12 Step Planet: Berlin

How Do I Get There?
Easy. Ryanair and Aer Lingus both have daily flights. Aer Lingus leave Dublin at 11.45, which is very civilised. The best way to get into Berlin is on the bahn – the journey from the airport to the city centre costs €3.50.
When Should I Go?
You don’t go to Berlin for the weather. You go for the history, the culture, the atmosphere, the vibe. We got lucky: we went in October, expecting it to be fiercely cold, and it was wonderfully balmy. Berlin buzzes all year round, so the summer is probably best. It’s a happier place with the sun shining, or so our spies tell us...
Where should I stay?
There are loads of great places to stay in Berlin, with lashings of character. We got a brilliant deal in the wonderful Mandala Hotel. Located on Pastdamer Strasse, it’s just beside Postdamer Platz station. It’s also within easy walking distance of the Holocaust Memorial, Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag – need I go on? The hotel is really stylish and the rooms excellent. The breakfast is utterly brilliant, with great fresh fruit, dried fruit, yoghurt, cereals, fish, meat, bread, pastries and treats in the buffet. There was a gorgeous pic of Sinéad O’Connor close to the room we stayed in, and the hotel’s excellent spa was on the same floor. A very fine place indeed.
What’s the touristy thing you have to do?
Go see The Berlin Wall. Take a train to Ostbanhoff. Across the road, in what is called the East Side Gallery, there’s a wonderful selection of murals, painted on the wall itself, in tribute to the brave souls who attempted to escape East Germany during the cold war years. You could spend hours here and still feel that there’s more to see.
Anything else?
Well, there’s so much! Take the tour up to the dome in the Reichstag. Visit Checkpoint Charlie and have a scoot through the museum if you have time. Stroll the length of the legendary Unter den Linden to Brandenburger Tor. We also went to Zoo Station, of U2 fame, visited the adjacent Museum für Fotografie and spent a fascinating few hours at the superb Helmut Newton exhibition. We walked the length of the shopping boulevard Kurfurstendamm and visited the ruined church that’s a kind of focal point and meeting place. There is so much to pack into a weekend, you feel like you need to go for a week!
What about eating?
By Irish restaurant standards, food is not excessively expensive in Berlin and there are loads of good value Thai and Vietnamese places. A lot of the high-end restaurants are in hotels, among them Restaurant 44 in the Swissotel; Quadriga in Brandenburg Hof Hotel; and Facil in the Mandala Hotel. But Hugo’s in the Intercontinental Hotel is something extra special: named the best restaurant in Berlin by Time Out, with its magnificent food and 360o views over the city, it’s highly recommended. At the other end of the scale, make sure to try that local speciality, the legendary Currywurst – essentially a large sausage with curry powder, it’s usually served with chips and mayonaisse! There are stands all over the city. Go for it!
What should I avoid?
The elements! It’s as windy as Dublin, almost as rainy and can be bitterly, bitterly cold. Not to mention all the bleedin’ snow that’s been stacked up recently. Check the weather before you go, bring clothes to wrap up in and be sensible in what you wear!
How much to get tanked?
A drink will cost anything from €1 to €30, depending on the establishment. Berlin has every type of watering hole imaginable. There are ubercool cocktail bars, overpriced Irish pubs, heavy metalers’ bars, gay bars galore, nightclubs in abundance with techno 24-7 – and of course your old-fashioned traditional German pubs. They like their drink, do Berliners.
What to bring home?
A toughie... A piece of the wall, perhaps – if you can get a hold of one!
Why should I go?
Berlin is a very cool city. It’s liberal, bohemian and boasts a burgeoning arts scene. There’s a very strong gay culture – usually a sign that a city has lost its uptightness. There’s good music, great clubs and brilliant nightlife, with lots of action until very late. And it won’t break the bank...
Why should I not go?
Doh!
What’s my challenge?
To conquer the complex S-Bahn and U-Bahn system. The trains in Berlin are famously efficient. They run on time and you can navigate the city using them. But there are two systems, as well as an excellent tram service, and to get your head around how and where they interact can be a bit of a headwrecker. We had an excellent guide and it came easy but without that...