http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn%C3%BCberbauung_Schlangenbader_Stra%C3%9Fe
Breakfast on top of the Reichstag
Image obtained from Flickr.com under Creative Commons (c) SIRDS
Okay, it’s time to share one of my top tips for Berlin. I’m sure you are planning to visit the Reichstag and climb its impressive glass dome walkway when you visit the German capital. After all, it’s an amazing sight and free too. The only problem is that you now have to register in advance online and on the few occasions they allow visitors in without doing so the queues are horrendous. But if you know how, you can skip them and enjoy an extremely hearty breakfast on top of the building at the same time!
The German Bundestag is in fact the only parliament building in the world to house a public restaurant, situated right next to the glass dome with superb views over the city.
Image (c) Andy Higgs, Grown-up Travel Guide
The restaurant Kafer serves quality modern German cuisine accompanied by German wines – but perhaps the best bet is breafast. Simply email them before visiting to book a table between 0900 and 1015 and turn up at the main entrance. If the weather is good sit outside on the terrace and try to make it through the full breakfast with Sekt (sparkling wine) while admiring the panoramic view over the city.
Image (c) Andy Higgs, Grown-up Travel Guide
Note that you will have to provide your full name and date of birth when booking and that you should bring ID for security clearance purposes. You will have to go through an airport-style body and baggage check before being escorted into the building, where you can pick up a headset and audio tour for the dome. It’s a wonderful experience and you’ll then be free to visit the dome afterwards and walk off a few calories…
Restaurant Kafer, Reichstag Building. Reservations email: kaeferreservierung.berlin@feinkost-kaefer.de Breakfast 0900-1015 Lunch 1200-1430 Tea 1530-1630 Dinner 1830-0000.
U Bahn Bundestag. Check website for details: http://www.feinkost-kaefer.de/dt_bundestag10/
Badeschiff
Image obtained from Flickr.com under Creative Commons (c) Maurizio Mucciola
The “bathing ship” – a floating pool, sauna and bar on the River Spree in Treptow is a massive hit in the summer – but what many visitors don’t realize is that there is a winter version open in the colder months. Enclosed in a cosy membrane out on the water you’ll find two saunas (95 °C & 70 °C), a swimming pool, rest area, massage rooms, lounge with a bar and a great view of the skyline of Berlin. A selection of healthy snacks and drinks are also available for purchase. Visit at night for the ultimate way to recharge your batteries before partaking of the Berlin club and bar scene. Turn up at the main onshore building, buy your ticket and rent towels, robes and slippers as required.
Image obtained from Flickr.com under Creative Commons (c) Maurizio Mucciola
Given that this is Germany most people go fully naked under their robes and let it all hang out in the sauna and pool – but thankfully you’ll not be kicked out for keeping your shorts or bikini on either. Its location makes it ideal for relaxing before or after visiting Katerschmaus too – a combination I can recommend. Note that no cards are accepted – cash only.
Image obtained from Flickr.com under Creative Commons (c) Maurizio Mucciola
Badeschiff, Eichenstraße 4, 12435 Berlin-Treptow. Opening times vary daily – see website for details
http://arena-berlin.de/badeschiff_winter_2011-2012.aspx
Spreepark
Image (c) Andy Higgs, Grown-up Travel Guide
This abandoned amusement park began life in East Berlin in 1969 as Kulturpark Plänterwald, the only one in the DDR. After the wall fell it was privatized and continued to operate before a series of almost comical events involving bankruptcy, drug smuggling and imprisonment led to its closure in 2001. It then became beloved by urban explorers and those after surreal photo opportunities of decaying dinosaurs and overgrown roller coasters. Even more exciting, the only way to get in was to climb over the fence. It seems that the family that owns the park realized it was a case of “if you can’t beat them, make some money out of them” and began to offer tours on Saturdays which became extremely popular – they even opened a cafe in the park. You will have to register on the website in advance as places are limited.
Image (c) Andy Higgs, Grown-up Travel Guide
The park was once a landmark of communist East Berlin and can be seen in many photographs from that time – including this one taken by Stasi agents spying on punks and on show at the Stasi Museum.
Image obtained from Flickr.com under Creative Commons (c) jc_82
Many of the attractions remain but are overgrown and rusting. Yet this is the attraction, and the silence of the place creates an eerie atmosphere – which is why most people prefer to break in and avoid the crowds of the official tours. To gain entry to Spreepark you’ll have to find one of the many holes in the fence to squeeze through or a low part to jump over. Signs state that the park is patrolled by guards 24/7 but I saw nobody and this is believed to be no more than a deterrent. Of course it’s up to you but the risks are worth it for the graveyard of beheaded dinosaurs and swans, an large abandoned ferris wheel that creaks in the wind and a neglected lake.
Spreepark, Kiehnwerdeallee 1-3, 12437, Berlin. S-Bahn Treptower Park. Tours on Saturdays only.
http://www.berliner-spreepark.de/events_fuehrung.php
Need to save up for your time in Berlin? If you’re feeling lucky, you might be able to boost your trip budget with a spin of the wheel at InstaCasino…
These look incredible. Missed all 5 on my first visit, luckily I might be visiting again later this year. Post bookmarked.
Cheers,
Neil.
Thanks Neil – yes you should give them a go. In the summertime Badeschiff is outdoors and a bit overrun but can be better in the evenings. It was really surreal when I was there as it was 18 degrees below zero outside!
Fantastic ideas! I’m going back to Berlin in July so I’ll check some of these out then.
Thanks Andrea, there’s certainly plenty to see in the German capital. Enjoy your trip – should be a lot warmer than when I was there in February when it was 20 below at the worst!
