There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Berlin each year. The main ones are listed below.
January 1: New Year's Day (Neujahrstag) (national holiday)From 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Good Friday, it is forbidden to dance (“tanzverbot“) on the streets of Berlin, as in the other cities around the country. It is a sign of respect for the faithful who pay tribute to the ordeal of Christ.
March or April: Easter Monday (Ostermontag) (national holiday)In Berlin, parents hide candy and Easter eggs painted in bold colours, which kids merrily go on the hunt for.
May 1: Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit) (national holiday)On the first of May, it is customary to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley to close ones. Many vendors occupy the pavement on that occasion!
Second week in August: International dance festival (Tanz Im August) (local event)This three-week festival is a celebration of modern dance, showcasing the latest trends in choreography, in a series of performances at various venues across the city featuring companies and artists from all over the world. The programme also includes workshops and lectures by both dancers and critics.
October 3: German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) (national holiday)Commemorates the anniversary of Germany's reunification in 1990. Celebrations in Berlin include a huge street party at the Brandenburg Gate, plus concerts and other stage performances.
First week in November: JazzFest Berlin (local event)Held every year since 1964, this four-day jazz festival attracts many big names for a programme of performances at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and several other venues in the city.
November 11: Saint Martin's Day (local event)In Berlin, Saint Martin's feast day is celebrated with a parade through the city's streets by children carrying lanterns they have usually made themselves and singing songs known as Lanternlieder.
Late November to Mid-January: Christmas market (local)Berlin welcomes almost 70 Christmas markets. With its glassblowers dazzling visitors, the Gendarmenmarkt is steeped in history. The markets in the old town of Spandau and the Opernpalais are not to be missed!
December 25: Christmas (Weihnachtstag) (national holiday)Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | -2/28 | 3/37 | 42/1.7 | Not the best period to go |
February | -2/28 | 4/39 | 33/1.3 | Not the best period to go |
March | 1/34 | 8/46 | 40/1.6 | Not the best period to go |
April | 4/39 | 13/55 | 37/1.5 | Not the best period to go |
May | 9/48 | 19/66 | 54/2.1 | Good period to go
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June | 12/54 | 22/72 | 69/2.7 | Good period to go
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July | 14/57 | 24/75 | 55/2.2 | Good period to go
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August | 14/57 | 24/75 | 58/2.3 | Good period to go
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September | 10/50 | 19/66 | 45/1.8 | Good period to go
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October | 6/43 | 13/55 | 37/1.5 | Not the best period to go |
November | 2/36 | 7/45 | 44/1.7 | Not the best period to go |
December | 0/32 | 4/39 | 55/2.2 | Not the best period to go |
The Berlin-Brandenburg Willy-Brandt International Airport is located about 28 kilometres (17 miles) south of the city centre. It opened on October 31st, 2020.
Berlin is a very easy city to get around. Its public transport options provide nearly complete coverage of the city, by night as well as by day. The S-Bahn, U-Bahn and trams run through the night on Friday and Saturday and the eves of public holidays. In addition, the system uses integrated tickets and passes, valid for all modes of transport.
Berlin's U-Bahn (underground metro) operate every day from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. A single ticket costs EUR 2.90 to EUR 3.60 depending on your destination. Tickets are valid for 2 hours. Useful tip: the Tageskarte (day pass) offers unlimited access to all public transport in Berlin (BVG). Rates: EUR 8.60 to EUR 9.60, depending on your destination. For further information, please visit https://sbahn.berlin/en/.
Berlin has the largest network of bus routes of any city in Germany. Two of these are particularly of interest for visitors: bus 100 and bus 200, linking Tiergarten to Alexanderplatz and passing by many important landmarks. For further information, please visit https://www.vbb.de/en.
Berlin trams run predominantly in East Berlin. They stop at the city centre and at the Hackescher Markt and Alexanderplatz stations.
Berlin has nearly 7,000 taxis. The initial charge is EUR 3.90, plus EUR 2 per kilometre for the first 7 kilometres (4 miles), then EUR 1.50 per kilometre after that. A short-distance fare (Kurzstrecke) is also available at all times of the day or night for taxis hailed in the street: EUR 5 for a trip of no more than 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) without intermediate stops and with a maximum of four passengers.
Bicycles are an excellent way to discover Berlin, which has a large and well-developed network of cycling paths. There are many bike rental shops dotted around the city. Average rates are EUR 8 to EUR 12 for 1 day.
However, there is a self-service bike rental network called “Call a Bike” (VLS) operated by Deutsch Bahn. It costs EUR 0.10 per minute or EUR 9 for 1 day. For further information, please visit https://www.callabike.de/en/cities/Berlin.
Upon your arrival in Berlin, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.
Berlin Tourist office (Berlin Tourist Info im Hauptbahnhof)Offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).
The official website maintained by Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus (DZT), the German national tourist board, provides a wealth of information on Berlin.
Website: https://www.germany.travel/en/home.html
The currency used in Germany is the Euro (EUR).
1 SEK = 0,10 EUR
1 EUR = 10 SEK
The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.
In order to travel in the best conditions and for your health and safety, we invite you to check all information regarding preventive measures and best practices to be respected, available on the official website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/
Your comfort, well-being and health are at the heart of Air France's concerns, and we want to help you prepare for your trip in the best way possible. Find out more about the measures taken to ensure safe travelling on our website: https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/page_flottante/information/coronavirus.htm#notre-engagement-sanitaire
See your doctor before you travel. It is also recommended to take out insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation before your trip. Berlin counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.
There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Germany.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:
Tap water is safe to drink in Berlin.
For stays of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay.
As a general rule, travellers from all other countries are subject to visa requirements, although foreign nationals from certain countries may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.
For further information, visit the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees:
http://www.bamf.de/EN/Migration/Einreisebestimmungen/einreisebestimmungen-node.html
To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Berlin, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.
Here are a few basic German phrases that will make your stay in Berlin a little easier:
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon: Guten Morgen (morning) / Guten Tag (during the day)
Thank you very much: Vielen Dank
I don't understand: Ich verstehe nicht
Could you repeat?: Können Sie bitte wiederholen?
What time is it?: Wie spät ist es?
I'm looking for (…): Ich suche (…)
How much is (…)?: Wie viel kostet es?
Do you have (…)?: Haben Sie (…)?
Where can I find (…)?: Wo kann ich (…) finden?
Tipping
In Berlin like elsewhere in Germany, tipping is not expected. In principle, the service charge is included in the bill. But if you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly round up the bill or leave a few extra euros on the table.