BERLIN FOR FREE
1. Reichstag
Berlin’s biggest freebie (see Reichstag) happens to be a must-see attraction. There’s no topping the fabulous 360º view of the city skyline that you get from Lord Foster’s beautiful modern dome. Guided tours take in the plenary hall and graffiti left by Russian soldiers in 1945. You have to register in advance and will need your passport to enter.
View from the Reichstag dome
2. Tempelhofer Feld
Tempelhof, built in 1939 by Ernst Sagebiel, was, at that point, Germany’s biggest airport. A powerful symbol of the new Berlin, the grounds of this historic airport were turned into a green space for the people. You will find lolling couples, urban gardeners, cyclists, in-line skaters, go-karters, and people barbequeing, doing T’ai Chi, flying kites and playing baseball.
3. Open Door Days
May–Sep • www.visitberlin.de
Beautiful private gardens, interiors of historic monuments and the hallowed halls of government ministries are opened to the public for a few days every year. Chancellor Angela Merkel shakes hands with visitors to her office.
4. Free Concerts
Herbert-von-Karajan-Str. 1 • (030) 25 48 89 99 • Sep–Jun • www.berliner-philharmoniker.de
Churches, universities and even renowned classical orchestras give free concerts. The Berliner Philharmoniker’s gratis lunch-time concerts (see Kulturforum), usually with small ensembles, are held every Tuesday at 1pm.
5. East Side Gallery
The biggest remaining stretch (see East Side Gallery) of Berlin Wall is now an artistic statement on Germany’s division from 1961 to 1989. Famous murals include a Trabant busting through the masonry, Heads with Big Lips by Thierry Noir, and Brezhnev and Honecker kissing.
6. Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
Bernauer Str. 111 • (030) 46 79 86 66 • Centre: open 9:30am–8pm Tue–Sun • www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de
The Berlin Wall Memorial is well worth a visit for its recreated “death strip”, excellent documentary centre and dramatic stories of how East Germans escaped over (or under) the hated barrier. Listening stations and displays are spread along the former border.
Mural on the Berlin Wall
7. Free Walking Tours
Daily, year-round • Check websites for times and departure points • www.alternativeberlin.com, www.brewersberlintours.com, www.newberlintours.com
Join a guided walking tour of the city run by Alternative Berlin Tours, Brewer’s Berlin Tours and New Berlin Tours. They’re free of charge, although tips are encouraged.
8. Museums
Many museums and galleries, including the Alliiertenmuseum and Knoblauchhaus (see Nikolaiviertel) have no admission charge. Some of Berlin’s most prestigious museums, such as Gemäldegalerie, the Pergamonmuseum and Alte Nationalgalerie are free to visitors under 18.
9. Holocaust-Denkmal
Designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe consists of 2,711 concrete pillars, many of them off-kilter and placed on undulating ground (see Holocaust-Denkmal). The underground Information Centre offers a moving introduction to the horrors of the Holocaust.
10. Schlosspark Sanssouci
For those who fancy a stroll through a Romantic landscape painting, the Schlosspark Sanssouci is a must-visit. Just a half-hour from Berlin by commuter train, these gardens in Potsdam are strewn with ponds and whimsical follies, including an Orangerie, Roman Baths modelled on an Italian villa and a Rococo-style Chinese house (see Schlosspark Sanssouci).
The charming Schlosspark Sanssouci
TOP 10 MONEY-SAVING TIPS
1. The city’s public museums, including the comprehensive complex on the Museumsinsel, are covered by the popular Berlin Museum Pass (€24). This offers free entry at participating institutions on three consecutive days.
Bode-Museum, Museumsinsel
2. The berlinScheckheft (€7.50 at newsagents) contains vouchers that offer steep discounts on restaurants, museums, theatres, music events and other attractions.
3. Theatres and opera houses sell reduced tickets at the door on the day of the performance.
4. Go gallery-hopping in the arty Mitte district. Here, Auguststrasse and Linienstrasse teem with collections open to the public.
5. Visit berlin.eintritt-frei.org for an up-to-date list of free events taking place in the city.
6. Buy discounted public transport tickets (such as a 4-pack or a day pass) or hire a bicycle to get around and see the city like a local.
7. Bus lines 100 and 200 take in many of Berlin’s best sights for the price of a single fare.
8. Take advantage of the good-value set meals in cafés and restaurants, particularly at lunchtime.
9. Comb through the vast Mauerpark flea market for unique vintage and retro finds. The market runs all day on Sundays (see The Best of the Rest).
10. If you are a visitor from outside the EU and are leaving the EU with purchased goods, remember to get a refund on Germany’s 19 per cent sales tax. Ask sales staff at stores for an Ausfuhrbescheinigung (export papers).
