# A Day in Berlin **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** vacation-travel\ **Created:** [August 18, 2024, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858 "2024-08-18T09:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/41 "2024-08-19T16:00:57Z")
> [@Tusculan](#): > > The Pergamon is closed for the next couple of years for renovations. Bummer. The Ishtar Gate was truly spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/42 "2024-08-19T16:27:34Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > The Trabbi was a slow two-stroker, but not _that_ slow. With the right conditions, it could reach 100 km/h. You mean falling off a cliff? šŸ˜ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/43 "2024-08-19T16:30:06Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > You mean falling off a cliff? šŸ˜ Nah, merely without passengers, an empty trunk and almost empty tank, back wind and on a descent on a straight section of the Autobahn. I think a little prayer was optional, but might have helped. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/44 "2024-08-19T17:34:21Z")
As an alternative to the Pergamon Museum, there is the [Pergamon Panorama](https://www.visitberlin.de/en/tickets/exhibition-pergamon-panorama-asisi#/). The panorama itself is fun and the rest of the exhibition includes assorted sculptures from Pergamon (although nothing from the Gigantomachy) displayed in a variety of rather inventive ways. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/45 "2024-08-19T18:22:01Z")
> [@Feurmann](#): > > Potsdam is a good suggestion, too. But for only one day, restrict yourself to one palace. It may seem obvious to point this out, but those places are HUGE. And if walking between them, they are at quite a distance from each other. (Donā€™t forget, youā€™ve got to walk back too!) Maybe stick to Sanssouci Palace. In fact, make this your number one principle ā€“ _strategise_. Iā€™ve been to Berlin and Potsdam, and if you like history and palaces, I would _highly_ recommend Sanssouci. Every room seems to be different and not to follow a strict Baroque / Rococco scheme. And thereā€™s a lovely English-style garden through which you access it. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/46 "2024-08-19T19:27:37Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > > > But charming and beautiful are not the right words to describe it. Youā€™ll see. > > Letā€™s say that Berliners (and the city) have a rough charm you have to learn to accept. I have always liked visiting and the people. I think of Berlin as an old dog. A bit arthritic, horrible breath and grey around the snout, but very, very loveable. Iā€™ll add in a few notes to the great advice so far (and this is a tourist perspective). I was certain that the checkpoint Charlie Museum was a tourist trap and for several Berlin trips I avoided it. I went last time and was surprised, It has some really interesting stuff, but (if they havenā€™t moved) it suffers from being in a really small building. Itā€™s cramped, and hard to get around. Sadly Kuā€™damm isnā€™t what is once was. In the 20th century it was a bustling place. Now itā€™s chain stores and dead in the evenings. If you want shopping, check out KDW. I assume itā€™s more of a mall, than department store by now (i.e. independent shops set up in the old building) but still fun. To natives: Is there still that ā‚¬3/24hr transit pass? Itā€™s the best way to get around. Maybe, if you want German food, _Hackescher Markt_ (sort of food court) has some stuff to offer. Walking distance to Alexander Platz. If you make a slight detour going from Checkpoint Charlie to the Holocaust Memorial (which I think is a must) youā€™ll find _Topographie des Terror_ built on the old Gestapo HQ. Google beforehand to see if it interests you. I did those three in a morning and it was quite the downer. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/47 "2024-08-19T19:52:32Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > To natives: Is there still that ā‚¬3/24hr transit pass? Itā€™s the best way to get around. ā‚¬3/24hr? That was a while ago, wasnā€™t it? Today it is 9,90ā‚¬, but still the best deal. A single ticket is 3,50ā‚¬ (valid for 2 hours, you can change from bus to U-Bahn and S-Bahn, but it is not allowed to go and return on a single ticket) and there is the four trip ticket pack for 10,80ā‚¬. You can do the math: three trips in a day? Four trip ticket is cheaper, and you`ll have a spare ticket for another day. Four trips or more, two hours or more apart on a single day (wow! Over 8 hours travelling!): take the 9,90ā‚¬ 24 hr. alternative. And if you want to go to the airport or leave the AB zone (which is quite big: the C zone starts at what used to be the city border) you will need an ABC ticket, which costs more. All infos [here.](https://www.bvg.de/en/subscriptions-and-tickets/all-tickets#One%20Day) Tickets can be bought in the U-Bahn, either at the entrance or by horrible, slow machines that may refuse change or your card. Or in cigarrete kiosks with the yellow BVG sign outside (BVG: Berliner Verkehrs Betriebe, Berlinā€™s municipal public transport society) ETA: And donā€™t forget to validate the tickets! Yes, the 24 hr ticket too! And 24 hr are literally 24 hr, they will be valid next morning. The time of validation is printed and mostly legible. Sometimes not so muchā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2024, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/48 "2024-08-20T06:58:37Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > ā‚¬3/24hr? That was a while ago, wasnā€™t it? Today it is 9,90ā‚¬, but still the best deal For the OP, the 48hr Welcome Card might be a better deal if they use as many discounts as possible ( we used the 6-day and it was definitely worth it since it had a discount on the ho-ho bus tour as well) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/49 "2024-09-30T10:25:29Z")
Iā€™m sitting here in Alexanderplatz and Iā€™d like to thank everyone for this thread. Itā€™s been a wonderful day so far (the sunny weather has helped a lot!). Really cool city - to me it feels like a mixture of New York, Vienna and Tel Aviv, and not intimidating at all. Iā€™m going to find something to eat and hit a museum. Oh, and I tried currywurst yesterday. It wasā€¦ fine. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/50 "2024-09-30T10:34:44Z")
I was wondering how you were doing! Today seems like a perfect day to go up the Fernsehturm - you will have a great view with this weather. Enjoy your time, whatever you do! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/51 "2024-09-30T11:18:10Z")
Man, you werenā€™t kidding about the view! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/52 "2024-09-30T11:34:43Z")
And I want to thank **Pitchmeister** for his Handelā€˜s Messiah suggestion: we are looking forward to the event next Saturday, already have the tickets. Glad you are enjoying your stay, **Alessan** , very well timed! The rain is supposed to start late tonight or tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858/53 "2024-09-30T11:55:22Z")
Last time I was in Berlin I got shot at (literally) during a daylight robbery attempt at a cafe. Sill, a great city, although I prefer Bavaria. On edit, this is in no way common in Berlin (or Germany in general). The cops were very surprised about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-day-in-berlin/1005858.md?page=2)