Berlin What to Pack

Miscellaneous: 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

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: We thought that June was a warm month in Europe so we packed our shorts and t-shirts but Berlin was still very cold and windy. Be careful as the weather can still be somehow chilly until the very end of the spring.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Make sure to take an umbrella or rain coat when you go to Berlin. For several months in the fall, I had to take mine every time I went out, even if the morning was sunny.

Miscellaneous: Berlin never gets too cold in the winter, but it can stay cold well into the spring. My birthday (mid-April) was chilly, in spite of the bonfire we made.

Miscellaneous:
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.

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

Photo Equipment: 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.

Miscellaneous: 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.

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

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: 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

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

Miscellaneous: 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

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Comfortable shoes as you'll be walking quite a bit no matter what you plan.

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

Miscellaneous: 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. :)