Mini Travel Guides

So … you have a long weekend, or a long week, or maybe two weeks to spend in a single European city and you’ve narrowed your choice to Berlin or Paris. For me, the choice is far from easy.

Being a lover of large, international, bustling cities that ooze history, the cultural arts, and untold numbers of captivating attractions, I vacillate between these two dynamic European capitals. And regardless of the city you may choose or the duration of your visit, I encourage travelers to make a strong effort to connect with the people and immerse themselves in the ways of the local residents. This requires a little research, planning, and preparation.

For starters, it is important learn something about and become familiar with the public transit system. Berlin and Paris have excellent subway systems (the U-Bahn and the Metro, respectively) and getting around either city is easy, inexpensive, and safe.

And then, of course, you must make a decision on where you will stay. It is essential that you take a little time to find accommodations in a location/neighborhood that matches your interests and budget. Location, however, may not be as important as neighborhood given the high quality public transportation systems in Berlin and Paris. But checking out all of your lodging options is absolutely important.

While most travelers immediately think of hotels when looking for lodging in Berlin or Paris, there are other alternatives: think apartment rentals, or a Bed and Breakfast. If, for example, you’re looking for late rooms in Berlin, an apartment rental may just fit the bill. With an apartment rental, you will have the convenience of cooking and laundry facilities, and you will be, in most cases, living with the locals. An apartment rental can be a real money saver as well, allowing you to take one or two meals a day at “home”. So, for those of you who are interested in weekend breaks in Paris , be sure to checkout apartment rentals. Once you have settled on accommodations, turn your attention to getaway activities.

Plan your stay around events and activities that local residents attend and participate in rather than focusing on visits to the usual landmarks and monuments where you will compete for space with hordes of tourists. For example: when visiting Paris, join Parisians and stroll the Champs Elysees on a late Sunday afternoon. It seems that this is the day and time that throngs of young lovers, oldsters, and families alike, head for the greatest avenue in the world. Or consider being extravagant with your time and read a book while relaxing in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens.

Consider arranging attendance at a sporting event, a concert, or a movie. If you have a penchant for physical exercise, think about renting a bike or roller skates in order to get an all together different perspective of Paris. As for the tourist oriented landmarks and monuments, you will see those (in some cases from a distance) on your own terms as you make your way through the city

If visiting Berlin, think about attending a comedy club, the theater, the opera, or visiting any of a multitude of museums. Or perhaps a visit to the Zoologischer Garten Berlin (zoo) is right up your alley. It is one of the oldest and largest zoos in the world.

Finally, when visiting Paris or Berlin, you won’t want to miss some of the best nightlife on the planet. Europe’s night clubs generally do not open their doors until 11pm and really do not get hopping until after 1am. The night club scene in Paris tends to be a bit low key and is quite different from the club scene in in most European cities. Most Paris clubs have fairly rigid dress codes and you may be turned away at the door if not properly attired. Think trendy fashion, sedate and sophisticated, especially compared to Berlin night clubs.

In fact, Berlin has the distinct reputation for providing the most hip, unpretentious, nightlife venues anywhere in the world. Everybody gets down and there is no dress code. Anything goes. So, you can expect to see a great mix between sophisticated club wear and some of the most outlandish outfits imaginable.

Oh, did I mention cuisine? Yes we all have to eat and when on a holiday we want the best food and memorable dining experiences. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll see you in Paris. On second thought, I sure could go for a Currywurst.

Written by Bill Fogarty for EuropeUpClose.com

This post is sponsored by the online accommodation provider Wimdu

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This year, Berlin-Without-A-Wall celebrates its 21st birthday. It officially becomes a grown-up, able to party and vote and go to war. But hear this: the war is over, the city has voted in a gay mayor, and don’t tell anyone, but Berlin started partying a long time ago!

Here, as a birthday gift, are the Top 10 Reasons Why Berlin is the Greatest City on the Continent.

