Our stay in Germany was short but oh so sweet. We were there for only 2.5 years yet I got to see so much of it thanks to the diplomatic spouses club, WILLKOMMEN IN BERLIN, which is sponsored by the German government. I also did intensive German classes 5 days a week when I arrived so I do speak some basic Deutch. I was also pregnant with DiploBaby & gave birth to him there. We left when he was only 4 months old.
Basically, it was a whirlwind! This is why I may not have been able to write a blog post about everything I did, but I did live life to the fullest when I was there. I was a pro at commuting to get around, not just in Berlin but also in other cities. It’s very safe & the transport system is a dream.
BERLIN
If you would like to see my posts on what to do, where to eat, shop & important information on Berlin I have a separate page for my favorite city to live in so far & where my son DiploBaby was born. We did go back there on a trip so you can see what we did here:
See our Berlin 2022 Itinerary
GOOD TO KNOW
- Quick Berlin Guide
- Buying an U-Bahn Ticket
- Tips for Using Public Transportation in Berlin
- Budgeting for a Trip to Berlin for those traveling to Berlin on holiday
- Berlin in Summer without AC
- Is Public Drinking allowed?
- 6 Tips to Stay Comfortable in Winter
- How to Cross the Street Like a Local in Berlin
- What’s Open in Berlin on Sundays?
- What is Open in Berlin on Christmas Day?
- Why You Should Learn Survival German Phrases
- What are the Brass Plaques on German Sidewalks?
- What are the Big Pipes Criss-crossing Berlin?
- Flying Easy Jet from Berlin to Geneva with a child
ACCOMMODATIONS
- Interior Design Inspiration from Concorde Hotel
- Concorde Hotel Breakfast Buffet
- BUROMA Affordable Apartelle in Ku’damm
- Hotel De Rome Tour and Luxurious Design
WHAT TO DO
- Festival of Lights
- 25 Years after the Fall of the Wall
- What Christmas Markets are open on Christmas Day and Beyond?
- International Greenweek a feast for all the senses
WHERE TO EAT
- Manzini an iconic institution for brunch and the best Moules Frites in Berlin
- Lindenbräu am Potsdamer Platz for the best crispy Schweinshaxe or the German version of Crispy Pata
- Tony Roma’s
- Asado Argentinian Steakhouse high-quality, affordable steaks in Reinickendorf
- Trattoria Gusto our favorite Italian in Berlin. Our last resto meal before moving from Berlin to Manila!
- Arirang Korean BBQ our favorite for Korean BBQ lunch and dinner
- Currywurst & Spezi Berliner classics for the working class
- Facil two Michelin Star restaurant
- District Mot our favorite Vietnamese in Berlin
- PINOY Philippine Specialties delicious Filipino food!
- Royal Garden Academy this is my happy place in Berlin and we even had our church wedding reception here!
- Neni Berlin a must if you can get a table
- Dong Xuan Vietnamese Market to get your Asian food fix
- Hotel de Rome luxury hotel in what used to be a bank
- Favorite places to eat in Summer
- Dunket Restaurant a unique experience of dining in total darkness
- Vapiano Italian Chain one of the first restaurants we ate in when we moved to Berlin
SHOPPING
- Dong Xuan Vietnamese Market to get your Asian food & shopping fix
BAMBERG
- Hotel Nepomuk Bamberg my favorite hotel that’s literally on top of a river, never experienced anything like this before or after!
- Eckerts Bamberg smoked beer (like bacon!) & delicious food
- Medieval Bamberg Cathedral
- Bamberg a UNESCO World Heritage Treasure
- Smoked Beer With A View
- Schloss Seehof a castle near Bamberg
COTTBUS
- Prince Pückler’s Branitzer Park and Palace [TEMPORARILY CLOSED]
DRESDEN
- Dresden Hotel and Transport
- Dresden Bites
- Dresden Travel Hitlist
- Lunch at Schloss Moritzburg – a memorable castle to visit if you are already in the Dresden area!
FRANKFURT
GOOD TO KNOW
WHERE WE STAYED
WHAT TO DO
WHERE TO EAT
HAMBURG
Hamburg is a really posh city. If in Berlin you will see all sorts of different people – artsy, hipster, etc – Hamburg is the preppy, posh capital. I seriously love this city. If you want to shop for preppy, posh things for yourself, home or dog, this is the place to do it. I hope I have more time to do posts on it!
STUTTGART
We went to Stuttgart again to watch the UEFA EURO2024 Quarterfinal Spain vs. Germany match at the Stuttgart Arena.
