Unter den Linden ~ From Berlin with love

Berlin has “Unter den Linden” as Paris has the Champs-Élyseés. The central historical boulevard feels as an old postcard of Berlin. Starts at the Brandenburg Gate until Berliner Dom, passing by the Komische Oper, Zeughaus, Bebelplatz and Staatsoper. The name comes from the linden (lime) trees that once lined the boulevard.

Walk the boulevard

If you start at Brandenburg Gate, in Parizer Platz, you can visit the museum Akademie der Künste, European Parliament‘s visitor center or see famous Hotel Adlon.

When in doubt, I recommend a stop for lunch at “Mama trattoria” (Parizer Platz 6a) and for coffee & cake at EINSTEIN (Unter den Linden 42), a Berlin institution.

Sights

In the middle, the boulevard will intersect the street Friendrichstrasse, home of “Galleries Lafayette” and bookstore Dussmann.

On Unter den Linden, Bebelplatz is the square where we can admire Hedwig Cathedral and the Humboldt University, catch a concert at State Opera Unter den Linden and go the rooftop of the Hotel de Rome.

At the end of the 1.5 kilometer promenade on Unter den Linden, you reach the Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island and Berlin Palace / Humbold Forum, not before passing “Zeughaus”, that hosts the Deutsches Historiches Museum.

Museum Island

The small Museum island is an UNESCO World Heritage and it deserves a separate article. For the 5 Museums we have the opportunity of book online a time slot and look forward when I will visit all of them:

Old Museum (Altes Museum), that used to be called Royal Museum
Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie)
New Museum (Neues Museum)
Pergamon Museum
Bode-Museum

Staatsoper Unter den Linden 2020/2021 season

Friday at Staatsballett Berlin, 18th of September 2020 – the ballet gala “From Berlin with love” opened the season, after the theaters in Europe were closed everywhere for 6 months since March. Seasons change. I admit I bought the tickets without knowing what to expect.

The gala included ensemble pieces and solo variations and live music by Deutsche Oper Berlin. But it included as well many safety and hygiene policies, while only 10% percent of seats were occupied, leaving enough space between guests.

The performance in this beautiful concert hall was preceded by a short movie showing the dancers backstage. Besides smiles, “demi-plié”, “pirouettes” and “arabesque”, the hard work of the dancers during training was recorded.