1. Recent, and Relevant, History
Your grandparents were probably alive during Berlin’s darkest days through World War II, your parents may remember the construction of the Berlin Wall, and you might even remember its fall. Even if you’ve never cracked a history book, you’re probably intrigued by the prospect of seeing where the Nazis were headquartered, you want to touch the Berlin wall with your own hands, and you want to read all about the daring escape stories from Checkpoint Charlie. The city is still rebuilding, re-painting, and its history is still only yesterday’s news.

2. Monuments that Make You FEEL Something
Like all European cities, Berlin has its share of old kings on copper horses. But it’s the more evocative monuments that make Berlin stand out. The disorientation of walking among the concrete slabs of the Holocaust Memorial, the spookiness of the empty bookshelves below the ‘Book Burning Square’, the jubilation of the colourful murals on the East Side Gallery. Berlin will teach you its history, but you might shed a few tears before it’s through.

3. Alternative Lifestyles
Once you’ve got the sites out of the way, head into the back streets of Berlin to see why this city really earns first top spot honors. The people are edgy, the drinks cheap, the artwork vibrant and the bars underground. Rule: if something looks like a regular wall in the daylight, come back at night and it’s probably the entrance to the greatest bar you’ve ever visited. The most likely place to mingle among Berlin’s citizens who have embraced alternative lifestyles is on Oranienburger Strasse. If you weren’t aware that you love metal-wearing, graffiti-painting, jewellery-designing, green-tea-drinking, retro-clothes-shopping, noodle-eating and flowery-dress-wearing people, walk to the end of this street and you’ll feel your inner punk start to bop her head.

4. High Octane Nightlife
Budapest and Belgrade might put up a strong argument, but they have to cede first-place nightlife honors to the original home of cool; there is nowhere but Berlin where you can dance barefoot at a beach bar along the banks of the Spree, then party in a 6-story squatters’ tenement/art gallery/movie theatre/bar, and finish the night at a panorama nightclub above Alexanderplatz, while watching the sun rise over the city where techno was born.

5. Dining Diversity
If you’re a sushi fan, you’re in luck. Afternoon-long happy hours abound through-out the city mean which means cheap maki and inside-out rolls. But if sushi isn’t your thing, you’ll find whatever cuisine you fancy in Berlin, one of the most diverse cities in Europe. Indonesian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Ethiopian, Mexican; the only thing that might be hard to find is traditional German food! The best showcase of Berlin’s diversity is in the Kreuzberg neighbourhood. Berlin has the highest number of Turkish people outside Istanbul, and you’ll find them here along with the rest of Berlin’s cool kids. You will also find coffee shops with lounge-chairs on the sidewalk, markets, second-hand clothing shops, vegan restaurants, and in the middle of it all, a water park.

6. Art and Achitecture
Government officials work under a dome built by Norman Foster, businesspeople do their banking in the Frank-Gehry-designed DG bank, and everyone goes for after-work drinks in the Modernist Mecca Potsdamer Platz. From their clothing to their street-side artwork, to giant astronauts painted onto the sides of buildings, and, of course, the ever-present graffiti, Berliners have plenty of creativity to spare.

7. Ampelman
Paris has its green fairy, Berlin has its little green man in a hat; look closely and you’ll see him on every street corner that once was East Berlin. The most classic piece of ‘ostalgia’ – nostalgia for East Berlin after reunification – is Ampelman, the figure on the traffic lights. When it was suggested that he be replaced with the average walk and stop symbols, East Berliners kicked up such a fuss that officials were afraid they might tear down another wall. Ampelman was left alone, but given a new responsibility: to guide not only East, but now West Berliners, to safety.

8. Berlin Admits its Wrongdoings
The Nazi regime, one of the worst things to happen to the world, was based in Berlin. How do Berliners move on from that? For one thing, by building a glass dome over the Reichstag to symbolize transparency and openness in the German government. It is at once, an admittance, an apology, fun to climb, and a treat to behold. But, at the same time, Berlin certainly doesn’t exploit its wrongdoings. For example, the bunker where Hitler committed suicide, a fairly pivotal moment in history, is now a car park, and good luck in trying to find it. To prevent neo-Nazis from making it into a pilgrimage site, Berliners won’t put up any sort of memorial there. Most of the memorials and museums to WWII, such as the Holocaust Memorial and Museum, the East Side Gallery, and the Topography of Terror, are free. Berlin’s way of saying ‘Yes, it happened here and yes, we admit it, but damned if we’re going to profit from it.

