And although prices have kept up in recent years, there are still plenty of good deals — especially when it comes to hotels. We’ve combed through our listings to find the best budget hotels in Berlin.

More tips on Berlin budget travel:

• 50 Ways to save on your trip to Germany
• Tips for saving on shopping in Berlin
• Simple tips for eating on a budget in Berlin

 The 7 best budget hotels in Berlin

From a boat hostel right on the Spree River to a charming stay in a 19th-century apartment building, our list of the best cheap Berlin hotels has something for everyone. Book and reserve your room right on EuroCheapo!

Sleep on a boat! Shipotel-Berlin is not your ordinary place to stay.

Shipotel-Berlin GmbH

Neighborhood: Friedrichshain
Doubles from $82

The Shipotel-Berlin offers small rooms ranging from third-class dorms to first-class rooms with private bathrooms. Amenities like breakfast, in-room Wi-Fi and laundry service come with a small fee, but the views are hard to beat. Plus, the story of sleeping on a boat in Berlin is priceless! Read the full review

EastSeven Berlin has stylish dorm rooms and a fun vibe. Photo: Booking.com

EastSeven Berlin Hostel

Neighborhood: Mitte
Doubles from $81

With a guest kitchen, an outdoor garden, group dinners, free city tours, laundry service, and free Wi-Fi, the EastSeven Berlin Hostel offers a long list of amenities for incredibly low rates. Need more convincing? Rooms are clean and the staff is friendly, ready to give you tips for exploring the city. Read the full review

Hanging out in Circus Hostel, a fun and funky spot in Berlin.

Circus Hostel

Neighborhood: Prenzlauer Berg
Doubles from $99

The Circus Hostel’s décor is as fun and bright as the name suggests, and the hostel provides plenty of spaces and activities for extraverted travelers to mingle and make friends. Amenities might be scarce, but rooms are clean and there are plenty of opportunities for fun, including walking tours and yoga sessions. Read the full review

Enjoy streamlined rooms at Ibis Hotel Mitte in the heart of the city.

Ibis Hotel Mitte

Neighborhood: Prenzlauer Berg
Doubles from $88

While it isn’t the most charming hotel in Berlin, the Ibis Hotel Mitte provides comfortable accommodations, a central location, and friendly service for low rates. Amenities include private bathrooms, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. We’re not usually big fans of chain hotels, but this one passes our cheapo test! Read the full review

Motel One is a chain hotel with chic and cheap rooms.

Motel One Berlin Mitte

Neighborhood: Kreuzberg
Doubles from $111

Earthy, relaxing rooms, modern amenities, and a hip bar make the Motel One Berlin Mitte on of our favorite budget picks. Guests can enjoy a comfortable stay in serene rooms while enjoying perks like air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Read the full review

The rooms at art’otel Berlin are stylish and right on target with our budget. Photo: Booking.com

art’otel berlin mitte

Neighborhood: Mitte
Doubles from $116

If you love Pop Art, this is your spot in Berlin! This chic hotel is filled with Warhol (or art of Warhol). Along with the glam décor, the hotel features four-star amenities like AC, tea kettles and minibars. The hotel also features an artsy breakfast room, a sleek restaurant, a fitness center and a sauna. While it can be a bit of a cheapo splurge, this hotel offers a lot of bang for your buck. Read the full review

The entrance to Pension Funk, a Belle Époque gem in Berlin.

Pension Funk

Neighborhood: Near the Ku’damm
Doubles from $77

Pension Funk features elegant rooms and a location on the most beautiful street in Berlin. Walking into the rooms is like taking a step back in time, in the best possible way. Delicate chandeliers, printed wallpaper, charming antique furniture and oil paintings welcome guests to their splurge-worthy rooms. Read the full review

More budget hotels in Berlin

Need more options? Check out our full guide to cheap hotels in Berlin.

The post The 7 best budget hotels in Berlin for 2025 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, since service is included in the bill, you still don’t have to fork over the usual 15-20% like you would in The States.

But that doesn’t mean you never have to tip. Tipping is still customary in Berlin, just done in a slightly different way than you might be used to back home.

More Berlin travel tips
• When to visit Berlin (and when not to!)
• 12 Simple ways to keep your budget in check on your Berlin trip
• How to save on Berlin’s top 10 attractions

Advice on tipping in Berlin

Make sure you come across as a “profi” (pro) not a clueless “touri” (tourist) by learning some tips about tipping customs in Berlin before you hit the streets. Here’s our guide to Berlin tipping etiquette.

When not to tip (much)

Although most people won’t turn away an offer of free cash, you certainly don’t have to go around tipping everyone where ever you go. As a rule of thumb, you should still tip the same people you would in the US, although the amounts and the way you do so vary.

Cafes

If you pop into a café for a quick cappuccino or a cold one, you don’t necessarily have to tip. That said, it’s bad form to make your waiter dig into their change purse for five or ten cents. Our tip? Round it up, baby!

When the waiter comes, tell them you’d like to pay whatever the even amount is, for example, €2.50 for a €2.30 latte macchiato. You can also just hand them the amount you’d like to pay and say “stimmt’s so.” Cafes with to-go counters have recently started using American-style tip jars, so feel free to toss in a little of that extra change that’s weighing down your pockets if you feel like it. A lot of Germans haven’t caught on yet, so you’ll likely be showered with gratitude.

That guy pouring your beer? No tip required. Photo: Scott

Bars

Lucky for barflies, bartenders aren’t expecting generous tips to keep those drinks coming. Similar to cafes, you can just round up the bill if you feel like it, but no worries that you’ll suddenly become invisible to the bartender if you don’t.

Clubs

Coat checks in clubs usually cost a couple of euros, and no tip is expected. If you try to tip them, the über-cool coat check might still pocket the cash, but they will probably also scoff at you for being such a yokel.

As a general rule of thumb, the less something costs, the less likely you need to leave (much of) a tip. And don’t worry — if you tip your waitress a measly 20 cents, she won’t secretly spit in your coffee. But if you tip her a euro on a €2 coffee, she’ll think you’re trying too hard or maybe coming on to her!

When to tip

Restaurants

Unless the waiter ignored you forever and then brought you a cold schnitzel and a warm beer forty-five minutes after you ordered (and yes, this still can happen if you run into some old-school Berlin service), you should always tip 5 to 10% at a restaurant, depending on how happy you were with the service.

But make sure you don’t make the clueless “Ami” (slang for American) mistake by leaving the tip on the table. When the waitress comes, do some quick math and tell them on the spot how much you’d like to pay in total, which means the bill with the tip added on top. Most cheaper restaurants in Berlin don’t accept credit cards, but if you are dining at a place that does, you’ll also need to tell them the total you’d like to pay before they swipe the card because the tip can’t be added in later.

And to make sure you have a few euros leftover to tip, check out these simple tips for saving on dining in Berlin.

Taxis

Taxi drivers are notoriously underpaid, so make sure you toss them a euro or two anytime you take a ride.

Budget Hotels

In most budget hotels, it’s likely you’ll be lugging about bags up to your room all by yourself. But if you do run across a helpful porter, be sure to tip him or her a euro per heavy bag. Impressed by the cleanliness of the room? Then leave some “Trinkgeld” (a tip) on the nightstand to show the maid your appreciation. In this case, a euro should do.

