My Berlin Surprise: A City Like No Other

I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical about visiting Berlin. I'd heard it was a dump with homelessness and trash, but my instincts proved right - I loved it!

Plus, a life hack for affordable city views.

Happy Victory Day to everyone! I'm excited to share with you a city that's synonymous with the end of World War II - Berlin.

Today, I'm taking you back to the final push of the Berlin Offensive Operation in 1945, which saw the Red Army capture the capital of Nazi Germany.

Specifically, the operation lasted from April 24th to May 2nd.

I have to admit, despite living in Germany for two years now, we still haven't made it to Berlin. The distance from our current city (around 500 km) just never seemed worth the trip. We've explored other German cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bremen, and even visited some of the country's famous spas in Baden-Württemberg - Koblenz and Wiesbaden. But Berlin remained a mystery...

My first trip to Berlin with my son was a whirlwind affair - we were just passing through, having flown into Schoenefeld Airport after a long journey. By the time we arrived, we were both exhausted and didn't have the energy or time to explore the city. I'd already booked a hotel and signed up for a tour of the Bundestag, but at the last minute, I cancelled, so all we saw of Berlin that time was the view from the train window. That being said, I was impressed by the convenient public transportation from the airport - you can catch a train to anywhere in Germany from right there. The Deutsche Bahn platforms are easy to find: just exit the airport building and follow the signs - it's a short 100-200 meter walk. You can't get lost, to be honest, as everything is well-signposted and straightforward. Just be aware that there are a lot of different transportation options available. I'd recommend buying your tickets well in advance, as they tend to get more expensive the closer you get to your departure date. If you're booking for a child under 14, you can add them to your ticket for free when you book for a second passenger - just make sure to enter their age as 4-14. You can also buy tickets at the train station itself, using the automated machines - I think it was around 5€.

The second time we visited Berlin, we drove there as a family because we were visiting the embassy. This time, we decided to stay for two nights and make the most of our time in the city. My husband had been to Berlin before, so he was our guide for the trip.

AccommodationI was on the hunt for a hotel with a great breakfast, because feeding two guys on a trip is no easy feat. I settled on this Spanish chain, which we'd stayed at during our holiday on Mallorca and loved. Luckily, I managed to snag it with a discount just a couple of days before check-in. To be honest, choosing accommodation in the capital is overwhelming, with everything from hostels to high prices (twice as high as in other major German cities). It's not worth booking too far in advance out of season, as many good hotels offer a 'good price' on Booking closer to check-in. Our triple room ended up costing us €180 per night with breakfast, which is a bit lower than usual, but it's right in the heart of the city. Further out from the centre, prices were lower, like the A&O hostel chain, which offered prices from €60 per night – that's almost the cheapest option.

ParkingThis was the biggest hassle... A lot of hotels on Booking.com have a note saying you can't book parking in advance. And that's exactly what happened - in the city center, all parking spots are public, even in hotels, so anyone can park there. On Saturday, we couldn't find a spot and had to look for something nearby. The price for parking varies from 20 to 30€ per day. We found a spot in another hotel, but during check-in, my husband managed to park the car in a weird spot...

Overall, taking the train to Berlin was way more convenient and cheaper in the end. Plus, German high-speed trains are pretty comfortable. We were able to explore the city on foot, as all the main attractions are concentrated in the city center. We even made it to the Berlin Wall. On the way back, we used the metro.

Public TransportSo, we used the metro. It's S-Bahn (overground trains) and U-bahn (subway). You need to buy tickets at the machines on the platforms, no turnstiles, but we saw controllers at one of the central stations, so it's better not to risk it - the fine for traveling without a ticket in Germany is €60. The fare isn't cheap, especially if you're traveling for a few days, they have tickets for a specific period. 'Single' tickets are valid for 2 hours, including transfers, and cost €3.80 per person. We couldn't figure out how to buy a child's ticket, it wasn't in the menu.

Food

Cafes in the city center aren't cheap, about 20-30% more than in other German cities (we walked along the river near the hotel), dinner for three of us cost around €70. But there are plenty of budget-friendly options like Burger King and so on, and in the city center, there are kiosks selling Berlin sausages. In general, grab at least breakfast at the hotel and some snacks to take with you for a walk around the city.

Must-see sights I was blown away by how much we could see in just two days. Of course, if you want to hit every museum, cafe, and exhibit, you could spend a month here – but to get a taste of the main attractions, one day is more than enough. They're all centered around the city, except for the Berlin Wall.

