{"id":12460,"date":"2019-03-23T17:46:46","date_gmt":"2019-03-23T16:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euroviajar.com\/?p=12460"},"modified":"2023-05-03T18:24:22","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T16:24:22","slug":"shopping-in-berlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euroviajar.com\/en\/shopping-in-berlin\/","title":{"rendered":"Shopping in Berlin – Souvenirs, Typical and Cheap Gifts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shopping in Berlin<\/a><\/strong> is a very rewarding experience, because differently than in many other European capitals, the commercial area is not segmented or limited to certain streets or areas. There are 69\u00a0shopping centres in Berlin<\/strong>. Shopping streets are distributed throughout the city, and in different areas you can find a wide selection of shops and local brands, classic luxury brands, and markets. In Berlin, mainly small clothing shops and boutiques predominate. The franchises and large firms are found mostly in the department stores.<\/p>\n

The prices in Germany in general are definitely affordable compared to other Western countries<\/strong>, and there is a wide range of choices and options of products in Berlin.<\/p>\n

The opening hours of the stores<\/strong> are from 9:30 am until 7 pm, although the shopping centres can be open until 8 pm and some supermarkets remain open until 10 pm or midnight.<\/p>\n

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What to Buy in Berlin<\/h2>\n

1. Gummy Bears in crazy shapes<\/h3>\n
\"Gummy

Gummy beer or a bear mug ;)<\/p><\/div>\n

Germans deeply love their gummy bears. They were, in fact, invented by a German – Hans Riegel in 1922 – creator of the iconic Haribo bear<\/strong>. Gummy bears and other jellies are extremely popular. They are so popular, that you will get them as a snack in Germain parliament and airlines or as a decoration on a cocktail – instead of fruit. They come in variety of shapes. The most original souvenir is a bear, sorry – beer mug filled with yellow and white gummy bears imitating a beer – like on the photo above ;)<\/p>\n

2. A Piece of Berlin Wall<\/h3>\n
\"Piece

Piece of the Berlin Wall<\/p><\/div>\n

Probably the weirdest souvenir from Berlin is a \u00a0piece of the Berlin Wall. Supposedly, the sold pieces are original – with Certificate of Authenticity, although a crumble of concrete is not exactly difficult to reproduce ;) The Wall was 155 km long, so there was surely plenty of crashed concrete to pick after its demolition. A remainder of the wall symbolizing the “Iron Curtain”<\/strong> that once divided the West and the East is quite a unique souvenir – a true piece of history. You can buy a piece with some graffiti on it, or a magnet with a piece.<\/p>\n

3. Ampelmann<\/h3>\n
\"Amplemann

Amplemann brand<\/p><\/div>\n

Ampelmann – \u201ctraffic light man\u201d<\/strong> was a characteristic traffic signal in communist East Berlin. After 1989 it was substituted by another traffic signal, but started a new life as a brand of souvenirs from Berlin. You will find Ampelmann on coffee mugs, mouse pads, smartphone covers and many other items.<\/p>\n

4. Berlin Buddy Bear<\/h3>\n
\"Berlin

Berlin Buddy Bear on a street of Berlin<\/p><\/div>\n

The symbol of Berlin is a bear, because the first syllable of the name of the city sounds the same as the German word for this animal – “B\u00e4r”<\/strong>. You can see the symbol on the flags of the city. In 2001, the artistic project of taking art to the streets led to the creation of the Buddy Bears in Berlin<\/a>. The project gained so much popularity that it developed into the United Buddy Bears – international art exhibition of hundred of fiberglass bears painted in all kind of ways, travelling around the world as a fundraising event. 5% of the profit from sales of small statutes of\u00a0 Berlin Buddy Bears are given to charity. You can buy them in KaDeWe<\/a> department store (described below).<\/p>\n

5. Beer Stein<\/h3>\n
\"Traditional

Traditional German beer stein<\/p><\/div>\n

Beer stein is a typical German type of a heavy mug. It may be made of ceramics, porcelain, glass and metal<\/strong> – usually pewter, and often comes with a metal lid. Traditional German beer mugs are maybe the best looking mugs in the world – they have their own, highly recognizable style.<\/p>\n

6. German Weiss Beer<\/h3>\n
\"German

German Weissbier<\/p><\/div>\n

Talking about beers, remember that you are in the country world-famous for its Oktoberfest. Beer is more popular here than water, so try some local brands while you are here. Famous German beers worth trying are in particular Weiss (meaing: white) – typical German-style wheat beers. The best brands are: Franziskaner, Erdinger, Paulaner, Kapuziner, Augustiner, Schneider Weisse <\/strong>and Berliner Kindl<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0– a classic summer drink in Berlin.<\/p>\n

7. Blutwurst and Currywurst<\/h3>\n
\"Blutwurst

Blutwurst from Blutwurstmanufaktur in Berlin (photo from the website of Blutwurstmanufaktur GmbH<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s a well-known fact that Germans go crazy for sausages<\/strong>. It is one of the main dishes of German cuisine, so be sure to find them in more types you’ve ever heard of. Two classic ones include:<\/p>\n