Berlin on a budget
One of the best things about Berlin is that some of the city’s most memorable experiences don’t require you to put your hand in your pocket at all. Unlike many European cities, where travelling on a budget might mean compromising on the quality of your experience, some of the best things to see and do in Berlin are the most affordable.
We’ve got world class street art that can rival any gallery or museum, historic sites where you can learn the story of the city for free, amazing parks that become open-air social spaces when the weather is fine, and neighbourhood markets where a few euros can buy you great food while experiencing Berlin culture first hand.
CULTURE AND HISTORY
Unlike many cities, Berlin’s museums and galleries often come with an admission fee. But some are more budget-friendly than others. If you are travelling with a family, young people under 18 can visit all state museums including those on Museum Island for free. History buffs can also access the Everyday Life in the GDR museum and the Palace of Tears exhibition at Friedrichstraße station, both dealing with life in the divided city, for free whatever your age.
A real treasure for budget-conscious travellers is the East Side Gallery. This is the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall and features countless murals by international artists to make it one of the world’s largest open-air art galleries. A little closer to The Circus, the stretch of the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Straße has been turned into the main memorial for the years of division, with a huge open-air exhibition to explore.
For those interested in Berlin’s complex history, the Topography of Terror documentation centre offers free admission to its exhibition on the grounds where the SS and Gestapo headquarters once stood during the National Socialist dictatorship. It’s a tough place to visit, but an essential stop for understanding the city’s past.
MARKETS AND EXPLORING BERLIN’S NEIGHBOURHOODS
Sunday mornings in Berlin belong to the flea markets, and you don’t need to buy a single thing to enjoy the theatre of it all. The Flohmarkt am Mauerpark is a short walk up the hill from The Circus and is one of the city’s most famous weekend institutions. As well as the stalls selling pretty much anything you could imagine, there’s food trucks and street musicians, and a park to chill out in next door.
Even closer to home, Arkonaplatz market on Sunday’s offers a more curated experience, specialising in mid-century design and East German memorabilia. It’ll take about ten minutes to get there from The Circus, and the neighbourhood around is full of great cafes for people-watching once you are done shopping.
A great street food experience is the Turkish market on Maybachufer, easily reachable from The Circus on the U8 line. It takes place every Tuesday and Friday, and gives you a great feeling for the multicultural fabric of the city and a brilliant place to pick up all the ingredients for a picnic by the canal.
More of our favourite flea markets
PARKS, LAKES AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Berlin has an abundance of green spaces, offering loads to see and do for the cost of little more than a transport ticket and a beer from the nearest corner shop. Tempelhofer Feld is a unique place – a public park built on the airfield of the old Tempelhof airport. People run the perimeter or ride their bikes along the runways. Others chill in the long grass and while away their time waiting for the sunset.
We’ve already mentioned Mauerpark, which is just a short walk away from The Circus. Right on Rosenthaler Platz is Weinbergsweg park. Small, but perfectly formed, this is a great hangout spot on a summer day. Just grab some drinks from a nearby kiosk and you’ve got your very own beer garden in the heart of the city.
When the weather is fine, Berliners head for the lakes. While there are some beaches that charge admission, there are other lakes where you can freely (and legally) enter the water pretty much wherever you like. The shoreline of Tegeler See in the north and Schlachtensee in the south offer countless mini coves and beaches where you can swim for free.
More of our favourite parks and gardens and our favourite swimming spots
AFFORDABLE EATS
Berlin has long been a place for unpretentious dining, with some of the city’s most memorable culinary experiences to be found out on the street. Indeed, two icons of Berlin come from the neighbourhood Imbiss (street food stand) – the currywurst and the döner kebab.
Indeed, the Berlin Turkish community lays claim to being the inventors of the döner, which you will find on nearly every street corner. Our local kebab shop on the corner of Rosenthaler Platz is a fine example of the art, with friendly guys on hand to help you make your choice. The currywurst, also invented in Berlin, brings together chopped sausage and a (mildly) spicy sauce. Quality here can be quite hit and miss, but the legendary Konnopke’s Imbiss at Eberswalder Straße (a short walk up the hill from the Circus) is a safe bet.
Neighbourhood bakeries are a great place to start the day while experiencing how the city wakes up. Vietnamese restaurants are plentiful across the city, and often offer the best price-quality ratio for a sit-down meal.
STROLLING THE CITY
There is no better city in Europe for walking than Berlin, and the variety and difference to be found in each of our neighbourhoods is something that many visitors comment on and something that makes Berlin so special. Head north from The Circus to Prenzlauer Berg to explore a neighbourhood of historic apartment blocks, independent stores and cafes to spend a relaxed afternoon over coffee and beer. Discover the traditional home of Berlin’s Turkish community as well as its punk and alternative scene in Kreuzberg. Wander Karl-Marx-Allee from Friedrichshain to Mitte to understand the grandiose dreams of a communist East Germany being built out of the rubble of World War II.
From The Circus you can walk along Rosenthaler Straße towards Hackescher Markt, and from here you are a short stroll from many of the city’s major landmarks, including the Berlin TV Tower, Museum Island, Unter den Linden and the Brandenburg Gate.
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If you want even more tips and ideas for things to do, check us out on Instagram. And while you are in Berlin, our lovely team is always on hand with suggestions of their own! Just come and have a chat with us.
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