4 days of Language, culture and history in Berlin

At the end of October Niall took a Ryanair flight from East Midlands to Berlin to spend 2 days meeting with language schools from all over the world and 2 days of visiting sites associated with the Rise of National Socialism and the Cold War. Here is his account of his trip.

The ICEF Berlin conference is always the highlight of the calendar in the language travel industry. Appointments are made with our existing language school partners to discuss courses, accommodation and group programmes. We are also on the look out for exciting new destinations and this year Lyon, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Playa del Carmen catch our eye.

After the meetings I am taken on tour of Berlin by night and an evening reception at the DID school in the Mitte district which has recently looked after a group of 40 students from Ecclesbourne School booked through Halsbury Travel.

After the conference it is time to explore Berlin with an emphasis on History visits. If you have a good map of Berlin then the city is easy to navigate on foot and by u-bahn or s-bahn. Unfortunately for me the u-bahn line that I need is closed but thanks to Laura, our Berlin Itinerary Manager, I am well prepared and switch to the s-bahn and arrive at Potsdamer Platz moments later. They are already preparing for the Christmas Markets and I walk past the log cabins on my way to the Topographie des Terrors, an exhibition on the former site of the  the SS and Gestapo HQ. From here you can walk along a section of the Wall before arriving at Checkpoint Charlie. Here you can have your picture taken with the border guards, have your passport stamped and buy as many souvenirs as you can carry. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum is also very informative and very popular.

For lunch I eat at “Curry at the Wall” on traditional currywurst and watch the “Berlin Flyer”, an anchored hot air balloon taking visitors high into the sky for panoramic views of the city. As the weather is so mild for this time of year I walk back through Tiergarten Park which is a bit liking having Sherwood Forest in the middle of London.

The next day I emerge at Alexanderplatz where for 12 euros less than the Berlin Flyer  you can also have panoramic views of the city from the TV tower, a much more sensible way in my opinion. I continue along Unter den Linden stopping off at the river to visit the DDR Museum, Berlin’s most interactive museum. Here you can sit in Trabi cars, open wardrobes and watch state controlled television to get a “hands on” approach to what it was like living behind the iron curtain.

From here you continue your walk stopping briefly at Bebelplatz, scene of the Burning of the Books, and then through the Brandenberg Gate to the Bundestag. My tip is to visit the Dome in the evening when the queues are smaller. I walk through the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and then return on the s-bahn to my hotel to pick up my bags and transfer to the airport.

4 days in Berlin is not enough of course. You find yourself distracted every time you head for a museum but if you can stick to the map and the itinerary you and your group will be enhanced by all that Berlin has to offer.