Berlin From My Bicycle Handlebars

I loved my bike tour in Munich and I knew I wanted to try again in Berlin, a city known for its bike culture. As locals told me, “bicyclists have more rights in this city than pedestrians or drivers.”

The weather in Berlin wasn’t nearly as cooperative as it had been in Munich, so I was bundled up in my Storm Logic jacket and hats and gloves I had purchased at H&M in Vienna. I made my way to Fat Tire Bike Tours Alexanderplatz bike shop and met my Canadian guide, Julian.

The All-in-One City Bike Tour lasts 4.5 hours and goes all over the city. We cycled past the famous TV Tower on our way past town hall to the Dom. Here we talked about how Berlin became the headquarters of Nazi Germany.

At the Bebelplatz, we saw where books were burned and the memorial, which features hundreds of empty shelves. We also stopped by the beautiful opera house, above, which is flanked by French Huguenot and German churches.

Before reaching Checkpoint Charlie, Julian paused to explain to us what Berlin was like when it was occupied by the Allies and what it meant for locals when the Berlin Wall went up. I never understood the occupation of postwar Germany until then, despite years of history classes.

From there we saw one of the last remaining protected sections of the Berlin Wall. After seeing the vibrant colors of the East Side Gallery, this section made me understand the realities of the wall much more.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe was a somber experience. The oddly placed blocks were off-putting and reminded me of headstones in a crowded cemetery.

Our mood quickly changed, as it was time for lunch at Schleusen Krug, a beer garden in the Tiergarten. A sausage with potato salad was in order, washed down with a beer.

I found the iconic Reichstag, the German Parliament building, to be a beautiful combination of old and new. It once stood in front of the Berlin Wall in West Berlin. Parliament was moved back here after the wall came down. The glass dome was built after a fire there, which was a factor in how the Nazis gained power in 1933.

The Brandenburg Gate was just as I expected it to be, but surrounded by hordes of tourists. People were dressed up in old school German military uniforms to pose for pictures and give you a passport stamp. Surrounding the gate are the American embassy and the hotel where Michael Jackson infamously dangled his baby out of the window.

The final stop of the tour was Museum Island where five of the city’s most famous museums are located. I wish I had time to visit the Pergamon and Egyptian museums, but there’s always next time. Fat Tire taught me more about German history than I ever learned in school. I very much recommend the All in One City tour or really any one of their tours.

I took this video on my GoPro Hero 2, strapped to my handlebars. The music in this video is “Big Girl, Little Girl” by Sia.

 I received a complimentary bike tour from Fat Tire Bike Tours, but all opinions are my own.