Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Relaxation can be found in one of the city's many parks
Right
Exploring Berlin on foot
Ways to Escape the Crowds
Rush Hours
If you're driving
around Berlin, try to
avoid the main rush
hours - between 7am
and 9am in the morning,
and between 4:30pm
and 7pm in the evening.
Buses, U- and S-Bahn,
too, are very crowded at
these times.
Weekends
Most tourists come
to Berlin for weekends,
and so Ku'damm and
Friedrichstraße are
completely overrun by
visitors on a Saturday
morning. In the evening,
many events, especially
concerts by the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra
and performances in the
best theatres, will be
sold out. If possible
arrange for your visit to
start on a Sunday and
take in the first few days
of the week.
Sunday Morning
Even the central
areas in Berlin are often
completely deserted
early on Sunday mornings
- the ideal time for a
quiet stroll down Kurfürs-
tendamm or Unter den
Linden. Most cafés and
museums open at 10am,
so you won't miss out on
either cultural discoveries
or refreshment.
Lunchtime
At restaurants, cafés
and snack bars in the
centre, you will often
have to stand in line or
wait to be seated if you
arrive between 12:30pm
and 2pm. Most venues in
Berlin, though, will
continue to serve the
same dishes. So, if you
wish to enjoy your meal
in peace and quiet, set
off after 1:30pm.
Reservations
Whether you wish to
visit the theatre, the
opera, the Philharmonie
concert hall, a multiplex
cinema or a special
event, it is almost always
worth trying to book
tickets as early as
possible by phone or at
one of the agencies -
you'll rarely be lucky
enough to buy tickets for
the most popular events
on the day.
Holidays
High season for Ber-
lin visitors is the period
from May to July. From
the end of July or the
beginning of the school
holidays, however, the
town gets noticeably
quieter, as many locals
go on holiday then. You'll
easily find parking spaces
and many restaurants are
much emptier than usual
- especially in August.
The only disadvantage is
that theatres and concert
halls close then for a
summer break.
Evenings Out
Popular restaurants,
particularly those around
Savignyplatz, Gendar-
menmarkt and Kollwitz-
platz are often booked up
between 7pm and 8pm,
especially in summer,
even during the week.
You are therefore best
advised to reserve a
table in advance, or to
arrive a little later, after
about 9pm.
Nights
Berlin is a city that
never sleeps - it is
“open” 24 hours a day.
If you don't have to stick
to particular times, for
your evening meal, for
example, make the most
of your freedom - in
most restaurants you can
still enjoy a good meal
after 11pm. The same is
true of pubs and bars -
many close at 3am or
4am, or not at all. Night-
clubs and discos don't
get going until midnight
or later, even during the
week. And some
museums stay open late,
until 10pm, on Thursdays.
Berlin Parks
If, after a couple of
days, you're tired of the
hustle and bustle of the
big city, go to one of the
parks to chill out - Vikto-
riapark in Kreuzberg,
Jungfernheide in Charlot-
tenburg and the area
around Tegeler See are
picturesque places
where you can relax in
peace and quiet.
Early Risers
Many of the popular
sights get very crowded,
especially from Thursdays
to Sundays. It's a good
idea to arrive early, and
to start your visit as
soon as a place opens -
especially the Reichstag.
169
