Travelling to Berlin

Lorraine,
I loved Berlin and visited in June of 2015, fascinating city with amazing history of course and art and culture. The people are very friendly and helpful and most everyone speaks English.
I went to the Jewish Museum which is wonderful and the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe, both very sobering places to remember and reflect on man's inhumanity to man.
Also, go to the Brandenburg Gate and the remains of the Berlin Wall to see the art that is now emblazoned there as a sign of freedom of expression.

I suggest you buy a Rick Steves guidebook, it is very detailed and available on this website (Shop Online) or on Amazon.

As to where to stay, when you have narrowed down the things you want to see and do, that will help you decide what area or neighborhood to stay in.
I hope this helps.
Enjoy,
Judy B

I love Berlin!

I stayed near Potzdamerplatz and at Alexanderplatz, both great transportation hubs for the city, trains, and airport.

Visit the Monument to the Murdered ahead of Europe early in the morning.

Hi,

Have you dropped the option of staying in the Berlin Hbf area? If so, and if you prefer staying in the western area, try Berlin-Charlottenburg. I don't know of apts in that area (mainly since that option is not for me), but there are numerous Pensionen near to subway stations and numerous restaurants of various cuisines. I would suggest using the "Rough Guide Berlin"...extremely useful and valuable in providing information.

Thanks Fred..just got the 2017 edition of Rick Steves Book on Germany..lots to read and love his books..so spot on with his info..
will check into the area you suggested

Berlin is a huge city (supposedly eight times the square mileage of Paris), and attractions are spread over a large area. So, there are lots of areas that are "good" to stay in. Unfortunately, the area right around the Hauptbahnhof isn't one of them. And no one location is walkable to the whole city; fortunately, public transit in Berlin is excellent and cheap.

Look at Rick's recommended hotels, which are in areas you seek (near restaurants, local stores, etc), and then look for nearby apartments.

And yes, a week there is a great idea. Just bundle up and enjoy! Like New York or London, you'll never run out of things to do in Berlin. I highly recommend starting with a walking tour, to start getting a grip on the city's history.

I'll be traveling to Berlin mid May and staying 10 days at Pension Peters in the Charlottenburg area. We booked this pension because of the many recommendations on this site as well as positive reviews on Trip Advisor. From what I can see on the map, it looks to be fairly close to public transportation and in a good location for whatever we
might want to do. I am really excited to be able to spend this much time in a city
I've never visited and have been reading your post and the replies with much interest!

@ Lorraine...Specifically, the area I am suggesting if you want to stay in the western area is between Bahnhof Zoo and Savignyplatz, between the two stations is ca 10 min walk. There are lots of hotels, 2, 3 and 4 star, and Pensionen one after another, in this area on Kantstrasse, Kurfürstendamm, Fasanenstrasse, Hardenbergstrasse, Bleibtreustrasse, Wielandstrasse, just to name a few and well served by buses and the S-Bahn. The German chain Motel One is next to Bahnhof Zoo, just as there is a Motel One at Berlin Hbf. After S-Bahn station "Savignyplatz" then it's quite a way until the next one at "Berlin-Charlotttenburg" where both trains and the S-Bahn stop. The historic "tourist sites" are mostly in eastern Berlin, ie in Mitte. If you want to be close to a post office, I suggest any of the hotels near Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse since that station has a post office. I think (?) the post office located between Bahnhof Zoo and Kurfürstendamm on Joachimtalerstrasse is still there.

If you're considering a day trip or two, within a radius of one to two hours, you can go north-west, south, east, southwest, etc..such as Neustrelitz, Weimar, Halle, Leipzig, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Jena, Frankfurt an der Oder, Potsdam, Rheinsberg.

Mitte is very central (hence the name) but also expensive. I stayed close to Checkpoint Charlie and friends stayed near Alexanderplatz. Both had good transportation and other services. I could walk to many places but often chose the take the U-bahn or S-bahn because, as Harold says, cheap and convenient, especially in the rain.

We will be visiting Berlin in April and in preparation have read two books you might enjoy: "The Tunnels: Escapes Under the Berlin Wall and the Historic Films the JFK White House Tried to Kill" by Greg Mitchell and "The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History" by Thomas Harding. We will be on a Viking Cruise starting in Berlin, with an extension, so I have no helpful recommendations for location to use as a base.

Lorraine,

You will very much enjoy Berlin. I spent a week there last May and enjoyed it so much that I am returning this May for another week.

A very special place to stay in the western area is mittendrin. It is on Nürnberger Straße, a block or two from Kaiser Wilhelm Kirche (Church). Sabine, the owner calls it a boutique hotel; I would call it the world's best B&B. Sabine is a former actress from Munich and one of the most lovely ladies I have met. There are 4 rooms. Two share a bathroom; two have their own bathroom. Breakfast is amazing and served at a big table in the common area, allowing for enjoyable conversations with Sabine and other guests. Sabine is eager to give recommendations on what to do in Berlin. She even did laundry for us at a very reasonable price (freeing up more time to see Berlin). The Augsburger U station (U1, U2, U3 lines) is one block away, and the Wittenbergplatz U station (same lines) is 2 blocks away. The Ku'damm U station (U1, U9 lines) is also two blocks away. After our one-week stay there, my travel companion and I considered Sabine a friend as much as a hostess. We are staying there again this May. As you can tell, I highly recommend the place!

As for restaurants, there is a nice Sardinian restaurant a couple of blocks from the Deutsche Oper U station called Il Pastificio. It has about 7 tables. A reservation is needed.

We're going to be in Berlin end of June. Staying in the Mitte area. Got a room 4* Booking.com room for $90 night. We're looking forward to staying in this neighborhood this time. Although for us, anywhere in Berlin is a winner.

We've been to Berlin three times now, and have always stayed in the Mitte/Prenzlauer Berg area. As the name suggests, it's pretty much in the middle of everything: you're a walk or a few U-Bahn stops away from Museum Island, Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Mauerpark/Bernauer Strasse (big outdoor exhibit re the Wall), and Alexanderplatz. You've got big transportation hubs like Alexanderplatz (just south) and Hackescher Tor (just north) that make for easy connections to trains and airports.

We have stayed in a private room at the Circus Hostel (which has a sister hotel across the street), and also at an Airbnb close to that area. I love the fact that there was tons of nightlife on the main streets (Torstrasse and Weinbergsweg), but it's also quiet and residential just a block off the main streets, if that's what you want. From what I remember, there were tons of Airbnb options in that area, and if/when I go back, that would be my go-to.

If you're looking for something not entirely gentrified (a good or bad thing depending on opinion), there are a lot of options in Kreuzberg, and more "up and coming" areas like Friedrichschain and Neukölln.