Berlin

Nickname(s):

"Spreeathen"

Demonym(s):

Berliner

Founded:

1174

Democracy:

Developed:

European Union:

Schengen:

Euro:

National Capital:

RegionalState Capital:

Population (City):

3 769 000

Population (Urban):

4 473 000

Population (Metro):

6 144 000

Population Density (km2):

4 100

Population Density (mi2):

10 700

Largest City in Germany

Largest City in the European Union

Language:

German

Currency:

Euro

Avg. Summertime High:

25 °C

76 °F

Avg. Summertime Low:

14 °C

56 °F

Warmest Month:

Coldest Month:

Avg. Wintertime High:

3 °C

37 °F

Avg. Wintertime Low:

-3 °C

27 °F

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Berlin
Germany

Berlin might not be as famous as a tourist destination as London or Paris. But it has a lot to offer, and in recent years it has received more and more attention. The Brandenburger Tor is the most famous symbol for the city, and with its central position, you won't miss it. Berlin has several sights connected to the Cold War, such as The East Side Gallery (what's left of the Berlin Wall) and Checkpoint Charlie. Alexanderplatz is the former center of East Berlin, and nearby you'll find Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral). Breitscheidplatz is the former center of West Berlin with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

Federal Republic of Germany | Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Germany

English

Deutschland

Germany

Region:

Central Europe

Area:

357 022 km2

Ranked 63 out of 195

Population:

Population:

83 190 000

Ranked 18 out of 235

Urbanization:

78 %

Ranked 53 out of 194

Capital:

Berlin

Population: 4 473 000

Largest City:

Berlin

Population: 4 473 000

Major Cities:

Berlin
Hamburg
Cologne
Munich
Frankfurt

Economy & Development:

Human Development Index:

Very High

Ranked 6 out of 189

Inequality-Adjusted HDI:

Very High

Ranked 10 out of 189

GDP (PPP) Per Capita:

$53 919

Ranked 26 out of 225

Democracy & Freedom:

Democracy Index:

Full Democracy

Ranked 14 out of 167

Freedom House:

Free

94 points out of 100 possible

Press Freedom:

Satisfactory

Ranked 16 out of 180

Economic Freedom:

Most Free

Ranked 20 out of 162

National Identity:

Independence Since:

1871

Independence From:

German City-States

National Day:

3rd of October

What Is Celebrated On The National Day:

The unification between East and West Germany, which was formally in effect on the 3rd of October 1990. In Germany, the day is known as "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" (German Unity Day). The date was chosen as National Day ahead of the 9th of November, the day when the Berlin Wall was torn down, and which is a more symbolic day in the Unification process, because the 9th of November was also the date of the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in 1938.

Facts & Codes:

Driving Side:

Right

-

Time Zone:

UTC +1 (CET)

Summer Time: UTC +2 (CEST)

Country Calling Code:

+ 49

-

Country Code:

DE

ISO 3166

German State | Deutsche Bundesland

Berlin

English / German

Region:

Northern Germany

Area:

891 km2

Ranked 14 out of 16

Population:

Population:

3 664 000

Ranked 8 out of 16

Population Share:

4 %

Of National Population

Capital:

Berlin

Population: 4 473 000

Largest City:

Berlin

Population: 4 473 000

Major Cities:

-



Information:

GDP Per Capita::

$49 500

Higher than national average

Climate:

Oceanic Climate

Köppen: Cfb

Time Zone:

UTC +1 (CET)

Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)

Berliner Dom

Cathedral

Brandenburger Tor

Famous City Gate

East Side Gallery

Berlin Wall

Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg “Willy Brandt“

IATA Code:

BER

ICAO Code:

EDDB

Passenger Volumes:

Distance:

18 km / 11 mi (SE)

Located In:

Schönefeld

Named After:

Former West German chancellor Willy Brandt

Information:

The new airport in Berlin serves the city and all of Eastern and Northern Germany. It replaced the two former airports in Berlin - Tegel (TXL) and Schönefeldt (SXF) - in October 2020, after more than ten years of delays.

