Starting right now, Berlin visitors can surf on the city's own W-LAN on their smartphones, tablets and notebooks for free for 30 minutes daily. There are 44 access points available in the districts of Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg for this. Registration is not necessary. Access is possible by simply confirming the terms of use.
The "Public Wi-Fi Berlin" is available at 44 Hotspots in the districts of Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. Among other places, there are access points at Hackeschen Markt, on the boulevard Unter den Linden, in Kastanienallee, at the Gendarmenmarkt as well as at Kollwitzplatz. By the summer of 2013 a further 60 hotspots should be added in Mitte, Tiergarten and Charlottenburg districts as well as in the city centre of Potsdam.
Access does not require registration, only a simple acceptance of the terms of use. The hotspots are called "KD WLAN Hotspot+" or "30 Min Free WIFI". The names appear in the list of available networks as soon as the devices are in the range of the network. Alternatively, users can find the currently available hotspots with the App "Hotspotfinder". The App is available for free in the AppleStore and the Google Play Store.
An overview of the WLAN hotspots of the project "Public WiFi" and the WLAN access points of the public institutions of the State of Berlin can be found here (in German).
Berlin has a continental climate, which is distinguished by large seasonal temperature fluctuations. In summer the temperature can reach over 30 degrees. However, temperatures largely range between a pleasant 15 degrees and 25 degrees from May to September.
In winter temperatures of minus ten degrees or lower are not unusual. From experience temperatures are usually around freezing. But long frost periods with snow and ice are not unusual. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year.
Blazing sunshine or moderate temperatures - when is the best time to travel to Berlin? This of course depends on how much time you are planning for museums and how much time you are planning for leisure activities outdoors.
Anyone who does not have access to the internet can request the current forecast from directory enquiries on 11 88 0.
Whether you still need some crisps for a TV evening or a chic outfit for a party night: anyone who wants to go shopping late in the evening will find their paradise in Berlin. The metropolis has the most liberal opening times in Germany.
According to the new shop opening times law all Berlin shops can theoretically offer their goods round the clock from Monday to Saturday. Since its introduction, in practice almost all shops in the large shopping streets are open from 10 am to 8 pm, partly also longer on certain weekends.
Apart from a few exceptions (airports and railway stations) all shops are closed on Sundays. A limited range of food is available then at fuel stations and kiosks. Shops can sell on a total of eight Sundays, including the Sundays in Advent, from 1 pm to 8 pm.
The usual opening times for banks are Monday to Friday from 8 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Tips and value added tax are officially included in all prices. But if the service provided was satisfactory, an extra tip is recommended.
Smoking is prohibited in all administrative buildings, on public transport and in stations. It is advisable to ask before lighting up in pubs, cafes and restaurants.
Berlin is the capital city of dogs. But living together with our four legged friends also brings problems. There has been a Dog Regulation in Berlin since summer 2000. As a dog owner you should pay attention to the following:
Keep you dog on a lead at public festivals, in parks and forests and on public transport (maximum length 2 metres). Do not let your dog run onto children's playgrounds or sunbathing lawns. Dog breeds classified as dangerous on a special list ("Kampfhunde", or fighting dogs) must be kept on a lead as a basic principle and wear a muzzle.
As well as bureaus de change, mostly situated around train stations and airports, there are branches of all major banks across the city. The opening times are convenient with many banks open the whole day, several days a week. Outside banking hours you will find cash machines on nearly every street corner.
EC and credit card (American Express, Visa, Diners Club, Eurocard, Mastercard) are usually accepted.
Regardless of whether it's the mountains of shopping from the morning or the heavy travel luggage, you don't always feel like dragging your bags around with you around the city.
In order to make your life easier for you in this regard, there are various left luggage locker stations and offices in Berlin, where your belonging will be watched over until you return from your exploration of the city.
For example at Alexanderplatz, where 20 luggage lockers in two sizes (42 cm x 80cm x 28 cm and 54,5 cm x 80 cm x 28 cm) are available next to Alex Oasis. They are video-monitored, lit-up and accessible around the clock. The charges start from €1.50 for 4 hours.
There are more luggage lockers at Dorotheenstraße 30, not far from Friedrichstraße.
The free Berlin City Guide offers locals and visitors alike the best tips for deciding what to do during your free time and how to get there quickly. The bluespot app ensures that you can find out everything you need to know about Berlin at a glance!
The best locations in Berlin, from restaurants to the club scene, can be found under Spots. The Spots listings contain information about the location, opening times, admission prices and a brief description of the spot.
Whether walking tours, bike tours or excursions into the surrounding countryside, the tours mostly contain five spots that can be visited in sequence. Topics include culture, architecture, culinary, history, shopping or themed tours of the city's many neighbourhoods.
Bluespot not only features individual spots and thematic tours, but also its own magazine containing background reports, interviews, portraits and reports as well as a tour and the spots listings. Each issue treats a specific topic in detail and hunts down the best kept secrets in the city.
City Info has additional features that make it easier to find your way around the city. Some of the expanded functions include timetables for transport, options for calling taxis, a WC locator and participating Berlin WelcomeCard discount partners, including opening times and transport links.
Download the bluespot City Info app in English or German today!
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