Tour guides

Tour guides in Berlin know their stuff, and they’re always up to answering lots of questions posed by curious tourists. Make sure and show your appreciation by tipping generously, especially if you’re taking a free, donations-only tour.

Salons

If you get a chic haircut in Berlin, make sure and stay classy by tipping your hairdresser around 10%. In most hair salons, hairdressers have their own “Sparschwein” (piggy bank) on the counter by the cash register, so ask their name and feed the piggy in appreciation.

Related: The ultimate guide to shopping in Berlin on a budget

Klo Damen: Tipping in bathrooms

In many public restrooms, you tip the “Klo Damen” (bathroom ladies, although sometimes they are also men) 50 cents. Although this is a more a mandatory service charge, you won’t be turned away if you sneak off without putting the change on their tray. But don’t be that person. The bathroom ladies (and men) have a dirty job, and they deserve their tips!

Still not sure?

If you’re still nervous about when and when not to tip, or you’ve experienced some of that old-school Berlin service but don’t want to stiff the server entirely, a good rule of thumb is to stick with rounding up the bill and adding a little on top if the total was higher or you were treated right.

But note in Berlin it’s more normal to undertip that over tip, so make sure you don’t go over the 5-10% tipping range. And one more rule: never just leave the tip on the table!

The post Berlin Tipping Etiquette: Should you tip in Berlin? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Berlin’s transportation system is truly one of the best in the world. It will zip you through the city at pretty much any hour of the day.

Berlin Public Transit Tips

Here are 10 of our best tips for how to ride the Berlin public transit system like a pro.

1. Know which ticket to buy (and how to buy it)

Unfortunately, this is no easy task. Although the ticket machines all have an English language option, they can still be very difficult to figure out, and the locals waiting behind you are likely to get impatient with any greenhorn taking too long to buy a ticket. To avoid too many nail-biting sessions at the ticket machine, it’s better to know which ticket to buy in advance.

Related: Getting the most for your money with Berlin public transit tickets

Here’s a list of all the single fares and some tips for how to understood what the heck they mean by them:

• Short-trip ticket = up to three stops in one direction
• Single ticket = ticket in one direction, including any transfers, valid for up to two hours
• Reduced = ticket fare for children, students, and seniors
• AB = fare zone for central Berlin and outlying suburbs
• BC = fare zone for outlying suburbs and Potsdam
• ABC = fare zone for all three

If this seems confusing to you, it’s because it is. A better option — and one that will save you some dough — is to buy a ticket that’s valid for a longer period of time. Depending on how much longer you plan to stay, you can either buy a day ticket, a 7-day ticket, or a monthly pass.

(If you’re also interested in visiting some museums, you may also want to opt for the Berlin WelcomeCard, a ticket specifically designed for tourists that includes admission to attractions and covers public transportation.)

The good news? Although tickets are a bit tricky to figure out at first, they’re valid for any form of Berlin public transit. You won’t have to worry about having to buy a separate ticket if, for example, you want to ride both the bus and the U-Bahn.

Familiarizing yourself with the transportation map will help, too. Download the route map here.

2. No credit cards

As is often the case in Berlin, U-Bahn, and S-Bahn ticket machines do not accept credit cards. Unless you have a German bank card, your only option is to pay with cash. Machines accept any coin ten cents and above as well as €5, €10, and €20 bills.

Please note that they will give you your change in coins only, so if you’re buying a ticket for a smaller amount, it’s better to use a smaller bill, so you won’t be overly weighed down with a pocket full of change. Not all machines accept bills, so if you don’t have enough small change, look around until you find the one that does.

3. Stamp it — or be shamed!

Once you successfully buy the ticket you need, there’s one more crucial step you need to take before you hop on the train: Stamp and validate that baby!

Unless you’re riding the bus (more on that below) it’s unlikely that anyone will “control” (ask to see) your ticket, but it’s still very important that you remember to stamp it. To do so, locate a validating box and insert the top of the ticket in the slot that says “please stamp here” (the machines are usually near the ticket machines on the platform).

If you fail to validate your ticket (or, gasp!, board without a ticket), you’ll be riding schwarz (black), which is German slang for fare dodgers.

If you’re caught during one of the checks they do periodically, you’ll have to pay a €60 fine. If you have a ticket but forgot to stamp it, you might get lucky and be controlled by someone who has mercy on clueless tourists, but you may not luck out. Don’t take a chance — stamp it!

4. Know the difference between the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn

If you want to impress someone with your nerdy BVG knowledge, you can tell them U-Bahn stands for Untergrundbahn (underground train) and S-Bahn for Stadtbahn (city train). While “underground” train is clear, we think a better word for the S-Bahn would be Übergrundbahn (above ground train).

Although they sometimes break those rules, both train systems usually stick with the program, the U-Bahn staying underground and the S-Bahn running above ground. Although this means the S-Bahn can make for a more scenic ride, there are other differences. The U-Bahn makes more frequent stops in the city, while the S-Bahn functions more as an “express”. The S-Bahn can more quickly whisk you off to the suburbs.

The U-Bahn also runs more often (every two to three minutes during rush hour) and is generally more reliable. The S-Bahn is sometimes notoriously late — in winter, it’s been known to sometimes even shut down completely.

A bus rolling through the streets of Berlin near Alexanderplatz. Photo robdammers

5. Taking the bus

As we mentioned above, your transit ticket is also valid on the bus. If you have a valid ticket, get on in the front of the bus. Then, show your ticket to the driver.

You can also buy a ticket on the bus. To do so, you’ll need to tell the driver which kind you need, for example, single ticket AB (in German, Einzelfahrt AB (Eyen-cell-fart ah-beh). The fare is the same price and can be paid in coins only. Once you’ve achieved this feat — and don’t take it personally if the driver was grumpy, because they almost always are — the driver will hand you a ticket, which you don’t need to stamp.

6. After 1 a.m. on a weekday? Take the Nachtbus

Berlin is famous for its late nightlife, but the U-Bahn runs around the clock only on the weekends. If you feel like living it up on a Tuesday, you’ll find the U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations shuttered and closed down between around 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Although you could always take a taxi — and luckily they are not as expensive in Berlin as they would be in, say, London and Paris — you’ll still have to dig deeper into your wallet than you might want to pay.

But never fear, the Nachtbus is here to save the day (or, in this case, night). When the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and regular bus lines shut down for the night, the Nachtbus (night bus) takes over, and all for the nice price of a regular ticket.

7. Get used to silence and stony faces

Yes, it’s true. Many Berliners you’ll see on the BVG will look as if they’ve been having a bad day… for the past 20 years. Tourists often find the frowns and silence a little intimidating and spooky, but true Berliners often just don’t see the need for idle chit-chat when they’re on their way from A to B among strangers.

If you’re on one of those trains, filled to the brim but as silent as the grave, be sure you aren’t too loud yourself or people might start giving you dirty looks. And take comfort. They’re smiling… inside.

8. Don’t put your feet or bags on the seats

If Berliners have one pet peeve (aside from giddy American extroverts), it’s riders who put their bags on the seats of a busy train. When the train is not full, you can place your bags there. Be sure to move them right away when more people get on, not just when someone wants to sit down. If not, someone is likely to get annoyed, and Berliners aren’t shy when they’re irritated.

