fun things
to do with your kids in
Germany

Brandenburg and Saxony

Berlin

In the 20th century, Berlin figured in two world wars and was a divided city, East and West Berlin, for nearly thirty years. But Berlin was and is a city with extensive woodlands and rivers that meander through the city. One park, Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg, is made on a mountain of rubble.

A native Berliner told us about his family's favorite things to do in Berlin. He grew up in West Berlin, his wife in East Berlin. They met two days after the Berlin Wall came down. Today, you can ramble freely through all parts of the city.

• Berlin day trips
  

•  Fernsehturm TV Tower (Alexanderplatz) – To get the overview of Berlin, take an elevator ride up to the top of the 60ties-style TV tower in Alexanderplatz. The newly renovated Fernsehturm tower, 368 meters high, has a revolving restaurant on top and a glorious overlook of Berlin.
  
  Also in the Alexanderplatz, don't miss Neptunbrunnen, a splashy gilded fountain, with Neptune brandishing his triton and other creatures spraying him with water.

•  Marienkirche – From the Fernsehturm, you look down over Berlin's oldest church, St. Mary's Church. Back on the ground, visit this Gothic red brick church, with the original 13th century nave, lovely carving and gilt-work in the interior.

•  Pergamonmuseum and Altes Museum (Museum Island) – In the 19th century, German archeologists rediscovered classical antiquities. The Pergamon Museum was originally built to house the goodies that Schliemann bought back from his search for Troy. Three "must sees" in the Pergamon Museum are the incomparable Ishtar Gate of Babylon, the Pergamon Altar (Hellenistic) and Gate of Miletus (Roman). You can't miss them – these are big architectural pieces. If you have a coin collector in your family, stop in to see the numismatics collection of ancient coins. The Altes Museum has more Greek vases, bronze figures and gold jewelry.
  

•  Neue Synagogue (Oranienburgerstrasse) – Oranienburgerstrasse was once home to the largest synagogue in Berlin and a thriving Jewish neighborhood. The synagogue was bombed during World War II, but the façade survived, and now the "New Synagogue" has been restored. Inside the Synagogue is a museum of the history of the synagogue.
  

•  Nikolaivietel (Nicolai Quarter) – This area is the oldest part of Berlin, although it was bombed out in World War II and some buildings are replicas of old buildings. Wander around the cobblestone streets, passing by the Olde Markt, Molkenmarkt plaza, stop into a cafe for snacks, visit the Handwerksmuseum which has re-creations of traditional shops and items such as old locks and keys to the old city gates of Berlin.
  

•  Walk down Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) – This is a walk through Old Berlin. Under den Linden is a wide boulevard, once again lined with lime trees. The impressive 18th century Brandenburg Gate is topped with Nike, the goddess of victory, driving her chariot with four horses (Quadriga). Enjoy the freedom of running around the columns.
  

•  Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie) – Checkpoint Charlie, the infamous crossing point between East and West Berlin, conjures up scenes of the Cold War. Today, all that's left is the East German watchtower, a stark concrete curiosity in the midst of the now unified city. The museum has a history of the Berlin Wall, including stories of those who tried to escape from East to West Berlin.
  
  · To see the largest standing section of the Berlin Wall, go to Muhlenstrasse along the Spree River. There the wall has been painted by over a hundred artists from 21 different countries, and is now called the East Side Gallery. Another section of the wall is also visible at Bernauer Strasse (cross street Ackerstrasse) and the Potsdamer Platz. For an overview of the history of the Berlin Wall, visit the Berlin Wall online.
  

•  Tiergarten park – The Tiergarten park is a huge expanse of trees in the middle of Berlin, crisscrossed with small lakes and the Landwehrkanal. For centuries, the Tiergarten has been a popular place for Berlin families. Rent a boat and go boating on the lakes. If you brought your roller blades, go skating. This is a spot to picnic or watch a soccer game.
  
