( On the plan from Milan to Berlin during the sunrise )

For our first anniversary, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Berlin as a gift. It was such a thoughtful present, especially because neither of us had ever been to the city before. We had talked about visiting Berlin for a long time, so finally experiencing it together felt really special almost like ticking off a shared dream from our list.

The trip wasn’t just about seeing a new place, but about discovering it side by side. Walking through the streets of Berlin, exploring its history, and simply spending time together in a city that was new to both of us made the experience even more meaningful. It became one of those trips where the destination and the memories are equally important.

Even though it was January and the weather was very cold, that almost added something to the experience. Wrapped up in coats and scarves, we still spent hours walking around the city, stopping for warm drinks whenever we could, and taking in Berlin’s atmosphere in a different kind of quiet, wintery way.

DAY 1 – Friday 03.01.14

( Night at: Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie )

We flew from Milan Malpensa early in the morning, with a 06:50 AM departure to Berlin Schönefeld. It was still dark when we left Italy, and by the time we landed in Berlin, the city was just starting its day. After arriving, we made our way to the hotel, checked in, dropped off our luggage, and finally had a moment to settle in after the early flight.

Without wasting too much time, we headed out to explore one of the highlights of our trip: the Berlin Zoo. We ended up spending almost the entire day there. It was much bigger than I had imagined honestly, I had never seen a zoo of that size before. Walking through it felt like discovering a small world inside the city, with so many different animals and areas to explore. Even though it was January and quite cold, we didn’t really mind too much because we were so focused on seeing everything.

By the evening, we were completely exhausted from the early wake-up and the long day of walking. We went back to the hotel, had a simple dinner, and basically fell asleep quite early. It wasn’t an intense sightseeing day in terms of landmarks, but it was a perfect first introduction to Berlin simple, spontaneous, and just really nice to experience together.

DAY 2 – Saturday 04.01.14

( Night at: Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie )

We woke up early and decided to spend the day exploring Berlin properly, starting with some of its most iconic landmarks. Our first stop was the Berliner Dom, which immediately impressed us with its massive dome and beautiful interior. From there, we continued to the Alte Nationalgalerie, where we briefly walked around and took in the atmosphere of Museum Island.

We then made our way to the Berlin Wall Memorial, a very powerful and emotional place that really helped us understand the history of the city and its division. After that, we visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a space that felt heavy and reflective, especially as we walked through the rows of concrete slabs in the cold air. We also explored the Berlin Wall documentation areas, which gave us a deeper insight into what life was like during the separation of East and West Berlin.

Later in the day, we reached the Brandenburg Gate, one of the most famous symbols of the city, and finally went up to the Reichstagskuppel. The view from the glass dome was incredible, even though the winter cold made it quite intense to stay outside for long periods. Walking around the city all day in January was definitely not easy, but it was absolutely worth it.

In the evenings, we went out for dinner every night at different places. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the names of the restaurants, but they were all very good and served typical German food. It was a nice way to end each day warm meals, cozy atmospheres, and a bit of rest after long hours of sightseeing in the cold.

DAY 3 – Sunday 05.01.14

( Night at: Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie )

( Brandenburg Gate, Berlin )

Today we spent most of the day at the Vorderasiatisches Museum, taking our time to explore its impressive collection of ancient Near Eastern artifacts. It was really interesting to walk through the exhibits and see such a different side of history compared to the rest of the city.

After the museum, we spent the rest of the day just wandering around Berlin a bit more, enjoying the atmosphere and discovering a few new streets and corners of the city. It was a more relaxed day compared to the previous ones, but still really nice to just take things slowly and soak everything in.

DAY 4 – Monday 06.01.14

( Night at: Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie )

We woke up early and started the day at Alexanderplatz, one of Berlin’s most iconic squares. From there, we went up the Berliner Fernsehturm, where we enjoyed the panoramic view over the whole city. Seeing Berlin from above really helped us understand how vast and varied it is.

After that, we took the train to Charlottenburg Palace to explore a completely different side of the city. The area around it was beautiful, with elegant pre-war architecture and high-end boutiques. The western district of Charlottenburg has a very refined, upscale atmosphere, and it felt noticeably calmer compared to the city centre.

We spent most of the day there, walking around, taking in the surroundings, and enjoying the contrast between East and West Berlin. In the late afternoon, we headed back into the city for dinner, ending the day after a lot of walking but also a great mix of views, history, and different neighbourhoods. n the late afternoon, we headed back to Berlin for dinner. I honestly don’t remember exactly where we went, but I do remember that every place we tried had amazing foodI really loved it. Each meal and of course local beers felt like a nice way to end such full days of exploring the city.

DAY 5 – Tuesday 07.01.14

We woke up a bit later than usual, took our time, and checked out of the hotel. After that, we left our luggage there so we could enjoy our last few hours in Berlin without carrying anything around.

We spent the rest of the day wandering through the city one last time, trying to take in as much as possible before leaving. We visited KaDeWe and went inside the Berliner Dom again, just to see it once more before heading back.

In the evening, we made our way to the airport for our flight at 21:00 from Berlin to Milan Malpensa. Once we landed, we picked up the car my boyfriend had left there and drove back to Casale Monferrato. I stayed the night at his family house, and the following day my mum came to pick me up.