BERLIN ON A

SHOESTRING

Berlin is impressively affordable compared to many western European capitals, and food, beer, accommodation and cultural events can all be enjoyed on a modest budget – some even for free.

t Last Night’s Fortune Teller, an exhibition of Chinese art at the Daimler Contemporary

Culture Lovers

Mainstream galleries such as the Daimler Contemporary and Akademie der Künste have regular free entry options, while many of the independent galleries – especially those around Auguststrasse – are usually free. For music lovers, the Philharmonie and Marienkirche have free weekly lunchtime concerts, and Marienkirche offers regular free organ recitals, while jazz fans can enjoy cost-free, high-quality jam sessions at Mitte’s B-Flat club.

Classic Berlin Dining

Berlin’s farmer’s markets offer traditional and cheap take-away options like grilled fish or falafel, as well as providing a great atmosphere where you can experience Berlin like a local. The city is also home to great street food markets – like those every Thursday at Markthalle IX.

Historical Insights

In Berlin, centuries of fascinating history is free to explore. Iconic sights like the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag cost nothing to visit; nor do major wartime and GDR-era sights such as the poignant Holocaust Memorial, the Topography of Terror, the Berlin Wall Memorial and the unmissable East Side Gallery.

Park Secrets

Berlin’s city parks offer not only open spaces for walks, picnics and sunbathing, but also insights into local history. Mauerpark contains some remnants of the Berlin Wall, while Tempelhofer Feld’s former airport buildings have plenty of relics from the Third Reich and Cold War eras.

INSIDER TIP

Bus Routes

The 100 and 200 buses carry passengers past major city sights such as the Fernsehturm and Brandenburger Tor – all for the price of a bus ticket. Buy a day ticket to hop on and off.

Discover Berlin You Way

BERLIN HOSTELS

Circus Hostel

North Mitte; ∑ circus-berlin.de/hostel

Generator Hostel

Various; ∑ generatorhostels.com

Ostel

Friedrichshain; ∑ ostel.eu

Grand Hostel

Kreuzberg; ∑ grandhostel-berlin.de

EastSeven

Prenzlauer Berg; ∑ eastseven.de