Keith Anderson wrote:
> On Sat, 10 May 2008 15:15:32 -0700 (PDT), ll_1002m wrote:
>
>
>>Hi, I'll be going to Berlin with a friend in June. We're trying to
>>decide if we should stay in Traveplatz or in Charlottenburg (near
>>Savignyplatz). Anyone here can shed some light on these two areas?
>>What are these places like? We're most concerned about safety and
>>convenience (must have shops and restaurants nearby, good transport
>>links). Would appreciate any info.
>
>
> Savignyplatz is a good choice - near Kurfürstendamm and "Centre West"
> - plenty of restaurants and shops nearby as well as the S-Bahn station
> and bus routes.One stop on the S-Bahn and you're at Zoo station, from
> where useful bus routes such as the 100 and 200 start. Both the 100
> and 200 head towards Alexanderplatz and go along Unter den Linden -
> the 200 goes via Potsdamer Platz and the 100 via the
> Reichstag/Brandenburger Tor. Under the railway bridge at Zoo station
> is Ullrich's supermarket - amazing choice of stuff (especially wines
> and spirits) and it opens on Sunday which most shops don't in Germany.
>
> Traveplatz in Friedrichshain would be good as well - Friedrichshain is
> an "up and coming" area and Traveplatz is not far from Simon-Dach
> Strasse which is full of restaurants. You're also near Karl Marx Allee
> (former Stalinallee) - built in the 1950s as a "Socialist Boulevard"
> in the Stalin "wedding-cake" style, but with neo-classical porches and
> doorways as a reference back to the Berlin architect Karl-Friedrich
> Schinkel. You're on the M13 tram route which will take you to places
> with interchange to the S-Bahn (overhead fast railway) and the
> Underground (U-Bahn).
>
> Both areas are regarded as part of the Berlin "Szene" ("scene") and
> are safe.
>
> Personally, I'd go for Savignyplatz because of the transport links at
> Zoo, but see what others say.
>
> Buy a "Tageskarte" (day ticket) at the machines at an S-Bahn or
> underground station - instructions in English too. Currently a
> Tageskarte for zones A and B is € 6.10 - if you want to go to Potsdam
> you'll need a day ticket for zones A,B and C - this is € 6.50. Forget
> the City Tour Card and Berlin Welcome Card unless you have clear plans
> of what you want to see - the CTC and BWC are more expensive but offer
> discounts tocertain tourist attractions.
>
> Have fun!
>
>
>
> Keith (formerly of Bristol UK)
> now moved to Berlin/nach Berlin umgezogen
I was in Berlin last weekend, personally I found the ex-socialist parts
of Berlin much more interesting than the western parts. The big stores
round the K'Damm are much the same as in any other big city, and much of
the city in the west was sanitized in the '70s. The eastern side has
much more of the original Berlin flavour, with cobbled streets, art
galleries and little street cafes and restaurants. We stayed in the
Prenzauler Berg area, and it was fabulous.
T.