Visitors climbing the Reichstag.
Pat Bonish/iStock
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Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a city seeped in history, but one that acknowledges its checkered past: Buildings with bullet holes, old DDR watchtowers, bombed out landmarks, and jagged fragments of the Berlin Wall, the force that divided the city into East and West for 28 years, are scars purposely left as reminders.
Despite a gloomy reputation, this city, a former swamp, has a beauty that is globally underestimated—vibrant patches of green, large parks, and scenic walkways alongside leafy-tree-lined canals abound. Architecturally, the building boom in the 1990's and early part of this decade brought star architecture power to the East, resulting in massive developments in the center of the city, such as Potsdamer Platz, designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano, who has been lauded for sustainable projects including the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. All of the buildings at Potsdamer Platz are topped off with green roofs and rainwater is collected for reuse in toilets, watering of green areas, and an artificial pond.
Geographically, the city can be intimating by sheer size: It's divided into 12 boroughs, but chances are you will spend most of your time in Charlottenburg and Kreuzberg, both in the west, or Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg, and Mitte in the East. After the Wall was torn down in 1989, Mitte slowly grew to become what is now the hub in this city, which is arguably a European cultural powerhouse boasting over 150 museums and more than 50 theaters. A helpful English guide to ongoing events and attractions is Unlike Berlin.
As in most German cities, green initiatives are proactive. Many buildings sprout with green roofs, organic and vegetarian restaurants are easy to come by, and cars must meet strict emission standards to travel through the city center. By 2010 these emission standards will become more stringent, and only cars displaying 'green badges' will be permitted in central areas. Interestingly, although the average Berliner does not have a car, those that do drive them rarely, more likely taking them out for weekend escapes or shopping trips that require heavy loads.
For the latest green news coming out of Berlin, check out TreeHugger's Berlin archives.
- Take Public Transportation: Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)
At 344 square miles, Berlin is the largest city in Germany, larger even than New York City, so it's a good thing its public transport system, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, or BVG is highly efficient.To find your destination, plug your address into BVG's handy route planner. Both Berlin's below ground subway system (the U-bahn) and the tram system are the largest in Germany. Consisting of nine lines extending nearly 950 miles, the U-bahn serves 170 stations. Busses are also frequent and pleasant, and many of them double-decker, offering a birds-eye view of the city. The elevated S-bahn train system has 15 lines and serves points further away from the city center.
The two major airports (flughafen), Berlin-Tegel and Berlin-Schönefeld, are easily reached by either an U-bahn-bus combination or the S-bahn in about 40 minutes, depending on your location. Ticket price (starting at 1.30 euro or about $1.70 for a Kurzstrecke ticket, a short journey trip with a maximum of three stops for the S-or U-bahn and six stops for the bus)—increases as you travel through more zones. Tickets are also required for bikes, which are only allowed on board during non-rush hours. - Stay in a Green Hotel: Maritim Hotel Berlin and Maritim proArte Hotel
For green lodgings, look no further than the Germany-based Maritim Hotel chain, which has two locations in Berlin. The chain has implemented stringent corporate-wide policies focusing on the environment and energy conservation, heating only with more energy friendly natural gas or district heating, with some locations producing their own energy via thermal power stations or solar collectors. Showers and toilets conserve water, guests can decline fresh daily towels, and newspapers, disposables, and service items are recycled.
The Maritim Hotel Berlin is fitted out with up to 80 percent energy saving bulbs and timed lighting switches, initiatives that have helped lower the hotel's electrical consumption by 30 percent. Guests at the four-star design hotel Maritim proArte Hotel, just steps away from Brandenburg Gate, can dine on certified organic dishes in its buffet restaurant Galerie and bistro Media. - Dine at an Organic, Vegetarian, or Vegan Restaurant
You can't leave Germany without sinking your teeth into a wurst—vegetarian? Don't despair, vegetarian restaurant Yellow Sunshine (menu in English) in Kreuzberg dishes up vegan currywurst with fries, as well as juicy vegetarian burgers with all the fixings, vegan muffins, vegan cappuccinos, and lassi yogurt drinks. Calling itself Germany's first organic fast food restaurant, this eat-and-run establishment is part of a growing trend in Germany towards healthy, organic fast food. Another vegetarian organic fast food joint—which also says no to sugar and fat—is Gorilla, with four locations in the city and an emphasis on seasonal, locally sourced produce.
Germany's first climate-neutral restaurant also recently made its debut in Kreuzberg: Foodorama (Web site available in English), located on the popular Bergmannstrasse street. Exclusively organic fare includes the quintessential wiener schnitzel, or a veal cutlet that is breaded and fried. Here it's skewered and perched on crispy French fries, with sides of herb mayonnaise and tomato ketchup. The chef buys fair trade and local whenever possible. Plus, any guest that asks receives a unique takeaway: a small paper bag with a seed from the "Good Mojo Tree," or the Queensland Bottle Tree native to Australia. The seed will grow into a unique indoor plant.