9. Airport Staff Smile at You! (and even flirt!)
You’ll be sad to leave the city, but an extra surprise may await you at the airport; the pleasure of flying with German Wings! From the 3 sexy, flirtatious women in their adverts (note: their hair colours are black, red and yellow, a subtle shout-out to the German flag), to the friendly staff, to the comfortable planes, German Wings is a far cry from other budget airlines that make you pay in other ways for taking their cheap flights (Wizz Air, I’m looking at you!)

10. You never know where you’ll end up!
My last night in Berlin went like this: my friends and I had hoisin duck for dinner, then as we strolled down Oranienburger, we noticed the sex shop on the corner was having a book-launch party. Three glasses of pink champagne, 20 sex toy-demonstrations and two nipple tassles later, we stumbled back onto the street, giggling as we passed the gorgeous Russian prostitutes in their thigh-high white boots. We heard music coming from a beer garden; long-lost songs from the 1930’s while couples waltzed to it. Next stop was Tachelles, the squatters bar, where white flowers wafted through the air along with the reggae music. On the top floor, at 3am, a designer showcased his paintings. When I asked how much one cost, expecting the answer to be in the hundreds of euros, because it was definitely worth that much or more, he said it wasn’t for sale. It was merely to be enjoyed.

Written By Andrea McDonald for EuropeUpClose.com

Amanda has been doing a wonderful job writing about all there is to see in Berlin (Check out here Best of Berlin Travel Tips as well as Berlin’s Haus am Checkpoint Charlie Museum). And to be perfectly honest, she inspired me to revisit the trip I made there a while back.

I knew very little about the history behind the Berlin wall.  I’m at the age where I don’t really remember the events leading up to the fall of it, and it wasn’t distant enough to necessarily be covered in depth in my history classes, but not close enough that it was covered in my current events classes.  Basically, my education failed me.

I knew the wall fell. I knew it fell in 1989. I knew it was symbolic and historic and plenty of other -ics.  But I didn’t know what to expect when. visiting this Berlin sightseeing attraction.  It’s a strange idea in the first place.  How does one visit something that is historic for its very destruction?  I wanted to see it because it no longer existed.

That’s what made exploring Berlin so much fun though.  Because walking around the city, I suddenly stumbled upon a lone cement panel.  Remnants of the Berlin wall.  I headed to the east side and found a large stretch of wall which out into perspective just how high it was, just how dominating it was.  And of course, I wandered through the East Side Gallery and realized that here was an incredible stretch of the wall still standing.

Some trips stand out.  Berlin stood out.  For what was there, and for what wasn’t.  It’s a strange European travel tip, I know, but go to the city of Berlin and look for what isn’t there as well as what still remains.  Wandering around the city looking for the history of the wall becomes one of the best places (and non-places) to visit in Europe.

The Berlin Wall: Famous for its destruction

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Szczecin, Poland’s seventh largest city (population 406,000) and the capital of West Pomeranian Province, is a charming maritime city worthy of a day trip. The city is only a two-hour train ride from Berlin, and is also accessible from Warsaw and smaller cities in Germany’s Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Due to its small size, the entire city can be explored in less than a day. Taking the early morning train from Berlin and returning on the evening train provides  more than enough time to see what the city has to offer. Note that many residents do not speak English, but some restaurants will offer menus in either German or English. Euros are generally not accepted, so changing money at the Glówny (Central) train station is probably one’s best bet, as many of the ATMs do not offer an English language option. Poland will switch to the Euro in 2012.

Due to its location near the border between Germany and Poland, as well as its access to the Baltic Sea, Szczecin has been incorporated into several different countries since the town was founded in the 8th Century. Poland, Germany, Denmark, Prussia, Sweden and even Napoleonic France have all laid claim to the city over the centuries. Starting in the 18th Century, Szczecin and its port on the Oder River were under German control. When Soviet forces invaded Nazi Germany in 1945, Poland annexed lands up to the Oder and forced the expulsion of German residents. Szczecin thus once again became a Polish city. The city is now known primarily for its maritime industry, as well as the distinct urban planning it adopted in the 1880s, which features wide avenues and roundabouts.

