Travel Bug: Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany

15 Days and Counting!!!

I might as well continue on with my shore excursions. It's been kind of fun to research them. Today I am looking into our shore trip to Berlin, Germany.

We selected a city drive again. This one will stop at Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall East Gallery/Allied Museum and the WWII Memorial. It will also go by the Gendarmenmarkt and Bebelplatz. I have actually heard of a few of these stops so that's encouraging. Maybe I did learn something in school.

This tour is going to begin with a 3 hour narrated train ride through the counryside to East Berlin. I haven't been on a train for years. It might be fun.

Our first stop once we reach Berlin is the East Side Gallery. The East Side Gallery is one of the few surviving pieces of the actual Berlin Wall. It contains approx. 100 paintings by artist from all over the world.

A few shots of the wall artwork

The next stop on the tour is Checkpoint Charlie. This was the best known Berlin Wall crossing point between east and west Berlin during the Cold War.

After the reunification of Germany the building at Checkpoint Charlie became a tourist attraction.

The next stop on the tour is the Gendarmenmarket. A 17th century square that is the site of twin French and German cathedrals and the Schauspielhaus Concert Hall.

Gendarmenmarket

Schauspielhaus Concert Hall

French Cathedral

German Cathedral

From there we continue on to pass Unter Linden. "A tree-lined, east-west thoroughfare through the city of Berlin" During the mid-1600's in order to spruce up the route from his castle home to the Hunting grounds, it is said that Duke Friedrich Wilhelm ordered the planting of long rows of Lindon trees. The trees served to keep the route more shady and comfortable for his travels.

We will pass by such sights as the State Library, Alexanderplatz, town square and Humboldt University.

Humboldt University

Humboldt University is Berlin's oldest university. It was founded in 1810

Berlin State Library

After a lunch break we will continue on to our next stop. The Brandenburg Gate. The only remaining city gate of Berlin.

Next stop is the Reichstag. Originally constructed to house the parliament, it is now one of the city's major landmarks.

Next stop is the old Jewish Quarter. We will drive by the Victory Column. It is a landmark that celebreates the military successes of Prussia over Nemark.

We will also pass the Bellevue Palace which is the official residence of the President of Germany

We will then a shopping break at Kurfurstendamm. Germany's most famous shopping boulevard.

After the shopping break we will continue the tour by passing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, an anti-war memorial to peace and reconciliation.

The last stop on the tour is the Allied museum. A museum commemorating the US British and French presence in Berlin from 1945 to 1994, tracing the history of the Cold War Berlin. This is where the original Checkpoint Charlie Guardhouse, A Berlin Wall watchtower, a plane from the Berlin Airlift and an American spy tunnel and displayed.