Longer Travels {Germany + Christmas Markets}

After our unforgettable Germany trip two years ago (catch up here, but basically we all got the stomach flu and saw the inside of a hotel the whole time), we were finally ready to try again to see all things Christmas in Germany!  Our goal was to see as many Christmas markets as possible in one week and well, we sure succeeded!

We flew in and out of Frankfurt airport as the flights were cheapest and then rented a car to get us around to all the places.  We also met up with my parents so a car was the easiest way to get all five of us around.  We stayed in Nürnberg and Heidelberg, saw those two cities and also did day trips from there.  This allowed us to see as much as possible but not move hotels/apartments each night.  In both cities we stayed in AirBnB places a little ways outside the city but on tram/metro lines that would take us easily into the city.

A quick note about German Christmas markets -- most open about 11am and close about 8-9pm (depending on how big the city/market is).  Most also run the four weeks of Advent, often the last day being the day before Christmas.  On a very very simple level, Christmas markets are like large, specific street fairs but with traditions going back centuries and typically decorated elaborately (lights, Christmas trees and more).  At each market you can find vendors selling goods (usually relating to Christmas or winter), food, drink and typically a ride or two for the kids, most often a carousel.  However, every market is unique -- from the food to the glühwein to what is being sold to the theme.  Food is typically sausages/bratwurst and drinks are typically glühwein which is essentially hot mulled wine.  Each market has their own specific glühwein mugs (changing from year to year) and it is a must to collect them all (if you return the mug you will get your deposit back)!  Families tend to go the market earlier in the day/afternoon and then in the evening, markets turn into a glorious, fun and fairly calm street party with eating + drinking.

And some general tips/tricks about attending Christmas markets -- things can get insanely crowded towards the evening/dinnertime so strollers become a little difficult.  During the day, we took our stroller to each market and it was just fine.  In the evening, we wore Serafina in our preschool Kinderpack carrier and it worked great.  Germany in general is a cash economy and the markets are no different.  Make sure you have plenty of cash on hand if you plan on buying anything (this includes food/drink too).  Some of larger markets will have name brand German goods (typically Käthe Wohlfahrt) so those you can find again, but a lot of the smaller stalls are goods/products you won't find again -- so something to remember if you find something you love!
 
But now, let's just dive right in and get to the cities and their various markets, tips and tricks for each and more!

Our first stop was Nürnberg (it's about a 2-3 hour drive from Frankfurt depending on traffic).*  Our first full day was spent in Nuremberg to see the sights.  We started off at the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände (Nazi Documentation Center) -- the grounds and buildings made famous by the Nazi Party Rallies in the 1930s.  The museum is very well done and explains how the Nazis came to power and the effects of their reign of terror (make sure to get the audioguide as most of signs were in German).  The museum portion is inside Congress Hall which was not completely finished during the Nazi regime.  You can also walk around the grounds to see the old marching grounds and Zeppelinfeld (Zeppelin Field).  We wandered some of the grounds but not all as they are quite large and it was not warm.  And yes, we took Serafina to the museum -- once again we used her tablet/headphones as a distraction but she did ask questions about where we were and why and we answered her with age appropriate answers.  Next we went to Kaiserburg (the castle) at the top of a fairly steep hill.  While we didn't go inside, the views were gorgeous.  We ate lunch at Bratwursthäustle and it was amazing (traditional Nuremberg food but so so yummy).  Also, if you are in need a break from German food -- Aloha Poke is great and close to the main part of town.

The Nürnberg Christkindelmarkt (Christmas Market) is suppossed to be one of Germany's largest and most famous, but sadly we were a little underwhelmed.  While it was gorgeous and magical, it just wasn't what we expected -- a lot smaller than we anticipated.  However, we did love the Kinderweihnacht (Children's Market) and could have easily spent our whole time there (adorable activities for kids and rides -- just note that all riders need a ticket).  We also loved seeing the Christkind (Christmas Angel/Christ Child -- typically known to pass out gifts).  Serafina loved bouncing between the rides and we were lucky that lines weren't terribly long.  I will also say that the the Nuremberg sausages were my favorites, so at least go to the market for them (eaten with horseradish sauce on a roll, so yummy)!  Near the main stage (in front of the main church) there is a large sign with the day's events -- worth a quick walk by to make sure you won't miss anything.

