| VITAL INFORMATION | |
| Population | 3,426,000 |
| Languages spoken | German, English |
| Currency | Euro (EUR); 1 EUR = (appr.) 1.2 USD |
| Average temperature | Summer: 62 F to 74 F; Winter: 31 F to 34 F |
| High season | May through October |
Ah, Berlin -- the capital of reunified Germany, the economic engine of Europe and one of Europe’s finest cities, renowned for its culture and old-world charm. Under any circumstances, a trip to Berlin is one for the ages, full of not-to-be-missed sights, but let’s be clear on one thing: This June, you’re travelling to Berlin for one reason and one reason only -- the World Cup. Call it football, call it soccer, call it what you will (the locals call it Fussball), but for 30 days this summer, the beautiful game will consume the world and Germany, in particular.
Berlin is one of 12 German cities hosting World Cup matches and its Olympic Stadium will play host to four games in the group stages as well as one quarter-final game and the championship game, set for July 9, and if you don’t have tickets for any of these games, don’t concern yourself: There’s plenty of football to see and experience in Berlin during the World Cup, even if getting a ticket to one of the games is impossible. So, without further ado, let’s kick off our three-day, World Cup tour of Berlin. All prices are listed in U.S. funds.
Day one: Keep the ball moving
Begin your tour by checking in at the Hotel Bogota. Located in Berlin’s western downtown district, it’s a decently appointed hotel in a good location for a price that won’t break your budget ($80 to $102 for a single, $144 for double). Today is going to be an active day, so it’s best that you start with a hearty breakfast at Promo, a café in the downtown district with a great sidewalk lounge and a rot (“red”) breakfast consisting of cold meats and cheeses that shouldn’t be missed. The café latte macchiato is also a winner.From here, head west to the Olympic Stadium for a look at the Story of Football, an exhibition of 75 historic football posters located on the stadium grounds. Normally, we’d suggest you spend some time touring the Olympic Stadium, which was renovated at great expense to accommodate the World Cup, but stadium tours have been suspended during June and July because of the World Cup.
Since it’s a bit early for lunch, why not take a non-football-related trip to see some of Berlin’s most famous historic sites? Checkpoint Charlie, of course, is one of the major things to see in Berlin’s downtown district. For nearly 30 years, it was the only border crossing between East and West Berlin, and today the crossing is commemorated with a soldier’s outpost and border sign. And while we’re on the subject of the Berlin Wall, did you know the remaining sections of the wall have been converted into the largest open-air art gallery in the world? More than 100 artists from 21 countries have spray-painted graffiti and murals on what was one of the most ominous symbols of the Cold War. It’s a display that’s not to be missed.
For lunch and maybe a quick drink, make a stop at one of the many street merchants selling döner kepab -- a Turkish dish consisting of grilled lamb or chicken served with salad in a flat-bread pocket -- or check out one of Berlin’s famous Biergartens for some wurst, pretzels and, of course, beer. The Prater Garten, proudly serving locals since 1837, comes highly recommended for its service and its natural beauty.
In the afternoon, be sure to check out a very special football-related cycling tour of Berlin. The tour “Fouls and Passes on the Former Border” offers a look at the football sites of unified Berlin. During the Cold War, football culture developed in very different ways along both sides of the Berlin Wall and games between East and West Germany grew to become microcosms of the war itself. This cycling tour will take you through many of the sites where East-West games were held and highlights both the disparities between East and West German-football cultures and the game’s unifying effect on all of Germany.
Day one has been a busy day, so you may want to keep things quiet in the evening. Why not make a stop at the Union Jack pub, famous in Berlin for its pub fare and 401 types of whiskey -- and the yard glasses of beer don’t hurt, either. The best part about the Union Jack is that it’s just a short stumble from Hotel Bogota.
Day two: A bit of (football) culture
If you’re up for breakfast after the previous night’s activities, the place to go is Salomon Bagels. Salomon’s chef studied the art of bagel-making in New York City and he makes a mean sandwich with flavored cream cheeses. After yesterday’s non-stop physical activity, we’ll slow it down a bit on day two with a trip to the Goethe-Institut and its Planet Football photo exhibition.You won’t find many photos of Pele, Maradona or other greats of the game at the Planet Football exhibition. Instead, the exhibition focuses on the beautiful game as it’s played all around the world -- in courtyards, sandlots and in the streets by people of all ages and social standing. After that, we’ll continue with the football culture theme at the German Historical Museum for a look at “The Game: The History of the FIFA World Cup as Reflected in Sports Photography.” This exhibition is a collection of some of the best photos assembled from past World Cups. And what’s particularly unique about this display is the order of the images, which are set up to depict the chronology of all 90 minutes of a football match.