Transfer To/From:

The airport is connected to the city center through S-Bahn (Commuter Rail). Line S9 serves all terminals at the airport and connects you to Alexanderplatz (East), Hauptbahnhof (Center), and Zoologischer Garten (West). The bus is another option for transfer to and from the airport.

Currency:

Euro

Code:

EUR

Subunit:

Cent

Symbol:

€

Cash Or Credit:

Cash is King in Germany! It always amazes me that a country that is so technologically advanced in just about everything else is still using mostly cash and doesn't even offer cards as an option in many stores. It was however much better when I visited in 2021 than during my previous trips in 2017 and 2019. In just those two years it changed a lot, and it was now at least possible to pay by card in most medium-sized stores. There were however still places where I was not able to use my card, so you still need to bring paper cash.

Even in 2022, I faced some issues, but by now card payment is available at most places. Bring cash, but you don't have to bring as much as before. And in most cases, you could just go somewhere else instead of using cash. Most tourist attractions are now accepting card payments, something that was not the norm just five years ago.

Good To Know:

-

Local Language:

German

Language Family:

Germanic (Indo-European)

Writing System:

Latin Alphabet

What About English?

Germans previously had a reputation for not being so good at English. Today, this is completely false and nothing could be further from the truth. Germany has by far the highest proficiency in English of the major non-native-speaking countries in Europe. Only the much smaller Scandinavian and Benelux countries are better. If English is your only language, you won't have to worry about language in Germany. There is a slight generational difference though. The older generation might not always be able to help you out, but young people almost always speak more or less perfect English.

- Germany Is Closed On Sundays

It is good to know that almost all of Germany closes down on Sundays. Stores are not allowed to be open on Sundays! They are allowed to be open on four Sundays during the year, and most of them will choose to keep open during the Christmas season. Restaurants are allowed to be open, and so do tourist attractions and certain stores that cater specifically to tourists (such as souvenir shops). Those are more or less the only exceptions. Not even Supermarkets are open, so plan your purchases well and make sure to buy everything you need on Saturday already if you plan on staying over a Sunday.

Nordsee

Origin:

Founded:

Type of Food:

1896

Did I Try:

Yes

My Score:

4 / 5

About:

A German chain that serves seafood. The company was founded in 1896 in Bremerhaven to supply seafood from the North Sea to the residents of Bremen. The literal translation of the name is "North Sea". In the 1960s the current chain was developed when they, in addition to the original fresh seafood menu, also added a more fast-food-like menu with fried products.

Comment:

They have two menus. One menu consists of more a restaurant type of seafood that is served on plates, and which is arguable of higher quality. The other menu, which is the one I like better, consists of typical fast-food items such as fried shrimp or fish served with fries in paper boxes. I can highly recommend visiting this chain if you're looking for a quick meal.

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Brandenburger Tor

Brandenburger Tor is a symbol for Berlin as recognizable as the Statue of Liberty is for New York.

Berliner Dom

Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) is a very beautiful building on Museum Island in central Berlin.

Close-up of Berliner Dom

It's a must-see attraction, and I can also recommend taking the tour and going up to the top of it.

Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz is the former center of East Berlin. Today it's a major square in the unified city.

Alexanderplatz

A street near Alexanderplatz.

Street in Berlin

A street in Berlin, near Unter den Linden.

Checkpoint Charlie

The famous Checkpoint Charlie once was one of many checkpoints between East and West.

Pipes on the streets of Berlin

Notice the pink pipes on the righthand side. These pipes are everywhere in the city and they are utility lines used to carry groundwater. Berlin is built on land that once was a swamp with very high levels of groundwater underneath. When digging into the ground for construction the excessive water will have to be removed. So these pipes transport the water from the city into rivers and such.

Construction Cranes at MediaCity

MediaCity is a new area under construction in Berlin, and the construction cranes are many here. This is also where you'll find the East Side Gallery, the largest still-surviving part of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin Wall and construction

A new Berlin in the making with glimpses of the old. The Berlin Wall to the left. New construction and cranes in the center with the Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz on the horizon.

Engelbecken in Kreuzberg

Engelbecken is a park in the district of Kreuzberg.

Street in Berlin

These utility lines do fascinate me.

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