The “Brotherly Kiss”, an iconic work of the Berlin Wall.
DR
If you are one of the lucky ones who was able to get a ticket for this match and your employer has released you a little early so you can enjoy your weekend in Berlin, go for it! There are a slew of trains that go from Interlaken to Berlin and the prices are unbeatable. I would be you, I would leave three or four days early and this for two good reasons.
Already because with Deutsche Bahn you don’t really know when you are leaving and even less if and when you will arrive! And then because the German capital is an absolutely exceptional city and it is important to take the time to discover it from many angles.
When leaving the station, don’t even take the time to drop off your things at the hotel. Because all you have to do is exit from the Washingtonplatz side, cross the bridge in honor of Gutav Heinemann, take two selfies with the fake bears in the colors of each team qualified for this Euro and you will come straight to the ‘Swiss Embassy. That will be done. Then turn left and you will have taken the necessary photos in front of the Bundestag. Afterwards, it’s right for the Reichstag, then straight again for the Brandenburg Gate. So much for Instagram.
The Brandenburg Gate.
DR
After that, the serious stuff can begin. If you’ve got the kids on board, then dribble past the two fan zones and take a leisurely stroll through the Tiergarten. Cross it in a southwesterly direction, seeing the Victory Column from afar, and you can go and greet pandas, bears and tigers at the zoo. It’s not cheap – 39 euros with a visit to the aquarium – but it always has its effect. From there, head a little further south, to test out the galleries and designer boutiques on Potsdamer Strasse.
It makes you hungry and thirsty, of course, but it’s not yet time for currywurst. That will mop up things later. Take the U-Bahn number 7 towards Rudow. Get off at Hermannplatz and head north for a few hundred meters. There, you can’t miss it, go straight to Mangal Döner X Lukas Podolski. The restaurant of the former German international has become a must-see and it’s also because it’s very, very good work. I’ve never heard such rave reviews about kebabs…
A well deserved rest.
DR
In the process, and this is a very personal choice, do not hesitate to take a little digestive walk. You head to the water’s edge and aim for the East Side Galery. This is a part of the Berlin Wall from the Cold War that has been tagged and it’s beautiful! Then continue your walk towards the east along the water and find a terrace or a patch of grass in Treptower Park. And if you feel like it, honor the Archenhold Observatory just behind. He has a giant telescope and even a giant meteorite!
For the evening aperitif, don’t panic. A few dozen meters away, along the tracks, go and have a glass of chasselas and raclette rösti at the Schwarze Heidi Fondue Hütte. And don’t roll your eyes when you understand why this Swiss restaurant is called that… Well, I think you’ll have plenty of time to go to sleep. Because you’ll be full of it. Berlin is huge and getting around takes time, even if the network of trains, buses, metros and trams is quite efficient when there is not a football match.
Check Point Charlie, not to be missed!
DR
The next day, I see you coming, it’s time to go shopping. Berlin does not have a hyper-center to speak of. But if you like big brands, head to Kurfürstendamm and Friedrichstraße. Afterwards, if you want to go a little further (I’m not saying that because it’s been “my neighborhood” for two weeks and I like it a lot), towards Bergmannstraße and Oranienstraße, basically all of Berlin- Mitte or almost, there is plenty to do.
In the surrounding area, there is everything you need and some welcome terraces. Perfect for the meal break. Because after the regulation schnitzel (there are vegan ones, I almost died when I saw that!), you have no other choice but to go down Friedrichstraße to Instagram Check Point Charlie, one of seven places where it was possible to possibly cross the Berlin Wall at the time. I swear, it does something.
After the effort…
DR
Well, it’s time for the pre-match aperitif and let’s go to Quell-Eck (Tieckstraße 41). There we drink pints of 5-ball Berliner Pilsner straight from the oldest beer tap in the capital. It’s smoking, there’s theories and there’s a corner of the bistro to fill your belly, with of course a currywurst on the menu. This is always something to take before going to the stadium. From there, go down the street and take the S2 or S9. It will take you directly to the Olympic Stadium!