  · The Reichstag (northeast corner of the Tiergarten) – In the 19th century, the Reichstag was built for the German parliament, standing as a symbol of a unified Germany. The Reichstag has been gutted and rebuilt to house the newly unified German parliament. Climb up the beautiful glass dome in the new and improved Reichstag. From on top you get a bird's eye view of the city.
  
  · Victory Column (Siegessaule) – This black and gold column topped with a heavily gilded "Winged Victory" commemorates Prussian military victories. To run off a little energy, climb up the 285 stairs to the top for a view of the Tiergarten park and the Brandenburg Gate at the eastern end.
  
  · Zoologischer Garten and Aquarium (southeast corner of the Tiergarten) – The Zoologischer Garten is a traditional zoo with an extensive collection of animals. The Aquarium has fish native to Europe, as well as crocodiles and Komodo dragons.
  

•  Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhem Memorial Church) – Like Coventry Cathedral in England, this church was damaged in World War II, but not totally rebuilt. Today the crumbling church tower is a quiet testament to the losses of war.
  

•  Schloss-garten Charlottenburg – Visit this charming 17th century castle, Schloss Charlottenburg, built for Queen Sophie Charlotte, who liked parties. See how a Queen lived in style. Don't miss the lovely gardens.
  
  · Agyptisches Museum (Egyptian Museum) – Adjoining the gardens of the Schloss Charlottenburg is the Egyptian Museum, containing some of the most exquisite art of ancient Egypt. Don't miss the world famous bust of Nefertiti and other goodies such as sculptures of the Egyptian cat god, Bastet.
  
  · Museum fur Vor-und Fruhgeschichte (Museum for Pre-and Early History) – This museum has a big collection of pre-historic artifacts from Europe and the Ancient Near East. Find out about Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age cultures, finishing up with gold, ceramics and weapons from the ancient city of Troy in Turkey.
  

•  Take a cruise on the river – Pick up the boat at Schlossbruke near the Schloss Charlottenburg for a three hour roundtrip cruise. The boat trip takes you on a circle tour on the River Spree and Landwehrkanal. This is just a wonderful way to see the center of Berlin. You can also pick up a one hour cruise from the Berliner Dom. Boats are also available from Wannsee for cruises to Pfaueninsel, Kladow and Potsdam in the western part of the city.
  

•  Swimming – Berlin offers plenty of good swimming options. Each section of Berlin has a public pool. Ask at your hotel for the nearest "schwimmbad," swimming pool. There is a big swimming pool at the Olympic Stadium in Charlottenburg.
  
  The wide rivers, almost like lakes, are also popular for family swimming. You can swim in the Havel River at Strandbad Wannsee or in the Grunewald in the western part of the city, or in the Grosse Muggelsee in the eastern area of Berlin.
  

•  Parks – All over Berlin there are "Spielplatz," playgrounds. Ask at your hotel for the nearest one. Lietzensee Park in Charlottenburg is especially nice – there's a play area for kids, a small lake, and a place where parents can sit down and have a beer. Volkspark Prenzlauer Berg in the eastern part of the city, is a park built over a mountain of rubble from WWII.
  

Fun Food

In 1963, when John F. Kennedy gave a speech near the Berlin Wall, he used the phrase " Ich bin ein Berliner." A "Berliner" is a kind of doughnut, filled with jam and covered with sugar. Try these doughnuts at any bakery – they are called "Berliner," "Berliner Krapfen" or "Pfannkuchen." Other fun snacks are potato fritters (Kartoffelpuffer) and pancakes (Eierpfannkuchen).

Shopping

KaDeWe, a huge department store like Harrod's in London, is an experience in itself. The toy section has an excellent collection of Steiff bears and stuffed animals. Don't miss the food floor – a huge selection of all kinds of food.

Tip: Take the subway. Berlin has an extensive and convenient subway (U-bahn) and above-ground train system. Get a "Small Group" ticket (up to five persons) for the day, and go anywhere within Berlin city.