It’s hard to put into words the feeling we all have when we travel; it’s like an unknown puzzle that is waiting to be solved. Before most of my trips, I don’t do my “new destination homework.” This means I don’t read the guides and I don’t carry 10 maps with me. I like to find myself in the middle of my new destination and start there. It might sound a bit reckless but it’s definitely worth it.

My first trip to Berlin was an accidental decision! One of my good friends had a medical seminary that he had to attend and we all decided to join. The poor man saw us a couple of hours a day but we definitely had a blast discovering this city. You can discover the city on your own or you can always take a free tour. There are plenty of free guides that are willing to walk you across the city.

Berlin is a city of contrasts and it is very multicultural. With each stop, you’ll be amazed of the newness. History also has it’s part and you can feel the presence of Berlin’s history in almost every corner of the city.

We started our day eating an unusually tasty breakfast in an old pharmacy. It’s called “Ora Kaffe.” Basically, they kept everything that was already there when it was a pharmacy and added a bar. It was a cool feeling to eat and see all the chemistry books and experimental instruments.  The next stop was the well known Brandenburg Gate. That structure gave me a positive feeling of the old times and how great this city is.

Just across the Brandenburg Gate, I ran into the Holocaust mausoleum. It is no one’s favorite moment in history but a good reminder to be grateful for what we have today. You cannot miss the largest Church in the area, the Berlin Cathedral. That outstanding high-renaissance baroque monument is waiting for your admiration!

From the Cathedral, we jumped to the Museum Island. What an unique treasure that gathers the old and the new! We didn’t have much time to visit all but those 20 minutes spent there we worth it. At the DDR Museum, we took history into our own hands. We tried to figure out how to drive an old German car!

On our way to Alexanderplatz , our attention was completely drawn to a tango song we could hear. We followed the song until we reached a nice open air place where all kinds of music lovers relax and enjoy music.

What a lovely experience! Berlin is definitely one of the best multicultural cities. As the evening came, we gathered around one of the most visited squares, Alexanderplatz. That is the perfect place to chill. Also, we were waiting for the night to come so we could visit the tallest building in Germany, the Berlin TV Tower. For all the romantics out there, it contains a revolving restaurant with a breathtaking city view.

I loved Berlin so much the first time that I had to visit a second time! This time was reserved for fun only. We landed at the annual music festival, Lollapalooza and we had a blast! This festival is a live broadcasting of Music, Fashion, Food and of course Socializing. It made me remember my old college days! I embraced the sunshine and quickly became tired from all that dancing. The entire experience was thrilling!

There’s always a reason to come back to Berlin. You can call it an unsolved piece of the traveling puzzle or just the joy of being a part of this magical city!