Wander From Home: Immerse in the Beauty of Berlin, Germany’s Capital of Freedom
PUBLISHED September 22nd, 2021 06:00 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:42 pm
Earlier this month, Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) allow travellers from Germany to enter the country without serving a stay-home notice. For those of us feeling the wanderlust, that just means one less hurdle in the way of our hassle-free travel plans that might be more budget-friendly than expected.
Picturesque scenery, good food and alcohol, pleasant weather, a mix of old-world charms and contemporary architecture – Germany ticks all of the boxes. And if you are planning to make a trip this year, then visiting its capital, Berlin, is a must. In this edition of Wander from Home, we highlight the must-sees in the cosmopolitan city, which could help you plan that getaway too!
Relive A History of Revolution
One of the most significant periods of Berlin’s long and complex history is the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. Learn more about this time with the virtual exhibition Revolution in Berlin; for a more personal touch and heartfelt stories, Years of Change has compiled diary entries in the time of German reunification, featuring a collection of brief vignettes for you to relive this part of history.
For the iconic monument that symbolises freedom and the desire to unify the city of Berlin, check out a 360° tour of the Brandenburg Gate here.
Explore Berlin’s Museum Island
If you’re an art lover, there’s nothing better than exploring a museum while on vacation – except maybe exploring an entire island of museums. Berlin’s Museum Island is a complex of five museums in Berlin’s central Mitte district, where you’ll find Ancient Egyptian culture and Greco-Roman antiquity all the way to 19th century European art. Dip your toes into over 6,000 years of human history in the Museum Island’s virtual collection.
Enjoy A World-Class Concert With the Berliner Philharmoniker
The Berliner Philharmoniker is one of the top orchestras in the world, and we’re thrilled to have a selection of their best concerts available on-demand in their Digital Concert Hall, including their rendition of Symphony No. 7 in A Major by Ludwig van Beethoven under chief conductor Kirill Petrenko. Avid classical music fans might want to explore their entire archive, which features hundreds of concerts spanning over six decades.
Scope Out Street Art
Berlin is a veritable trove of street art, with each district exploding with graffiti, murals, poster art, and even entire street installations. Political and cultural motifs have long been a part of street art in Berlin, and that’s most evident in the East Side Gallery, a stretch of the Berlin Wall that has been covered in art since its fall in 1989. This virtual exhibition displays some of the most important pieces in the gallery.
Party The Night Away Berlin-Style
Berlin is known for its party culture and home to some of the best (and most exclusive) clubs in the world. And like all of us, Berlin’s best DJs have had to move online and are streaming their music for all to hear. Dress up in your clubbing best and get ready to dance all night to Berlin’s eccentric brand of electronic music with United We Stream.
Visit Berlin’s Green Lung
New York has Central Park, and Berlin has Tiergarten. Formerly serving as hunting grounds for royalty and nobility – up till the late 17th century – the 210-hectare park is now very much at the heart of the city’s life. In the devastating wake of the Second World War, the entire area was almost deforested to provide fuel to Berliners in the winter of 1945. Most trees were replanted from 1949, with greenery donated from across Germany.
Berlin’s Comfort Food Classics
The metropolitan city has a diverse food culture, serving up everything from traditional German fare to yummy Asian food and Döner kebabs that fill the belly and the soul. A must-try is Currywurst, essentially a deep-fried pork sausage that’s smothered in a ketchup-curry powder concoction, usually served with a side of fries. Or go for the Käsespätzle (think German mac & cheese), a classic comfort food perfect for a night in. Lucky for us, German cuisine in Singapore is not that hard to find.
Drink Like A Berliner
The Berlin experience is not complete without a dip into their drinking culture. Try a Berliner Pilsner, the common man’s drink in Berlin. For a more authentic German drinking experience, visit Paulaner Bräuhaus, Singapore’s only German microbrewery. If you much prefer the vino, Germany’s wines are – if less popular than its beers – just as delicious. Go for a traditional Riesling, or try the lesser known Silvaner variety from Germany’s Franconia region, traditionally bottled in the unique bocksbeutel (a curved, elliptical wine bottle).
Visit A Palace in Potsdam
If the concrete jungle of the Berlin city is becoming a little too much, take a half-hour train out to Potsdam. The Sanssouci Palace is an epic, grand expression of 18th century architecture, a far cry from the modern styles just a stone’s throw away in Berlin. Built as the summer palace of Frederick the Great between 1745 to 1747, the place isn’t just comprised of the palace building, but also a sprawling park and grounds, making it a real joy to visit in the summer. Take a virtual look at the palace and park at its finest.
Top image courtesy of Roman Kraft on Unsplash
