Berlin 2025
On Friday 7th November 2025, Richie and I flew out to Berlin for the first time. The main purpose of our trip was to watch the NFL International Game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts, which took place on Sunday 9th November.
Day 1: Friday
The day started early with an EasyJet flight from London Gatwick to Berlin. From the airport, we took our first double-decker train—the RE8—into the city, arriving at Alexanderplatz in Mitte.
We checked into the Adina Hotel, located right next to the iconic Fernsehturm Berlin. Built between 1965 and 1969 by the government of the German Democratic Republic, the tower served as both a broadcasting facility and a symbol of communist power.
Our room was excellent, featuring a sleek black-and-silver kitchenette with a dishwasher, along with a spacious bathroom.
The TV Tower
East side Gallery
Our first stop was the Berlin Wall—specifically the East Side Gallery. Walking along the preserved stretch, covered in murals, was a powerful introduction to the city’s history.
Friday Night Dinner
For dinner, we went to Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap for doner meat and chips. It was nice, but if I’m honest, I slightly regret it—it’s something I easily get back home in the UK. I wish I’d tried one of their more traditional German options instead.
Day 2: Saturday
Saturday was our main sightseeing day, starting with a visit to Checkpoint Charlie.
Right next door, we grabbed breakfast at Back-Factory—a sausage roll and an apple turnover to get me going.
Behind the bakery, we stumbled upon the “Berlin 1933–1945” exhibition, part of the Topography of Terror. It was a sobering experience. I took photos at the time, as others were doing the same, but later realised it’s probably more respectful not to.
We then walked up Wilhelmstraße towards the Brandenburg Gate. It struck us that this road would have been Berlin’s equivalent of Whitehall before 1945, once home to key Nazi government buildings.
From there, we continued on to the Victory Column. It looked much closer than it actually was.
The Haribo Shop!
Later, we caught a bus to the Haribo shop near Wittenbergplatz—a fun little stop.
Saturday Night Dinner
Dinner was chicken schnitzel at Oase Deluxe in Alexanderplatz. Very nice 👌
Day 3: Sunday
Sunday morning began with a visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Opened in 2005, the site spans 19,000 square metres and consists of 2,710 concrete slabs of varying heights. Walking through it was a deeply immersive and moving experience.
Just around the corner on Gertrud-Kolmar-Straße is the site of the Führerbunker. Today, it’s marked only by an information board, installed in 2006.
A spot of lunch
We stopped at Bäcker Wiedemann for a ham and cheese toastie before heading to the stadium.
The Atlanta Falcons v Indianapolis Colts in Week 10
We made our way to the Olympiastadion Berlin for the game. As expected, the Falcons lost 31–25.
That said, getting out afterwards was incredibly smooth—we were on a train within minutes. Easily the quickest stadium exit I’ve ever experienced.
Currywurst
At the stadium, I had a currywurst and chips—simple but very enjoyable. Later that evening, back in Alexanderplatz, we stopped at Munchies for another bite… It’s a munch.
Day 4: Final Day
Our flight wasn’t until 6:20pm, so we had most of the day to explore.
The plan was to go up the TV Tower after checking out at 11am—but when we stepped outside, it had completely disappeared. The entire city was covered in thick fog. We genuinely couldn’t believe it.
We decided to grab breakfast and hope it cleared, but no such luck.
Instead, we headed over to Museum Island, followed by a relaxed breakfast at a nearby wine and coffee house.
We later visited a park south of the city before returning to Alexanderplatz to catch the S9 back to the airport.
Transport
Berlin’s transport system was excellent. We used a mix of trains (RE8, S3, S5, S9), buses (200 and 300), and even a tram. Everything was efficient, easy to navigate, and reliable.
Would i go back?
Absolutely. Berlin is a fascinating city with so much to offer. We didn’t get to go up the TV Tower, and we missed areas like Charlottenburg with its elegant pre-war buildings and boutiques.
And of course—I still need to pick up that red Ampelmann fridge magnet.
