m. They could be looking out the window, you know?

Of course I was there when Trump pulled out of the Paris Accord so I stumbled upon a protest at the gate. It was all so much fun. I visited everywhere from the Olympic Stadium, Charlottenburg Palace to the TV needle and Red City Hall to the Zoo and Wilhelm's church and everywhere in between. I wish I went to Templehoff airport though. I went into the dome on top of the Reichstag. I met awesome Germans who were all very nice.

In my short time there I picked up on a lot of the do's and don'ts very quickly and got along great. I just never felt as close to home abroad as I felt in Berlin. Like I could actually live there and be content. I've been to plenty of beautiful tropical places and by the end was ready to go and not look back but in Berlin I was sad to leave.

The only thing I have to get used to is the lack of A.C. That was a problem for me. Most days you don't need it there but there were some 80+ degree days where the American in me was bursting at the seams for ice blasts from vents. I got the feeling Mitte was an awesome place for history buffs or in some dark humor Disney Land for neo-nazi's, haha; I remember waking home from the Berlin Mall and real big in bright yellow lit up signs "Führer Bunker" haha. They don't hide from their past, that's for sure.

I already find myself online looking at flats for a month's stay. I really felt a strong connection with the place more than any other I ever visited. You guys gave excellent advice and helped me as much as one can. The rest you inevitably have to figure out for yourself! I wasnted to check in with you all and let you know how it went. Hope to hear back from some of you.

Tschüß!

Hi,

Great that your trip to Berlin was super. If you intend on pursuing more detailed, extensive, esoteric traveling in Germany, and it sounds that you will, first and foremost thing is to forget the American in you as regards to AC. If you come across it, great, if you need it. I don't. Otherwise, don'expect it unless you feel it it worth forking out the extra expense for this level of luxury, I wouldn't. If "they" cannot do without it, so can you. If it is budget accommodations where you stay, expect not to find AC...certainly not in Pensionen.

Another place in pursuit of the interest in Prussian history....Neues Palais in Potsdam, amazing and esp in light of the July Crisis of 1914.

Glad it all worked out. Sounds like you had a great time.

I met awesome Germans who were all very nice.

If you're going to be there for longer, be prepared that that is not always going to be the case. For one thing, we tend to be terribly direct, and not all Americans can handle that. :-)

In addition, there is a thing called "Berliner Schnauze". Anyone thinking of relocating to Berlin should do some research on that. :D

Not to hijack this thread by Casey13, but Casey13 I totally feel you about Berlin! I did visit a few other cities in Europe (it was also my first visit) and Berlin and Amsterdam are on my must-see-again bucket list. The only thing is, I would probably have to go back solo but that's not stopping me!

I am so glad you posted and that you had a great time! I was wondering how you did because I am going this Saturday for my first time to Europe and also solo. I also have way more vacation time than the BF. I would love to hear more if you feel up to it. Your enthusiasm has me even more excited!

Deborah

Hey, Casey! Glad you had such a good trip. My reaction to Berlin was much like yours. I enjoyed my week there in May 2016 so much, I went back for another week this year. The thought of moving to Germany has crossed my mind, too, but is on the back burner for now. I am thinking about doing 2-3 months of language school in Berlin within the next 12-24 months to build on what I've been learning at home over the last 2 years.

As I scanned your prior comments, I saw that I failed to respond to your comment about a 3-week vacation being a proper one. It is! I'm fortunate to have a job where I get 30 vacation days per year (6 weeks!). That's definitely an unusual amount for the US. I can work the system, too, to get a couple of extra weeks on top of that (though it means working like a dog to get it!). I have to admit I would be hard-pressed to leave my job just because of vacation time!

@ Casey13....My first trip to Europe, a 12 week trip, included going to London, Vienna, and of course, (west) Berlin. Unlike the other places on the trip where I stayed in hostels 99%, in Berlin it was at a Pension. Like you, I found Berlin interesting, the Dialekt intiguing, fascinating, captivating, knew I would be returning on the next trip. the heat was oppressive (yes, that famous Berlier Luft you hear about), since it was the third week of July of 1971 in a summer known for its heat wave.

