Arriving in June 2006, the 17. World Cup of soccer will hit Germany for the 2nd time after 1974. Thousands of fans will enter the stadiums and even more people will go to the venues for enjoying the unique atmosphere of different celebrating nationalities. Places like Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt or Berlin are among the 12 cities which will hold the 64 matches. However, during the 9th of June and the 9th of July, visitors will also be able to learn more about Germany than the fact that soccerstadiums might not be the only reason to visit the country.
Besides many events organized by the FIFA like the Opening Gala in Munich, Germany offers a huge cultural variety, which is reflected in shows, museums, countryside or buildings. One of the most important and manifold cities is definitely Berlin, which will be the venue for the final and other matches before. Its unique and modern history has marked the town like no other place in Germany and while staying there for the Championships, visitors are invited to use the oportunity to explore its special character. Among several beautiful and important buildings, there is for example the castle Bellevue. It is the current residence of the German Federal President and it is located in the district "Tiergarten". Another building which has to be visited is the Brandenburg Gate, which is the only preserved old entrance to the town and symbol of the reunification of East and West Germany in 1989. It is situated right at the Pariser Platz and surrounded by impressive constructions like the French Ambassy or the Academy of Arts. In the direct neighbourhood you will also find the German Reichstag, residence of the German Government. Its breath-taking arquitecture like the renovated cupola and its ever existing importance in German history are worth to be visited for a day. Another possibility to use a day off the tournament would be a walk through the Zoologic Garden. This is especially recommendable for families and couples who would like to relax a day in the sun and enjoy the peaceful environment. Additionally, you could take a boat-ride on the river Spree (ca. 5€), which offers the berthing at several spots around the Tiergarten and which gives a wonderful impression of Berlin at night as well.
Eventually, this is only supposed to give a short introduction to the comprehensive town-charakter of Berlin and it is supposed to inspire visitors to enjoy their time in Germany even more. The mentioned sightseeing stops are not that far away from each other and having an apartment located nearby makes travelling fairly easy. Providers like for instance www.all-berlin-apartments.com offer a cheaper alternative to excessively expensive hotels like e.g. apartments, which are in the district of Wilmhemsdorf or Tiergarten; perfect for some trips. Furthermore, there will be many groups and travellers with a limited budget. Due to the fact that visitors should be aware that prices will increase within the 5 weeks of the World Cup as well in the apartment sector, they should consider visiting more than only the Olympiastadium in order to take along as much as possible.
