Berlin – Port of Call or City Break?

Anyone who has visited Berlin whilst on a cruise will know that they journey from Warnemund and back again is longer than the time you will spend in the city itself, and as it is such a big city there is way more to see and do than you could possibly manage in just a few hours.
Some good clients of mine who have done the above and then felt they needed to see more of what the city has to offer have just booked themselves a little adventure which will culminate in a lovely four day break in Berlin which should give them plenty of time to explore.

On the 9th May they will take QM2 from Southampton to Hamburg for two nights, from where they will take the train down to Berlin – they are both big train buffs. We have then booked them a nice hotel for four nights and flights back to London Gatwick with Easyjet.
So what are the best things to see and do in Berlin without busting the budget? Well here are a few tips for them………………

Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour – always a value for money winner in any major city, for £18.49 they get get on and of as many times as they like at any of the 20 stops around Berlin. If you just stay on the bus the tour takes 2.5 hours. This tour can also be extended into a boat ride tour for a total cost of £29.41 per person.

Berlin Half Day Walking Tour – for £10.08 you can learn about Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War and 21st Century Berlin from a well informed guide as you walk around Berlin. this is just one of many walking tours around the city, all with a slightly different theme.
Dinner in the Dark – a unique experience, and yes you do eat in total darkness! For £32.77 you are served by well trained, though visually impaired waiters, and not being able to see what you are eating actually heightens your other senses. You are allowed to pick from a menu first – with the lights on!
Berlin TV Tower early bird or night time access – for just £10.08 you see the whole of Berlin from 666 feet above ground. There is a 360 degree viewing platform at the top and you can enjoy a birds eye view of Brandenberg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and Checkpoint Charlie, spending as long as you like up there.
Berlin Zoo from Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour – for £27.33 animal lovers can buy the bus tour including a ticket to the zoo, Tierpark Berlin or the Aquarium.

An Evening at Carlottenburg Palace including a palace tour, dinner and a performance by Berlin Residence Orchestra. At £63.02 per person this will be for visitors with a more flexible budget. Dinner is served in the Charlottenbeurg Palace Orangery which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Friedrichstadt-Palast Show – for those who enjoy the more glitzy nightlife there is this show which combines the glamour of Moulin Rouge and the skills of Cirque de Soleil. Acrobatics, dance, singing and visual trickery combine to keep your eyes glued to the stage all evening, and all for just £49.90.

So you see, there is plenty on offer in Berlin! I have no idea why it is nick-named ‘the grey city’, it seems anything but to me.
If you have visited Berlin before and would like to share it with others who may visit it in the future please write it in the comments below.