Tag: city

Vegan Food in Berlin

Stuck on where to eat in Berlin that’s vegan-friendly?

It’s no secret that there is plenty of vegan options in Berlin. In fact, on my trip, I felt like all I did was eat.  I found some really great restaurants but out of them all these were my top three!

Vöner – Friedrichshain

This place is very popular and is famous for its vegan alternative to the late night revellers stable; The Doner Kebab. 

2019-01-08 18:14:40.426on my visit, I went for the classic kebab meat generously stuffed into a wrap with lettuce, cucumber and tomato, together with a delicious sauce – that completes the dish. The wrap was packed with flavour, so much so that it became a very messy situation while trying to eat the generous portion.

The prices are really good with the most expensive dish ranging from five to six euros. It is a small shop front and there is only just a few tables and chairs so you might find yourself having to share – great chance to meet people if you are flying solo.  The atmosphere was very cosy and was a great way to end the night.

  Pho Noodle Bar – Mitte

Berlin is known for its great selection of Vietnamese restaurants. Out of all the ones I tried, Pho was hands down my favourite.

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It’s not entirely vegan but has lots of options. On this particular visit, I went for the special of the day – vegan curry.

I would also recommend getting one of their homemade drinks. The prices are affordable and you get a lot for what you pay for. The place can get very crowded at night but the friendly staff will find you a table without having to wait too long.

Momos – Mitte

There is no better place to try dumplings for the first time than Momos. It is a cool fast-food style restaurant with a  sustainable philosophy that offers organic vegetarian and vegan dumplings as well as side dishes, coffee, smoothies, beer and wine.

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The dumplings can be ordered classically steamed or crispy pan-fried and are served together with tasty dips. The complete menu can be also ordered to go in environmentally friendly, compostable packaging which is an added bonus.

I highly recommend this place if you’re wanting a quick and easy meal without losing out on taste!

Best Museums in Berlin

There are so many museums in Berlin that they have their own Island!

Berlin has around 170 museums – so you’d need to stay a while to visit them all. If you’re short on time, I suggest going to the Museum Island.

The world-famous Museum Island is made up of five museums presenting a panorama of art and history, from ancient cultures to nineteenth-century paintings.

While I was in Berlin, I had a lot of free time so I was able to visit the famous five. Entry fees can be expensive especially if you want to visit more than one. I would recommend getting the 3-Day Museum Pass to save some money.

  1. Pergamonmuseum

The Pergamon museum is the most popular out of the five and was my personal favourite.  On my visit there was some construction as the Museum Island is getting an upgrade, the refurbishment of the museum is ongoing until 2025.

 

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Ishtar Gate

 

The Museum is truly breathtaking and has an array of amazing discoveries of artefacts that have been gathered from Iran, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Caucasus. the main highlights for me that you will want to see for yourself is monuments such as the 17 meters high Roman Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate, and the Mschatta Façade. 

2.  Bode-Museum

the Bode-Museum brings together works from different eras. During your visit, you can explore the Sculpture Gallery, the Museum of Byzantine Art and the coin collection.

 

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Bode-Museum Dome

 

Not only are the exhibitions impressive, but the building is also stunning and worth a visit whether you intend on going inside or not.

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3. Neues Museum

The Neues Museum brings together unusual objects spread across three major historical collections – The Egyptian Museum, the Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities.

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The museum contains around 9,000 historical exhibits. The main attraction of the Neues Museum is undoubtedly the Nefertiti Bust, this is not to be missed! It is showcased alone in the domed hall in the north of the building. This Museum is truly impressive and one that won’t forget.

4. Alte Nationalgalerie

The Atle shows paintings and sculptures from the neoclassical period through Romanticism, Impressionist and early modernist art. The collection includes works by artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir and Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The gallery is also home to Johann Gottfried Schadow’s Princesses Luise and Friederike, regarded as the most beautiful sculpture by a Prussian artist.

The museum is great if you want to marvel at famous works of art and architecture from 19th century Europe.

5. Altes Museum

The Altes Museum was the first museum built on the Museum Island. It holds fascinating works of the Romans, Greeks and Etruscans. Its a great museum to marvel at small treasures such as vases and jewellery to larger pieces of art and sculptures.

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For me the highlights were the statue of the ‘Berlin goddess‘, the ‘praying boy‘, the ‘amphora of the Berlin painter‘ and the throned goddess from Taranto. Like all the museums this one should be on your list!

For more information on the 3-DAY Museum Pass Click Here.

Vegan Brunch Spots in Berlin

Too late for breakfast but too early for lunch?

Berlin is a haven for Vegans, so it’s not surprising that you won’t be short on options for brunch.  During my time in Berlin, these were my favourite places with some even getting a third and fourth visit – they were that good.

If you find yourself in Berlin and looking for some good vegan food, these are the places to go.

  1.  Haferkater – Prenzlauer Berg

Upon arrival at my hostel in Berlin, I was told that Haferkater had the best porridge in town. After a flight and almost getting lost in freezing cold conditions – porridge seemed too good to pass. IMG_2658

Haferkater specializes in traditional Scottish porridge. It is freshly cooked all day and it is served with various toppings. It’s not a vegan cafe but there is plenty of vegan options.

You can find Haferkater at two locations in Berlin. The one at Eberswalder Straße in Prenzlauer Berg is a place with lots of natural colours, brick walls and wooden interior. A huge window front brings sunlight into the room. With lots of seating options inside and in front of the store, it is a great place to chill and enjoy the cosy Berlin atmosphere.

