Money-saving Tips in Berlin: A Student Travel Guide to BerlinCategory: Travel & Holidays
Article added by: Paul Collins
Meaningful travel is becoming more and more popular with every passing year. Whether it’s a spot of volunteering, a foreign work placement or a period of studying abroad, these days it seems there’s a huge emphasis on getting as much as possible from our travels.
And as a travel destination, Berlin knows this better than most. Ever greater numbers of travelers are flocking to the city, not merely to experience everything it has to offer, but also to take a German course in Berlin and immerse themselves fully in the culture.
Of course, a long stay in one of the world’s great capitals is never going to come cheap. But for those who know where to go, there are plenty of ways to make your budget go that little bit further. And with that in mind, here’s a student travel guide to Berlin in the form of a few handy money-saving tips.
Sort Your Accommodation Out
A lot of courses come with some sort of accommodation in Berlin, but for those taking a German course in Berlin and looking for a place to stay, here’s the good news: Berlin accommodation is fantastic. From a number of world-beating hostels, to long-stay Berlin apartments, the city is literally overflowing with excellent – and excellently priced – options.
As a general rule of thumb those looking for a room or to rent an apartment on the cheap should make for a band to the east of the city center: due east to Freidrichshain, northeast to Prenzlauer Berg and southeast to Kreuzberg, where a cool student vibe is matched by student-friendly prices.
Eat on the Street
Ok, so it may not be the healthiest option, but Berlin street food is astoundingly cheap. First of all: kebab shops. A kebab in Berlin doesn’t tend to be the offensive dish to be found in many other places. The city has a large Turkish community (particularly centered around Kreuzberg), and standards are high, while prices are reassuringly low.
For something a little more traditional, there’s only one thing to do: check out the currywurst. Currywurst stalls can be found all over the city, and you can just stroll over, pay a small fee (typically a couple of Euros), and be passed back a delicious sausage smothered in curry sauce with a bit of bread to mop it all up with. Delicious!
Know Where to Shop
For a European capital, Berlin does not offer the eye-gougingly expensive prices of a London, say, or a Paris. That’s not to say that an afternoon’s shopping couldn’t demolish an entire week’s budget, though! Thankfully, however, help is more than hand in the shape of the thriving Berlin vintage and second-hand shopping scene.
A good place to start is the grid of streets off Prenzlauer Allee. Until quite recently a rather seedy and rundown part of Berlin, now Prenzlauer Berg is very much on the up and up. Trendy little boutiques and cafés stand alongside a handful of vintage, second-hand and knickknack shops in what is one of Berlin’s most appealing neighborhoods.
Elsewhere, Hackescher Markt is another good place to hunt for unusual fashion purchases, while Bergmanstrasse in Kreuzberg is surrounded on all sides by antique shops, junk shops, bargain basement second-hand places and record stores. All in all, when it comes to shopping in Berlin – as with so many other things – the budget-conscious student traveler is, frankly, a bit spoilt for choice.
Posted By: Paul Collins
Contact: e-mail
| About the Author: |
| Paul Collins is a travel writer who has spent many a happy week in Berlin. As a former English teacher with a number of close teacher friends in the city, he has an extensive knowledge of how to get the best German course in Berlin while at the same time, really making the most of a stay in the city. |
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