With its complex past, the city now boasts an eclectic mix of architectural styles, such as: the Neo-Renaissance Post Office Building near the train station; the Gothic influenced New Town Hall; the many, stark Communist era apartment complexes; and the modern glass PAZIM Tower. Though 65% of the city was destroyed during allied air raids in 1944, restoration efforts have reconstructed many of the historic buildings throughout town, thereby preserving and revealing the many layers of history in the city’s skyline.

Szczecin is divided into two parts, the Lewobrzeze or Left Bank and the Prawobrzeze, Right Bank. The city center and most of the tourist attractions are found in the Left Bank. Trams and buses cover most of the city, but visitors can walk to all of the historic sites from the train station. Taxis should be avoided, particularly at the train station, as drivers are known to take advantage of unknowing tourists. A red dashed line on the sidewalks connects forty-two noteworthy sites in town from the Glówny Railway Station. The line continues throughout the Lewobrzeze for seven kilometers, leading back eventually to the train station. The sites are numbered successively. Upon arriving in Szczecin, visitors can purchase an English language map from the currency exchange that provides an illustrated view of the city as well as additional information on the sites included in the red line tourist route. The red line is the best way to maneuver around Szczecin as there is not a central part of the city and many of the sites are spread out.

A few sites are worthy of being singled out. The Pomeranian Dukes Castle, built in the 16th Century, houses a museum and tourist information office, as well as restaurants and cafes. Operas are often hosted here. Just north of the castle is Waly Chrobrego, a picturesque promenade situated along the Oder River. Many cafes can be found along the promenade where visitors can have a light meal or sample a glass of Bosman, a locally brewed beer. Also along the promenade is the Marine Museum, which exhibits the history of Pomerania and various ethnographic collections.

Walking west from Waly Chrobrego will bring visitors to the modern PAZIM Tower, a glass structure near the Galaxy Shopping Center and major hotels. Café 22, on the top floor of the tower, boasts the best views of Szczecin. From the tower, visitors can follow the red line to the Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle, the largest religious structure in Pomerania. The impressive church was built in the 16th Century, but destroyed during World War II. The interior of the church is accessible for only 4 zloty and a small exhibition space details the history of the structure. Perhaps most interesting, the church has many small chapels devoted to various groups, including one to West Pomeranian Dukes, another to the victims of Nazism and Stalinism, one to soldiers of the Resistance movement, as well as many more.

Also noteworthy, is the New Town Hall, located close to the train station. This neo-gothic building has a few cafes nearby where one can dine under shady trees while looking out on to a decorative fountain. Just beside the town hall is the Turzyn Market, a large open-air market selling everything from farm fresh vegetables, to inexpensive clothing, to bootlegged DVDs, to antiques. The market opens early and typically closes by mid-afternoon.

Szczecin is a lovely and safe city, but it is not a major tourist destination. A day trip is really all one needs to take in this port town. Arrive by train, exchange Euros for zloty, buy a map, and follow the dashed red tourist route line to see much of what has made this city famous.

Written by and photos by Morgen Young for www.EuropeUpClose.com

There are many must see sights that nearly all tourists flock to when in Germany’s capital city – the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie – but one not to be missed is KaDeWe.

Opened in 1907, Kaufhaus des Westens is the largest department store in Germany and second largest in Europe, only behind London’s Harrods. The impressive building on Tauentzienstraße contains seven floors of luxury items. One could get distracted by the designer label clothing, beauty products and house wares, but upon entering the store, I suggest you head directly to the sixth story, the gourmet floor.  Known as the delicatessen department, this mecca for anyone with an inkling of a foodie tendency offers thirty-three distinct stalls of foodstuffs. Upon exiting the escalator, visitors are greeted by a detailed re-creation of the Brandenburg Gate made entirely of marzipan.