Want to tick them off even more? Put your feet on the seats. That was a joke — don’t do it. In Berlin, it’s just about one of the rudest things a person can do.

9. You’re probably not getting hit on

Some tourists think Berliners stare because they’re silently judging them, and others think it’s because they think they’re hot. Neither one of them are right. Staring is just what you do here, so do as the locals do and stare away.

If the person next to you is also sitting so close you can feel their leg touching yours, it’s also not likely that they’re coming on to you and/or creepy. In general, Berliners aren’t as particular about personal space in crowded spaces, so it’s likely they’ll sit more snugly next to you than you might, um, expect.

10. Get used to being pushed around

Although German has words for “excuse me”, Entschuldigung for example, means “sorry”, it’s unlikely that you’ll hear it too often during your trip. In a crowded place like the U-Bahn, you will get pushed and prodded and sometimes elbowed. Your toes might get stepped on. If you’re very unlucky, it will be strong enough to leave a bruise. Don’t expect an apology, because it’s not coming.

However, even with the occasional push, leg touching and stony face, the BVG is an expansive and efficient transit system. It’s far more reliable than most of the public transportation networks in other countries (including, obviously, the US!).

Enjoy the ride. And seriously — she’s not hitting on you.

Need even more tips?

We have many more posts in our budget guide to Berlin. Check out these 12 simple ways to save on your trip to Berlin, plus this recommended list of budget hotels in the city center.

The post Berlin: 10 tips for riding public transit like a local appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Compared to other major European cities, Berlin is also very affordable (at least for now). Like many visitors that came before, you may find yourself smitten and end up staying here far longer than you planned.

Related: 12 Easy ways to save on a trip to Berlin

But when you arrive in Germany’s capital, make sure and avoid the following rookie mistakes. Both your wallet and reputation as a cool, Berlin-worthy traveler will thank you for it.

Berlin mistakes to avoid on your first trip

1. Only focusing on sights, not neighborhoods

Don’t get us wrong. Brandenburg Gate is lovely, Museum Island is picturesque and remnants of the Berlin Wall are both fascinating and historically important. See our guide about saving at Berlin’s top 10 attractions for more information.

Still, what makes Berlin “Berlin” are its incredibly diverse neighborhoods.

Hip yet gritty Neukölln, liberal and multicultural Kreuzberg, old-school West Berlin glamour in Charlottenburg, slick, design-minded Mitte and Prenzlauerberg — this is what makes Berlin truly unique. A stroll down these neighborhood streets is a must for any visitor.

Berlin is also incredibly spread out geographically. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not go even further off the beaten path and check out Soviet-style architecture in Lichtenberg or Marzahn or the posh villas in Zehlendorf or Wannsee. The possibilities are truly endless.

Those euro coins will come in handy in Berlin. Many businesses only take cash. Photo: dskley

2. Not having enough cash on hand

Most restaurants and cafes still don’t accept credit cards. The same goes for many smaller shops and all street markets. Because of this, it’s important to always make sure you have enough cash on hand or ask if they accept cards before you order.

Related: 7 Ways to make your travel dollar ever stronger abroad

And speaking of cash… be sure to also keep an eye on your wallet in touristy areas or when riding the U-Bahn. Like any major city, you should always watch out for pickpockets.

Tipping your friendly Berlin waiter is not required no matter how big the beers are. Photo: stawarz

3. Tipping American style

In Berlin, tipping is seen as an extra “danke”( “thank you”) for attentive, friendly service. If the service was lousy (sadly, this can often be the case in Berlin) it’s perfectly acceptable not to tip. Otherwise, you should always tip a maximum of 10%.

Most people just round up the bill. For example, if the bill was €4.30, you would give the waiter a five and tell them “stimmt so,” which translates loosely as “keep the change.” To prove you’re not an absolute greenhorn, be sure you always personally hand the tip to the waiter when paying the bill; it’s not customary to just leave it on the table.

4. Not checking out the green or the blue

Berlin is one of Europe’s greenest cities. The many parks are the best place to see locals at play. You’ll find parks in every neighborhood in many different shapes and sizes. Some examples of big parks are Tiergarten and Volkspark Friedrichshain and some which are “klein aber fein” (small but nice) are Körnerpark and Viktoria-Luise Platz.

Berlin also has a lot of water: with two major rivers and a system of canals, it actually has more bridges than Venice. Be sure and take a stroll along one of the many shores or a dip in a lake during the summer, both popular pastimes for many Berliners. Schlachtensee, Krumme Lanke and Strandbad Wannsee are all easy to reach by public transportation.

Related: Four great parks in Berlin for sunny weather

5. Only eating traditional German food

Don’t get us wrong, we love a good currywurst or schnitzel. Especially when paired with a few steins of local bier at a lovely beer garden.

But Berlin also has a thriving scene filled with affordable cuisine from around the world. To get a taste of what locals eat in modern Berlin, you need to expand your palate and dive into the local restaurant scene.

Related: Simple tips to save when dining out in Berlin

Keep the lederhosen at home and don’t mind the stares when you step on the subway. Photo: frosch50

6. Taking the gruffness and staring too personally

Berliners pride themselves on being direct and never beating around the bush. Unfortunately, this “directness” can sometimes seem more like aggressive rudeness: It’s not uncommon to see a grandma yelling at someone for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk or two strangers cussing each other out so strongly it would get them seriously beat up in many other parts of the world.

But true Berliners are an outspoken, thick-skinned bunch. They don’t mean such things personally and also don’t take them personally. If you run into such a Berliner Schnauze on your trip, it’s best to keep your cool and maybe give them a little bit of attitude back. A sarcastic comment goes a long way, and they’ll respect you more for it.

Eye contact is also more socially acceptable than it is in the US, so don’t be unnerved if you find people staring at you. Maybe they’re admiring your shirt, wondering where you got that ham sandwich or are simply bored and you just happen to be sitting across from them. Either way, it’s unlikely they’re judging you or think you’re the hottest thing around. It’s just normal to stare, so feel free to stare back.

7. Wearing your dirndl and lederhosen

Although many visitors assume all of Germany is yodeling like crazy at Oktoberfest and constantly donning dirndl and lederhosen, these are actually traditions from the region of Bavaria (in the south of the country). Wearing a dirndl in Berlin would be the same as decking out in full cowboy regalia in Chicago.

Keep that lovely floral dirndl in your suitcase for a trip to Munich. If you wear it in Berlin, you’ll out yourself as a clueless tourist and people will definitely laugh at you.

What was your first trip to Berlin like?

Share your experiences (both good and bad!) in the comments below.

The post Berlin: Avoid these 7 first-time tourist mistakes when visiting appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And, best of all, Berlin is one of Europe’s most affordable metropolises, which means it won’t break the bank in the way Paris or London might.

But one question remains: When should you come to Berlin? To answer this question, the three main factors you should keep in mind are price, weather, and major events.

More tips for visiting Berlin
• Avoid these 7 first-time mistakes on your vacation to Berlin
• 12 Ways to save on your trip to Berlin
• How to save on a shopping spree in Berlin
• Best (and cheapest) times to visit Europe

When should you visit Berlin?