For vegetarian on a budget, check out SeeRose which offers heaping klein (small) or groß (large) plates of vegetarian food at ridiculously low prices. The klein is so large only the very hungry will need to venture into groß territory.
Additional options include organic Sudanese and Srilankan restaurant Suriya Kanthi and the more upscale vegetarian restaurant Cookies Cream, both in Mitte. - Rent a Bike: Deutsche Bahn Bike Sharing
With spacious and abundant bike lanes (nearly 400 miles), biking in Berlin is safe and widely embraced as a main form of transportation. In 2007, some 400,000 people hit the bike paths each day, clocking in 12 percent of total traffic.
To get on two wheels, you can either rent a bike at a local shop (which may be cheaper depending on how many hours you'd like to book) or embrace the Call a Bike bike sharing program, implemented by the country's public transit agency Deutsche Bahn in Berlin, as well as four other cities: Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Cologne. The somewhat homely red and silver bikes can be found on most street corners. To get pedaling you'll need to register online or via the hotline number listed on the bike (the latter for a fee). When you enter the code provided, the bike unlocks. After you've finished your ride, call again for another code to relock the bike and end the charges. Rates are .08 euro per minute (about $.10), or a maximum of nine euro (about $12) for 24 hours. You can also rent a bike for a flat rate of 60 euro (about $78) for a week, which, considering you can buy your own bike for about 30 euros (about $40) at a flea market, may not be cost-effective. - Visit the Green Reichstag: The Seat of the German Parliament
A historic dome destroyed by fire and then resurrected and topped off with a glass cupola by British architect Norman Foster, the Reichstag is a city landmark and the seat of the German Parliament. It also recently went green and now runs completely on renewable energy coming from water, wind, and solar power. Visit during the week to cut down on the crowds (the lines can get dauntingly long) and see this government force in action. - Explore the Parks: Tiergarten and Treptow
Berliners love their parks, and are often found walking, jogging, cycling, or grilling in them at all times of the year. At over 500 acres with dozens of trails, Tiergarten in Mitte is expansive, with towering rows of tall trees, raw forest, and hidden nooks where you'll stumble upon sunbathers in the summer.
Bordering the river Spree, Treptow Park feels like a country retreat with its scenic river views, paddle boat rentals, a footbridge to an island, and the lofty park containing the Soviet War Memorial. Not exactly an exercise in subliminally, the highlight of the memorial is a larger-than-life strapping soldier armed with a sword and clutching a child while crushing a swastika with his boot. - Shop at a Farmer's Market: The Turkish Market in Kreuzberg or the In Shoneberg
Every Tuesday and Friday, Kreuzberg offers a tasty and lively glimpse into the life of the Turkish immigrants heavily populating the area at the Türkenmarkt, or Turkish Market on Landwehrkanal. The market is a half-mile of stalls selling fresh produce, Turkish specialty foods including olives, cheese, herbs, and spices, as well as rolls of fabric, buttons, and clothing, all at relatively low prices. One stall offers exclusively organic produce.
The more posh and slightly less boisterous Winterfeldtmarkt is held every Saturday in Schöneberg, near Nollendorfplatz. Pick up some locally made cheese and fresh pasta and don't leave without trying the raclette, or cheese artfully melted and scraped off a giant wheel to be served on a chunk of hearty German bread. - Shop for Eco Clothing: Slowmo and Pamoyo
Berliners have a unique style, effortlessly casual with a distinctive way of accessorizing with scarves and layers, perhaps to protect from the unpredictable drops in temperature or chilly bike rides home. To take away some fair-traded, certified organic cotton Berlin hipster threads, check out Slowmo, based in Friedrichshain. For smartly repurposed outcasts, there's Pamoyo in Kreuzberg. See something you like and don't want to shell out the cash? Download the design and make it yourself. - Browse the Flea Markets: Mower Park and the Turkish Flea Market
On weekends (and particularly on Sunday when most shops are closed), Berliners head to the flea markets. In Mitte, that would be the rambling Mauerpark, brimming with cast-off furniture, clothing, cooking utensils, and a large selection of bikes. In Kreuzberg, it's the Turkish Flea market, or Hallentrödelmarkt Treptow near Treptow Park, which can be the place to find high quality vintage furniture, lighting including a section of chandeliers, and masses of amounts of cookware and electrical appliances. - Head to the Suburbs: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem and the Lakes
A 30 to 40 minute ride on the S-bahn commuter train will drop you off at one of the largest and most eclectic gardens in the world: Berlin's Botanical Garden, or Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem. It has some 22,000 species of plants spread out over several greenhouses, 100 acres of paths, and manicured lawns spotted with fishponds. It is also near some of Berlin's lakes, which are clean and the perfect retreat for a summer dip.
Travel much? Check out more Green City Guides.
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