Great that you ended up going solo to Berlin instead of wasting this timely opportunity.

Anna,

Your post made me laugh. Especially after I researched the Berliner Schnauze. I put the link I found regarding it at the bottom because I thought you might find it funny they way the article details how the German state during the 1936 Olympics had to put state information out to tell Berliners to behave and be nice for the foreigners coming for the games. It's apparently a centuries old "problem"?

Anyway, your post made me laugh for a more personal reason. I definitely had my own experiences with German "directness" or maybe what would be considered rudeness in the States. But I didn't take offense because first, I knew about it and was warned beforehand and second, I kind of appreciated the directness and no B.S. that we're so accustomed to here in the U.S. Though, admittedly, when I first experienced it myself I was taken aback with a feeling of it being both refreshing and offensive all at the same time. By the second time it happened I all but loved it.

The first experience was right off my 12 hours worth of flights and layovers. I was sleep deprived as I couldn't sleep on the plane. I landed at Tegel (customs was organized and a breeze), Germans organized and efficient, who knew? Haha. Anyway, I land and immediately walk into Enterprise, hop right into a brand new VW wagon and left. PSA to fellow Americans reading this: nearly everybody in Germany drives manual (stick) including rentals. If you can't drive manual cars request an automatic but don't assume it will be an automatic. So, anyway, I found my way all in one piece to the Westin without getting lost, pull up out front and walk inside. I'm feeling like I did a pretty damn good job so far in a foreign country without knowing much of the native language. So this German girl about my age is checking me in and I asked for her opinion on where best to stash the car for the week and she told me the park haus Greisdrieck. She wrote it down on the back of a piece of paper for me. Well, after she checked me in she handed me a bunch of papers and I simply lost track momentarily of which paper she wrote the directions down on and asked her which it was. She looked at me slightly annoyed and very stern and said: "William, you're not paying attention." I was like: "whoaaa" haha. I thought for being jet lagged and sleep deprived in a foreign country I was on point. Well, I guess this young lady didn't agree with that. Haha.

The second time was two days later at a Trump protest for the Paris Accord at the Brandenburg Gate there were hundreds of people it seemed and I was talking to the crowd and found another American girl my age who was also visiting but grabbed a sign and joined the protest. Well, in the middle of our conversation this older German lady approached us, broke right into the conversation without excusing herself and said to the American girl: "you're holding the sign wrong. It looks stupid like that. Hold it right-side up" waited for the girl to correct he sign and just walked away. It was awesome! The girls face was had the expression of: "WTF". I tried to explain to the girl it's not meant in a rude way it's just their directness and in fact it's somewhat refreshing.

Overall, I found Germans to be great. Even the few that told me what was on their mind without any buffer. I'm a little cynical and sarcastic myself so I loved it. However, that's not to say the novelty wouldn't probably wear off but I'm sure there's no malice behind it.

http://needleberlin.com/2014/04/26/the-rise-and-fall-of-berliner-schnauze/

Fred, you're absolutely right. The day I landed was the hottest day of my trip. It was about 85. Apart from the hotel nothing was air conditioned. I was surprised considering I'm pretty sure Germany invented airconditioning but I adapted quickly. It actually got chilly towards the end in the mid to low 60s.

Fred, I'm glad you told me about the Potsdam location for the July '14 crisis. That's right up my ally. You're the best!

Sam, thanks!

Mia, I've now grown to appreciate solo travel. Of course having someone to share experiences with is preferred typically but when you're by yourself you can stay or leave places when you want, see what you want. No need to compromise or try to read the group if they want to leave even if they won't say. Please don't do what I did he last two years and no go for fear of going alone. It was great! You can "FaceTime" with anyone on your phone when you get lonely and you will meet others, trust me.

Deborah, ask away or private message me. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I would enjoy helping a fellow traveler out but the others on here know far more than me as well but I can tell you that you will not be lonely or will it damper your trip, at least in Germany, if you go alone.

