ShoreTrips says...

Berlin has come alive. After almost 20 years of major construction and reorganization, which followed 40 years of being walled into two pieces, Berlin has finally arrived at a point where change can be seen and sensed all over, and it is a very positive feeling.

Your day begins with a ride on the autobahn. It is a lengthy ride, but one that will be filled with many stories about Berlin and Germany. As you enter the city, you will first find the district of Charlottenburg, the heart of the western city. You will stop in front of Schloss Charlottenburg, the palace of splendor which was the petite summer residence of Sophie-Charlotte, wife of Elector Friedrich III. Though the outside is impressive, the interior is less so and your photo stop will be your remembrance of this "home" of royalty.

We will travel into the city to take a short walk to four important symbols, all from different eras. We see the Reichstag--the seat of the Bundestag, the German parliament--and the contrast of the renovation to the original building. Just to the south is the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of division during the Cold War, it now epitomises German reunification. A block from here is the Holocaust Memorial, a tribute to Jewish victims of the WWII Nazi regime. It is striking in its simplicity. From here, it is a short walk to Potsdamer Platz, Berlin's showcase of urban renewal. The contrast of architecture is apparent here.

Next, we'll take a break for lunch. Your guide will help you purchase your lunch.

We reboard our vehicle and drive down Unter den Linden, Berlin's most splendid boulevard, and then pass by Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin's most beautiful square. We make another short stop at the Eastside Galleries, which displays a portion of the original wall with paintings by artists from all over, before heading to Checkpoint Charlie, a true symbol of the Cold War. This is always a place where visitors want to shoot some photos at the US Army Guardhouse, which was reconstructed here. We will pass the beautiful architecture of the Jewish Museum.

We will have just enough time to make a quick visit to the KaDeWe Department Store, the biggest on the continent, where East Berliners flocked when the wall came down. Grab a snack at the delicatessen for your ride home.