Beyond the candied version of the monument is the chocolate and other sweets aisle, offering everything from the affordable Milka brand in its distinctive purple packaging to expensive, exotic truffles and elaborate boxes of confections. Moving to the interior of the floor, visitors can wind their way through one distinct area after another. One such section is dedicated to every imaginable type of condiment – from mustards to oils to vinegars and beyond, while another corner displays hundreds of jars of jams, jellies and honeys from Europe and elsewhere. Moving further still within, shoppers will find the fresh fish and seafood displays, a meat market, produce - both local and imported, and more cheese than one may have sampled in a lifetime. Those patrons interested more in beverages than food will find specific sections dedicated each to coffee, tea, wine, beer and spirits. In the pastry stall, illuminated glass cases are filled with petit fours, brightly hued macarons, fresh fruit tarts, and cakes in all shapes and sizes. The bread department proffers German rolls and loaves, as well as those varieties more commonly found in France. Various pantry items and staples are found here as well, everything from the German Knorr label to Uncle Ben’s rice and Asian snack mixes.

Nearly every stall offers limited seating so patrons can enjoy a bite to eat or sample different types of coffee while they shop. Prices are slightly lower if one plans to enjoy his or her purchased sandwich or slice of cake in-store rather than takeaway. One can sample a German beer on draught, pull up a seat at the oyster bar, sip on teas from around the world, or try a praline at the chocolate bar. For a more formal meal, head one floor up to the Wintergarten, boasting some of the best views of Berlin. Locals and tourists alike can be found wandering around the sixth floor of KaDeWe, but the delicatessen is most crowded on Saturdays.

While the prices of many of the items found on the gourmet floor are expensive, some great gifts and souvenirs can be found here. Rather than bringing home a shot glass with the German flag or miniaturized Reichstag, consider mementos such as tubes of spicy German mustard infused with tarragon, jars of Himalayan sea salt, locally made jam, or interesting chocolate concoctions.

KaDeWe is open Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Located near the Wittenbergplatz, the department store can be reached by the U-Bahn (subway) lines 1 or 7 to the Wittenbergplatz stop.

As European soccer matches gain a stronger foothold in American television, the general public has become aware of many of the most famous footballing grounds in the world. These stadiums– sometimes holding as many as 80,000 spectators, or fewer than 10,000– are seen on American television with chanting fans, massive banners and unbridled enthusiasm. A niche industry has arisen in recent years to give Americans the chance to experience these matches first-hand.

Of course those kinds of vacations can be extremely expensive. A cost-effective way, however, of taking in some of Europe’s most hallowed grounds is to do even a cursory amount of research ahead of time and learn where soccer stadia are located, prior to your arrival in a given European city. Even if a club does not have a game on the days of your travels, a visit to an empty ground can be a very interesting and satisfying experience. In many ways it can be a much easier way for Americans to take in a stadium and get a feel for the European soccer culture than trying to navigate through the throngs of fans while attending a game.

The easiest grounds to find are the biggest, most famous. Take Berlin for example. The Olympia Stadion (Olympic Stadium) was built ahead of the 1936 Olympics and was the site of the famous Jesse Owens gold-medal winning sprints at the same games. Over the years the stadium has grown and hosted the 2006 World Cup Final between France and Italy. For many years the ground has been home to Hertha BSC , a large football club from West Berlin.  A visit to the Olympia Stadion is extremely simple. There is a specific stop on the 2-line of the U-Bahn and on non-game days, admission to the stadium costs as little as €4. With a restaurant and fan shop open to the public, as well as the ability to take guided tours of the famous stadium, the Olympia Stadion is a perfect spot for even those uninterested in soccer.

For the hardcore fan, try finding smaller grounds of smaller clubs. Berlin’s Olympia Stadion seats 74,500 and looks much like the Roman Coliseum from the outside. The now-former ground of Bohemians 1905 in the Vrsovice area of Prague is a harder find. The Dolícek Stadion opened in 1932 and has been host to Bohemians through the 2009/10 season. With only 7500 seats it is a tiny ground in the world of club football. The club has a fantastic crest featuring a kangaroo, a holdover from a 1927 tour of Australia, and is featured all over the stadium. To reach Dolicek from Prague’s famous Old Town Square, walk south to the Národní Trída tram stop and take the 24-line south and east. Tram tickets can be purchased at newspaper stands or in subway stations. Getting off at Obloukova stop will leave you across the street from the old stadium. Though the ground will no longer play host to the Bohemians first team, finding the stadium is a great way to learn your way around the Prague tram system and to see a very local take on a football ground.