- Adina Hotel so far my favorite hotel room so far
- MHP Arena read our experience watching the EUROS in this stadium
- Mercedes Benz Museum
RASTATT
- Mercedes Benz Factory Rastatt near Stuttgart, we picked up our car in the factory
BAMBERG
Still my favorite place to visit. It’s the Rome of Germany with it’s hills and churches. The entire place is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. The hotel we stay in is also a favorite.
- Hotel Nepomuk the most unique hotel I’ve ever stayed in, on top of a river
- Eckerts Bamberg my first time to try a unique smoked beer that’s like bacon
- Medieval Bamberg Cathedral very impressive
- Speziel Keller Smoked Beer with a view
METZINGEN
- Metzingen Outlet City Near Stuttgart, this outlet is quite literally a city. It’s not a mall or complex. My favorite outlet so far because of the brands + beautiful places to eat. A must for lovers of luxury brands or those like me who love German home brands like WMF & Zwilling. They are so well made that they last a lifetime. Outside of Germany they are expensive but in German outlet stores when on sale they are surprisingly affordable.
ULM
- Maritim Hotel we enjoyed staying in this hotel. Convenient location
- Hanoi Asia Wok delicious hole in the wall especially the crispy duck
- Room high end steak room that’s great for special meals
- TK Maxx if you have time & energy so many luxury goods at a bargain
- Legoland a great place to go with young kids who love Lego. Our son was 7yo
- Wirtshaus zur Brezel delicious German food and drinks open in between lunch & dinner
BAD KROZINGEN
This is a mineral and thermal spa resort town between the Black Forest and Vosges mountains. This sunny location is famous for healing hot springs which people having been bathing in for 100+ years. We’ve stayed here to go to Legoland in Ulm and to go to the following Christmas Markets: Freiburg, Eguisheim, Colmar.
WHERE WE STAYED
- Nouri Hotel a relatively new dog-friendly luxury hotel connected to Vita Classica
- Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten a budget-friendly hotel if you will be spending the days exploring nearby Christmas markets in Freiburg, Eguisheim & Colmar
SHOPPING
- Bad Apotheke Bahnhofstraße convenient pharmacy with a 60min parking limit
- DM Drogerei Where I buy my natural and/or organic personal care products
Conveniently see where all these places in Bad Krozingen are located on Google Maps
FREIBURG
Before crossing the border to Weil am Rhein, Germany Diplomats in Switzerland can gas up in this SHELL STATION that honors the diplomatic discount card.
We went to Freiburg for the weekend coz TD, DiploBaby & friends were watching a football match, while us ladies went around to do our shopping.
WHERE WE STAYED
- Novotel Freiburg am Konzerthaus is a value-for-money hotel that’s a 10min walk from the center
CITY CENTER PARKING
- Schlossberggarage convenient parking area by the center with a free WC
WHERE TO EAT
- Basho-An award-winning Michelin Guide-listed Japanese resto, reservations a must
- Pho – 1986 a cool Vietnamese resto with mostly bar seating;
- MAI’s a cute Vietnamese resto with delicious food, open on Sundays
- Martinsbräu a large historic brewery with hearty German food
- Eiscafé Mona Lisa if you are desperate for a clean WC and a break for tired feet, be sure to order from the menu. If you line up for scoops, they will not let you sit.
SHOPPING
- DM (Drogerie Markt) we always resupply at a DM each time we go to Germany
- Manufactum shopping for the discerning eye
- Müller Department Store for all the clean beauty products I love especially Primavera EOs which are hard to find elsewhere
- Galeria Kaufhof No real clean beauty brands so we went to Müller instead. However their clothing, jewelry, kids, men’s & chocolate departments were great.
- Decathlon Galeria Kaufhof a new and welcome addition to Galeria Kaufhof
- Schafferer Einzelhandel A fabulous store for thoughtful design fans
- 123GOLD Jewelry store that specializes in wedding rings
- Schuhhaus Kocher super cute shoe store especially for kids
- Ulla Popken store that specializes in plussize fashion
SIGHTSEEING
- Cathedral Square or Münsterplatz is a must when in Freiburg. Lot’s to see:
- Freiburg Cathedral or Freiburger Münster an impressive Gothic Cathedral
- The Münstermarkt happens daily except Sundays with lots of food trucks
- Historical Merchants’ Hall or Historisches Kaufhaus a striking red 14th century landmark with grand halls & a courtyard for open-air events.
4 Day Christmas Market Itinerary in Freiburg, Eguisheim & Colmar