Below we’ve provided some details about each season, so you can get the low-down on the best time to plan your Berlin adventures.

Winter

Winter in Berlin is not for the faint of heart.

Complaining about the weather is one of the favorite pastimes of Berliners, and winter is definitely not the season when the city is at its best. The cold is one thing — and it’s often a wet, biting cold that chills you to your bones — but the other, even harder part, is the lack of sun.

In the winter, it gets dark as early as 4 pm; the skies are mostly dreary and overcast during the day or pelting down a freezing rain. It does snow some years, which brightens things up, but the snow doesn’t stay clean for long.

However, winter is a good time to find good deals on flights and off-season prices at hotels, so if you plan to spend most of your time indoors and are immune to the wintertime blues, this is a good time to visit.

December is the darkest month, but the Christmas cheer in the city helps offset the gloominess, not to mention a glass or two of Glühwein at one of Berlin’s many Christmas markets. On New Year’s Eve, Berlin turns into an absolute war zone, with drunken revelers throwing firecrackers at each other and lighting bottle rockets until the wee hours of the morning. But hotels fill up fast and get pricey at this time, so if you’d like to experience the madness, be sure to book far in advance. Check out our favorite budget hotels in Berlin. 

Although January and February are usually the coldest months, in March, you’re likely to see lots of locals, desperate to finally shed their down jackets, hats, and scarves after another too-long winter.

Watch out for these winter events in Berlin

The International Green Week exhibition and Berlin Fashion Week always take place in mid to late-January, so prices and competition for hotel rooms are likely to go up at this time.

In mid to late-February, film buffs and movie industry people fill up the city for the Berlinale film festival, so deals might also be harder to come by.

The same is true in mid-March, when the ITB Travel Trade Show is held, which may raise prices particularly in Charlottenburg, where the event takes place.

Berlin flocks to the beer gardens when spring finally rolls around. Photo: Jennifer M.

Spring

After suffering through winter, Berlin comes alive again with the arrival of spring. Crocuses push up their heads from the still half frozen ground and birds sing in trees bursting with new, tender green leaves. When spring comes, Berliners rush out into the streets and parks to bask in the spring sun, which creates a feeling of almost giddy euphoria in what is usually a tough, no-nonsense city.

The only problem is you never quite know when spring will begin.

“April, April, der macht was er will.” This German saying translates as “April does what it wants,” which is a perfect way to describe the month. If you visit Berlin in April, you might get lucky with some t-shirt weather or you might get hail or snow; sometimes you’ll get all three within the span of a week.

May is usually a bit more predictable weather-wise, although it can still be cool and rainy.

In many ways, June is the best time to visit Berlin. The weather is (usually) lovely, the locals are cheerful, there’s life on the street, and the prices aren’t yet quite as high as they will be later in the summer. And if you have snow in late May and June, it’s only “Poplar snow.” Berlin is home to 10,000 Poplar, Aspen and Cottonwood trees whose seeds look like cottony snow that floats through the air and covers the streets this time of year, so keep this in mind if you have allergies.

Watch our for these spring events in Berlin

The Berlin Half Marathon happens in early April, which might make it harder and pricier to find a place to stay.

Summer

What could be better than summer in Berlin? Barbecues in the park, a dip in a city lake or public outdoor pool, free festivals like Fête de la Musique, a beer or two on the canal: these are the joys of summer. The only downside? The prices are much higher on airfare, packed hotels and sights swarming with tourists.

If you do come in summer, opt for June. Like we mentioned above, the weather is usually at its best in this month, and prices are generally lower than July and August, especially if you book ahead.

If you manage to find a good price on flights in the high season, go for July over August. August tends to be hot and very humid, and there’s often a plague of wasps buzzing around, which will put a serious damper on your picnic.

But please note summer is sometimes an optional season in Berlin. It can get chilly and rainy, sometimes even in August, so be sure to pack a light sweater and jacket just in case.

Watch out for these summer events in Berlin

The second half of Berlin Fashion Week takes place in early July, so watch out for hotel price hikes, particularly in Mitte.

Fall

Fall is a great time to visit Berlin for many reasons. September is often still warm, but it’s less humid than July and August and the wasps are mostly gone.

October is often wetter, but the trees burst in brilliant fall colors and the sky is filled with golden light.

November is usually the darker, colder month when the weather starts to turn, but the month still has the beauty of fall most years. And best of all, the prices in fall for flights and hotels will be cheaper than in the summer which is, of course, the height of the high season.

Watch out for these fall events in Berlin

Two big events that might have an effect on hotel prices in the fall are Berlin Art Week and the Berlin Marathon (both in mid-September), so keep these in mind when making your travel plans.

Your favorite time to visit Berlin?

When is your favorite time to visit Berlin? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Best (and worst) times to visit Berlin appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

However, if dirndl, lederhosen, beer gardens and quaint Fachwerk houses are what you expect on a trip to Germany, you’ll find little of this in Berlin. Dirndl and Lederhosen are Bavarian traditions and, although you’ll find beer gardens in Berlin, they’re nothing like the ones you’ll find in Munich.

And still, Germany has a lot more to offer than just these two cities.

To get the best feel for what Germany has to offer on a 10-day tour, we suggest you delve into Berlin’s uber hip vibe, Potsdam’s regal elegance, Hamburg’s maritime magic, and Munich’s ritz and glitz (and beer gardens!).

Below we’ve outlined an itinerary to help you see the best in each place, along with tips on how to save. But first a couple of budget basics for your trip to Germany:

1. Choose your own adventure. We’ve ordered this itinerary in and out of Berlin, as cheap flights to Berlin are often easier to find than those to Munich (or Hamburg!). However, you can easily rearrange this to fit your needs — fly into Hamburg and then hit up Berlin and Potsdam on your way to Munich (a much more direct route), or start in Munich, head to Berlin and finish in Hamburg.

2. Fly into one city, and home from another. If flying in from the US, also search for tickets into Hamburg or Berlin, and back home from Munich, thus saving you the time and hassle of returning to your point of arrival to fly home. (Just note that if you rent a car, you’ll have to pick it up and drop it off in different cities, which shouldn’t be a problem with most major car rental agencies.)

3. Booking train tickets? Do it through the official Germany railway site: Bahn.de. You can easily switch to English in the top header, and the prices (and special offers on tickets) will be the cheapest you can find anywhere on the web. (Read more tips on German trains.)

Start your adventure in Berlin. Photo: larssteffens

Days 1, 2, 3: Berlin

We’re starting our trip in Berlin, the hippest and biggest city on the list. It’s also, as we pointed out above, the easiest to find cheap flights from the US.

There’s a lot to do in Berlin and a lot of land to cover (historically and geographically), and three days (including your first jet-lagged day, if flying internationally!) will race by. We don’t recommend trying to see the city in fewer than three days.

While in Berlin, don’t miss:

• Visiting the Brandenburg Gate and take a stroll through Tiergarten Park.

• Get a taste of Berlin’s nightlife at one of the many bars and clubs in Kreuzberg, Neukölln or Friedrichshain. (Here’s an excellent overview of nightlife options from VisitBerlin.)

• Receive a culture infusion and experience priceless works of art and antiquities on Museum Island, worth a trip for the quaint, cobblestone streets alone!

