A Whirlwind Trip to Berlin and Hamburg

In Berlin, we stayed at Orania.Berlin, which is a Virtuoso property. We loved this property. We stayed in the Orania 17 room, which was teeny tiny, but super cute and perfect for us. Rooms had a simple and modern design, but the color palate and wood details kept it warm. The check-in process is lovely; you'll sit down, be offered a drink and/or coffee and chat about the area. Always nice to have a warm greeting after a long haul flight. The rainfall shower was amazing. We only had breakfast in the restaurant, but it was simple and tasty. At night, there’s usually live music in the lobby. The location is set back from the main attractions, and closer to the East Side Gallery. It’s a younger area, with plenty of bars and lounges.

We had a rental car and drove around to see everything. We had no issues finding parking. Pro Tip: Just download the meter parking app!

For attractions, don't miss the Jewish Museum of Berlin, tickets are free. It's very moving. Two buildings, connected only by an underground tunnel. There's a tower in there— Tower to the Holocaust, which I thought was very impactful, as well as the Garden of Exile. The architecture of the building itself is a bit off putting and creates a dizziness that basically grows as you go through the exhibits, until you finally exit. A must do.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is equally impactful. The memorial is 2711 concrete coffins basically of varying heights, that you can walk in between on a sloping wave-like ground. It's abstract. There's an underground information center connected to the memorial.

On Museum Island (a UNESCO heritage site), there are five museums with singular focuses. We did the Neus Museum and saw the bust of Nefertiti. There's a contemporary exhibit next door, which I just had time to peek into. There's also the Atles Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Pergamon Museum, and the Bode Museum. Also right in that area is Berliner Dom, the cathedral. We enjoyed climbing the stairs and taking in the City from above.

On the Berlin Wall conflict side, we walked along the East Side Gallery, which is another must. It's a 1316 meter-long open-air gallery, and the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that's still standing. The Fraternal Kiss by Dmitri Vrubel is the most famous section. It's what you see all of the postcards of. There is a small Wall Museum at one end of the wall. About 10 minutes away (by car) Checkpoint Charlie and the Wall Museum next to it. It’s a dense museum. You really get the conflict after you walk through it.

Have to stop over at Brandenburg Gate, iconic. We didn't make it to Alexanderplatz, but it's towering over the City, so you can see it wherever you go. We just drove through Nikolai quarter, it's that iconic old architecture that you think of when you think of Germany. Within the City limits there is also a botanical garden and Charlottenburg Palace.

The closest concentration camp to Berlin is Sachsenhausen. It's about an hour outside the City. We weren’t able to make it to Sachsenhausen, but did spend time at Neuengamme, which is closer to Hamburg. Leave yourself adequate time to walk the grounds, and process the emotions that will inevitably rise to the surface.

We traveled to Hamburg by way of the Autobahn. When you’re in a BMW, time flies on the Autobahn.

By the time we got to Hamburg, we were exhausted, and had a mid-day wine and pasta break at Ristorante Vincenzo, which was like a breath of fresh air. We just had a short time in the City, so we just walked around Spicherstadt, with its striking architecture. It’s a UNESCO Heritage site, the world’s largest complex of warehouses, built on the Elbe River.

Then we went over to St. Nikolai Memorial. We took the lift to the top, 76 meters up, for a viewpoint of the city. St. Nikolai Church was bombed by allied forces in an air raid during Operation Gomorrah in 1943. Only the spire remains. There’s a memorial and a museum in the crypt.

After dinner, we walked through the infamous red light district, St. Pauli’s, before heading back to the Sir Nikolai Hotel. We enjoyed our complimentary drink at the bar, before turning in.

We stayed at Sir Nikolai Hotel, which is a member of Design Hotels. It’s hip and design-y. It is a bare bones boutique with a great location, perfect for young travelers, or solo travelers on business. We opted for the teeniest room, the Sir Boutique, which has an open floor plan and thoughtful touches.

Then to the airport for our early morning flight back to the States. We checked out the Hamburg Airport Lounge before our flight. Large, clean, relaxing, solid food and beverage options. And then we were off, heading home. Cheers!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Germany. In need of further inspiration? Check out Fora Travel Advisor Louisa Vann’s guide, Family-Friendly Things to Do in Berlin, Germany.