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Wow Berlin, a city that brings a smile to my face whenever I see it's name. It takes me back to a wonderful period in my life before the pandemic when travel was normal and life was simple. Berlin will always be, for me, one of the best cities in the world purely because of the magical moments it gave me. The city has done a magnificent job at creating an unforgettable ambience created by the portrayal of its rich history, cleanliness, renaissance architecture and natural beauty.
When I think of Berlin, I think of currywurst, the wall, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and street cafes, all of which you will be able to experience with just €50. Its essential for me, when writing a budget blog that it allows you to have 3 meals, travel and includes some sort of experience.
Breakfast (Total: €6.90)
A great way to start the day off right is to head down to Cafe Luise-Schäfers on Luisenstraße, Mitte which is just a 10 minute walk away from the Brandenburg Gate. Here, I would recommend picking up a Guten Morgen Frühstücksbox or, if you're vegetarian, the Veggie Frühstücksbox. This box contains 2 bread rolls, cheese and a selection of sausage, butter, jam, boiled egg and a coffee. The veggie version swaps sausage out for more cheese and different spreads. Both versions cost as little as €6.90, which means you get a taste of a traditional German breakfast for cheap, not a bad way to start the day!
Visit to Brandenburg Gate
Arguably Germany’s most famous landmark and certainly one of the most iconic in Europe, the Brandenburg Gate is a thing of beauty. Take some photos outside the historic landmark and take in the beauty of its architecture and the fact you are standing outside a truly magnificent monument. The gate symbolises Berlin’s cold war division and what is now located in central Berlin used to be the edge of the city. Head around the corner to see the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of the Holocaust and the Reichstag (German’s parliament building).
Did you know? The horse-drawn chariot that is located on top of the gate (known as the Quadriga) was once stolen by Napoleon in 1806 and taken back to France as a victory trophy.
Lunch (Total: €5.20)
You’re going to be hungry after all of that sight-seeing, which is why now is a perfect time to tell you about lunch. When visiting Berlin you have to try currywurst, it's essential, just like trying paella in Spain or Fish and Chips in England. Currywurst is Berlin’s street food which consists of sausage (normally sliced) covered in a tomato sauce with curry flavourings. It may sound simple but it is delicious and gives you a real taste of Berlin street food. There are loads of great stalls which sell currywurst such as Konnopke's Imbiss, Curry 36, Curry at the Wall and Bier's Kudamm 195, but our personal favourite is Witty's which has 3 locations across the city. Currywurst and chips will only set you back €5.20
Travel (Total: €10.00)
You MUST take advantage of Berlin’s amazing transport network and cheap ticketing when visiting the capital. A travel pass costs just €10 for 24 hours and allows you to go to zones ABC on the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, trams and ferries. This ticket will save you so much money and will give you more time to enjoy the city and see its outstanding beauty. Don’t be too scared to use it, after a couple of times you’ll be zipping around Berlin with ease. Tip: Use the app Citymapper to help with navigation, I’ve found it to be a life-saver and it's free to use.
DDR Museum (Total: €9.80)
The River Spree separates the DDR museum from Berlin’s iconic Museum Island. The DDR museum which shows visitors the physical reality of East Germany or the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR). The museum is interactive, educational and quite frankly brilliant and make sure you take a look at the fully furnished DDR flat. A day ticket costs €9.80, which is great value compared to some of the other attractions you may end up visiting.
Berlin Cathedral and East Side Gallery
Take a 5 minute trip over the spree and view the impressive renaissance and baroque architecture. You can pay a €7.00 admission fee to enter the cathedral, climb to the top and see the stunning views of Berlin, but I would say this is optional and dependent on your budget. After you’ve grabbed a photo (or 10) your quickest bet to get to the East Side Gallery would be to take a 10 minute walk to the Hackescher Markt and grab the Ostkreuz S-Bahn to Warschauer Straße. It's then another 10 minute walk to the East Side Gallery (overall 30 mins).
Dinner (Total: €4.50)
Once again, eating in Berlin doesn’t have to be expensive. With about 40% of your budget still left to go (€31.90 spent) there's plenty of room for a nice meal. The Berliner in me would definitely recommend getting a delicious chicken kebab from Rüya for as little as €4.50. It is well-known for the use of its amazing Yaprak chicken and is one of the only doner shops in the city who has its very own dedicated Döner Usta in the kitchen.
Final Total: €36.40
After all the costs were added up we are looking at a total of just €36.40- who said travelling Europe had to be expensive. Yes, I know, this doesn’t include any snacks and drinks but I don’t want to dictate your whole experience of Berlin. It's a truly wonderful city with so much to do, so it's totally up to you how you want to spend your time and money there.
With at least €13.60 left to spend you might also be able to get yourselves a couple of souvenirs as well. Have a great time exploring Berlin and don’t forget to tag us in your photos to feature on our Instagram page.