Frommer's Portable Berlin, 3Rd Edition
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00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page i PORTABLE Berlin 3rd Edition by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince Here’s what critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page i PORTABLE Berlin 3rd Edition by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince Here’s what critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page ii Published by: WILEY PUBLISHING,INC. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as per- mitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permis- sion should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax 317/572-4447, E-Mail: [email protected]. Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trade- marks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 0-7645-4226-4 ISSN 1524-4334 Editor: Caroline Sieg Production Editor: Blair J. Pottenger Photo Editor: Richard Fox Cartographer: Elizabeth Puhl Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax 317/572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some con- tent that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. Manufactured in the United States of America 54321 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page iii Contents List of Maps vi 1 The Best of Berlin 1 1 Frommer’s Favorite Berlin Experiences . .1 2 Best Hotel Bets . .2 3 Best Dining Bets . .4 2 Planning Your Trip to Berlin 6 1 Visitor Information . .6 2 Entry Requirements & Customs . .6 3 Money . .10 The Euro, the U.S. Dollar, the British Pound & the Canadian Dollar . .12 What Things Cost in Berlin . .14 4 When to Go . .15 Berlin Calendar of Events . .16 5 Travel Insurance . .17 6 Health & Safety . .19 7 Getting There . .23 3 Getting to Know Berlin 29 1 Orientation . .29 Berlin Today & Tomorrow . .30 Neighborhoods in Brief . .34 2 Getting Around . .39 Fast Facts: Berlin . .43 4 Where to Stay 48 1 On or Near the Kurfürstendamm . .49 Family-Friendly Hotels . .52 2 Near the Memorial Church & Zoo . .57 3 In Grunewald . .60 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page iv 4 In Charlottenburg . .60 5 In Berlin-Mitte . .61 5 Where to Dine 69 1 Restaurants by Cuisine . .69 2 Near the Kurfürstendamm . .71 Family-Friendly Restaurants . .74 3 Near the Memorial Church & Zoo . .77 4 Near the Tiergarten . .78 5 In Greater Charlottenburg . .79 6 In Grunewald . .80 7 In Berlin-Mitte . .81 6 Exploring Berlin 91 Suggested Itineraries . .91 1 The Top Museums . .92 The Best Sightseeing Deal . .103 2 Exploring Berlin-Mitte . .108 3 Other Architectural Sights . .113 4 The Parks & Zoo . .116 5 Organized Tours . .118 6 Sports & Outdoor Pursuits . .120 7 A Walking Tour of Berlin 123 Walking Tour: From the Site of the Berlin Wall to Unter den Linden . .123 8 Shopping 133 1 The Top Shopping Streets . .133 2 Shopping A to Z . .134 Treasures in the Barn District . .136 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page v 9 Berlin After Dark 144 1 The Performing Arts . .144 2 Theater . .145 The Love Parade . .146 3 The Club & Music Scene . .147 Life Is a Cabaret in Berlin . .148 4 Gay & Lesbian Berlin . .151 5 The Bar & Cafe Scene . .154 6 A Casino . .160 10 Side Trips from Berlin 161 1 Potsdam . .161 2 The Spreewald . .168 Index 171 General Index . .171 Accommodations Index . .178 Restaurant Index . .178 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page vi List of Maps Germany 8 Attractions in Berlin at a Glance 36 Charlottenburg 93 Berlin U-Bahn & Attractions Around the S-Bahn 40 Tiergarten 99 Where to Stay in Western Attractions in Berlin 50 Berlin-Mitte 109 Where to Stay in From the Site of the Former Berlin-Mitte 63 Wall to Unter den Linden 125 Where to Dine in Western Berlin 72 Saxony & Thuringia 163 Where to Dine in Potsdam 165 Berlin-Mitte 83 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page vii ABOUT THE AUTHORS Veteran travel writers Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince have written numerous best-selling Frommer’s guides, notably to Germany, France, Italy, England, and Spain. Porter, who was bureau chief for the Miami Herald when he was 21, wrote the first Frommer’s guide to Germany and has trav- eled extensively in the country. Prince, who began writing with Porter in 1982, worked for the Paris bureau of the New York Times. AN INVITATION TO THE READER In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Portable Berlin, 3rd Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 AN ADDITIONAL NOTE Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time— and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets. 00 542664 FM.qxd 11/14/03 8:54 AM Page viii FROMMER’S STAR RATINGS,ICONS & ABBREVIATIONS Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun Kids Best bets for kids and advice for the whole family Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money Value Great values—where to get the best deals The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard FROMMERS.COM Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly, we give you instant access to the most cur- rent trip-planning information available. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At Frommers. com, you’ll also find the following: • Online updates to our most popular guidebooks • Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways • Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends • Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions 01 542664 Ch01.qxd 11/14/03 9:02 AM Page 1 1 The Best of Berlin As every year of the new millennium goes by, the reunited city of Berlin more firmly establishes itself as the capital of the Germany of the 21st century. Berlin was almost bombed out of existence during World War II, its streets reduced to piles of rubble, its parks to muddy swampland. But the optimistic spirit and strength of will of the remarkable Berliners enabled them to survive not only the wartime destruction of their city, but also its postwar division, symbolized by the Berlin Wall. Today, structures of steel and glass tower over streets where before only piles of rubble lay, and parks and gardens are again lush.