• Explore the history of the Berlin Wall at the Berlin Wall Memorial and East Side Gallery.

• Enjoy a bite of scrumptious Turkish fast food, like Lahmucun and Dürüm Döner around Kottbusser Tor.

• Take a bike ride or stroll around Tempelhof Airport and sip a beer in the grass next to the former airstrip.

• Stroll down the swank tree-lined boulevards in Prenzlauer Berg.

• Treasure hunting at one the city’s many weekend flea markets.

• Peek through the gallery windows in Mitte.

• Sample the many cheap eats and finds Berlin has to offer, a city famously dubbed “Poor, but Sexy” by its former mayor. Here are our favorite street eats.

Additional info:

Tips for saving on Berlin restaurants and dining
How to save at Berlin’s top 10 attractions
Tips for saving on a shopping spree in Berlin
10 Ways to ride Berlin public transit like a local

Sleeping in Berlin

Unsurprisingly, Berlin’s hotel scene is also quite hip and very affordable (especially when compared to other capital cities in Europe). We love staying in Prenzlaeur Berg, Mitte and Kreuzberg, as the neighborhoods are still quite central and affordable options abound. See all of our favorite budget hotels in Berlin.

Day 4: Day trip to Potsdam

The former residence of Prussian kings as well as the German Kaiser, Potsdam is one of Germany’s most elegant cities.

Luckily, it is also less than an hour from Berlin and can be reached easily for the price of a regular BC region public transportation ticket. There’s no need to rent a car! Learn more about Berlin public transit tickets.

When in Potsdam, be sure to:

• Stroll around Sanssouci, Fredrick the Great’s iconic castle, and check out his final resting place next to several of his loyal dogs.

• Take in the beautiful green in the large Plant Hall of Orangery Palace, a 19th-century palace located on the grounds of Sanssouci Park.

• Take in the legend of the Miller of Sanssouci at the Historic Mill.

• Do a little window shopping in pricey but quaint downtown Potsdam.

• Check out the famous Dutch Quarter, one of the only places you’ll find Dutch-style houses outside of the Netherlands.

In the evening, head back to Berlin and either catch a little shut-eye or head right off to Hamburg. Another option is to spend the night in Potsdam. (There are about 70 hotels to choose from.)

A historic schooner docked in the Hamburg Port. Photo: Mark M.

Days 5 and 6: Hamburg

After a few days in edgy Berlin, Hamburg offers another side of Germany. It might not seem quite as “cutting edge”, but it’s not all buttoned up, either. This lovely maritime city still knows how to have a good time.

Getting there: The cheapest way to reach Hamburg from Berlin is by bus. The trip takes around three hours and buses run every couple of hours both day and night and can cost as little as €7.90 in each direction on Flixbus. (Read more tips for riding the budget bus lines in Germany.)

Trains: Check out train tickets on Die Bahn. The ride on the high-speed ICE train takes less than two hours. As mentioned above, book these tickets as far in advance as possible to get the cheap seats — from €19.

Otherwise, rent a car from Potsdam or Berlin. Again, booking as far in advance as possible to secure the best deal. The drive takes about three hours.

Activities

When you’re in Hamburg, make sure you:

• Get a glimpse of (and maybe participate in) the all-night-party vibe at the heart of the Reeperbahn red light district at night.

• Enjoy the vibrant nightlife in St. Pauli, the place where the Beatles got their start.

• Stroll along the waterfront past the red brick buildings of Speicherstadt, the largest warehouse district in the world.

• Lounge on the white sandy beach of the Elbstrand on the Elbe river.

• Take the ferry from Landungbrücke — but make sure it’s the regular HVV ferry, not one of the overpriced touristy ferries that basically travel the same route.

• Go for a nice hike through the Blakenese Stairs District.

• Check out artsy shops and little cafes in Karolinenviertel.

• Explore the cool Karo and Schanze Districts.

• Buy at least one souvenir with an anchor on it — believe me, they’ll be plenty to choose from!

More tips

7 Budget tips for visiting Hamburg
Weekend in Hamburg: A Budget-Friendly itinerary

Sleeping in Hamburg

Hotels in Hamburg, like restaurants and shopping, tend to be more expensive than in cheapo-friendly Berlin. But it’s not impossible to find a deal! Check out these five affordable picks in Hamburg and search over 370 hotels. 

Days 7 and 8: Munich

Now let’s head south to Bavaria to experience something totally different! Munich is known as the “world’s biggest village” and the city does have a low-key vibe, with plenty of historic sights and beer gardens to tickle your fancy.

It is also much ritzier and swankier than Berlin, and feels different than Hamburg. It’s a city of contrasts: You can hang out with a high-class crowd in fur coats and designer stilettos, or kick back with a lively beer-happy crowd with sausages and pretzels. Either way, you’ll have fun.

Getting there: There are plenty of ways to get down to Munich from Hamburg.

• Try finding a cheap flight out of Hamburg (although it might be easier to head back to Berlin to find a good price on a flight!).
• If you opt for the bus, it will take about eight hours from Hamburg.
• The train, meanwhile, will take about six hours from Hamburg, and tickets can be booked for under €50 on the Bahn website.
• Driving from Hamburg will take about eight hours on the Autobahn.

Some things you shouldn’t miss:

• A trip to the top the Neues Rathaus where you’ll get a great view over the city — and, on a clear day, see the Alps — all for a €2 admission.

• Have Weisswurst with sweet mustard and a soft pretzel for breakfast.

• Stroll around Viktualienmarkt and have an inexpensive spot of lunch.

• Do a little upscale window shopping on Maximilianstrasse.

• Hang out in the English Garden, one of Europe’s largest urban parks – and make sure you don’t miss the surfers!

• Pop in for a gigantic Maß of Bier at Lowenbräukeller, the less touristy alternative to the Hofbräuhaus.

• Check out Michaelskirche, the Renaissance church that would fight right in in Rome.

• Get artsy on a Sunday, when admission prices are only €1 at the Pinakothek museums.

• Sunbathe on the stony shores of the Isar river.

• Experience the regal beauty of Nymphenburg Palace and Park.

More tips
10 Simple ways to save on a trip to Munich
7 Free and cheap things to do in Munich

Sleeping in Munich

Depending on the season you’re visiting Munich, the city’s hotels can either be pretty reasonable or, if visiting during Oktoberfest, frightfully expensive. Our advice: Come well before or after the big party to avoid crazy prices.

There are a number of affordable places to stay inside the historic center (the Stadtmitte), although you’ll find many more options in the blocks just south of the station. See all of our recommended budget hotels here.

Day 9: Neuschwanstein Castle

Give your whirlwind tour of Germany a fairy-tale ending with a trip to lovely Newschwanstein Castle. The castle, the stuff of Disney dreams, is only about a two-hour drive southwest of Munich in Schwangau, making it an easy day trip.

You could, of course, pack up your things and spend the night in a nearby village, but, as you’ll be heading back up to Berlin, it’s probably easier just to keep your hotel in Munich!

Be sure to check out our tips for visiting Neuschwanstein Castle.

Day 10: Back to Berlin or last day in Munich

Depending on your flight, you’ll either spend your last day hanging out in Munich, or heading back up to Berlin for your last night.

