Berlin: A Weekend in Germany’s Capital City

The last big city in Germany during my 2024 European adventure was Berlin. 

I began my Berlin weekend by visiting the East Side Gallery Berlin Wall. It’s a historic landmark that was later covered with artwork, some very poignant of the location and its history. The wall definitely goes a long way, so admittedly, I didn’t have the energy to see the whole thing, but I was glad I at least got to see a solid portion of it. 

I then made my way to the famous Checkpoint Charlie. This is in a much busier part of town, so keep in mind that a lot of people want a photo in front of it, so just be prepared to wait.

Of course, after a week of busy travel, I was in need of some R&R, so after Checkpoint Charlie I decided to go to a day spa. I went to one of the most popular spas in Berlin, Vabali Spa. It costs about $30 for 2 hours, plus an additional $10 for two towels and a robe (although if you have your own, this is optional). I soon discovered, however, the major difference between Americans and Germans: co-ed spas. It was like I wandered into a nudist colony, but of course, to them, it was totally normal. The good news is that there are some areas where it's women only, but as a happily married woman, I kept well-covered up in my oversized robe. While there’s a lot to love about European culture, I’m still an awkward American when it comes to spas.

To cap off my first day in Berlin, I walked along the river, only to discover a large crowd of people salsa dancing. It was incredible; I mean, these people had full-on routines going on like something out of the movies. I’ll admit, Berlin was the last place I expected salsa dancing, but it was really cool to see, and I enjoyed hanging out there for a while before heading back to my hostel.

Day Two
My second day in Berlin began with a trip to their Jewish Museum. The museum offers free entry, so I definitely recommend going there.

Since my second day in Berlin fell on a Sunday, the city was a lot more quiet, but I used the time to focus on seeing more landmarks. I walked along the well-known boulevard Unter den Linden, which is home to many historic buildings and takes you all the way to Brandenburg Gate. Not too far beside Brandenburg Gate is Berlin’s Jewish memorial, which is where I ended my day.

To cap off my time in Germany, I will say I’m a fan of the small towns over the big cities, and I love that soft pretzels are a breakfast staple here. I could get used to that!