Berlin Packing Lists

by sim1
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Electrical appliances

In case you want to bring any electrical appliances with you, here is the system Germany uses: 220 volts and 50 Hz. It is a round pin attachment plug (see picture)

An adapter will allow you to plug an appliance designed for one type of outlet into another type of outlet. Despite the fact that more than a dozen different types of plugs are in use, a typical travel adapter kit usually contains about five adapters which are capable of dealing with most of the outlets shown here. Adapters often manage this versatility by bypassing the ground/earth wire.

Beware: an adapter by itself will not change the electrical voltage. You must be sure that your appliance can handle different voltages (either automatically or through a voltage switches). If it can't, you will need a voltage converter.


	Doreen on Spreeufer	Tip Rating:

Updated By richiecdisc

on March 25, 2003

by richiecdisc
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Doreen on Spreeufer

Comfortable shoes as you'll be walking quite a bit no matter what you plan.

A wide-angle lens is always useful in taking photos of buildings.

A great guide like Doreen comes in handy. She speaks the local language, can drive in traffic, and is willing to walk around a city looking for what I am trying to find. Just what that is, sometimes I can't even say...until I find it. :)


	Take some history knowledge with you	Tip Rating:

By KaiM

on September 13, 2002

by KaiM
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remembering the victims

Before going to Berlin you should get informed about the past of the city. Learn about the history of the formerly divided city. Take this knowledge with you on your trip to Berlin and discover the city. The crosses on the picture stand for the deaths of the people who tried to escape from former East Berlin and got shot. You can see this memorial on the way from the Reichstag to the Brandenburger Tor.


	Packing List	Tip Rating:

By miromi

on September 8, 2002

by miromi
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international impoverished jetset gear: a pastel scarf patterend with purple daisies and shiny plastic handbags. Honestly, I don't know. Everyone seems to wear black, dark black, and gray black, so maybe a little color will make you stand out and bring smiles of endearment/horror/disgust

for some reason there's lots and lots of dog poo in Berlin--it's of epic proportions! i have the impression that people are REALLY into their dogs, but I don't remember seeing this much dog poo on the ground anywhere else in Germany. so watch your step!

if you take photographs, just remember to burn the negatives and destroy the evidence!

as I said in the GERMANY page, you must have an umbrella. since there is no sunlight (jK) you don't need sunglasses, but people wear them anyway (why???) ;)

my favorite Berlin guide book was the Time Out! Berlin guide: the maps were great because of the grid system.


	Weather, walking shoes...	Tip Rating:

Updated By matcrazy1

on March 13, 2004

by matcrazy1
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CITY BACKPACK AND CAMERA
BAG

For walking around Berlin, small, city backpack and surely bag for your camera - both water-proof (as on my picture).

Comfortable walking shoes preferrably water-resistant: like good trainers or better special walking shoes (one example: Danish Ecco are very comfortable and... expensive but worth the cost).
Sun-glasses esp. in winter and summer and always a rain coat, eventually less comfortable umbrella.

Read info on climate in Germany:
Climate of Germany
Average temperatures and rainfall in Berlin:
WorldClimate Berlin

Check weather (10-day forecast) for Berlin:
Weather forecast for Berlin

For pictures at night and bad light (weather) take a tripod.


	Electrical appliances	Tip Rating:

By sim1

on May 20, 2004

by sim1
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Electrical appliances

For 'grounded' plugs, the "Schuko" plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts is used (see picture)

The receptacle will also accept the not-grounded plug shown in the previous tip.


	Packing...	Tip Rating:

Updated By CandS

on September 29, 2003

by CandS
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Our gear...

We had backpacks which were very handy even though we were picked up at the train station by our friends.

Good walking shoes are a good idea...you will walk around Berlin a lot to see the sights...


	Bottled water	Tip Rating:

By Cham

on March 24, 2006

Please please bring your own bottled water as for some reason in berlin all the bottled water (i even tried starbucks, i know what a let down) has a really weird sweet taste... although some people might like it


	If you travel with a kid	Tip Rating:

Updated By matcrazy1

on April 21, 2004

by matcrazy1
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BERLIN'S FAMILY :-)

All worldwide baby care companies are present in Berlin but it's always better to bring already used toiletries for a small kid especially.

When I was first time in Berlin, in East Berlin more exactly at age 7 or 8 I wanted to have binoculars to watch over the wall towards West Berlin.

If you decided to take a small kid with you to Berlin you should bring a pram (baby carriage) with you. Just look at my picture what kind of 3 or 4 wheels prams Berliners use.


	Books	Tip Rating:

Updated By barryg23

on May 15, 2003

Books: Until a few months ago all I knew of Germany and Berlin was from history lessons in school. The following books were very useful in preparation for my trip:

Germany & the Germans by John Ardagh
Escape from Berlin by Anthony Kemp
Time Out Berlin Guide
DK Berlin Guide