Good list!
I have been to Berlin many times. Can’t wait to check out a couple of these places next time.
One of the best things about Berlin is there’s always something new to see!
Andy
I’ve never been to Berlin but your post makes me want to go NOW!
I’m off to Amsterdam first, though.
Andrew
You really should, but Amsterdam is great too of course. Look out for a hotel review later today of a great – and green – hotel in Amsterdam…
Andy
Will do – I am about to book something within the next few days.
Andrew
Great post. I have share this in Facebook. I will be going to Berlin next year and will check these out
I’m actually headed to Berlin this June. We just wrapped up planning this segment of our trip but I am sure we will add some of these attractions. I had already heard wonders about Arena Pool. However, the Katteschmaus looks like my type of place! Just wondering, what is the cost of breakfast atop the Reichstag?
Thanks,
Daphne
Hi Daphne,
You’ll love Badeschiff – the summer version will be amazing on a fine day. Don’t miss Katteschmaus either, it’s quite a place! As for the breakfast, you can check the latest prices on the website here: http://www.feinkost-kaefer.de/fileadmin/speisekarten/Fr-374hst-374ckskarte_Oktober_2011_engl.pdf but right now the huge ‘Feel Good Breakfast’ with sparkling wine and the one which I challenge anyone to actually finish is EUR 27. It’s a lot, but it’s something else. They have a full range of set breakfasts and you can put your own together too so there should be something for everyone.
Enjoy your trip!
Aloha Andy!
I wanted to say thanks again for submitting this article to the Byteful Travel Blog Carnival, and also congratulations! This article has been highlighted in the 14th BT Blog Carnival, which was published today. I loved the photography in this one, and I had no idea that the autobahn went under an apartment complex. (In addition to being well-written, learning about that is one of the reasons I highlighted your post.)
If you could retweet, stumble, or “Like” the blog carnival, I would really appreciate it. It would also help people discover your article, too; especially since your article is one of only 3 that I highlighted.
Thanks! Looking forward to your submissions next time! 🙂
Thanks Andrew!
Glad you liked the post and that it was included in the carnival – I’m off now to do a little social media promotion for it. Yes that apartment complex is really something; although there are several examples of ‘extreme architecture’ in Berlin! I’ll rustle up something for next month too, keep up the good work!
Hei.
Nice list. If you got the time, rent a bike. Berlin is (nearly) made for cykling and you will see things much far from the main tourist roads.
By the way: it’s Schlangenbader Strasse, not Schlangenberger.
Michael
Hi Michael,
You’re right there. I always rent a bike and indeed when I was at these places in February I was on a City Bike – unfortunately it was one of the coldest days of the winter so I was riding around while it was -18…otherwise it’s the best way to get around. I only wish the City Bikes were easier to use for foreigners (luckily I understand German) but they say they will relaunch their service in English. And I will change the typo – I got it right in the rest of the article and everywhere else on the site (https://grownuptravelguide.com/grown-up-travel-guide-daily-photo-apartments-built-atop-the-autobahn-berlin-germany etc.) so glad you spotted that this one slipped through in the title!
Thanks again for your comments and have a great day,
Andy
Hope I get to Katerschmaus before the building closes. Love these fun and unusual ideas for Berlin.
Wow – we missed all of these on our trip to Berlin. I was really focused on all the wartime history. Definitely have to go back and explore more…
Hehe, to be fair, there is enough in Berlin (for example wartime and Cold War history) to keep you occupied for several visits. This post should perhaps be called “Five things to do the fifth time you visit Berlin” 🙂 I like the obscure stuff, because I lived there for 2 years and saw most of the main sights. Having said that there’s always something new to see there too. As I write this I am actually on the plane to Berlin from Trondheim for the ITB and hope to have a few hours spare to find a few new gems..
Wow! very nice photos! i already visited the badeschiff! it was great! a very good advice!
I have always been excited about visiting Berlin (I guess the place gets tons of hype because of something). I have never heard of the places you describe in here and I like that. It is always nice to visit places recommended by experts in a city (not only the popular places).
Thank you Andrew for sharing story…
I never go to Berlin,but after see your post I must go to Berlin….
Really i like it so much…
Just to let you know. Kater Holzig is not in Köpenick. Thats a completely different area in Berlin.
You are quite right. Not sure how I let that get through. I was referring of course referring to its location in the Berlin borough of Treptow-Köpenick, not the village of Köpenick. Thanks for spotting this, I will change it now 🙂
yea, but its not in Treptow-Köpenick. Its in Mitte. There is a whole other borough (Kreuzberg) between Mitte and Köpenick 😉
Argh, you got me again – I really must stop reading and editing my blog comments at 5 a.m 🙂 Of course it’s in Mitte, I am confusing it with Badeschiff, which is right on the edge of Treptow-Köpenick. I was looking at my Google Map of Berlin and the star I have marked was Badeschiff, not Kater Holzig. Doh! Thanks again for the heads-up, corrected once more 🙂
😉 happens. Berlin can be confusing at times.
That’s true. It was SO much easier back in 1991, you had 9 u-bahn lines and easy postcodes/city areas. Kreuzberg was about as complicated as it got, with both 1062 and 1036 but apart from that, easy as pie. I’m struggling with the changes, I mean what’s with that huge eastern part? Where did that come from?! Just kidding 🙂
lol, yes. I was 3 in 91 and 61 was all I knew 🙂 much easier, indeed.
😀
Love your blog, I dont travel much but those personalized posts, make me wanna go and explore on my own.