Hup, Holland, hooray! Once European champion, three times runner-up - the Netherlands' European Championship record is impressive. To ensure that Oranje fans can also cheer on their team at UEFA Euro 2024 , we have put together the best tips for Dutch flair in Berlin. Including restaurants, windmills and, of course, camping and floristry. Let's go!
Tip 1: Explore Berlin on two wheels
Although Berlin is not quite up to Dutch standards yet, cycling is becoming increasingly popular here too. No wonder: two wheels are simply the best way to discover the city. No parking problems, no traffic jams and always fresh air around your nose. You can easily hire a bike at various locations in the city, and cargo bikes are also available. If you want to really immerse yourself, we recommend a guided tour on two wheels. The experienced guides will tell you all kinds of anecdotes and stories about the city and take you to places you might not have discovered on your own.
Where: At various locations throughout Berlin
When: Around the clock
Tip 2: Fortify yourself for the next game at Rembrandt Burger
Kaassoufflé, frikandel, bitterballen - you can of course also find Dutch specialities in Berlin. At Rembrandt Burger in Friedrichshain, you can treat yourself to all kinds of familiar (and unfamiliar) dishes and fortify yourself for the next game. As you would expect from a proper burger joint, only the best meat (or tofu or halloumi) is served on the bun. The latter are prepared according to the master baker's own recipe. The only question that remains is whether you would prefer fries made from potatoes or sweet potatoes and which sauce you would like with them. In addition to classics such as patatje oorlog, peanut and aioli, there is also delicious mango mayo or sage mayo. We wish you bon appétit!
Where: Richard-Sorge-Straße 21, Friedrichshain
When: Last order at 9.45pm
Burger restaurants in Berlin
Tip 3: Look beyond the cheese plate at Blomeyer
I hear there are people who travel to the Netherlands just for the cheese. Of course, we also love Gouda, Maasdam and the like, but when it comes to cheese, Germany can easily compete with Holland. Although smelly is the wrong word, fragrant is a better word. The best way to see for yourself is to visit Blomeyers Käse, Berlin's best-known specialist cheese shop, where you can get everything you need for the UEFA EURO 2024 victory celebrations: a huge selection of hard and soft cheeses from Germany and all over the world, champagne to toast and souvenirs to take home, such as unusual vinegar and local honey. Let someone else say that the Germans have no food culture ...
Where: Pestalozzistraße 54a, Charlottenburg
When: Monday to Friday from 12 to 7 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm
More about Blomeyer Käse in Berlin
Tip 4: Discover German drops at La Kritzeria
You call it drop, we call it liquorice (or bear droppings in more southerly climes). The love of liquorice is not quite as widespread in Germany as it is in the Netherlands. But there are a few lovers. And the liquorice infrastructure in Berlin is particularly excellent. Despite all the scepticism about the dark treat, several specialist shops are holding their own here. The La Kritzeria is one of them and we are very curious to see whether the UEFA EURO 2024 will lead to international understanding here. Dutch drop fans are sure to meet Swedish liquorice enthusiasts here. Football will only play a minor role, because it's about something much more important: delicious liquorice.
Where: Erich-Weinert-Straße 82, Prenzlauer Berg
When: Wednesday to Friday from 11am to 7pm and Saturday from 11am to 4pm
Tip 5: Discover the capital's most famous windmill
Holland without windmills is like ... well, what is it? Like Berlin without windmills! Because here, too, the imposing buildings are simply part of it. The most famous windmill is located in Alt-Marzahn and still provides freshly ground grain for the "Marzahn mill crust". That sounds more like a rural idyll than a big city with almost 4 million inhabitants. But that's Berlin for you. Surprises lurk around every corner. The Marzahn windmill is not only known for its flour. It also serves as an outdoor location for the Marzahn-Hellersdorf registry office. So if you would like to get married during your visit, we have a suitable location for you here. But it's also worth a visit even if you don't have any wedding ambitions.