Next up was a day trip to Bamberg (about an hour drive from Nuremberg).  Bamberg is known for their beer (and many breweries) and a gorgeous small town, so worth a trip if you are in the area.  Typical Bamberg beer is actually smokey (called rauchbier) and while it sounds gross, actually doesn't taste terrible.  Highly recommend parking here which is right under the Tourism Office.  Stop in the office and grab a map so you know the brewery route to follow (in the summer there are brewery walking tours that hit the major breweries with a stop at the beer museum).  The weather was not great so the breweries were packed (we were easily the only Americans in each one we visited) -- but we recommend these two for sure: Schlenkerla for their famous/original smoked beer and also Brauerei Spezial (this place was recommended by the nice lady at the tourist office and it was amazing, the beer was so good).  Both places served typical German food (we ate at Schlenkerla and it was fine -- large menu but limited available for the time we were there).  We did walk up to the Bamberger Dom (Cathedral) and while gorgeous inside, it can easily be skipped for more breweries.  We did go to the Bamberg Christmas Market and it was quite small, so go for the amazing town and breweries not the market!

Next up was Rothenburg ob der Tauber (as a stop on our way to Heidelberg).  Rothenburg is a famous German town -- it is on the Romantic Road, it is fully enclosed by a medieval wall and has a very famous Christmas market (the well known Käthe Wohlfahrt main store and Christmas Museum are here).  Parking is not available inside the walls, so park on the outside in the marked lots (I recommend P5) and walk into the city.  Everything about the Rothenburg Christmas Market was magical and amazing and all things Christmas -- from the live music from the Rathaus (town hall) to all the amazing Christmas stores, it was awesome.  The food was so good too, both at the market and lunch at Gasthof Greifen.  Once again, weather was pretty bad (rainy and so cold) so we chose not to wait in the long line for the Christmas Museum or walk the wall, but Rothenburg is a must stop even if its not Christmastime; although if you have a chance to go for the markets then do -- they are amazing!

Then it was on to Heidelberg for a few nights.  We spent one full day exploring the city and it was lovely.  We started out at the Schloss Heidelberg (The Palace). You can't go into the interior without a guided tour but the outside ruins are gorgeous, including the views from the top of the hill.  I highly recommend taking the bergbahn (funicular) to save on some serious walking (buy a combo ticket for the palace entry and funicular).  You can go inside the The Fassbau (Barrel Building) with your ticket and you should -- it's quite spectacular to see a barrel that holds over 34,000 gallons of wine!  We also went to the University Museum which was small but really amazing.  We somehow got a private tour of the university Great Hall and it was so cool.  And make sure you go to the famous Student Prison (included in your museum ticket).  The university is one of Europe's oldest (founded in 1386) and it is worth seeing the Old University (where the museum, Great Hall and nearby prison are today).  We ate at Joe Molese for lunch -- some of the best burgers/sandwiches we have ever had, so highly recommend (they do have an English menu and were so sweet to Serafina)!  The Heidelberg Christmas Market was another amazing one -- and quite spread out throughout the city which made it easy to wander through the market and also check out the city!  While we did like Heidelberg, this could easily be a city and market that you skip -- cute market, cute town but nothing to really write home about.... (lunch was really good though)!

Then we went to Strasbourg, France for another day trip -- no cars allowed in the center of the city during the market so I recommend here.  Strasbourg calls itself Capital de Noël (capital of Christmas) and we have to agree, Les Marchés de Noël (Christmas Markets) were simply amazing.  The market is quite large and is spread out throughout the city.  The whole city is decorated, including sides of buildings... a huge tree, an ice skating rink and so much good food (French food -- so so yummy).  The vin chaud (France's version of mulled wine) does taste quite different from the German glühwein, but in my opinion it is better!  We went inside the gorgeous Cathedrale (cathedral) and it is worth a walk through, go to the back corner to see the astronomical clock.  Also worth a walk through is the Petite France area of the city -- while touristy, it is so pretty.  Strasbourg is worth a visit even if it isn't Christmastime.
Strasbourg is amazing and wonderful and should most definitely be seen anytime of the year but especially at Christmastime.  I had been in 2003 and desperately wanted to get back, so this day was just amazing for me.  Sadly, the day after we were in the city a horrible shooting/attack occurred.  We are so thankful we changed our plans last minute and went to Strasbourg a day early, but this attack should not stop anyone from seeing the gorgeous city.

