Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [93]
Turn right behind the Altes Museum to arrive at the magnificent Berliner Dom (40; Click here), the former royal church and burial place of many Hohenzollern rulers. Across from the cathedral once stood a hideous GDR-era parliamentary and cultural building called Palast der Republik, and before that the royal city palace; a replica of the latter will soon be reconstructed and opened as the Humboldt Forum (41; Click here).
Behind the ex-palace, turn right for the Marx-Engels-Forum (42), walking past the statue of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to the Nikolaiviertel (43; Nikolai Quarter; ), where Berlin was founded in the 13th century. Make your way towards the Rotes Rathaus (44; Click here), home of the city government, to the Marienkirche (45; Click here), Berlin’s oldest still-operating church. Continue east, perhaps stopping off to catch a ride up the Fernsehturm (46; Click here), to Alexanderplatz (47; Click here), once the commercial heart of communist Berlin.
From here follow Münzstrasse to the Scheunenviertel, Berlin’s historic Jewish quarter and now a vibrant part of town, with plenty of eating, shopping and nightlife. Its hub is the Hackesche Höfe (48; Click here), a beautifully restored series of courtyards where cafes invite you to cool your heels and wrap up your grand tour.
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BERLIN FOR CHILDREN
Travelling to Berlin with tots can be child’s play, as there’s certainly no shortage of fun things to do around town. Parks and imaginative playgrounds abound in all neighbourhoods and the vast Tiergarten is great for picnics or paddling around the Neuer See lake.
Animal lovers gravitate towards Berlin Zoo, home to the polar-bear celebrity Knut, a petting corral and an adventure playground. The adjacent Aquarium has lots more crowd-pleasers, but to prevent exhaustion save a visit here for another day.
Finny friends also take centre stage at Sea Life Berlin, whose smaller size makes it suitable for the kindergarten set, as does the company’s Legoland Discovery Centre.
Kid-friendly museums include the Museum für Naturkunde (Museum of Natural History; ) with its giant dinosaurs; the Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology; ) with its planes, trains and automobiles; and the Domäne Dahlem (off Map; 666 3000; Königin-Luise-Strasse 49; adult/concession €2/1, Wed free; 10am-6pm Wed-Mon; Dahlem-Dorf), an outdoor museum where they can watch daily farm-life unfold and meet their favourite barnyard animals. There’s also Museumsdorf Düppel (off Map; 802 6671; Clauertstrasse 11; adult/concession €2/1; 3-7pm Thu, 10am-5pm Sun Apr-Oct; Zehlendorf, then bus 115), a recreated medieval village with Sunday craft demonstrations, games and tours.
Older kids might get a kick out of the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie with its Cold War spy and escape exhibits. Follow up a visit here with a trip around Berlin’s ‘Wild East’ in a quaint GDR-era car on a Trabi Safari. And your music-loving teens will think you’re way cool if you take them on the Fritz Music Tour. For more ideas, see www.visitberlin.de or www.travelforkids.com.
If you need a babysitter, ask at your hotel for a referral or try Kinder-Hotel (Map; 4171 6928; www.kinderinsel.de; Eichendorffstrasse 17, Mitte), which has 24-hour day care in 17 languages for kids aged up to 14. Fees are €13 per hour and €69 overnight (14 hours).
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TOURS
Bus Tours
CITY CIRCLE TOURS
You’ll see them everywhere around town: colourful buses (in summer often open-top double-deckers) that tick off all the key sights on two-hour loops with basic taped commentary in eight languages. You’re free to get off and back on at any of the stops. Buses depart roughly every 15 or 30 minutes between 10am and 5pm or 6pm daily. Day tickets cost €15 or €20 (half-price for teens, free for children). Companies include BBS Berliner Bären Stadtrundfahrt ( 3519 5270; www.sightseeing.de), Severin