With walking tours and travel guides so focused on historic sites, museums and restaurants, football grounds often are not even mentioned. Yet many of stadia are the true cultural epicenters of European city life. Even if a game is not taking place, the various grounds, big and small, can tell the story of the particular neighborhood or part of town in a current and honest way. Each city, town and village has at least one soccer club. So remember to take a look at a map of your destination and take a few steps out of the ordinary sightseeing to enjoy the interesting soccer culture of Europe.

When in Berlin, you really should visit Kreuzberg, the city’s historically Turkish district and now an area for the young and upwardly mobile. Be sure you visit on a Tuesday or Friday because both days host the largest Turkish market in Berlin. The open market extends about a half mile, lining both sides of Maybachufer Strasse, alongside the Landwehrkanal. The market is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., but many locals begin shopping as early as 10:00 if vendors happen to set up early.

The market sells everything from fresh produce to leather goods to electronics. Arrive early and spend the afternoon wandering among the stalls, enjoying a snack or meal, and watching buyers haggle over the cost of various items. Foodstuffs dominate the market wares as vendors sell local fruits and vegetables, as well as those from outside the country. Every imaginable type of Turkish cheese is displayed from refrigerated stalls, as well as freshly baked breads, fish, meat, and olives. Bulk items can be found, from ground spices to coffee to dried fruits. Pantry items shipped from Turkey are also available, such as canned goods, tea, rice, pickled vegetables and dried beans. Other vendors offer prepared foods – Turkish delight in countless flavors, delectable pastries, vegetable spreads, and other treats.

The market is a perfect place to sample street food. Try gözleme, a Central Anatolian pastry consisting of flat bread and varying savory fillings, including meat, cheese, spinach and potato. Or purchase a glass of orange juice, freshly squeezed to order from the man who also happens to offer boiled ears of corn or a cup of corn kernels for kids. One vendor boasts an impressive quark bar, the ubiquitous German cheese that is eaten in both savory and sweet recipes. Diners can customize their quark with jam, fresh fruits, nuts and other toppings. Storefront businesses along Maybachufer Strasse are also tempting, with windows full of rotating spits of lamb for döner kebap and other Turkish specialities.

Many people come to the market in search of non-food related items. Bolts of fabric, spools of thread and ribbon in every imaginable color, and any other item possibly related to sewing are sold here. And, of course, clothing, shoes, belts, purses, jewelry and hats are crammed into tiny stalls. Electric appliances and electronics are on display, everything from blowdryers to webcams. Ballpoint pens, cooking pots, special tiny glasses for Turkish tea, batteries, fresh flowers, toys, anything you might want or need that could fit into a plastic bag is for sale at the market.

While there is much to see and do in Berlin, you won’t regret spending an afternoon in Kreuzberg. Bring cash, prepare to haggle, and enjoy a few hours perusing the Turkish market.

To get to the market, take the Number 8 Ubahn line to Schönleinstrasse, heading north from the station to Maybachufer Strasse or take the Number 7 to Kottbusser Tor, heading south from the station across the canal to Maybachufer.

Written by Morgan Young for EuropeUpClose.com

Berlin is home to numerous artists from across the globe who have taken full advantage of Berlin’s transition period throughout the 1990s and 2000s to find art gallery and performance spaces in the most unexpected places. As a result of this governmental support for the arts and the city’s financial accessibility in general, Berlin is the ideal place to begin one’s career or thrive as an established artist.

Because of the fact that they can live cheaply and have more time to work on their art (instead of having to support themselves through various means), artists in Berlin tend to be very professionally active. There are multiple art show openings nearly every night in Berlin, and most people find out about them via word of mouth or social media such as Facebook or Twitter. Openings, performances and gatherings at bars are the main places for artists to network. Many of these events happen in the city’s arts collectives or centers. These events are open to the public, and provide a wonderful glimpse into Berlin’s diverse and vivacious arts scene.