For lunch, head to Gümüs, a Turkish pizza factory where the grub is cheap and where the house specialty comes with lemon and three kinds of paprika for about $2. After lunch, our next stop is the Prenzlauer Berg Museum for the “Give-and-Go” exhibition, which examines the role of football during the Cold War, tying football in with history. Here, you can watch games from years gone by and speak with witnesses.
We’ll wrap up day two with a visit to the World Cup fan zone, where food and entertainment from each of the 32 participating nations is on display next to two giant screens showing all the live action. And since drinking in public is perfectly legal in Germany and Berlin, later closings on all public events during the World Cup are permitted. Can you think of a better way to spend the night?
Day three: Hit the streets
Start your final day of the World Cup tour with a quick breakfast at one of the many street cafes in the western downtown district. Having coffee on a sidewalk café and watching the hustle and bustle go by is always a great way to start the day.After breakfast, head into downtown Berlin and catch the double-decker public Bus 100 (in front of the Zoo Railway Station) and get a seat on top. The scenic ride wanders through the Tiergarten park, past the Reichstag, along Unter den Linden, and around Alexanderplatz, and gives you a good viewing of all the major attractions in Berlin before doubling back again.
If you’re up for lunch at this point, head over to Bistro Koch, a tiny little Polish place in the heart of Berlin where you can enjoy more hearty Polish fare than you can possibly eat for not much cash. After that, head over to Mariannenplatz, where the Street Football World Cup is taking place. This is seriously one of the coolest events next to the big games themselves. 24 teams of street footballers from across the world are participating in a five-aside tournament for the right to be crowned street football’s world champs. And what’s really remarkable about the teams is where they come from. One team hails from Kabul, Afghanistan, and another from Rwanda; there’s also a mixed Israeli and Palestinian team as well as groups from the U.S., Norway, England, Germany and, of course, Brazil. Plan your visit accordingly, though; the Street Football World Cup runs only between July 1 and 8.
After the games, we’ll head back to the western downtown district for dinner at Florian, a traditional German restaurant famous for its bratwurst and marinated pork with baked apples and plums. Once the sun goes down, check out popKick ’06 at Treptower Park where, again, the finest football culture from the 32 participating nations will be on display.
Round off your final night in Berlin with a late night trip to 90 Grad, one of Berlin’s hottest nightclubs where the action gets started at around 2 a.m. and the back-room tiki bar serves killer Mai Tais under a bamboo roof. Cover at 90 Grad will run about $10, but the dress code is tight, so leave the sneakers and jeans at the hotel, and when you’re ready to call it a night, there’s usually a fleet of taxis waiting outside the bar to get you home.
Facts
- Just what the heck is that “ß” symbol? Glad you asked, because you’ll see it everywhere in Germany. It’s called an Eszett and is pronounced as you would a double- s construction in English. This will come in handy as you try to pronounce German street, or straße, names.
- If you’re on the lookout for a public toilet in Berlin, keep in mind a few quick pointers: A restroom is called atoilette, and is frequently labelled WC; you want the door labelled H (men’s), while F is for the ladies. And if there’s an attendant in the restroom, it’s customary to tip at least .25€.
- Speaking of tips, service charges are usually added to restaurant and hotel bills in Berlin, so, by and large, tipping is unnecessary. Some smaller cafés and bars don’t hold this rule, and in this case, the standard procedure is to round your tab up to the nearest Euro. The cost of service should be clearly stated on all bills, brochures or menus.
- Generally speaking, smoking is more acceptable in Europe than it is in North America, but, having said that, the tide is beginning to turn in favor of cleaner air. Some restaurants have a strict no smoking policy while most offices and public transit are no smoking areas. When in doubt, follow the locals’ lead.
- As far as language goes, English is almost as widely spoken in Berlin as German is, but that being said, locals in any country always appreciate it when a tourist makes an effort. So, make an effort with a few key terms like guten tag (hello), auf wiedersehen (goodbye), dankebitte (please). Mom would be proud. (thank you), and
- Berlin’s gay scene is one of the biggest in Europe and gay culture isn’t just limited to gay venues, as you’d most commonly find in North America. Clubs all across Berlin are visited by gays and straight people alike, although it’s common for a club to host a gay night on a given night of the week. Berlin is also home to a gay museum -- the Schwules Museum -- in the Kreuzberg district.
come for football, stay for culture
Even outside of World Cup time, there’s plenty to do and see in Berlin; it truly is one of Europe’s most vibrant cities. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the city is playing host to the world’s biggest footballing spectacle this summer, and what better time to mix sports and culture?Resources
http://www.berlinfo.com/Freetime/Food-Drink/quick_uncomp/german/index.htm
http://www.goethe.de/
http://www.piranha.de/
http://festival06.org/
http://www.fanguide2006.org/
http://www.berlinfo.com/
www.soccer-training-info.com/
Berlin Travel Guide
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