Top Berlin Walking Tours - page 14

Absolutely amazing. Kai was such an amazing guide. Can't recommend this enough. Not only did he do a great job on the tour but he did it having taken the job last minute after the original guide took till. He was literally just finished another tour when he started ours but he still brought his full energy and enthusiasm! Absolutely recommend!

Sachsenhausen is a unique camp in that it was one of the first and more of an experimental camp. It’s not a “Death Camp”, but was a camp where various techniques for imprisonment and torture were first tried. Most of the camp is gone- torn apart by people desperate for woods after WWII, so many of the buildings are not “original”. However, it is a camp that still leaves an impact and delivers the message of man’s inhumanity to man. That message is furthered by not only the detailed exhibits, but a knowledgeable tour guide. My tour guide was Will (or William) a well spoken and intelligent guide who took us throughout the camp and provided us with information and stories. There were times that I felt rushed through the exhibits, but then I realized that Will’s presentations covered most of what was in the barracks or the kitchen. I would have liked a bit more time in the kitchen exhibition, however. BE PREPARED TO WALK!! The bus tour was booked so I took the tour where I took the train to the closest town then walked to the camp. It’s about a 20-30 minute walk, taking the same path as the prisoners. Then you get to the camp and walk another three hours, with several stops to listen to guide or check out the exhibits. There were three bathroom breaks during the tour. Then there is the 20-30 walk back to the train. Will the guide, was with the group the whole way, keeping a brisk pace. He escorts the group back to the meeting train station as well. There are no food stops on the tour, so be sure to bring your own “on the go food”: sandwich wraps, protein bars, bananas etc…Tour attendees will also need an ABC zone ticket to get to the last stop on the line- Oranienburg (the most dangerous city in Germany…due to unexploded bombs from WWII. It is actually a lovely town). I got home around 4:30. This tour takes the whole day. There is a lot of information to process (particularly if you have a quality tour guide) and a lot of walking required.

Thank you to Jimmy for an excellent tour. He had great knowledge of the history of Berlin and kept our 13 year old engaged and happy that he was able to share his knowledge with the rest of the group. Good walking pace and the cafe break in the middle was a nice stop just when we needed to recharge our batteries. Jimmy gave some really good recommendations for places to visit and restaurants to experience good German food. We would highly recommend this tour as a way to get your bearings when you first arrive in Berlin.