Berlin, a city I could keep coming back to. I first visited in 2018 for the Christmas markets, and then again in 2024 for my bachelor party. I suspect this trip is the start of an annual one. It’s a city I yearn to be in like no other.
This trip was special, I had taken Freddie to Germany, and Amy, my parents and sister accompanied. Having a baby with us, we were a little limited in what we could do whilst in Berlin, but we made the most of it.
We arrived, dropped our bags off in lockers at Alexanderplatz train station, and headed straight for the Fernsehturm. Which, whilst an iconic part of the Berlin skyline, did not feel worth the price (especially vs when I did it in 2018).
The views were nice, but yeah, this really wasn’t worth it overall.
We next headed for Brauhaus Georgbræu, located next to the River Spree facing Museum Island. It was a sunny afternoon, so having a meal and a few drinks in the outdoor seating area was a perfect way to kill some time (and our hunger). The food was nice (not exceptional), but the drinks were better, their home brewed beer was perfect in the sun.
The rest of our first day was rather relaxed, we wandered around the old town area, before heading to Charlottenburg, where our hotel was located when we could finally check in.
That evening we got food from Ali Döner, which was a staple of our group during my bachelor party to Berlin in 2024.
In another 2014 throwback, we headed to Burgermeister for brunch. The burgers were as tasty as ever, and the charm of eating from what was once a public toilet never gets old.
We got the train back a stop to explore the Eastside Gallery section of the Berlin Wall, and in the beautiful weather, we ventured to a nearby späti, enjoying some refreshments on Uferweg along the Spree.
After the wall, we ventured to do something it took me three trips to Berlin to see: Checkpoint Charlie.
After lots of steps, and sightseeing, we called it a day to day 2. As the next day, my Dad and I were hitting up a Union Berlin game.
Sunday wasn’t just football, we also had fleamarkets and parks on our itinerary. But when I woke up, I soon realised that me and Dad were the only ones awake. We went for a walk around the neighbourhood, and when we stumbled across a 24/7 bar, we thought we may as well get a head start before kick off later that day. Gabiko Kneipe was the far side of Charlottenburg from Zum Hecht (our beloved 24/7 bar from 2024), and had a more neighbourhood vibe – but it was nice to chill in for a bit before taking on the day.
When we got a text enquiring about our location, we ended our liquid breakfast and returned to our accommodation. We all ventured out to Flohmarkt Arkonaplatz, one of two nearby fleamarkets with sellers selling wares.
Mauerpark Flohmarkt was a lot more spacious, and Mauerpark also has a portion of the Berlin Wall running alongside it.
Dad and I had to leave the rest of the group here to make the match on time. It was Union Berlin vs Werder Bremen. 2 colossal teams in a unique stadium. And I was ecstatic. Seeing a Union Game at home has been on my bucket list for years, so when I was able to get my hands on tickets, I snapped at it.
The match did not end with the result we hoped for (it was a pretty damning 4-1 loss). But the atmosphere is phenomenal. The best in the world. I still get goosebumps thinking of the fans singing the club anthem, Eisern Union before kick off.
The next day, we resumed sightseeing activities. Third time doing said sights, but my Mum and sister hadn’t been so there was no point separating. We hit up the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews and the Reichstag as they’re all located right next to one another, and then opted for something Freddie oriented: the zoo.
Berlin Zoo is hyped for being one of the best in Europe (if not the world) and we picked an unfortunate time to visit as a lot of the enclosures were closed for renovation.
The weather was perfect for zoo exploration, and I think the fresh air was what I needed after overindulging at the football the night prior.
When we left the zoo, we ended up at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church whilst trying to navigate our way back to the accommodation. The church was extensively damaged during WW2, and they’ve left it as such as an anti-war monument.
And like that, it was time to come home.
Though this trip, Checkpoint Charlie and Union Berlin were my only really new experiences, I was so happy to be there with my family. It’s probably my favourite city, somewhere where your soul feels a bit freer and you know that anything goes (within reason). We couldn’t really test that hypothesis with a baby with us, but maybe next time. And I finish writing this piece, I know I’ll be back in Berlin for that next time, much sooner than later.
