Travelling with teenagers can come with it's own issues but they needn't be bored during their time in Berlin as the city is filled with things to see and do that will interest them. Here are my top tips for things to do with teenagers in Berlin...
Visit The Berlin Wall
Well this one is pretty obvious of course but has to be mentioned. The Berlin Wall is undoubtably one of Berlin's most loved tourist attractions and the perfect spot to witness this historically important piece of German history as well as all the amazing artwork that adorns it. You can either head to Ostbahnhof station or Warschauer Str. station to reach the East Side Gallery, a long section of wall which has multiple artists' works all along it. Make sure to view each side of the wall, as each side exhibits different art work.
Indulge in the multitude of museums
Berlin pretty much has a museum for every single interest out there. Ok, perhaps not for every single one but probably very close. There are a few museums that I reckon would particularly appeal to both you and your teenagers visiting Berlin. Here are my tips...
Explore Berlin's Underbelly
A group called Berliner Unterwelten offer English (and other) language tours of underground Berlin which has got to appeal to a number of teenagers. Explore one of Berlin's underground bunkers and learn about the reasons for their use and their history. The English language tours tend to be very popular and book up quickly so make sure to book in advance. More info about the Berlin bunker tours and dates available here.
See the boys in blue (ie. Blue Man Group)
If you have never witnessed the Blue Man Group in action, it is seriously worth it. Berliners (or perhaps it's tourists) love the boys in blue so much that they even have their own theatre here purely for them. I have to warn you that the tickets are pricey and I am yet to find a special deal for them, however, if you have the cash to splash, I highly recommend it. There are bits of wording during the intro that is in German, with the odd joke, but you don't need to speak German to enjoy the full show. Tickets & details for Blue Man Group Berlin here.
Get Climbing!
Berlin is full of both indoor and outdoor climbing opportunities, I do, however, have a few favourites. In Mitte, there is a fabulous outdoor climbing frame that includes hanging Trabants called Mount Mitte. (Caroline-Michaelis-Str. 8, 10115 Berlin.) Or, you can head outside to the gorgeous Wuhlheide Park and climb among the forest trees in the Kletterwald Berlin am FEZ (An der Wuhlheide 199, 12459 Berlin), although both are only open seasonally rom April to the beginning of November. For some fun indoors, try the kinda cool Boulderklub in Kreuzberg, or if you have younger ones in tow as well, BergWerk, is for the entire family, with climbing for those as young as three.
Take a free walking tour
One for those teenagers who are happy to be on their feet for 2.5 hours, there are free daily walking tours guiding you through Berlin's many points of historical importance. These tour guides tend to be fabulous so make sure to bring along some cash to tip them for all their hard work and amazing memory for storing all that interesting information. More info on the free walking tours of Berlin here.
On yer bike
The best way to get around the city is undoubtedly by bike, as the cycle lanes are excellent and road users are in general very bike-aware. See more in my feature here for family friendly bike hire, but in the city centre, bike hire shops seem to be on every street corner, with prices around the €10 a day mark.
Is there something you would add to this list? What does/did your teenager love to do in Berlin?
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Well this one is pretty obvious of course but has to be mentioned. The Berlin Wall is undoubtably one of Berlin's most loved tourist attractions and the perfect spot to witness this historically important piece of German history as well as all the amazing artwork that adorns it. You can either head to Ostbahnhof station or Warschauer Str. station to reach the East Side Gallery, a long section of wall which has multiple artists' works all along it. Make sure to view each side of the wall, as each side exhibits different art work.
Indulge in the multitude of museums
Berlin pretty much has a museum for every single interest out there. Ok, perhaps not for every single one but probably very close. There are a few museums that I reckon would particularly appeal to both you and your teenagers visiting Berlin. Here are my tips...
- The Jewish Museum in Kreuzberg is not only architecturally staggering (the design itself is a piece of artwork), but also an important way to learn about Judaism and The Holocaust. Audio tours in English (and other languages) cost €3 with valid ID.
- Learn about the GDR (or DDR as it's known in Germany) at the DDR Museum in Mitte. This museum offers an insightful and interesting look at life for those in the GDR with interactive exhibitions including a Trabant driving simulator! More about about the DDR Museum in English.
- Does your teenager love computer games? Did you play them a lot yourself in your teen years? If so, you'll find the Computer Games Museum Berlin (Computerspielemuseum) in Friedrichshain full of games consoles from years gone by, some of which are interactive.
Explore Berlin's Underbelly
A group called Berliner Unterwelten offer English (and other) language tours of underground Berlin which has got to appeal to a number of teenagers. Explore one of Berlin's underground bunkers and learn about the reasons for their use and their history. The English language tours tend to be very popular and book up quickly so make sure to book in advance. More info about the Berlin bunker tours and dates available here.
See the boys in blue (ie. Blue Man Group)
If you have never witnessed the Blue Man Group in action, it is seriously worth it. Berliners (or perhaps it's tourists) love the boys in blue so much that they even have their own theatre here purely for them. I have to warn you that the tickets are pricey and I am yet to find a special deal for them, however, if you have the cash to splash, I highly recommend it. There are bits of wording during the intro that is in German, with the odd joke, but you don't need to speak German to enjoy the full show. Tickets & details for Blue Man Group Berlin here.
Get Climbing!
Berlin is full of both indoor and outdoor climbing opportunities, I do, however, have a few favourites. In Mitte, there is a fabulous outdoor climbing frame that includes hanging Trabants called Mount Mitte. (Caroline-Michaelis-Str. 8, 10115 Berlin.) Or, you can head outside to the gorgeous Wuhlheide Park and climb among the forest trees in the Kletterwald Berlin am FEZ (An der Wuhlheide 199, 12459 Berlin), although both are only open seasonally rom April to the beginning of November. For some fun indoors, try the kinda cool Boulderklub in Kreuzberg, or if you have younger ones in tow as well, BergWerk, is for the entire family, with climbing for those as young as three.
Take a free walking tour
One for those teenagers who are happy to be on their feet for 2.5 hours, there are free daily walking tours guiding you through Berlin's many points of historical importance. These tour guides tend to be fabulous so make sure to bring along some cash to tip them for all their hard work and amazing memory for storing all that interesting information. More info on the free walking tours of Berlin here.
On yer bike
The best way to get around the city is undoubtedly by bike, as the cycle lanes are excellent and road users are in general very bike-aware. See more in my feature here for family friendly bike hire, but in the city centre, bike hire shops seem to be on every street corner, with prices around the €10 a day mark.
Is there something you would add to this list? What does/did your teenager love to do in Berlin?
Never miss a listings or any other posts on Berlin for all the Family, by receiving my weekly newsletter direct to your email inbox. Full of tips, the latest posts and much more. You can sign up to the BFATF email newsletter here.
Berlin for all the Family can also be found on:
