Berlin and Where Else?
 

My bf and I are planning a trip in late March to go to Berlin, but we also want to visit another German city. Any thoughts on where we should go?

We also thought about Prague. Any opinions on that city?

All comments appreciated.

I studied for a summer in Berlin and we took side trips to Prague, Weimar, and Dresden. The latter is very close but I remember being bored there. I loved Weimar. It's a stunningly quaint town where literary figures like Tolstoy and Goethe once lived; you can tour their homes. And surprisingly, us students found lots of happening bars in Weimar. Granted, they weren't overtly gay, but we found gay travelers there, and the overall atmosphere was awesome. Now, as for Prague, if you haven't done it before, I think you should go. It's changing ever so fast, and it'll probably seem like Western Europe in another couple years, if not already. I went to Prague in 1996 and again in 2002, and it had changed so much. The second time, all we saw were drunk Americans, Brits and Aussies making scenes in the town squares (it was actually really hot b/c this group of drunk Aussies came up to us and pulled down their pants to flash us in the middle of the square). The bars are so crowded and the absinthe so cheap, I think everyone just goes crazy. So I guess my point is that the place didn't feel that authentic when I went back, but that's all relative I suppose. Having said that, Prague is beautiful. Definitely explore the Castle on the hill, browse the shops, sample Czech food, and do hit the bar scene, as touristy as it is. And bring back absinthe for your friends in New York. You will be their favorite friend, seriously! Good luck and make sure to spend enough time in Berlin itself. It's the best place I've ever been out in.

Expanding on NYUboy's proposal: one option is to explore a series of small(er) towns in Thuringia and the Saxonies which are well preserved since they were in the GDR (limited development & benign neglect), but have since been restored. Perhaps starting with Magdeburg (heavily bombed during WW2, but marvelous cathedral), Eisenach, Muehlhausen, Erfurt, Weimar, Jena, and then Dresden. Probably easiest to rent a car, though train service is available everywhere.

If you want a single city and not a tour, and gay life is important, then probably Cologne. Easy to get to from Berlin by train or low-cost flights.

I agree with NYUboy (again): I just was in Prague for the first time in 10 years -- beautiful, but parts of the city seem to be 80% anglophone in signage and language spoken on the street. Presumably just a phase (the locals still cannot afford many of the restaurants etc), so maybe better to go in a few years when the Czechs have reclaimed it...

VF

Thanks for the advice. My bf and I decided to stay in Berlin for 7 nights and make a few day trips outside the city.

A side trip to Vienna, perhaps? OS and Air Berlin have cheap fares and it's a fantastic imperial counterbalance to the modern Berlin.

Timothy

My BF and I were looking at Berlin and other places in Eastern Europe, thoughts included Prague (both of us have been there and it's great, easy and beautiful), Crakow Poland, Budapest or Bucharest. There are cheap flights between the those cities on the LCC's (Wizz Air, Easy Jet, Air Berlin, etc)

We went and took a tour around Germany and a stop by Prague too. We enjoyed Prague for the different culture and also because it was a lot cheaper. Since they're now part of the EU (that happened the week we were there) then the tourists will probably increase and the prices will follow accordingly.

I visited Hamburg right before the unification and found it beautiful and clean and fun. Also, I have been to Prague and think you may really enjoy seeing a very different environment.

I've lately been thinking about a trip to Berlin, but I want to go in summer this time - I've only ever been in fall, the couple times I've been there.

Let's see, late March? Will still be cold in Northern Europe, so a trip to a Baltic beach wouldn't be recommended. What about Bavaria - Munich or Nuremburg?

As to side trips excluding a flight (since you can probably find cheap flights to just about anywhere in Europe, ergo, why would you need advice, just get a calculator and do the math - LOL! :D ), when I did that Berlin-Prague in 1992, it was a LOOOOONG train ride. If I'm overseas for a short time, I wouldn't really want to spend a whole day commuting back and forth between Berlin and Prague on those trains, but that's just me - some people enjoy it, so whatever floats your boat (as they say).

Also, as I recall, the train from Berlin to Warsaw is about six hours and late at night. Don't know about a connection to Cracow, but Cracow is one of my favorite cities - it's very beautiful, and the Polish who live there are actually friendly, in contrast to Warsaw and other places (and I don't mean that in a stereotypical way, just in an anecdotal way).

You should be able to find plenty of day trip places, given the excellent transportation in Germany and how places seem to be crowded together... :)

Visit Prague, it's great
 

I have visited Rome recently and found my money wasn't going as far because of the falling dollar. I was in Prague two years ago. The Czech Republic uses Crowns, instead of expensive Euros. Your money goes really far, if you are from US or Canada. Prague has such wonderful historic sites and is so wonderfully preserved. I was never destroyed in any of the European wars, like other cities or by rampant modernization.