Either way — enjoy yourself, and order one last taste of Germany before flying home!

The post 10-Day Germany Itinerary: Berlin, Potsdam, Hamburg, Munich and Neuschwanstein appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But how can you pick out that perfect souvenir and gifts for loved ones back home without digging too deep into your wallet? To help you out, we’ve made the following list of tips for how to stretch your shopping budget to the max.

Related: See all articles on shopping in Berlin

Think beyond the famous shopping boulevards and malls

Although most guidebooks you read will likely to sing their praises, major shopping streets like Kufürstendamm and Friedrichstrasse are designed with upscale shoppers in mind. Although both streets are interesting and worth a stroll, if you’d like to do some actual shopping, you’re likely to find better bargains on lesser known shopping streets.

Instead of Ku’damm, why not check out nearby Wilmersdorfer Strasse?

Skip Friedrichstrasse in favor of Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln. Karl-Marx-Strasse is also home to Neukolln Arcaden, a small shopping center located directly at the U-Bahn station Rathaus Neukölln, where you’re more likely to find bargains than the more tourist-oriented malls around Potsdamer Platz. If you go there, be sure to check out Klunkerkranich, a hip, outdoor bar café on the top level of the mall’s parking garage which offers great views over the city.

Browsing a flea market in Berlin at Boxhanger Platz. Photo: la citta vita

Seek out flea markets

Whether you’re looking for East German memorabilia (“ostalgia”), old letters and photographs, or a lamp and a pair of boots, Berlin hosts dozens of weekend flea markets that you can scour for treasures. Here are a few that we’d recommend:

Boxhagener Platz: A large flea market in the popular student quarter Friedrichshain. The market is a great mix of professional and private sellers.

Nowkoelln Flea Market: Browse through the cool selection at this arty flea market in Berlin’s hippest neighborhood, Neukölln. You’ll find lots of private sellers hocking their wares.

Rathaus Schöneberg: A flea market located on the very spot John F. Kennedy once uttered the famous line, “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

Herman-Ehlers-Platz: This flea market takes place on Sundays from 8 am to 4 pm and is located near the U-Bahn station Rathaus Steglitz. This one is way off the tourist path and less likely to be overpriced and picked over.

For more Berlin flea market ideas, click here.

3 tips for bargaining at flea markets

· Don’t seem too excited

· Don’t ask how much something costs, offer a price yourself, lower than what you’re actually willing to pay so the seller has room to bargain (but not so low you actually annoy them!).

· Be patient. Sometimes it pays to walk away the first time, then come back later and see if they’re willing to sell the item for the price you want.

The Turkish Market in Berlin has everything from handmade crafts to traditional food. Photo: Neil H

Explore international markets

Two great ethnic markets to seek out are the Turkish Market on Maybach Ufer and, far out in the former East, the Vietnamese Dong Xuan Center. These markets are a great place to buy textiles, meat, and produce at a nice price as well as selected handicrafts. Both are also great to enjoy a cheap and tasty lunch, as well.

Buy vintage clothing by the kilo

As with many trendy cities these days, “vintage” can also be code for “overpriced old stuff” in Berlin. However, the shops Colours and Garage are both exceptions. These shops offer vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories at a reasonable price. The back of each store is packed with hundreds upon hundreds of vintage dresses, skirts, pants, jackets… you name it.

And here’s the kicker: Everything is sold at €25 per kilo. Both shops also have one day a week when they offer 30% off both kilo and individually priced items. The shops are packed full and it can be quite a feat to wade through the piles. A lot of the clothing also looks very “vintage”, so it helps if you’re a fan of the 1970’s or 1980’s style, or have a thing for dirndls. But with a little patience and a bit of luck, you can really find great bargains here.

Treasures at the Trödeler (junk shops)

A Trödelladen is Berlin’s version of a junk shop. They are often packed floor-to-ceiling with furniture and décor as well as some clothing, jewelry, and knickknacks — and undoubtedly run by a grumpy man with a love of cigars.

Although their numbers are dwindling, and some of them have been “discovered”, making it much harder to find true bargains anymore, but they are still a unique Berlin experience worth checking out. Two streets where you can still find several Trödelläden are Flughafen Strasse in Neukölln (near the U-Bahn station Rathhaus Neukölln) and Nehringstraße in Charlottenburg (near the U-Bahn station Sophie-Charlotte-Platz).

Seasonal sales, twice a year

Until recently, shops in Germany were only allowed to have sales two times a year. These were called the Sommerschlussverkauf (SSV, “end of summer season sale”) and Winterschlussverkauf (WSV, “end of winter season sale”). Although shopping regulations are no longer as strict, both of these traditional sale periods are still observed at the same time by all shops in Germany as well as many other places in Europe.

The exact dates of the sale vary from year to year, but WSV is usually sometime in February and SSV towards the end of July.

Tip: The best time to shop is a week or two after the sale when items have been marked down even further. If you’re in Berlin during the time, it may be worth it to pop into the mother of all upscale department store, KaDeWe, and get that gorgeous jacket you’ve been lusting over at 70% off the original asking price.

Happy (bargain) shopping everyone!

Your Berlin shopping tips

Have some shopping tips to add to our list? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post Berlin Shopping: Tips for saving big on shopping appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Berlin is also massive. Biking makes it possible to get between sights, restaurants and bars relatively quickly. Seriously, in many cases it’s the fastest way to get around. And you’ll get to experience the city like a local to boot!

Related: 12 Simple ways for saving big on your Berlin trip

Tips for biking in Berlin

Ready to hop on a bike? Here are helpful tips for biking in the city as well as ideas on how to save when renting a cycle.

General biking tips

Navigating bike lanes
As we just mentioned, most streets in Berlin have bike lanes. Sometimes they’re directly on the street, but most often they’re integrated directly into the outer edge of the sidewalk in red or grey bricks. Although you may see the occasional bicycle stenciled onto the bricks, most sidewalk bike lanes are not marked (the ones in the street usually are).

Keep an eye out for red bike lanes painted next to the sidewalk in Berlin. Photo: Eric Sehr

Important note to pedestrians: Do not walk in the bike lane. If you do, don’t be surprised if riders yell at you. Since most Berliners use their bicycles as a mode of transportation, they ride very fast. You don’t want to be in their way.

Slow? Stay on the right: When cycling, if you’re more in the mood for a slow, leisurely ride, make sure you always stay to the right so, any speed demon can easily pass you on the left; otherwise, again, it’s very likely someone will yell at you.

Safety tips

As Berlin cyclists can be an impatient and occasionally aggressive bunch, never allow your children to ride in the bike lane. By law, children are allowed to ride on the sidewalk.

We don’t recommend adults ride on the sidewalk, though. If you do, there is (again) a very good chance you’ll be yelled at, this time by pedestrians. The one exception is the sidewalks next to cobblestone streets — only the grumpiest of grandmothers (and yes, there are some…) would yell at someone for choosing not to take a bone-shaking ride across cobblestones.

Signaling: If you’re riding on the streets, it’s a very good idea to use hand signals when turning.

Locking up: And since bikes often get stolen in Berlin, be sure you always lock your bike to something (a bike rack, tree, fence, etc.).