It was an awesome time! I came back and immediately started looking for month long rentals. That should tell you right there. Please ask away.

Dave, we seem to have a few similarities. Yes, six weeks is YUGE here at home. Most get about two. I just finished school and was thinking of going back for law school. I'm in my twenties with no family yet. This allows me much more flexibility than others obviously. I'm curious, as you seem to have a good job, when you thought of living in Berlin or Germany, would that be retaining your current job or working remote or just quitting and living life and finding work in Europe? That is a major life choice but at the same time we're only here for a short time in the big picture. Enjoy yourself. At the same time it takes money to live lol. Either way, one week isn't enough, that's for damn sure!

Fred, you lucky son of a gun. I would killlllll for 12 weeks throughout Europe. Were you in the military or just a roaming young guy? Curious to hear more about your time back then. I would love for that opportunity. Especially back in the late '60s and early '70s. So much was happening. So cool. That had to be a life changing or at least a culturing experience. Hostels are defiantly the way to go on the cheap and particularly for younger people. Everybody told me to stay in a hostel. Truth be told, I got the hotel for so cheap, Expedia claims free that it didn't make sense for me in this case. I paid like $1200 for the whole thing not including taxes and fees which bumped it to about $1400. I'm assuming most of it was plane tickets.

I'm currently looking into airbnb or something like that for a month rental. I tried last time but Expedia was still cheaper due to the plane tickets being so damn expensive. I'm open if someone knows a better place to get deals.

Hope you had a great time.

The thing I find crazy with this post as I was reading through.. everyone telling you to ditch the car. We just traveled through Germany in April with a rental car and I wouldn't have wanted to do it any other way. We were able to have so much more freedom to stop in smaller areas along the way. Change routes, have flexibility, etc. It was so very easy and the signage/traffic so easy to pick up on.

Yeah, but for casey13's purposes, it sat in a parking garage for the entire trip and ended up being very expensive airport-to-city-center transportation. A little more experience and casey13 will figure out that a car can be an expensive boat anchor to haul around. You need a car car only if you need it to get somewhere public transportation won't get you to in a convenient and timely manner.
Notice that the drinking age for beer is 16 in Germany, and 18 for liquor. You can't get a driver's license until your 18 in Germany and even then only after some extensive classes. So it is possible for a German teenager to have a social life without a car. I've gotten earful's from European exchange students. "What? We can't have a drink until we're 21! That's nuts!" Welcome to America, land of the automobile.

That's a great article you linked to, thanks!

Though I don't agree with it in all points. While true "Berliner Schnauze" will certainly come across as rude if you are not expecting it, there should be an element of humor and warmth in it, not of an intended insult.

I had a very unpleasant experience once in Berlin with an office manager who was being just plain rude and unfriendly to all her clients. One of the clients murmured, "Well, that's the 'Berliner Schnauze'", and I totally disagree. This woman was just simply being a bitch, no trace of "Berliner Schnauze".

That said, I am not sure how much really is left of those traditions. Berlin has changed so much since the wall came down, in many respects. And East Berlin was very different from West Berlin, which now sort of all is mixed up and changing all at once. East Germany used to be infamous for not having anything like customer service (what for? They would get their pay no matter if they sold anything or not) which might easily bear some resemblence to rudeness too. Though they have come a long way since then of course.

.

BTW 1: B.S. is NOT short for "Berliner Schnauze". ;-)

BTW 2: The English Wikipedia has an article on "Berliner Schnauzen" only which is not what we are talking about here but simply a play on words, referring to a T.V. series on the Berlin Zoo ("Schnauze" generally refers to the snout or muzzle of an animal). The German Wikipedia has an article on "Berliner Schnauze" which does not explain it either but refers to a music album of that name.

The thing I find crazy with this post as I was reading through..
everyone telling you to ditch the car. We just traveled through
Germany in April with a rental car and I wouldn't have wanted to do it
any other way.

You confuse traveling through Germany with visiting Berlin.

If you had stayed in Berlin for a week, you would have been annoyed at yourselves for even wasting the money on a car rental.

