One of the things I loved about living in Central Europe, is that everything’s central. You drive to another country in just a few hours and be somewhere that is somewhere completely different, soaking in a new culture, language and style of food. When living somewhere as central as Berlin, it’s easy to make a whole weekend trip somewhere completely different. Living in New Zealand, the furtherest I could really go for a weekend trip would be Australia, and to me that just feels like a big version of New Zealand. If you’re heading to Berlin or already living there, consider these easy weekend trips from Berlin.
1) Prague
Prague is one of my favourite cities in the world, it has an old charm like no where else, combined with one of the most wonderful city castles. Enjoy the cheap beer, beautiful women and lovely old Czech architecture. Prague is only 4-5 hours drive from Berlin making it the perfect nearby destination. Hire a car from Berlin and head to Prague in the afternoon, arriving just in time to indulge in some traditional and hearty Czech fare.
2) Munich
Munich has a completely different feel to Berlin – it could almost be in a different country. Best known for Octoberfest beer festival, there’s so much more to Munich than just good beer. Known as a city with a solid art and science background, Munich an offer some internationally renowned collections of art. Surrounding Munich is some of the best scenery in all of Europe, with the gorgeous Alps. It is the perfect city to escape to for a weekend of shopping and gallery hopping.
3) Krakow
The journey between Berlin and Krakow will take the better part of an afternoon, but will be worth it. This Polish city is very affordable – cheap even compared to Berlin and houses a lot of old charm. In this city you’ll find a beautiful castle, impressive squares, hoards of churches and a number of grand palaces. If you’re interested in visiting theatres and old cinemas, then Krakow has a lot to offer in this regard. Food, alcohol and accommodation are all relatively cheap in this wonderful city.
The great thing about living or visiting such central cities as Berlin, is that you’re never too far from somewhere else. A few hours in a car and you can be enjoying a whole new language, cuisine and country without too much hassle. The next time you’re in Germany, look at renting a car while you’re in Germany to save time and cost while you travel around central Europe.