Bikes on public transit: You can take your bicycle on the U-bahn or S-bahn, except during rush hour. Just make sure you purchase a bike ticket from the station machines (Fahrradticket) for €1.90 for central Berlin or €2.20 for Berlin and Potsdam. Take note that bikes are not allowed in the first train car or the first door of each individual car.

Bike tours and itineraries

If biking around the city sounds too fast and stressful for you, there are also lots of more low-key options for exploring Berlin atop a Fahrrad (“bicycle”).

Exploring parks by bike

With more than 520 acres to explore, Tiergarten park is a natural choice for pedaling around. If you get tired of trees, ponds, and gardens, several major tourist destinations are also close to the park, including Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column, and Holocaust Memorial.

To get a glimpse of Berlin’s transportation history, why not bike around the Park at Gleisdreieck. Fairly new, this park includes plenty of old train tracks from the huge train depot located there before the war. Take a break to watch the skaters do their tricks in the skate pool or do a few tricks yourself on the monkey bars, trampolines, and jungle gyms scattered throughout the park.

A group bike tour is a fun way to see Berlin. Photo: Rae Allen

Affordable bike tours

For a taste of Berlin’s most recently formed hipster paradise, take a ride down the Landwehr Canal at Maybach Ufer into the neighborhood known as “Kreuzkölln.” If you’d rather go on a guided bike tour, two companies offer tours at a nice price.

• Free Berlin offers three-hour tours such as Berlin’s Best and Poor But Sexy for €19, price of bike included.
• Berlin on Bike! offers similar tours for a few euros more. Both also give discounts to Welcome Card holders.

Biking in front of the famous East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. Photo: Leo G

How to save on bike rentals

Whatever you do, try not to rent directly from hotels or most bike rental agencies in the major tourist areas; if you do, it’s likely you’ll pay twice as much. Either way, make sure the rental price per day is no more than €10.

Super cheap rentals

For bargain hunters, we recommend:

• Prenzlauerberger Orange Bikes (€7 per day plus €25 deposit) or Berlin on Bike! (€10 per day) in Prenzlauerberg
• Rent a Bike 44 in Neukölln (€4 per day)
• M’eierrad in Kreuzberg (€3 per day)

Buy a bike (no joke!)

If you plan on staying a little longer in Berlin, it might make sense, both money and comfort-wise, to buy a cheap used bike. The best places to look online are Craigslist (most likely in English) or eBay Kleinanzeigen (in German).

Happy cycling!

The post Biking in Berlin: Safety tips and how to find the cheapest bike rental appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

And money-wise dining doesn’t always have to mean eating the same old sausage and pretzels. Following the advice in our Berlin food guide, you’ll quickly realize that with so many diverse options around town, you can try everything from classic German cuisine to kebab sandwiches.

Here are some of our best tips for eating cheap in Berlin.

Related: 12 Simple ways to save on your trip to Berlin

Berlin Food Guide: 8 simple ways to save

1. Avoid restaurants on the main tourist strips

As with any major city, the restaurants and cafés in the center of Berlin’s touristy areas are likely to be overpriced and mostly ho-hum as far as the food goes. If you want to go a little easier on your wallet, it’s important to get off these main strips. Check out some of the smaller side streets or a less touristy neighborhood nearby.

For example, if you’re around Potsdamer Platz, take the bus M85 down the street into Schönberg where you’ll find lots of inexpensive restaurants to choose from.

If you’re on Kurfürstendamm, make your way over to Kantstrasse for plenty of cheap Chinese.

At Savignyplatz, turn into Grolmannstrasse or Knesebeckstrasse for many nicely priced Indian places.

The Wedding neighborhood is also a cheaper dining alternative than a lot of what you’ll find in Mitte or Prenzlauerberg.

Currywurst and beer is the ultimate cheap pairing in Berlin. Photo: James C

 2. Go for some German-style fast food

If “greasy” is a word you equate with “yum”, why not check out some of Berlin’s finest fast food? The city has amazing quick-and-cheap options, including Turkish döner, gözleme and börek, German currywurst and bratwurst or Lebanese falafel.

Related: Döner, currywurst and other classic Berlin cheap eats

Although you can find tasty street eats all over town, the best rock bottom prices (sometimes less than €2!) can be found on the main thoroughfares in Berlin’s grittier neighborhoods. These include Hermannstrasse, Sonnenallee and Kotbusserdamm in Neukölln and Kreuzberg, Turmstrasse in Moabit and Müllerstraße in Wedding.

If you’re still hungry, grab a scoop of ice cream at one of these Berlin dessert shops.

3. Go out for lunch, not dinner

Another classic dining-on-a-dime tip is to eat out for lunch in Berlin when the prices are cheaper. Many restaurants in the city center offer a “business lunch” option or set menus, and a lot of sushi places, like those on Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg, offer half-off happy hour deal until 5 pm.

4. Pop into a bakery for sandwiches and savory snacks

If you’re staying in a hotel, why not do as the Germans do and enjoy a little Abendbrot (evening bread)? Pop into a bakery and pick up a belegtes Brötchen, a simple sandwich made up of a bread roll, cheese or cold cuts and maybe some lettuce and a few slices of cucumber.

But don’t wait too long: Most bakeries close by 7 pm. Here are three bakeries for your daily bread.

5. Get your fill at Sunday brunch

Berlin is a big brunch town and many cafes offer an all-you-can-eat buffet on Sundays and sometimes Saturdays. Although the price might not seem too nice at first glance (usually between €10 to 25 euros, drinks not included), you really get a ton of food and can lounge, chat and people-watch to your heart’s content, while filling you plate as often as you like.

For a list of some of the less expensive places, check out EuroCheapo’s picks for brunch and a guide to a cheapo Sunday morning in Berlin.

6. Check out a cafeteria

Although little known to tourists, all of the government buildings in Berlin and most of the universities have kantine (cantines) or mensa (cafeterias) that are open to the public. Although the food probably won’t blow you away (mostly standard German meat and potato dishes), we’re still big fans of the cafeteria scene in Berlin. There is also usually a large salad bar and a range of desserts, including the enigmatic quark, a specialty German dairy product that’s like a mix between Greek yogurt and sour cream.

The best thing about kantines and mensas, however, is that they are cheap, cheap, cheap! Plus, you get to taste a side of Berlin few tourists ever experience. Please note: These are all only open for lunch, not breakfast or dinner.

7. Tip German style

If you do as the locals do, you’ll also luckily save on tips. In restaurants, the standard tip amount is a maximum of 10% and is seen as an extra “thank you” for good service. If the service was truly terrible (sadly, this is not uncommon in Berlin) it’s perfectly fine not to tip. Most locals just round up the check.

But don’t just leave the money on the table. To tip, you need to tell the waiter the amount you would like to pay with the tip included. For example, if the bill is €4.30 you can hand him or her a €10 bill and say five, please, or “fünf (foon-ph) bitte” if you’d like to try it in German.

8. Don’t overdo do it when ordering drinks

One of the classic “dining don’ts” of any Cheapo is to remember not to order fancy drinks with dinner.

If you need something to quench your thirst after that spicy curry, you can always order water. When you do, make sure the waiter understands you want leitungswasser (Light-toons-vahsser), which is tap water. Although they may grumble a bit (it’s not standard to order tap water in restaurants in Berlin), it will spare you the nasty surprise of an overpriced mineral water put on the bill later.