Our final stop and market was Essinglen (a smaller city near Stuttgart).  On our fateful Germany trip we had planned on going to this market, so we were quite excited to get back here and actually see it.  We parked here and it was in a great location, but does get busy in the evenings.  The Essinglen Christmas Market was easily our favorite -- part typical Christmas market and part Medieval Market, it was awesome.  The Medieval side had SO many activities for kids -- medieval rides, candle making, archery and more; Serafina had a blast.  And the food at both markets were so good (we basically ate our way through Esslingen).  Highly recommend the bread stuffed with cheese and bacon with a sour cream type sauce on top, the dampfnudle (a bread pudding type dessert but better) and the käsespätzle (fresh egg pasta with cheese).  Esslingen was so much fun and a great way to end our epic trip!

hand crank ferris wheel

A quick note on safety while visiting the markets -- the markets draw a lot of people from all over the world and can become very crowded, especially in the evening.  We typically stuck to the afternoon hours when it was less crowded.  There were police officers at most markets, not a large presence but noticeable and most markets also had large trucks parked in ways to protect those visiting.  Strasbourg had the most police presence (before the attack) with bag checks, no cars allowed into the center of the city and the occasional SWAT type officers walking past (all were very friendly).  But we never once felt unsafe in any of the cities, so please continue to travel and enjoy these amazing cultural events!

This was an epic Christmas trip that fulfilled all of our German Christmas market wants and needs -- we had a blast.  While it was an ambitious trip with so many day trips and cities, we really enjoyed our time in Germany and felt like we were able to experience many different markets and activities.  I would for sure put Rothenburg, Strasbourg, and Esslingen on your Christmas market list and put Bamberg on your list just to visit!





*A note about driving in Germany -- on our trip to Germany in September the driving was a lot easier, according to Trevor who is our driver on trips (I am navigator).  This time we were traveling on much bigger autobahns which made for more traffic and more stress, but overall still fairly easy.

Weekend Adventures {Germany + Oktoberfest}

Well, I had an amazing chance to head back to Germany (just a few short weeks after our family trip -- just one of the perks of living in Europe).  The main purpose of the trip was to go to Oktoberfest but also go to Nürnberg (Nuremberg) to go to their Nürnberger Alstadfest (Old Town Festival).  This was a kid/husband-free trip so it was a tad wild and super busy but a lot of fun.

I went with two other friends (and we met up with some other friends at Oktoberfest).  We flew into Frankfurt as it was the cheapest + closest airport to München (Munich).*  I had been to Frankfurt two years ago and it wasn't the best trip (we all got super sick and spent our whole trip in a hotel room) so I was looking forward to exploring the city a bit more this time around.  I flew in a good eight hours a head of my friends so I had almost the whole day to explore by myself.  Frankfurt does have some great museums, but I spent my time wandering, eating and doing a little shopping.  We all stayed at easyHotel Frankfurt -- a no frills hotel that was actually great, but be prepared to pay for anything extra (wifi, cleaning if you want it, a remote for the TV, etc).  This place is good for dinner but the portions are large and the food is rich (but still really good) and I cannot recommend The Kinly Bar enough -- it is a speakeasy so no sign, just a black door in a little sketchy neighborhood but some of the best cocktails I have ever had (cash only!)**

The next day we then took the train to Nürnberg where we met up with my friend's brother in law.  We grabbed some food at random street vendors and went to the Nürnberger Alstadfest which was quite fun.  We started out at the bierwerk tent (really more like tables with a canopy over some of them) where we had super yummy beers and just hung out -- chatted, played some card games.  We took a short break from the festival and wandered through the pedestrian only part of Nürnberg.  This area is actually really large and leaves you feeling like Nürnberg is a small town when in reality it is quite large.  We know that there are plenty of amazing things to do in Nürnberg but our sole purpose for this trip was festivals, so we went back to the festival to experience a different tent and just the whole German festival experience (sharing tables, drinking, eating all the yummy Germany food, singing, people watching, etc.)!

Our next day was a day trip to München for Oktoberfest.  We opted to stay in Nürnberg as it was considerably cheaper and while Oktoberfest is truly amazing, we really only needed one day.  We took a super early train from Nürnberg to München and it was a rowdy train even with the early time.  We arrived in München and it was a little rainy so we went straight to the fairgrounds where Oktoberfest is held.  We took the obligatory pictures in front of the opening gate.

