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FTRC.BLOG / Unexpected Berlin: History, Street Art & Schnitzel

Unexpected Berlin: History, Street Art & Schnitzel

This page serves as your guide to Berlin, a city that is always reinventing itself. I have explored its intriguing history and vibrant neighborhoods and discovered some hidden gems that you won’t find in a typical guidebook.

We’ll explore beyond the iconic Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag Building to discover quirky museums, street art, and remnants of the Berlin Wall. Have you ever heard of the Stasi Museum? It’s a chilling reminder of Berlin’s divided past. We’ll also explore the Museum in der Kulturbrauerei, where you can learn about the surprisingly vibrant heavy metal scene in East Germany.

Of course, every trip to Berlin is complete with indulging in delicious food. I’ll share my favorite spots to find the biggest schnitzel in the city and, maybe, the best burgers Berlin has to offer.

So, come along with me and experience the unique energy of Berlin. Whether you’re a history buff, an art enthusiast, or just looking for an adventure, this page will inspire you to explore this captivating city.

Flussbad Berlin: Swimming in the Spree

Flussbad Berlin: Swimming in the Spree

Swimming in the Spree was not part of our plans when we moved to Berlin. But things could change shortly, and we are not discussing the Badeschiff. We are talking about swimming in the Spree. More precisely, we are talking about swimming in the Spree right where the Museum Island is.

Most people that go to Checkpoint Charlie are ignoring one of the most bizarre landmarks of Berlin. Just one block away is where you will find the enormous penis relief of former Bild’s editor Kai Diekmann.

Berlin Bizarre Landmarks: Giant Penis on Rudi Dutschke Straße

Tourists go to Checkpoint Charlie but they're missing the giant penis statue on the side of the TAZ building. A Truly Bizarre Landmarks!

Checkpoint Charlie - Yes, Checkpoint Charlie is easily the biggest tourist trap that exists in Berlin. Really. There is nothing there to see and you will only waste your time if you choose to go there. If you are asking yourself why, I gonna tell you why Checkpoint Charlie is the worst tourist place in Berlin.

Checkpoint Charlie: Why you shouldn’t visit it

Every city may have a tourist spot that some people hate it. Mine is the Checkpoint Charlie in Friedrichstrasse. And, since the place is a block away from where I work, the hordes of tourist going there every day remind me of how silly it is to visit the place. <div class="aligncenter"><!– Go t…

There is a story online that Berlin has more than 200 museums. If this is true or not, we don’t know but one of my favorite art museums in the city is known as Buchstabenmuseum, but I like to call it the Museum of Letters. I like to call it like that because, inside the building, you will see a large number os neon signage from Berlin and around the world.

Buchstabenmuseum in Berlin: Exploring the Museum of Letters

Berlin, a city known for its art scene and world-class museums, needed something like the Buchstabenmuseum. The Museum of Letters, like it is known for some people, is the place to preserve, restore and exhibit signage from Berlin and around the world. If you are a typography lover like me, you will love the site.

A Visit to the Ruined Bunkers in Wunsdorf

A Visit to the Ruined Bunkers in Wunsdorf

It was the end of April when we went to Zossen to see the Wunsdorf Bunkers. I came across these bunkers while I read Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor and decided it would be a good place to spend an afternoon. After some research, I realized that the place is now a museum and you can book bunker tours and th…

Exploring the Historical Significance of Flugzeughallen Karlshorst in Berlin

Exploring the Historical Significance of Flugzeughallen Karlshorst in Berlin

Flugzeughallen Karlshorst lies somewhere in Karlshorst, an area of Berlin not famous for its tourist spots. But they are famous for some things, and most of them are related to the end of the Second World War since there was the place where the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany against the Allied f…

On the Wall – Lettering versus Calligraphy

On the Wall – Lettering versus Calligraphy

With their blog Lettering versus Calligraphy, Martina Flor and Giuseppe Salerno became famous in typography. There, they battle with individual letters in various styles and forms to show the similarities and differences between drawn and handwritten fonts. We were at the Buchstabenmuseum for the opening of On the Wall…

I watched this short video from Kreuzberg in 1979 and wonder how much can a neighborhood change. I walk around the Kreuzberg streets of the video below without thinking about how different this neighborhood was less than 35 years ago. But everything was different back then.

Kreuzberg in 1979: From a Divided City to a Vibrant Neighborhood

I watched this short video from Kreuzberg in 1979 and wondered how much a neighborhood can change. In the video below, I walk around the Kreuzberg streets without thinking about how different this neighborhood was less than 35 years ago.

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