For something tastier, go for a German beer. It’s probably as cheap as mineral water and is the perfect pairing with spicy meal. Want a meal with that beer? Swing by one of Berlin’s great beer gardens.

Happy dining — or, as they say in Berlin, guten Appetit!

The post Berlin Food Guide: 8 ways to save on dining out appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

From insider tricks for saving money on admission, to free days to visit and ways to make your visit go more smoothly, here are our best tips for saving money and time at Berlin’s top 10 sights.

Related: Our favorite affordable hotels in Berlin

Saving at Berlin’s Top 10 Sights

1. The Reichstag

Long an empty shell in the Mauerstreifen (the military zone between the east and west side of the Berlin Wall), the Reichstag was extensively renovated and modernized when the government moved back to Berlin in 2000.

Today, the Reichstag is home to the German parliament and open to visitors. The building’s glass dome roof, designed by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, offers a great view over the city. To get inside, you need to register in advance. You can learn about the process on the Visit Berlin website.

Budget tips:

• The good news is that visiting the Reichstag is free of charge. Just be sure to organize everything as far in advance as possible, since this is a very popular attraction. Book ahead of time to enjoy this building’s rich history.
• To explore the dome and terrace, book admission at www.bundestag.de.

2. Brandenburg Gate

Nothing says “Berlin” quite like the Brandenburg Gate. Built in 1791, this gate has become a symbol of German unity after years of division between east and west. Take a stroll across swanky Pariser Platz, home to the French and US embassies, as well as the luxurious, upscale Hotel Adlon.

Budget tips:

• Although the boulevard Unter den Linden is definitely worth a stroll, the restaurants and cafes you’ll find there, or anywhere around the Brandenburg Gate, will most likely be touristy and overpriced.
• To save those precious euros for more worthy pursuits, pack a picnic and head to the Tiergarten park to the west of the gate.

3. Berlin Television Tower (Fernsehturm)

Rising to a staggering 1,207 feet, the Berlin TV Tower is by far the tallest building in Berlin and can be seen all over the city. The tower also has an interesting history: It was opened on October 3, 1969, shortly before the 20th anniversary of the GDR, and was designed to be a symbol of the might and superiority of East Germany and other socialist societies over the West. Travel to the mirrored sphere at the top for breathtaking views over all of Berlin.

Budget tips:

• The Berlin WelcomeCard will save you 25% on the price of admission.
• The revolving restaurant at the top is expensive, but you can be a true Cheapo and just order a couple of drinks and an appetizer. The food might not blow you away, but the view will!

4. Gendarmenmarkt

One of the most beautiful squares in Berlin, if not Germany, Gendarmenmarkt is a must-see for any visitor. The square is flanked by two cathedrals, Französischer Dom (French Cathedral) on the northern side and Deutscher Dom (German Cathedral) on the southern side with Konzerthaus (Concert House) behind it. Be sure and say “guten tag” to the statue of Friedrich Schiller, the famous German poet and playwright, located at the center of the square.

Budget tips:

• If you’d like to see the inside of one of the cathedrals, opt for the French Cathedral. Its admission is just €3 (€4 less than the price for the German Cathedral).
• Take free guided tour of the Concert House, designed by the famous German neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

5. Berliner Dom

Located on Museum Island (see below) directly on the Spree River, the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) is Berlin’s largest Protestant church and is a wonderful example of High-Renaissance Baroque architecture. The cathedral is also steeped with history and is tied very closely to the Hohenzollern dynasty. It was closed during the GDR era and reopened in 1993 after extensive renovations.

Budget tips:

• The Berlin Pass offers free entry to the cathedral (normal price €7).
• You can also enjoy it from the outside. Snap a few photos, then stretch out and relax at nearby Lustgarten.

6. Kurfürstendamm

Affectionately called “Ku’damm” by Berliners, Kurfürstendamm was West Berlin’s glitzy main shopping street, and stood for cosmopolitan elegance and sophistication for decades. The street begins at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and extends into the upscale neighborhood Halensee. Europe’s biggest department store KaDeWe and Zoological Garten, Germany’s oldest zoo, are both nearby and definitely worth a visit.

Budget tips:

• As with Unter den Linden, you should probably avoid restaurants and cafes directly on Ku’damm.
• But you can find more affordable food nearby: There are many inexpensive Indian restaurants on Grolmanstrasse and cheap Chinese places on Kant Strasse, including the amazing Lon Men’s Noodle House.
• To get a glimpse of student life in Berlin as well as a meal at a very nice price, you can also eat lunch at the TU Mensa, the cafeteria for Berlin’s Technical University.

7. Schloss Charlottenburg

Located just outside of the center of Berlin City West, Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace) is a beautiful baroque palace located in the middle of a large, picturesque garden at the banks of the Spree River.

Budget tips:

• Unless you’re an absolute palace junkie, it really isn’t necessary to pay the €10 entry fee to go inside the palace. Instead, take a stroll around the beautiful gardens.
• Seek out the bridge over a small lake – a romantic photo opportunity that has been used in numerous films and television shows – as well as the Queen Louise’s mausoleum and the Schinkel pavilion, a small house commissioned by King Friedrich Wilhelm II.

A river boat cruises by Museum Island. Photo: Chas B

8. Museum Island

An UNESCO world heritage site, Museum Island is also home to many of Berlin’s most important museums including the Pergamon Museum, the Bode Museum, Alte Museum (Old Museum),  Neues Museum (New Museum) and Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery).

Budget tips:

• To save on museum admission fees, you should definitely consider buying either the Berlin Museum Pass or Berlin Welcome Card Museum Island.
• If you’re not one for museums, be sure to take a stroll around the island and soak in the quaint history of the place, which is, of course, free of charge.

The Berlin Wall Memorial contain a preserved guard tower. Photo: Ingo Ronner

9. The Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Center

Located between the districts of Wedding (former West Berlin) and Mitte (former East Berlin), the Berlin Wall Memorial honors those who lost their lives trying to cross the Berlin Wall. A section of the wall and a guard tower remain standing, which offers a good feel for what the border felt like for decades. Cross the street and check out the Documentation Center to learn more about the wall’s history.

Budget tips:

• Both the Memorial and Documentation Center are free of charge. Read, listen, and learn about Berlin’s history as a divided city and the tragic consequences it had for the lives of many.
• Keep an eye on your wallet: Pickpockets are often active in this area, so a little extra precaution is advised.

Related: Memorializing the Berlin Wall

10.  Potsdamer Platz

Once a bustling commercial center, Potsdamer Platz became a dormant no-man’s land after World War II and until the fall of the Wall. Soon after, skyscrapers – as well as the Sony Center and the mall Potsdamer Platz Arcaden – sprung up out of the ground practically overnight. In February, the square is also home to the Berlinale, Berlin’s international film festival.

Budget tips:

• Again, it’s best to avoid the touristy restaurants around Potsdamer Platz.
• If you’d like to see a film in English, be sure to check out some of the smaller original language movie theaters in Berlin (check out this list) before shelling out bigger bucks at SonyCineStar.

The post How to save at Berlin’s Top 10 attractions appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.