Kaffee in Berlin series: #4 Ampelmann Shop

AMPELMANN SHOP UNTER DEN LINDEN

Amidst the building works currently disguising Unter den Linden at the intersection of Friedrichstrasse now stands yet another Ampelmann Shop. To describe what that is and why it is signifcant to Berlin I will leave for another blogpost. However I do wish to make mention of the coffee that is now available at this particular location.

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Firstly it should be known that Unter den Linden is a tourist hotspot, being the boulevard linking two of Berlin's iconic landmarks - the TV tower at Alexanderplatz, with the Brandenburg Gate at the entrance to the Tiergarten. As such, most of the shops and restaurants in this vicinity cater to a tourist market and so prices are often inflated. 

One of the biggest reliefs when the renovated Ampelmann Shop opened on this particular corner, was that their prices remained consistent with their other shops, and that the coffee is not only good value, but actually quite nice. 

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Within the shop itself they have a coffee wagon, with benches and tables nearby where you can rest while drinking your coffee (although, I doubt you would linger, as one is still inside the ampelmann shop...) and it has an interesting indoor/outdoor feel with the fake cobblestones and crossing lights. 

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It was curiosity that initially drew me in to sample their "introductory rate" of coffee (at the time, only €1 for an espresso - what it really should be anywhere in Europe!) and not only was I pleasantly surprised, but I was shocked that a "non-coffee" chain in a densely tourist populated area could  produce such a satisfying espresso. The prices have since risen 50 cents, which brings the Espresso to €1,50 and the cappuccino to €2,50 - however those are quite standard prices in Berlin. And cheaper compared to many other options on Unter den Linden.

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So if travelling-by on your Berlin sight-seeing tour, be assured that this is a reasonable coffee pit stop, and most likely you will then be encouraged to pick up some truly Berlin souvenirs in the Ampelmann Shop itself. Corner of Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden (Part of the Westin Grand building) (Directions here)

And for the history of the Ampelmann and the cult that has grown out of it, check out their website here: http://ampelmann.de/

Finally, they also offer a loyalty card with stamps - 10th coffee free!

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In summary, the Ampelmann Shop Coffee comes in at a good recommendation, particularly given the location being a tourist area:

Coffee: ★★★☆

Service: ★★★★ 

Atmosphere: ★★☆
Recommended Drink: Espresso or Cappuccino
Price: €1,50 or €2,50
Best quality: The effort in creating the store and the coffee wagon.

Berlin getaway series: #1.0 SZCZECIN

BERLIN EXCURSIONS: SZCZECIN
For those based in Berlin but looking for a "getaway" excursion, I can definitely recommend the city of Szczecin, Poland.

Image care of http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Szczecin

We were looking around for a cheap, last-minute, relaxing holiday and Szczecin appealed to us, as it is only a two hour train journey from Berlin.

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Historical Museum (C) MJT

The city and surrounding area has certainly had an interesting history. It was originally the capital of Pomerania (hence the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle), but came under swedish control until it joined Prussia as the Capital of the Province of Pomerania, becoming an official part of the German Empire in 1870. Since 1945 after World War II it has belonged to Poland and the germanified name of "Stettin" returned to the Polish "Szczecin".

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I look forward to writing a number of posts related to Szczecin, since there is so much to mention, but firstly: getting there!

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TRAIN is by far the easiest option from Berlin, as there are direct trains or as we did, a single yet convenient transfer in Angermünde. However, DO NOT trust the Deutsche Bahn website, as there is in fact a €10 per person ticket from the VBB (www.vbb.de) which you can buy from the machines at most Berlin train stations. One travels on the Regional Bahn (regional trains) regardless, and for such a short distance it is not uncomfortable and the scenery is very pretty.

Train Station (C) MJT

We stayed in the Novotel HOTEL, which is almost in the centre of the city yet an easy walk from the Bahnhof (Szczecin Glówny). A big deciding factor for choosing the Novotel was their "two-night city-break" deal, which included breakfast, free wifi and the use of the pool, spa, sauna and fitness room. The hotel was extremely satisfactory in all regards. Definitely will be returning to the Novotel!(Novotel Szczecin Hotel Website here)

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In regards to navigating around the city, there is an extremely good Public Transport system of trams and busses (in fact, Berliners will recognise the yellow BVG trams instantly). However we didn't need to use any, as the city is very walkable and mostly flat. There are some major roads and freeways intersecting the city and the river, and we did see some full-on rush hour traffic (in case anyone is considering driving there). Generally though the drivers seemed very aware of pedestrians, and throughout the city there are zebra crossings where the drivers always stopped for us.

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Unfortunately I only discovered on the last day of our visit, sitting in a coffee shop, that there is an app available for your smartphone, which gives you a great overview of what-to-do and where-to-go in Szczecin. Very simple to remember: "Visit Szczecin" - duh! Luckily though, we had already discovered many of the app's recommendations!

Get the app! (C) MJT

Finally our initial impressions of the city were very positive, and there is a real vibe for progress within the city. Walking around was very manageable, however places of interest are spread far and wide. There seem to be real pockets where restaurants (particularly) are concentrated, yet walking one street away you could miss it (as we did). Architecturally there is a real mix of historical Pomeranian fortresses, to Prussian grandeur, through to dilapidated Soviet apartments all the way to very contemporary design influenced eye-catching buildings. And so this eclectic mix appears to be feeding a real entrepreneurial vibe and progressiveness to the city. Everyone whom we met spoke English extremely well, and many seemed to also speak German.

Katedra (C) MJT