A Total Trip: What I spent on a two-day midweek trip in Berlin

In our A Total Trip series, writers document what they spent on a recent getaway. In this edition, Sandie Kestell shows us how far her money went on a midweek break in Berlin.

I’m Lonely Planet’s Destination Editor for Central & Eastern Europe and I took a two-day midweek trip to Berlin with my friend Laura in December. I lived in Berlin for four years before moving to Dublin, so it’s a city I know well, but there’s always something new to discover. Our biggest challenge would be packing in as much as possible into the two days.

Pre-trip spending

I traveled to Berlin as a guest of the recently renovated Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center. Located in the central historic Mitte district, home to both Brandenburg Gate and the city's Museum Island, the makeover has resulted in a contemporary European-style hotel with an emphasis on the use of natural materials and textiles with fresh-looking finishes, with local accents representing the destination.

The airy lobby leads into a cozy lounge with plenty of seating. Rooms are extremely comfortable, with recycled vinyl flooring and smart touches like well-designed luggage storage, rotating desks, and USB charging ports.

Other distinctive features include The Market, a mini 24-hour convenience-style in the lobby selling snacks and drinks, the Kitchen & Bar hotel restaurant, a state-of-the-art fitness center with Technogym equipment, and media pods that offer stylish and discreet workspaces.

On the ground

Tuesday

Airport transfer: We arrived at Berlin's BER airport at around 9 am on Tuesday. Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center provided a direct taxi transfer to the hotel. The journey took around 35 minutes.

Lunch: After we settled into our room, we took a 10-minute walk to Gendarmenmarkt for lunch. We stumbled upon the Erdinger am Gendarmenmarkt, a Bavarian restaurant. Having both studied in Bavaria, the hearty regional cuisine felt like a good fit. I got the very-filling Käsespätzle (cheesy egg noodles) and sparkling apple juice (€18.90).

Transport: We bought a 24-hour ticket for the AB zone (€9.50 each), which gave access to all public transport in the center of Berlin and up to the edge of the city.

Activities: After lunch, we set off on foot to check out the Topographie des Terrors (free), a museum that covers the terror institutions of Nazi Germany. We took advantage of the excellent one-hour audio tour (available via QR code) and then lingered a little to revisit some of the sections, particularly the model of the grounds in the foyer to get a better sense of what was where. Afterward, we jumped on the U-Bahn to Ostbahnhof and strolled along to the East Side Gallery (free) to see the open-air murals on this surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall. We finished up at the pretty Oberbaumbrücke bridge with its arches, towers and turrets.

Snack: We made our way across the lower level of Oberbaumbrücke bridge to the Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg. This market hall dates back to 1891 and is full of local independent producers. Booths offer everything from fresh produce to artisan cheese, ice cream, wine, and beer. We rehydrated over a glass of wine at the French wine bar/booth Monsieur Collard (€6 per glass) and watched the world go by.

Activities: From there we jumped on a U-Bahn heading for Alexanderplatz. We bought tickets for the observation deck of the Fernsehturm (€25.50 each), a TV tower and Germany's tallest structure. It was our most expensive activity of the day. We had considered if the views would be worth it, especially at night. But once we got to the top, we knew we’d made the right decision. This is one of those big-ticket sights that lives up to its reputation. It was quiet and the city lights looked stunning. It almost felt as if they were sitting there all for us.

Dinner: We jumped on the U2 U-Bahn to U Haus Hausvogteiplatz and walked the short distance to the Christmas Market at Bebelplatz (entry €2 each). We roamed the market in search of something to eat and joined the queue at the Neuburger Marktbackstube stall. We both ordered a Neuburger Rahmbrot (€4.50 each), a delicious flatbread with Schmand (sour cream) and chopped chives. I went for the veggie option, Laura got the traditional kind with bacon.

These tasty flatbreads came fresh out of the oven and were so good we had to go back for seconds (another €4.50 each). We then got a Glühwein (€4 each, plus the €3 deposit that we got back for returning the empty cups) before we called it a night and walked back to the hotel.

Total: €74.90

Wednesday

Breakfast: We took advantage of the excellent breakfast buffet at our hotel. I had fruit and yogurt as well as a fresh bread roll with cheese, egg, and salad. I also had mini pancakes and Nutella as a little treat.

Transport: We bought another 24-hour ticket for the AB zone (€9.50 each).

Activities: We took the U2 to Senefelderplatz to explore the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood in central-east Berlin, known for its Wilhelmine housing blocks and cafe culture. We wandered towards pretty Kollwitzplatz square, a leafy triangle surrounded by cafes and restaurants. We browsed independent boutiques like Kleid & Schuh for women's clothes and accessories, and concept store das goods haus for homewares We also popped into the charming Cafe Ana Blume and splurged for a jumbo hot chocolate (€4.80) to warm up.

Lunch: We stopped at the famous Konnopke’s Imbiss sausage kiosk under the U-Bahn tracks for a quick lunch. We both opted for the delicious traditional sliced currywurst with a bread roll at the bargain price of €3.60.

Activities: We took a U-Bahn and a tram to get to the Stasi Prison. Located deep in East Berlin in the Hohenschönhausen district, it's worth making the 40-minute journey over. We had pre-booked a prison tour online (€8). Our guide gave us a solid overview of the history of the prison, talked us through the different cells and interrogation rooms, and shared harrowing stories of former prisoners. The prison is a must for anyone interested in Cold War history.

Dinner: I hate to visit Berlin and not tap into the city’s Vietnamese food scene, so we met up with a friend living here and went to Fam. Dang near U Rosenthaler Platz. I had a not-too-spicy tofu curry that did not disappoint, plus a sparkling apple juice (€15.50). Before heading back to the hotel we stopped at nearby Mikkeller on Torstrasse for a drink (€6 for a cider; €7.70 for a beer).

Total: €47.40

The Final Tally: €122.30

We did pretty well budget-wise. The Fernsehturm observation deck was our most expensive attraction, but we really enjoyed it. It offered a moment of calm in a busy two days. The food was reasonable with portions generous. A couple of free attractions kept our spend down, too.

Sandie Kestell traveled to Berlin at the invitation of the Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center. Lonely Planet staff members do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.