Posts by author Susan Buzzelli
Warm up with wurst in Berlin. Photo: Thomas Quine
Nothing says autumn in Berlin like a heaping plate of hearty German food. Berlin is famous for its wide array of delicious ethnic cuisines, but there’s only one way to warm up on a chilly autumn day: dig into a platter of meat, potatoes, and seasonal vegetables, including Grünkohl (curly green kale), Blumenkohl (cauliflower), and » Read more
Staying in the bike lane. Photo: Eric Sehr
Raeder (bikes) and Berlin go together like sausage and beer. Surveys reveal there are more than 400 bikes per 1,000 Berlin residents, meaning that almost half of the city’s residents own a bike. Luckily, visitors don’t have to feel left out of the biking fun: Bike rentals are cheap and easy to find. And tooling » Read more
Catch a free jazz act at Haus der Kulturen der Welt. Photo: Ansgar Koreng
Nothing says summer like a great concert. Good thing Berlin has plenty of acts—both indoor and out—to offer when the weather gets hot in July and August. Big shows with hefty price tags, including Patti Smith, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire and more, will hit the capital’s dozens of stages this season. But there are » Read more
Window shopping in Berlin. Photo: Sascha Kohlmann
Unlike other European capitals, Berlin offers more for stylish Cheapos than second-hand and vintage clothing stores (of which there are plenty). You can easily get that “so-chic-without-trying” Berlin look for less than the cost of lunch by prowling a smattering of cheap and chic boutiques that appeal with low prices and hip styles. Stick to » Read more
Babylon Cinema is always a good bet. Photo: hslo
New York, Los Angeles and Paris aren’t the world’s only cinematic cities. Filmmakers love to set their films against Berlin’s exciting cityscape (which also hosts the annual Berlinale film festival). “Inglorious Basterds,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “A Good German” are just a few of the films that have been enhanced by the city’s historic and » Read more
The streets of Prenzlauer Berg.Zoet Net
Too-too or too perfect? Either way, Prenzlauer Berg is the Berlin hood I can’t live without. Prenzlauer Berg isn’t packed with sights, but the atmosphere in this shabby-chic eastern Berlin neighborhood—especially the so-called Kollwitzkiez—is irresistible. A network of leafy lanes and avenues perched on a barely perceptible hill (“berg”) just northeast of the center, this » Read more
A sunny day at Volkspark Friedrichshain. Photo by renaatje.
Berlin doesn’t warm up until May, but the first signs of spring are finally bringing a rosy blush to the snow-weary city. Now that winter is officially over, Berlin’s residents are flocking to the city’s 2,500 parks and green spaces to soak up some much-needed Vitamin D. Take part in spring fever, Cheapo-style, at one » Read more
The famous Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. Photo by dalbera.
Between World War II and the Cold War, Berlin has a lot to remember. No wonder dozens of memorials and monuments grace the city. You could spend days tracking down every one of these free-to-see reminders dedicated to bygone events. (The city’s official list of “Denkmäler,” which include buildings, cemeteries, and other locations of historic note, is » Read more
Don't get stranded at Tegel in the event of a flight cancellation. Photo by NK Eide.
Europe is in the midst of a long, cold, and icy winter. With temperatures hovering at or well below 32 degrees, ice- and snow-encrusted Berlin is no exception. Since mid-December, canceled flights out of Berlin’s two airports, Tegel and Schönefeld (as well as layover airports in Frankfurt, Munich, and Heathrow) have been a regular event. » Read more
Berlin's Mitte neighborhood is packed with art galleries -- and free street art. Photo: Felipe Tofani
You can’t trip in Berlin without running into an art gallery stocked with eye-catching works. Every kind of “Kunstler” from established masters to “outsider” (untrained, un-establishment) artists are represented in the spaces littering the city. Most spots in town, however, display drawings, paintings, sculptures, video installations, and conceptual pieces by up-and-comers or neophytes fresh out » Read more
Wandering through an enchanting Christmas market. Photo: Sergey G.
Berlin is downright chilly (and even a little bleak) in winter. But, as the Germans love to say, there’s no such thing as bad weather; it’s inappropriate clothing that makes you cold. As long as you bundle up in the thickest of coats, socks, soles, gloves, hats, and boots, the chill won’t slow you down. » Read more
Inside the Pergamon Museum on Museum Insel. Photo: Seabamiru
Cheapos know that the best things in life are free, but sometimes a city’s best sights will cost you. So that you know when it’s worth loosening those purse strings, here’s a guide to Berlin’s two most splurge-worthy museums complexes, the Museum Insel and the Kulturforum. And, of course, we’ll show you how to cut » Read more
Taking a stroll through Friedrichshain. Photo: Azchael
With only a handful of sights to its name, the edgy Berlin district of Friedrichshain, which is infamous for its anti-capitalism protests, prolific graffiti artists, and rocking music venues, isn’t a jackpot in the sight-seeing department. But thanks to its free-to-see landmarks and a bevy of inexpensive and innovative eateries, this is a great day-time » Read more
A statue in front of Humboldt University in Berlin. Photo: Edwin
With Berlin’s three public universities—Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Humboldt University), Freie Universität (Free University), and Technische Universität (Technical University)—and dozens of private colleges, Germany’s capital is crawling with students studying everything from “Kunst” (art) to “Wirtschaft” (business). With the oldest of the three, Humboldt, in the midst of a 200th-anniversary celebration, it’s a great time to get » Read more
A stretch of the wall at the East Side Gallery. Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet
On November 9, thousands of Berliners, visitors, and VIPs, including Kofi Annan and Mikhail Gorbachev, will gather at the base of the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. But you don’t have to wait until the action-packed Fest der Freiheit (Festival of Freedom) to pay tribute to » Read more
The new Currywurst Museum opens its doors in Berlin.
Editor’s Note: Alas, the Currywurst museum closed in late 2018. We’re keeping this review live on the site because, well, we’re sentimental that way… We’re sure that researchers one day will be interested in reading our take on a Currywurst museum. ——- Berlin bursts with street food kiosks specializing in Cheapo-friendly treats. It’s easy to » Read more
Flohmarkt finds at Mauerpark. Photo: abbilder
It’s no secret that Berliners take a deep breath on Sundays. Shops are closed and traffic dissipates, making the already laid-back city feel completely chilled out. Capture the spirit by heading to a hip hood where part of the Berlin Wall once stood (at the Mitte-Prenzlauer Berg-Wedding border, near the U-bahn stop Bernauer Str.). Hipsters, » Read more
