The largest stadium of Euro 24 is located in the German capital. So it's no wonder that the European Championship final will also be held in Berlin on July 14. The Olympiastadion will host three matches in the preliminary round and one match each in the round of 16, the quarter-finals and the final. Berlin can definitely look forward to seeing fans from Spain, Croatia and Austria. Who will be attending the finals is still up in the air, but one thing is certain: Berlin will be a good host.
10 am. The time-honored Café Kranzler has changed. What has remained is its excellent location on the Kudamm in Berlin, the fashionable boulevard of old West Berlin. Since 2016, however, it is no longer the "but with cream, please" generation that comes here, but modern international individualists whose coffee is prepared by a barista with a man-bun. To get a good overview of nostalgic West Berlin, the Kranzler is a wonderful place to go for visitors from all over the world in search of a good coffee and a fine breakfast. Combined with a good seat, of course, to watch the hustle and bustle on the Kudamm. It's the perfect way to arrive in the city at a leisurely pace.
12 o'clock. Change of pace. It becomes more hectic. After reunification and the fall of the Wall, Berlin-Mitte has become the district where "Berlin" happens. Thanks to the good S-Bahn and U-Bahn connections, you can also get to "Mitte" quickly from the former western part of the city. If you want to visit just a few of the many sights, you should hurry. The Museum Island alone, with its numerous buildings, takes time, and places like the Gendarmenmarkt or the street Unter den Linden cannot be explored in ten minutes either. Hackesche Höfe, on the other hand, is the epitome of a shopping and strolling paradise, with many quirky stores and cafés to be found here and in the immediate vicinity.
3 p.m. Time to catch your breath. Berlin draws energy. And partying through the night is not an option, even for stress-tested soccer fans from all over the world. So why not enjoy the beautiful Monbijou Park on Oranienburger Straße and relax for a few hours on a lawn under shady trees? The five-hectare park is located to the east of Museum Island and offers sun loungers, a children's swimming pool and an open-air theater. Its location is also good. If you feel sufficiently rested, you can be back in Berlin's buzzing trendy districts within five minutes.
6 pm. That was clear: Berlin has the largest fan mile in Germany, according to its own information "the mother of all fan miles". It stretches from the Brandenburg Gate across the Straße des 17. Juni to the Große Querallee. The highlight: the Brandenburg Gate is to be transformed into the largest soccer goal in the world, on which a large screen will broadcast all the matches of the European Championship. Technically, this sounds quite ambitious, as does the declared intention to roll out a green lawn on the Straße des 17. With its help, a pop-up park is to be created there so that visitors to the Fan Mile can also have a good time between matches.
8 pm. Welcome to a Berlin institution: Clärchens Ballhaus is one of the last remaining ballrooms from the good old days of Berlin around 1900. The house breathes the nostalgic spirit of that time, its authentic patina is what makes it so appealing to all those who want to party there at weekends until the early hours. After several changes of ownership, the restaurant now offers solid pub food again and cultural events are often held in the Spiegelsaal. For soccer fans from the rest of Europe, Clärchens Ballhaus is certainly an original address that is unlikely to be found anywhere else in Berlin.
10 am. On a nice weekend, many people in Berlin say "Pack your swimming trunks", based on a song that the then seven-year-old Conny Froboess sang back in 1951. Line two of the song was "Yes, we'll cycle like the wind, swiftly through the Grunewald and then we'll soon be at Wannsee!" Even more than 70 years later, little has changed in the weekend marching orders of Berliners in search of relaxation and bathing fun: The Wannsee is the number one excursion destination and the famous Wannsee lido is one of the largest open-air pools in Europe. For soccer fans, the perfect summer day starts right here. Especially as the 1.2-kilometre-long and 80-metre-wide sandy beach also offers numerous sports facilities.
1 p.m. Refreshed from a dip in the Wannsee, you're probably feeling the need for a hearty snack (if you've passed up the chips on the beach). To kill two birds with one stone, a visit to the Global economy a good idea. The spacious restaurant with its large outdoor area is located near the House of Cultures, right next to the Federal Chancellery. So if you want to see political Berlin and all its representative offices, you can easily combine this with a visit to the Weltwirtschaft. The Bundestag, Reichstag, Platz der Republik and Brandenburg Gate are all within walking distance, and the picturesque River Spree flows along the banks of the Reichstag. The colorfully illuminated beer garden is particularly attractive in the Berlin evening hours. The colorful glass pavilion is also a real eye-catcher.
3 p.m. You can immerse yourself a little in Berlin's recent history on the well-developed Wall pathwhich runs once around the Berlin Wall. The route is 160 kilometers long, so it is not a project that can be completed in one day. However, it is enough to see some of the sections that separated West Berlin from East Berlin until 1989 to understand the dimensions of this structure. The Wall Trail is divided into 14 individual sections, each of which begins or ends near public transport stops. There are also cycle paths along the Wall Trail.
6 pm. In addition to the huge Fan Zone The Berlin Senate has set up another public viewing arena around the Brandenburg Gate. Soccer fans from all over the world can meet on the lawn in front of the Reichstag and watch all 51 games of the European Championship together. In addition to the soccer matches, a cultural program will be presented for visitors on two large stages. A little tip: If you like it a little smaller but don't want to miss out on the communal experience of "public viewing", you might find your favorite spot in the inner courtyard of the Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg. In the "Soda Beach Garden", a 32 square meter screen ensures that nobody misses a game.
8 pm. Dancing, a beer garden and a club atmosphere are usually difficult to reconcile. This is the Birgit & Beer which describes itself as a "club among beer gardens". In fact, the stylish beer garden on the Landwehrkanal in Kreuzberg is one of a kind. The curiously designed space is filled with techno and electro music, accompanied by pizza from the wood-fired oven and draught beer. Payment is by card only and bouncers make sure the place doesn't get too full and occupied by the wrong people. (Those who have their own drinks with them.) Twens and seniors also hang out on the outdoor dance floors. In this respect, Birgit is also a good option for people who no longer want to party with the kids.
Copyright cover picture: Museum Island in Berlin © Adobestock/exetronic