Where: Alt-Marzahn 63, Marzahn
When: From April to October on the first Sunday of the month from 11 am to 4 pm
More about the Bockwindmühle Marzahn
Tip 6: Get a taste of home in the Dutch Quarter in Potsdam
A whole month of UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany - it's easy to get homesick. But travelling back to Holland and missing the next match? We have the solution for you: the Dutch Quarter in Potsdam. Friedrich Wilhelm I was a big fan of Holland (just not football, of course!) and loved the architecture there. So he quickly drained a swamp and had the Dutch architect Jan Bouman build a quarter in Potsdam from 1732 to 1742. You'll have to imagine the canals, but the rest comes very close to a small Dutch town. A perfect short trip back home without having to travel too far from Berlin!
Where: Dutch Quarter, Potsdam
When: Around the clock
Tip 7: Camp at the Hoppegarten racecourse in Orange
Secretly, we all know it: the real national sport of Holland is not football, but camping. And you're right, of course. Who wants to run after a ball for 90 minutes when you can just lie in a deckchair in the countryside? Berlin is the place to be. Because there's no shortage of idyllic campsites between the Havel and Spree rivers where you can unwind, put your feet in the water and prepare for the next match. For all Oranje fans, we recommend the Rennbahn Hoppegarten. A huge tent village in orange will be set up there for the European Championships (you can buy tents on site, caravans are unfortunately not permitted). The fastest connection to the Olympic Stadium on the other side of the city is provided by the Berlin S-Bahn. And anyone without a ticket can simply watch on site at the public viewing.
Where: Goetheallee 1, Hoppegarten
When: 23 to 27 June. June
Tip 8: Enjoy the most beautiful places by the water in Berlin
Culture, parties, exciting history - there are countless reasons to visit Berlin. What is often overlooked is the wonderful landscape surrounding the capital. With the Havel and Spree, there are two major rivers and countless lakes. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, you've come to the right place. You can easily reach many lakes by S-Bahn and can jump straight from the platform into the cool water. For leisurely tours along the Havel and Spree, we recommend a bike, which you can simply take with you on the S-Bahn (don't forget your ticket!). And you will also find plenty of nice restaurants and picturesque spots right on the water.
Where: Around Berlin
When: Around the clock
Tip 9: Feast your way through the Berlin waffle landscape
A fluffy batter and some icing sugar or chocolate or spread or jam or just plain? Waffles are the ultimate good-mood food and are of course a must in Berlin. The question of where to find the best waffles in the city is still hotly debated. We don't want to commit ourselves yet either, but have already identified a few hot favourites. If you're in the mood for something sweet, you should visit the Waffle Brothers in Tegel or pop into Markthalle Neun for the waffles of your choice. Afterwards, you can form your own judgement or make a fair and sporty case for a draw.
Where: Waffle Brothers, Berliner Straße 10, Tegel, and Die Waffeln der Wahl, Markthalle Neun, Eisenbahnstraße 43/43, Kreuzberg
When: Waffle Brothers: Thursday to Tuesday from 12pm to 9pm, Die Waffeln der Wahl: Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6pm
Tip 10: Expand your gardening skills at the Royal Garden Academy
If you want royal tips for your plants, you should read on carefully now. Because where Berlin's most famous gardener Peter-Joseph Lenné used to work, garden expert Gabriella Pape will now show you everything you need to know about plant care and garden art. You're guaranteed to have green fingers after your visit! And a visit to the historic grounds is worthwhile even if you don't have any gardening ambitions. Colourful flowers bloom and sprout everywhere, and a quiet greenhouse café invites you to linger.
Where: Altensteinstraße 15a, Dahlem
When: Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm
More about the Royal Garden Academy
Tip 11: Visit the Dutch Embassy
A piece of the Netherlands in the middle of Berlin - in the truest sense of the word. The Dutch Embassy is the point of contact for around 140,000 Dutch nationals in Germany. Centrally located on the historic harbour, the building with its glass and aluminium cladding is a little gem. Architect Rem Koolhaas built it with a view of the Friedrichsgracht, which was once built by Dutch citizens, and made an architectural statement. Dutch citizens can also get quick help with consular problems here. So if you lose your passport while partying, this is the place to go. But it's also worth paying a visit to your fellow countrymen - without any problems.
Where: Klosterstraße 50, Mitte
When: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12.30 pm
