We had a Berlin weekend in February and it was great! I’ve only ever visited in the summer and that is awesome but this time it was winter…and it was beautiful! Winter Berlin was really a great time. It wasn’t busy, it was lightly snowing, the Ubahn was quiet and easy to get around. It really was nice. Here’s what we got up to!
Good Eats in Berlin
Let’s start with the things that matter – food! We specifically looked for 2 spots that looked really great and did some digging on social media. We found 2 places – Kimchi Princess and Niko Niko Ramen.
Kimchi Princess
Kimchi Princess was a wonderful Korean joint that was a lot of fun. The food was as amazing as the vibe! Their main entrees are cooked-at-your-table style Korean meats. There were also vegan and vegetarian options if you’re into that. They also made it very easy to make reservations on their website and we planned the dinner a week in advanced.
The vibe was great. It’s a bright establishment and full of neon. It was very packed and a lively place. The food was amazing! The staff were great. It was a great mix of some tourists and locals. Everyone mixed and was enjoying their soju! You can check out their menu and options on their website.
Niko Niko Ramen
Niko Niko Ramen was another great joint we had dinner at. The vibe is very different compared to Kimchi Princess. Niko Niko is a small ramen spot that has a small bar area and then seating in the back. It’s a very intimate eatery with a few dark corners to enjoy some hot ramen with your best friend or date.
You’ll find mostly common ramen menu items with a few twist items. I had the black sesame seed ramen and that was a very unique flavor. Emily got the regular sesame seed ramen and the favors were very different! Mine was more earthy, nutty, it tasted “dark”! Emily’s was as expected and bright with flavor. It was my favorite of the two. I will return!
Berlin Attractions
The Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum is located on the south side of Berlin and it’s a mix of old and new buildings. Its core exhibit showcases the history of the Jews and has several exhibits showing Jewish history in Germany and how cities and states incorporated their population in day-to-day life.
We also went to the temporary exhibit about Kafka. It explored some of the history and books of the Jewish author and there were also a few unrelated exhibits about the War of Terror and other avant-garde artists like a Japanese man who tied himself to a woman with an 8-foot rope for a year.
The museum was pretty good. The Shalekhet exhibit in the Memory Void was very moving and a thought provoking display as you walk over metal faces and hear echoes of the clinking metal. The old paintings exhibits were really good. I’m an art fan in general and like to see old paintings so that was great.
There were other exhibits that really didn’t make a hit like some of the unusual “modern art” in the Kafka exhibit and a few of the stuff in the core exhibit. It was a mixed bag in my opinion. I’d recommend it but I’m sure there are some other Jewish history things around Berlin that might be more engaging.
Berlin Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden on the southwest side of Berlin was really nice. You may be asking about visiting a botanical garden in winter but you can visit the big greenhouses and see all kinds of plants. You could walk around if you wanted to but it had freshly snowed so we didn’t.
The greenhouses were great! They had several biomes ranging from desert to jungle. The main greenhouse was a jungle climate which was very humid and hot. From there, you can go off to many different wings and see ferns, cacti, and flowering trees, they even had underwater plants on display.
One issue that you may run into is the distance to the nearest train station. It is about 1000 meters to get to the greenhouses from the station so be ready for a 10 minute walk and just follow the signs! You can get your tickets online and that’s what we did. It was easy enough and allowed us to enter any time for the day.
Lodging
We stayed at the Berlin Radisson Collection Hotel right next to the Berlin Dom. The hotel was recently renovated and it’s very nice on the inside. There’s the Atrium Bar which has a funky 1970’s jungle bar vibe. They also have a regular restaurant you can enjoy in the evening for an expanded menu.
The rooms were nice and exactly as expected. The main attraction for us was the spa and pool area. There is a small pool for swimming. There’s a fitness area with weights and cardio equipment. Finally, there’s a wellness spa area with seating, 2 saunas and ice maker. It was a great amenity because it was hard to find a downtown hotel that had a pool!
Conclusion
Berlin…what more can I say. Its history, its bravado, its unbridled uniqueness, all these things really make a cool city that is wonderfully progressive and enjoyable. You can see World War II history, Jewish history, Cold War history, LGBT history, Germany history all in one place. It’s also a melting pot of all kinds of people which has a good scene of interesting and unique food that is great.
Winter is Berlin was also a wonderful time. The crowds were a lot smaller and the Ubahn wasn’t packed. Of course, summer is peak season but like Rick Steves says, “There no bad weather just bad clothing.” Dress warm and get exploring in the quiet town that is Berlin in winter!
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