First,  Oktoberfest is a huge (HUGE) festival that lasts a little over two weeks each year (always in mid/late September).  Oktoberfest is basically like  Spain's feria but on a much larger scale and with beer -- traditional drinks, traditional outfits/costumes, traditional music and traditional food.  Oktoberfest is held on fairgrounds with make-shift (but insanely elaborate and large) tents, rides, food vendors -- just a much more fun, amazing and better county fair :)  The tents are HUGE and made to fit thousands (and thousands) of people.  Each are highly decorated (the ceilings in them are super elaborate) and worth a walk through.  Each tent serves beer and food, typically only one special festival beer in one liter size only and the food was amazing (so order a lot).       

You can only be served if you are sitting at a table, so the goal is to get a seat -- tents typically have inside and outside seating.  Most people want to be inside as the weather can be unpredictable (and in my opinion, inside is more fun).  The for sure way to get a table inside is to reserve one, but that can get expensive.  So be prepared to not get a seat at an inside table... However, we somehow got extremely lucky and got a seat at the Hofbräu Festzelt (Hofbräuhaus) tent so we sat, ordered a beer and didn't leave... met up with our friends who were also in München, met a lot of really great people who shared our table, ate amazing food, drank a good amount of beer, sang some German songs and overall had the time of our lives.

Our last full day in Germany was supposed to be another day trip on our way back to Frankfurt before our flight -- we were planning on going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.  However, there was a huge storm that rolled in the night before and caused some serious damage to many of the train tracks, including almost all the "fast train" train tracks heading out of Nürnberg... So our train to Rothenburg ob de Tauber was canceled.  Along with tons of other trains that day.  We opted just to get back to Frankfurt as we weren't sure how long it would take us.  It all worked out in the end and we had a relaxing end to a very fun trip.

*Getting to and from the main Frankfort Airport is fairly easy but does take a bit of patience and sign reading.  If you land in terminal one, just go straight to the train station and catch an S-bahn train that is going into the city (it will be about 5€).  If you arrive in terminal two you can take the airport shuttle bus or the airport tram to terminal one and then walk to the train station and take an S-bahn train into the city... basically just follow the opposite route for getting to the airport from the city!

**Germany is a cash economy.  They use cash for everything and many many places don't take credit cards (even some hotels).  Oktoberfest is cash only for everything, so be prepared to have cash on hand.

Longer Travels {Germany -- Berlin}

After we spent a few days in the Saxony region of Germany, we returned to Berlin for a packed two and a half days.  We turned our car back into the airport* and got our time in Berlin started!  Fair warning, we did all of this in two and a half days.  We wanted to see as much as possible so our days were long and busy but actually really amazing.

Some general tips for Berlin -- we flew into Tegel airport and while there isn't a train going to the airport, there is a direct bus that will take you to various main spots in the city.  We opted for a taxi as it was just easier with Serafina and all of our stuff (and cost only 20€ that included a tip).  We stayed here and it was just a tad sketch but it worked for us -- the neighborhood was a really weird mix of run down/a little ghetto and super high end with designer stores but also amazing food and we felt perfectly safe.

Berlin is huge and has an extensive bus/tram/metro/train system and you will be using it to get around a lot or at least we did since we covered a ton of ground during our time in Berlin.**  We purchased a multi-day pass online prior to arriving.  We went with the Berlin Welcome Card and did the 72 hour card that included admission to all the museums on Museum Island.  You need to print the card at home and you need A4 size paper (European standard size)... although I am fairly certain the only part you need would print just fine on regular paper (8 1/2 x 11).  But the nice thing is that your card is truly 72 hours, you put in the time you want it to start and it expired exactly 72 hours later which worked in our favor and saved us money.  Most city cards like this claim to be 72 (or 48) hours but it really means that number of days and if you validate your card in the evening on day one, you just wasted a full day of your card, make sense?  Berlin also has a museum pass but it didn't make sense for us personally as most of what we wanted to see was free.

Also, if you want a cheaper version of a hop on/hop off bus, take the #100 bus throughout the city -- lucky for us we happened to be staying right by a stop for this bus so we took it frequently.  It went past a lot of the major sights in the city and was pretty fun to ride (especially the double decker ones).***

So what to do in Berlin --

The Berlin Zoo
The zoo was seriously amazing.  One of the best we have ever seen -- big and awesome and so much fun.  We met up with our friends from Spain who also happened to be in Berlin and our girls had a blast running around.  We spent hours at the zoo and still didn't even see all of it!  The girls found an amazing playground and hung out there for a good hour.  Seriously, go to the zoo just for this playground!  There were so many animals and so much to see, if you like zoos -- highly recommend this one.