Maybe too late, but anyway I just left Berlin and loved it. I stayed at Alexander Platz area. The city is like New York, but cheap. Everyone speaks English, and doesn't expect anything else... I learned to not bother with my German :-)

Everyone speaks English, and doesn't expect anything else... I learned
to not bother with my German

That's right, everyone speaks English and doesn't expect anything else from American tourists, but please do bother with whatever little German (or language of the country you happen to visit) you can speak!

I really don't speak any Greek, but having learned the word for "beautiful", simply admiring a local resident's garden or potted flowers and saying "oreia" with my horrible accent has gotten me so many smiles and friendly encounters, sometimes even people giving me a fruit or inviting me to take pictures.

Trying at least a "Good morning" or "thank you" in the local language will get you so much further than the attitude "God speaks English, why should I bother to learn or attempt to speak the foreign language" which is, unfortunately, widespread. I have seen so many American tourists walk into Heidelberg stores and bluntly address the storeowners in English without so much as the slightest attempt at even a greeting in German. Of course those storeowners will understand you and be able to reply in English. But - sorry to be so direct - I think it's just plain rude.

That goes for all nationalities of course. It's just as rude when Germans in Mallorca address the waiter in German, even when, yes, it is a major German tourist destination, and yes, the waiter will understand and speak German.

@Scott & Anna... I'm a 44-year-old US Amerikaner who has been learning German in my free time for 2 years. I have found that most Germans are very appreciative and kind when I greet them in German, allow them to return the greeting, and then say something (in German) along the lines of "My German is not so good, but I try to speak it." If I've heard the person speaking in English to the person in front of me, I say "My German is not so good, but if you have the time and patience, I like to speak in German." Other than bus/train ticket salespeople at the airports, people have been uniformly lovely and gracious as I stumble through (and butcher) their native language.

@Casey... I'm a pediatrician. I considered working for the US military as a pediatrician in Germany. I also seriously considered doing some intensive work at a language school (including medical terminology) and then working in a more typical German clinic, if I could master the language. I've learned I could never earn in Germany what I earn here, so I think I'm pretty content for now with working in the US and spending 4-6 weeks in Europe every year. Plus, I live near a BMW plant, so the German transplants for BMW and its suppliers who have children are starting to find me -- they like it that there is a pediatrician in the area who can talk at least some to their 5-year-old who doesn't speak English (yet). I have a friend from high school who moved to Berlin after college (he took German in HS and college). He has been there for well over 20 years now and loves it. He made quite a nice life for himself and now has German citizenship.

@ Casey....My first trip in 1971 of 12 weeks, of which seven in (west) Germany, I was a student backpacker. On July Crisis I suggest you read Christopher Clark...any thing he writes is good, scholarly, inciteful, balanced. and competent...plus a host others.

When I walk into a store in a German city, esp in a heavily tourist area say, the Marienkirche area in Munich oder a souvenir shop on Unter den Linden, "they" know I am a tourist since I have that written all over me, so to prevent their addressing me in English (since everyone speaks English), what I do is to preempt them by saying something in German. That usually does it, if not, continue in German.

If you want to avoid English having spoken to you in Germany, go to towns and cities in the eastern area....Weimar, Leipzig. Meißen, Potsdam (super fascinating, esp walking through the town, plus Neues Palais), Seelow (for the expanded war related museum), Neustrelitz (your interest in Prussian history will tell you why), Greifswald, etc. In the small restaurants you won't be given an Engish menu, since there is none. You walk in, they'll be talking German to you immediately. You'll avoid any English usage totally.

I just registered for an account here after reading this thread, merely to say thank you to all who contributed to this discussion - whether it was with travel advice or first-hand experience. Discussions like this makes me want to give you all a group hug!

I am in the process of pulling together a plan for a trip to Germany for the 3rd week of September, and this was helpful in deciding how ambitious NOT to be :)

I was so happy to see Casey13 shared the outcome of his travels - it only adds to my excitement in planning and plotting!