Festivals and Events
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Winter World
Every year Potsdamer Platz is transformed into a giant winter playground with skiing, sledging and a market.
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Berlin International Film Festival
One of the most important filmfests in the world.
http://www.berlinale.de -
Spandau Spring Festival
A giant funfair with rollercoasters, wild water rides, ghost trains and go-karts.
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Staatsoper Unter Den Linden Festival
World class classical music with conductors Boulez and Barenboim. In 2007, the complete cycle of Mahler’s symphonies will be presented.
http://www.staatsoper-berlin.org -
Museuminsel Festival
Contemporary music, theatre and film in an open-air setting.
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Gay and Lesbian City Festival
300,000 people gather to party around Nollendorf Platz in the heart of western Berlin.
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Loveparade
A massive street parade on the Strasse des 17 Juni.
http://www.loveparade.net -
Berlin International Beer Festival
The Germans love it and are good at brewing it. Come and sample its delights!
http://www.bierfestival-berlin.de -
Golden League Athletics
Top class competition at the colossal Olympic Stadium.
http://www.iaaf.org -
Long Night of Shopping
As Christmas draws nearer, Berlin’s shops open their doors after dark.
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Fairy Tale Festival
200 artists and authors bring the magic of traditional storytelling to venues all around Berlin.
http://www.maerchenland-ev.de -
New Year at the Brandenburg Gate
the place to be as Berlin lets its hair down.
Theatre, Cinema and Opera
Berliners take their culture seriously. There are three opera houses, around 150 theatres, 130 cinemas and 14 cabarets. There are two main theatre districts. The one along the Kurfürstendamm specialises more in light fare, while the Mitte theatres around Friedrichstrasse generally take a more cerebral approach. Many theatres are closed on Monday and from mid-July to late August. Outlets selling tickets to cultural events are scattered all over the city. A commission charge of 15% of the ticket price is customary. Seats are often available on the evening of a performance as unclaimed tickets are sold an hour before curtain-up, sometimes at steep discounts. Films are quite expensive in Berlin – tickets on a Saturday night can cost as much as 10 Euros. In general, admission is cheaper on Kinotag (film day: usually Tuesday or Wednesday). Large mainstream movie theatres showing international first releases dubbed into German are found on Ku’damm and at Potsdamer Platz. The three opera houses are Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Unter Den Linden and Komische Oper. Cabarets – the light, lively and lavish variety shows from the Golden Twenties - have been undergoing something of a revival in Berlin. Get ready for an evening of dancing and singing, jugglers, acrobats and other entertainers. Not to be confused with Kabarett, which are political and satirical shows performed in a series of sketches and monologues. Again, the listings newspapers Zitty and Tip will be useful for getting programme times and ticket information.
Museums and Galleries
Around 170 museums contribute to Berlin’s extraordinarily rich and diverse cultural scene. Dedicated museum lovers should pick up the SchauLust Museen Berlin, a pass selling for about 10 Euros that gives access to some 50 collections, including all the state museums, over a three-day period. It’s available at the tourist offices at the Europa Center and the Brandenburg Gate. Some of the museums are situated on Museuminsel (museum island), which was made a World Heritage Site in 1999. Many museums are closed on Mondays. A full list of museums can be found at www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/.... Berlin also has a multitude of galleries featuring well-known or up-and-coming contemporary artists and collections featuring famous artists from history including Monet, Degas, Renoir and Cezanne.
For Children
Berlin has much to offer children. In the warmer months, tourist boats cruise Berlin’s waterways. Food and drink are sold on board, but this can be quite expensive, so better to take your own. As well as Berlin’s massive zoo (mentioned above), the children might like the following:
- Berliner Bonbonmacherei – a candy store where you can have a look in the kitchen. www.bonbonmacherie.de
- FEZ Berlin – children and family centre with sports, swimming, an animal park, an eco garden and an outdoor theatre. www.fez-berlin.de
- Filmpark Babelsberg – a studio tour with animal and stunt shows. www.filmpark.de
- Kinderinsel – children’s island with diverse activities www.kinderinsel.de
- LOXX Miniaturwelten – miniature world with a digitally-controlled model railroad. www.loxx-berlin.de