Museumsinsel (Museum Island) and Berliner Dom
Five of Berlin's top museums are on this island -- housing many of Berlin's most famous artifacts.  The island also has the Berliner Dom (Cathedral) that is the slightly over the top cathedral built during Kaiser Wilhem's rule -- worth a look and a picture as you walk past it on your way to the museums.  Right now the whole museum area is going through a huge renovation so some museums are only partially opened and not all items are on display.  We bought tickets ahead of time (along with our Berlin Welcome Card) so it was nice to cut the line and go right in.  We went to two of the museums -- the Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum) which houses artifacts from the ancient world.  We were all wowed by the Ishtar Gate -- gorgeous blue mostly reconstruction (some original tiles) of the gate Nebuchadnezzar II built to enter Babylon is 575 BC.  It was seriously impressive and because we went first thing in the morning we were there with very few people (... for about 5 minutes!).  Sadly the namesake of the museum -- the Pergamon Alter -- is closed during the renovations until 2019.  We also went to the Neues (New) Museum which really has nothing new in it... it houses the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti, housed in a room by herself and no pictures allowed but seriously awesome to see.  Both of these museums were really great and while not insanely toddler friendly (both were pretty quiet), they each had really good access for those with a stroller.

Checkpoint Charlie
The main way for foreigners and diplomats to get between the two Berlins during the Berlin Wall era (and also famous for the stand off between US and Soviet tanks).  Nowadays the actual border crossing has a museum and is a slightly tacky/tourist trap including a mock-up of the original guard station including actors posing as American guards.  You can technically get your passport stamped here (for a fee) but we read it invalidates your passport...

Topographie des Terrors (Topography of Terror)
We hadn't planned on going to this museum but Serafina fell asleep in the stroller and we were nearby so we went... and wow.  The exact area of the museum was once the headquarters for the Gestapo and SS during WWII -- it focuses on how the Nazis came to power and carried out their awful plan.  This was well worth a visit (and free) but note that it was practically silent in the whole museum so if you take kids have them be sleeping or distracted.  There are no artifacts, it is pictures and very detailed descriptions that you read, but still so very powerful.  Outside there is also a good portion of the wall still intact so worth a walk by to at least see the wall.

DDR Museum
The DDR Museum is an interactive museum showing what life was like in East Germany but without the negative spin most people/museums give it.  This place was awesome!  Our little lady had SO.MUCH.FUN touching everything and playing with everything... there was a whole room dedicated to what a nursery school/kindergarten was like in East Germany and well, we hung out there for a good while.  Fair warning, I guess the East Germans were nudists (or liked to sunbathe nude) so there were some larger pictures and video of a lot of naked people with no censoring whatsoever.

Reichstag Building
The Reichstag Building is German's parliament building -- and completely worth going.  It was built in the 1890s, the German Republic was proclaimed here in 1918 but then the building almost burned down in 1933 and was barely used until 1999 when German parliament meet here again for the first time in 66 years.  The building now has a gorgeous class dome/cupola that the public can visit for free but reservations are absolutely required -- you can request a time slot reservation here (and it is a few step/day process: request three times slots, you will get an email, respond to the email, then you'll finally get another email with a letter/ticket).  Security is tight (makes sense, it is a functioning government building) so make sure you have ID and your ticket for everyone in your group.  Once on the top of the building, get the free audio guide which automatically narrates the view as you walk up the spiral ramp (yay for being stroller friendly) of the dome.  It is quite impressive and gives you a very cool view of the city as well as an awesome history lesson!

Brandenburger Tor (Brandonburg Gate) and Unter den Linden
One of Beriln's most famous landmarks -- a huge columned gateway at the end of a gorgeous tree lined street (Unter den Linden) and also at the former border of East and West Berlin.  The Brandenburger Tor was a symbol of Prussian Berlin but is more well known for for being the symbol of a divided Berlin and became the sight of great celebration when the wall fell in 1989.  Unter den Linden was the most elegant street in Prussian Berlin and today it is under a lot of construction to build a new tram/subway (something) line.

Denkmal für die Ermordeten Europas (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe)
This Holocaust memorial was completed in 2005 and has 2,711 gravestone-like pillars rising in different heights, creating a maze over a large area that you can walk through.  The memorial itself is somber and definitely worth seeing, but to get an even bigger effect go underneath the memorial to the Informational Center (it's free) which delves into the victims of the Holocaust, mostly through pictures and written explanations.  It is moving and powerful and I did not leave with dry eyes.  And yes, we took Serafina.  We put on a high interest app/TV show on her tablet, put on her headphones and the large canopy on the stroller down so she couldn't see or hear anything and it worked for us.

Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial)
The Berlin Wall ran right along Bernauer Strasse which now has a few exhibits remembering the wall and what life was like during the division of Berlin.  The Memorial has a welcome center, a good stretch of the wall still standing, a documentation center and more -- it spans a good couple of blocks of the street.  The documentation center is worth a visit because it is the last place that has the wall system (inner and outer wall) intact showing the no-man's-land death strip -- walk up to the top of the building to view over the wall.
Throughout the city there are random places that still have fragments of the wall standing and also on the ground there are stones/tiles marking where the wall once stood.  We never made it out to the East Side Gallery where more of the wall still stands and is decorated with famous works of art.  

Museum fürNaturkunde (Museum of Natural History)
This museum is really only worth a visit if you have kids and especially if you have kiddos who love dinosaurs -- the museum has the largest dinosaur skeleton ever assembled.  And currently has a huge skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex that just amazed our little lady. 

Berlin has plenty of gorgeous plazas/squares to walk through and most likely you will see many of them just as you are touring throughout the city.  Alexandarplaz was the commercial pride of East Berlin and nowadays this area is a transportation hub and known for its retro World Time Clock and Fernsehturm (TV Tower) -- we chose not to go up the tower but you can, just make sure you reserve a time slot/ticket in advance.  Potsdamer Platz is a huge commercial center and nearby is the Mall of Berlin that has a super extensive food court if you are looking for diverse fast food.  It also has a two-story slide that I do not recommend going down (it goes super fast and I lost a few layers of skin on my elbow).  Gendarmenmark is another cool square with two large and gorgeous churches but more importantly, it has Rausch Schokoladenhaus a super yummy chocolate shop which is a must for any chocolate lover -- to grab a treat and to see the amazing chocolate sculptures.  We also wandered through parts of Humbolt University (famous for being one of Europe's greatest universities) and saw the memorial to a notorious Nazi book burning in 1933.

Alexanderplaz

Mall of Berlin

chocolate shop sculptures

Gendarmenmark

Humbolt University 

So where to eat in Berlin -- well, Berlin has a lot of offer in the way of yummy and amazing food and has so many different options.  We usually had breakfast in our apartment, but there were plenty of bakeries that we often got pretzels at as a mid-morning snack.  We ate lunch at House of Small Wonder and holy cow was it good, it has an all day brunch menu that is American, European and Japanese fusion.  This beer garden had great beers and had a huge area for Serafina to run around.  We grabbed a beer and a bite to eat at the Stone Brewing Tap Room (a San Diego brewery for anyone looking for American style beers) -- the beer was good and the food was so-so.  We ate here for kebabs and it was also amazing, really good french fries that our kid inhaled.  Stavros Grill was amazing Greek food with the best tzatziki ever (they had an English menu but for sure no one spoke English here).  And finally we had great burgers at Upper Burger Grill and really good sweet potato fries.  We pretty much ate and drank our way through Berlin (and all of Germany). 

Berlin was so much more than Trevor and I ever expected.  I had been once -- a good twenty (or more) years before and didn't remember much...  This city was amazing, a perfect combination of things we love about other European cities.  And fairly toddler friends, everyone we encountered was extremely nice and helpful to us.  Berlin is easily now of our favorite cities -- and comes highly recommend by this blogger (and her family)!

*Berlin currently has two smaller airports rather than one big large international airport -- in fact the airports in other German cities are much larger.  But remember, Berlin was a divided city up until 1989, so the two airports make a little more sense.  Construction is underway for a large international Berlin airport but it has been delayed a few times...  For now, the two airports seem to work and both are just a quick 15-20 minute drive into the city.

**Berlin was the first larger city we have ever been to with a transportation system that did not require scanning your ticket upon entry or exit or both.  In fact we couldn't figure out how to validate our Berlin Welcome Card but maybe because it had dates/times on it, it was already validated.... So on our last day on our last metro ride, we had chatted about how we had never seen anyone checking tickets and then... of course we got stopped by guys in plain clothes checking tickets, but we were just fine!

***I just have to remember this adorable story -- we were riding the #100 bus with a group of German high schoolers.  Serafina and I were sitting on the top part of the bus and she was just a tad excited about seeing a bunch of the sights.  The high schoolers thought she was hilarious and had an absolute blast practicing their English with us, so much fun!