Thankfully despite the maintenance works on the S Bahn from the airport we managed to reach our hotel pretty easily. This is because the public transportation in and around Berlin is fantastic! Imagine the London underground only better, less busy and best of all cheaper! Add in the trams, buses and various railway services you can access with one 7 euro daily ticket (7.70 for zones ABC to include the airport), and you have a wonderful system of transportation. Another bonus was kids under 15 travel FREE with a parent using a day ticket, in fact 2 children can travel with each adult free of charge.
Top of our places to see was the famous Brandenburg Gate (above), the iconic image of the gate is plastered all over tourist memorabilia and it's officially Franks "favourite monument in the world".
Day 1 began with a quick 20 minute trip from the excellent Hotel Big Mama (apartment with 2 bedrooms for 70 euros) to visit the Brandenburg Gate. We followed this with a short walk towards Potzdamer Platz and a stop off at the Monument to the Jews killed by the Nazis, this was an amazing monument (see below)
The rest of the day we visited the Mall of Berlin just off Potzdamer Platz for lunch, popped into the Topography of Terrors another fascinating museum about the rise of the Third Reich and Hitler which outlines the many atrocities committed in the name of German Nationalism. We then headed to see Checkpoint Charlie (massively underwhelming) and strolled through the city around Gendarmemarkt area admiring the expensive shops. We finally rounded off the day with some Mexican food!