Private Shore Excursion: Cold War and East Berlin from Warnemünde

The Berlin Wall, Kruschev & Kennedy, the Airlift, spies, escapes and “the end of history” – it’s fair to say that Berlin defined the Cold War. This tour is a deep dive into a divided city – a time when it felt like World War Three was just around the corner, when one side of the city lived under Soviet-style communism, and the other was occupied by not one, not two, but three Western powers! In air-conditioned comfort, in your luxury German car, you'll be taken from West to East across the German capital, criss-crossing where the Berlin Wall once stood, to get the closest possible look at what life was like back when Berlin was the centre of the Cold War. From famous sights like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie, to lesser-known memorials and stories that you would never find on your own, this tour is far and away the best way to get to know Cold War Berlin.

Itinerary

1. You will be picked up at the port in Warnemuende.
2. Your guide will give you an insight into life in West Berlin during the Cold War, including the wild times of the Baader-Meinhof group. (10 min)
3. See the most famous sight in West Berlin - representing a city born from the ashes of war (10 min)
4. Hear how Germany's parliament building stood empty during the Cold War, with the Berlin sat only a few feet behind it (10 min)
5. See Germany's most famous monument, and learn how for almost 30 years it lay in the "no man's land" between East and West Berlin (10 min)
6. Experience what used to be the world's most infamous border crossing at Checkpoint Charlie, where the US and Soviet Union came face-to-face every single day (10 min)
7. Learn how the two Berlins tried (and often failed) to work together at the Friedrichstrasse border crossing point (10 min)
8. Visit a wonderfully curated state-run exhibition detailing life in Berlin during the divided days of the Wall. (Closed on Mondays!) (40 min)
9. This in-depth memorial is more like an open air museum! Here we will see many things - how did the 'Death Strip' work? What are the 'Ghost Stations'? What was the relationship between religion and communism? Enjoy a great view of the city from a tower overlooking a reconstruction of the Wall, and so much more! (1h 30min)
10. See where the Cold War ended in November '89, when the Wall fell and thousands upon thousands of East Berliners experienced freedom for the first time, as they poured into West Berlin. (10 min)
11. See the heart of old East Berlin (10 min)
12. See East Germany's most famous monument, still the tallest structure in Germany today! (10 min)
13. See East Berlin's impressive Grand Boulevard, Karl-Marx-Allee (20 min)
14. Finish your day with the most famous section of the Berlin Wall, the East Side Gallery, covered in murals painted by artists from all over the world. (10 min)
15. Arrive with driver and meet your guide (10 min)