Living in the heart of the city, right by the river, made it super easy to explore the town on foot. We'd stroll along the river one way, then the other, taking in all the sights. One day, we stumbled upon a flea market where we scored some awesome retro records for 5€, some vintage clothing, and some cool trinkets. But we didn't linger, as we were on our way to the main cathedral. The Berlin Cathedral is stunning, but the amount of trash around it was a real letdown! People were chillin' on the lawns (kind of like the German version of the Elysian Fields), but no one was bothering to pick up the trash! Here, we caught a glimpse of a red tourist bus whizzing by, but we're on foot heading to Alexanderplatz, Berlin's main square.

At the square, you can spot the world clock, where we even found our hometown of Minsk 🙂. The clock chimes every hour, and the TV tower is visible from all angles.

The rooftop observation deck is a real gem, and it's a fraction of the cost of the TV tower. You can grab a cold drink or a glass of mulled wine, or even try out the extreme swings on the left side of the roof - just be sure to book ahead.

Berlin's other side is home to some amazing landmarks, like the Bundestag, Brandenburg Gate, Holocaust Memorial, and Soviet War Memorial... You can pre-book a tour of the Reichstag online, but we didn't do that, so we're leaving it for later. Plus, inside it's all modernized and doesn't feel like the old place anymore - I'm not sure how much history they're trying to preserve... By the way, despite all the talk about beating fascism, Germans don't really celebrate May 8th or 9th; it's a somber day they try to downplay. But they do keep an eye on the memorials to make sure people remember the past. The Holocaust Memorial left me with a lasting impression... I'd seen the photos and videos, but nothing compared to being there in person and walking through the rows of concrete slabs. It's a powerful experience that's hard to put into words.I have to say, navigating the maze of towering blocks that seem to close in on you is a pretty terrifying experience.

Even the monument to Soviet liberators left me with mixed feelings - a sense of pride and sadness that I'm so far from home, but it's really unusual to see a piece of our history here.

Overall impressionI've been living in Germany for almost two years now, and Berlin is completely different from the rest of Germany I've seen. Some areas even reminded me of Minsk, because both cities were rebuilt almost entirely from ruins after the war.

After May 8th, 1945, Berlin was left in ruins from the air raids and street fighting. In fact, tourists even came to see the incredible level of destruction.

The city was filled with mountains of trash and rubble. Women were responsible for cleaning it up and rebuilding, because all the men who stayed behind were either kids or elderly. They'd form a human chain and pass bricks from hand to hand to clear the rubble.

But then, the winning country's city was divided into 4 zones of influence.

On June 5, 1945, the governments of the US, the Soviet Union, the UK, and France declared 'supreme authority' over Germany and divided the country and capital into various occupation zones.

We didn't stray too far from the center, but my husband said that in the eastern part, where he lived for a week on a work trip, it's typically Soviet-era architecture... But you don't even need to walk far, because turning onto the nearest street from Alexanderplatz we saw these kinds of houses along the way.

Walking through the streets of my hometown was a real culture shock. I hadn't been back in two years, and it felt like I was a stranger in a strange land. But then we hit this weird, rundown neighborhood... We saw all sorts of colorful sights, but this wasn't even the outskirts – it was just 15 minutes' walk from Alexanderplatz! I mean, there were these massive buildings with missing details (no wheels or steering wheels) parked by trees... we still couldn't figure out what was going on. We even saw 'Stoppenstein' signs ('stopper stone') with the names of people who used to live in the nearby housesThere are Jewish communities all over Germany, even in our small town.

Finally, we made it to the Berlin Wall in the East Side area. About a kilometer long, the endless graffiti here were a treat to look at, with some pieces having a great drop-off that was really interesting to examine. But what we were really looking for was that famous graffiti with the kiss. Our stroll through Berlin came to an end. Berlin left a pleasant impression. Yes, it's a mixed bag, sometimes a bit grimy, sometimes not too pretty, but it's alive and unlike the rest of Germany. (I'm attaching a few photos that didn't fit in the review to give you an idea of the contrast in the city.) I'd definitely recommend Berlin to visit if you like big cities and their vibe.If you're not a fan of noisy capitals and large cities, I'd suggest starting your acquaintance with Germany in Bremen, which has a completely different vibe. Or head south to the Palatinate and slow down on a real German spa town on the Rhine, take in the medieval castles and vineyards. Or head to the famous thermal springs of Wiesbaden. I'd also recommend visiting Düsseldorf, which reminded me of my hometown Minsk.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to subscribe to my reviews – I love writing about our travels.

I've been writing about some amazing destinations this year, like the Canary Islands and Mallorca - places that Germans just love.

And, of course, I've got plenty of reviews about my home turf, Belarus. I'm a proud local!