2. Jivamukti Canteen – Mitte

Jivamukti Canteen, a hidden little café in the heart of the Jivamukti Yoga Studio located in Berlin Mitte.

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The friendly staff prepare simple but delicious organic food such as their daily soup, sandwiches, salads and sweet treats such as the best banana bread I’ve ever had.  They also offer a wide variety of drinks such as smoothies, fresh cold-pressed juices and hot beverages.

If you’re in a rush, leave their cosy space with breakfast in one of their beautiful ‘JivaJars’ to go and take away drinks in the ‘Save The World Jar’ – both are reusable and come with small deposits. All other takeaway material is free of plastic and compostable and zero-waste.

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It’s a great hidden gem that’s nice to hang out and talk to locals, keeping away from the cold weather. If you want a healthy, homemade vegan meal this is the place to go.

3.  Two Planets – Neukölln

Two Planets is a vegetarian café that serves sweet and savoury vegan sandwiches – their most famous being their ‘dope ass toast’, salads and cake.

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Besides food, they serve excellent and very affordable coffee. They also have some good smoothies that are named after pop culture icons. They include the “David Hasselhoff” – a banana, peanut butter and oat smoothie, the “Hugh Heffner” -strawberries, goji berries, banana and the “Julia Roberts”, which comes with avocado, dates, spinach, and banana.

The cafe had a very chilled atmosphere with two friendly staff, who are from New Zealand and England. The decor is very nice with a lot of artwork from local artists. The café itself advertises its “free slow Wi-Fi”, but you’ll see that it hasn’t stopped the many customers working on their laptops.

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This is a great place to visit and everything on the menu is vegan and doesn’t disappoint. The only bad thing is they don’t accept card payments so make sure you have some cash. Make sure you try their dope ass toast!

The Berlin Wall

It’s not a visit to Berlin until you’ve seen the Berlin Wall.

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The first thing on my to-do list in Berlin was to visit the East Side Gallery. The open-air art gallery is located on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain. At 1316 metres long, The East Side Gallery takes a section of the Berlin Wall and makes it the longest open-air gallery in the world.

After the wall came down in 1989, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery and officially opened as an open-air gallery on the 28th September 1990.

 

There are more than a hundred paintings to admire as you walk along the wall.  What was once the east side of the wall, is now the home to artwork that artists have used to comment on the political changes in 1989/90. Some of the works at the East Side Gallery are particularly popular, such as Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinders’s Trabant breaking through the wall.

The East Side Gallery is a must-see when in Berlin. If you want to get to learn more about the art you are seeing, you can book a free walking tour.

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On your way to the Berlin wall, you are likely to cross the Oberbaumbrücke. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the bridge now connects the two halves of the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The bridge has a great view and is a great spot for taking pictures2019-01-07 10:11:50.225

From the city centre, it is easy to get there. Warschauer Straße and Ostbahnhof railway stations are the perfect starting points for a walk along the East Side Gallery.

Best Museums in Amsterdam

The museums not to miss whilst visiting Amsterdam!

Amsterdam has some great museums that are worth checking out. From the famous Anne Frank House to the Rijksmuseum and the lesser known Moco Museum.

I’ve made a list of all the museums that I paid a visit that I can’t highly recommend enough!

  1. Anne Frank House – Westermarkt 20, 1016 DK Amsterdam

The Anne Frank House is a must-see in Amsterdam. It is an independent non-profit organisation that runs the museum in the house where Anne Frank went into hiding during WW2.

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The Museum is very special as you get a real insight on how it would have been like as you experience her story through quotes, photos, videos, and original items.

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The Museum is VERY popular so make sure you book your tickets in advance as you cannot buy tickets inside, only online. You can buy tickets now by clicking this link!

2. Van Gogh Museum – Museumplein 6, Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world, this is largely due to it housing the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh – more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 of his letters.

 

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the easiest and cheapest guide around the museum

 

There are always queues outside the door so make sure to book your ticket online and get there early.  Whether you are an art fan, Van Gogh lover or art newbie, this museum will appeal to everyone from all ages and art expertise.

3. Rijksmuseum – Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum is one of Amsterdam’s grandest and most popular museums. Its vast collection showcases iconic art and a wide variety of artefacts that reflect more than 800 years of Dutch and global history.

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The Museum is situated in the city’s Museumplein (Museum Square). It gets very crowded during the day, so to have a more enjoyable experience its best to get there as early as possible. Queues should be expected so book your ticket online here using this link.

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After you have visited the museum, take a walk around the square and you’ll find the famous ‘I Am Amsterdam’ sign – Yes it’s absolutely mandatory to take a photo.

 

4.  Moco Museum – Honthorststraat 20, 1071 DE Amsterdam

 

Moco Museum is a great boutique museum with a wide range of modern and contemporary artworks. It is situated in Villa Alsberg, a townhouse overlooking Museumplein in the heart of Amsterdam.

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The museum offers a unique experience that showcases the work from artists such as Banksy, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

If you’re wanting to visit a museum that is more modern and focuses on Popular Culture, this is the place to go! Not only do you get to see the interior of the house and the artwork inside, but you also get to walk around the gardens where you will find sculptures and other artwork. If you book online you get a small discount, click here to get your tickets now.