12 September - Berlin, Germany

 

Hip, energetic Berlin has grabbed the world’s attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. Gone are the days of drab Cold War Germany and a city divided by the Wall. In this cosmopolitan and affordable capital, neighborhoods like Mitte, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, and Kreuzberg bustle with restaurants, cafés, and nightlife. Museums and sights such as the Pergamon on Museum Island, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Jewish Museum provide a window into Berlin’s rich history. Today the stitched-together heart of Germany beats fast.

Berlin is a place of stark contrasts. On one hand, reminders of its turbulent past are everywhere. But it's also a modern megalopolis—that's geographically nine times bigger than Paris—with exciting new attractions and an inherent subversiveness. This juxtaposition makes it a destination unlike any other.

The big question for most travelers when venturing to Germany's once war-torn capital then becomes how to navigate the past while living in the present. It's essential to confront the heavier aspects of the city's history. However, that doesn't mean a visit to Berlin is all memorials and museums. (Though, it bears repeating that you should absolutely carve out ample time to do all that.) The contemporary side of things very much deserves exploration, too.

An artsy mecca with a slew of galleries and eccentric installations, Berlin transformed the last pieces of the wall that once divided it into a permanent open-air exhibition.

This sprawling city also has a wild side with nightlife at its center. There are hedonistic drinking dens with cabaret acts, swanky speakeasies and anything-goes clubs where people party for 48 hours (that's not an exaggeration). Add to that picturesque parks, a thriving food scene that's garnered international acclaim of late, a world-class zoo and a cool aesthetic sensibility with homegrown designers making a global name for themselves.

The transfer fro0m the ship to Berlin was a three hour drive each way but well worth it to visit this beautiful city. Once there I took a Hop-On bus tour. The weather was fantastic. 

Had lunch in a sidewalk cafe and then was back on the ship for the ride home. 

Checkpoint Charlie was the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War, as named by the Western Allies.

Remnants of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin was one of my favorite stops on this cruise, it was incredible.