One of the largest arts centers is Kunsthaus Tacheles, a growing complex located in a 5-story building containing galleries, screening rooms, installation spaces, workshops, cafes and bars. Tacheles is a Yiddish word meaning “to disclose, to reveal, or to speak clearly.” The area was given this name by Jewish residents of former East Berlin. The Tacheles building was originally a department store built at the turn of the 20th century. The massive structure was badly damaged during World War II. In 1990, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a group of international artists occupied the building and the Tacheles arts center was born.

Both emerging and experienced artists flock to The Raw Tempel in Friedrichshain, a former railroad works and now a large arts complex that brings together music, theater, social drinking and politics. The complex is comprised of four buildings and hosts visual and performance art installations, handiwork (musical instrument building, wood, metalwork), a variety of concerts, lectures and social/networking activities.

The well-regarded Kunstlerhaus Bethanien ,welcomes artists-in-residence from all over the world to give workshops, lectures and shows. The organization is extremely selective in its choice of artists to fill its 25 studio spaces. The center is open year-round for gallery shows. Kunstlerhaus Bethanien’s new location is:  Kottbusser Straße 10, 10999 Berlin

In addition to these larger arts centers, there are hundreds of individually and collectively operated galleries throughout the city. Most individual galleries are located throughout Kreuzberg, Prenzlauerberg, Friedrichshain Mitte, Charlottenburg, Kochstrasse, and the Heidestrasse areas. In fact, new arts spaces and venues are constantly popping up across the dynamic cityof Berlin.

Written by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com

If you are traveling to Berlin, be sure to take advantage of the new Berlin Welcome card that has lots of added features and enhancements. With the Berlin Welcome Card, you get (per adult):

Unlimited travel within the public transport system for 72 hours from validation (fare zone AB)
Free admission to all open museums of the Museum Island (excl. special exhibitions) for 3 days
Berlin Welcome Card Museumsinsel leaflet
Special supplement to the Berlin Welcome Card Guide
Multilingual information on the museums and exhibitions of the Museum Island ( D/EN/ES/F/IT)
Handy pocket-format guide to Berlin
City map of Berlin and Potsdam
Easy-to-read public transport map

Reductions of up to 50 % or free entry to more than 150 top sights and cultural highlights, including:
• City tours, guided tours
• Bike tours and boat tours
• Museums, top attractions, shows and theatres
• Restaurants, eateries, clubs, discos, dance venues
• Plus souvenirs galore

Museum Island, a UNESCO-World heritage sight in the center of Berlin, offers an important architectural and cultural ensemble of museums.
• Pergamonmuseum
• Altes Museum
• Bode-Museum
• Alte Nationalgalerie
• Neues Museum

The Berlin Welcome Card is priced at € 31.50 and is available through your travel agent, the Berlin Tourist Bureau or Berlin Welcome Card

I don’t do well with graffiti. The history nerd in me comes out and I end up being shocked that someone could deface such a beautiful building. Wall. Bridge. Of course, the more I travel, the more I have learned to differentiate between graffiti, and forms of artistic expression.

Traveling through Berlin, the East Side Gallery is usually included as an interesting historical, and artistic, European travel tip. And with good reason. But the street art of Berlin is not relegated solely to the wall. Throughout the city, buildings, walls, bridges, are alive with artistry.  They are some of the Berlin attractions that give you a real feel of the place.

There are the murals that can be found while wandering down side streets and back alleys.

There are the pieces created using a stencil.

And of course there is the East Side Gallery. Some of the art on the wall has become an iconic symbol of the oppressive conditions before the wall fell.

But my favorite was a simple phrase: “The only people who know how cool I am are the secret police!” I don’t know how old it is.  And it doesn’t really matter.  Considering the history of this European city, I found it to be a simple historical reminder, mixed with a bit of humor.  And I just couldn’t help but smile.

What do you think? Do you appreciate the street art you see in European cities? Or do you abhor the graffiti that some people refer to ass street art? At Europe a la Carte we seem to be fans, Karen enjoyed the street art in Pisa, Italy and Heather highlighted some great street art around Europe.