Rough Guides Berlin Book Review – Introduces a Gritty, Historical, Sophisticated City

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Rough Guide Berlin, from APA Publications, presents the thriving cosmopolitan capital of Germany organizing a traveler's guide to a stunning blend of 20th century history, gritty culture, edgy fashion, superb museums, post-modern art, and unsurpassed nightlife.

The Rough Guide Pocket editions are each designed similarly. On the front inside cover readers will find a centralized map of the city sections featured in the handbook and a subway transportation map. A Table of Contents follows segmented into four sections: Introductions, Places, Accommodations, and Essentials. Each Rough Guides also contains a pull-out map.

Schloss Charlottenburg Castle

For travelers looking to a German vacation, Berlin has emerged in the last half century as the multi-cultural, sophisticated metropolis, with a rich history from three separate distinctive 20th century periods, from World War II, to the Reunification and post-reunification, distinctive world-class architecture, outstanding cuisine, family friendly destinations and trendy nightlife.

Brandenburg Gate

Before a more extensive look at the neighborhoods, the Rough Guides Pocket edition provides seventeen not to miss adventures in and around the city, from cutting edge avant-garde museums and architecture, a Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe, the remnants of World War II history, The Cold War, The Fall of the Berlin Wall, and the new vibrant, pulsating beat of a modern Berlin, this city, often overlooked, is a jewel for European travelers.


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Also included in the Rough Guides Berlin edition are itineraries featuring a two day "best of" itinerary, that includes Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, a observation deck that provides the best views of Berlin, and also a visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and also the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

Reichstag

 

The guide also adds a GDR Berlin itinerary through former East Berlin; a budget itinerary that includes opportunities to explore the city without breaking the bank including the Topography of Terror museum built on the grounds of the former Nazi SS Headquarters.

A Berlin Nightlife itinerary for the after-hours crowd and an Open Spaces itinerary which highlights the many parks and flea markets as well as Templehofer Park, a former Nazi airport now refurbished and modernized to allow skateboarding and kite surfing along the runways.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

The "Places" section outlines each neighborhood highlighted and features a block color code in the margin making thumbing through the guide to find a destination or restaurant relatively easy.


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The initial page of the neighborhood section includes a map highlighting various destinations within the boundaries of the zone. Cultural sites, shops, cafés, restaurants and unique food halls, music venues and nightlife, are listed with brief outlines of the offerings.

Berlin 

With a cultural as diverse as Berlin, cuisine is bound to play a significant role. From the traditional beer and bratwurst, which is a must for any tourist to more conventional and although nontraditional a modernized contemporary Germany has room for cuisine of every nationality, and many of the choices are available in Berlin.

Museum Island

The Pocket Rough Guide also features an accommodation section outlining six pages of possible hotel choices. traditional hotel choice from the luxurious Ritz-Carlton and Soho House, the choice for celebrities, dignitaries, and VIP's, to the Sheraton Berlin Grand Hotel, as well as more moderate and even budget choices. Berlin is a top destination for Airbnb offerings.

Berlin at Night

A mix of old and new, the nightlife scene is Berlin is world renown. No matter the tastes, trendy, pop-jazz, gay or the outrageous Berghain, the world famous techno temple, the Rough Guides indicates it is difficult to get in but well worth it as it is the best in the world and the famous Saturday night party lasts until Monday morning.

The essentials section covers every other topic one would need when traveling to Berlin such as transportation, electricity choices for US travelers, WIFI options, cell phones, festivals, tipping, travelers with disabilities, children, and the loose ban on smoking.

Potsdamer Platz

Berlin is home to many festivals which attract visitors from every nation. February, the Berlinale International Film Festival takes over the city, as celebrities and Hollywood splendor arrive and take over the town.


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The May Fest, Berlin Fest and Carnival of Cultures, make May a very lively month; the annual Christopher Street Day Gay Pride festival, held in memory of the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, has been ongoing since 1970, takes place every June and is draws more than a half million people.

A visit to Germany can include travel through the countryside and visits to cities familiar from history, post war reconstruction, reunification. From Berlin, and depending on the time of year, one may wish to visit Munich, for the Oktoberfest, Frankfurt, a thriving contemporary global financial city, Dresden, for art and history, Hamburg, Nuremberg, or Cologne.

Downtown Berlin

Germany also borders Poland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and The Netherlands, and travel throughout Europe is relatively easy, trips to Zurich, Amsterdam, Brussels, or Warsaw are all doable adventures. The Euro rail pass provides many opportunities to visit the region and rental cars are available with international driving permits necessary for those who desire the freedom of driving.

Reichstag Building

Each edition includes expert advice, independent reviews, best places to stay, eat, drink and shop and all the Rough Notes Guidebooks are authored by an expert in the region. Berlin Rough Guides was authored and researched by Paul Sullivan.


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Rough Guides Berlin provides a thorough introduction to this European gem and provides all the information necessary to make any trip an interesting, fun-filled, a once in a lifetime memorable moment.

For more information: www.roughguides.com