Although I only spent 10 days in Berlin, I made sure to make the most of my time. I explored different neighborhoods, tried different foods, took solo adventures, etc. Although in hindsight I may not be qualified to be a tour guide in Berlin, I can definitely give future travelers some tips and tricks on how to navigate everyday life in Berlin.
Tip #1: The Bike Lane
The biggest no-no in Berlin is standing or walking in the bike lane. This was the number one thing I was warned about before arriving. In general, Europeans take biking very seriously, and the ratio of bikers to drivers is much closer to 1:1 (though not quite exactly that) in Europe than in America. If you’re lucky, you might just get the bike bell or a dirty look. If you’re a bit unlucky, you might nearly get run over or yelled at. In conclusion, just make sure that you’re not in the bike lane.
Tip #2: Jaywalking
Something that I observed while in Berlin was that jaywalking is NOT a part of the culture. In America, it is very common to see people crossing the street nowhere near a crosswalk when the street is clear, or even when it isn’t completely clear. This is not the case in Berlin AT ALL. You may occasionally see someone cross the street at a crosswalk when the road is clear, even though it isn’t necessarily their turn. You will never see someone crossing the street in between cars or at a random point nowhere near a crosswalk. Although jaywalking is a minor legal offense in America, people usually ignore it. However, in Berlin, those dirty looks might come your way.
Tip #3: The Language
LEARN SOME GERMAN. For the most part, most people in Berlin speak enough English to help you or get by in America, however, when you go to any country that speaks a different language, you should learn some to help yourself. The most important thing to learn is basic signs around Berlin. For example, bathroom or transportation. This way, you won’t have to bother unsuspecting Berliners about where the bathroom is when the sign is right in front of you. It saves you and the people around you some time. Other things like yes (Ja), no (nein), or thank you (danke) are also important because it’s simply basic manners.
Tip #4: Comfortable Shoes
If you don’t want your feet to die while adventuring, make sure you have comfortable walking shoes. Even if you take public transport or ride share, Berlin is such a walkable city that even once you get to your destination, exploration involves a lot of walking. I averaged about 20,000 steps per day, so you can do the math on how much walking that is. Although you won’t realize in the moment that your feet are on fire since you’ll be distracted by the great sights, you surely will realize once you’re on the plane back home. Speaking from experience.
