
Berlin: Private Wall and Cold War Bike Tour
- Duration: 3 hours
From
$142.58
per group up to 2
For 28 years the Berlin Wall symbolized an ideological stalemate and its fall was swiftly followed by that of the Soviet Union. It's shaped the contemporary life of a city and the attitudes of its residents, so here are some things to know before your trip.
Berlin was the main route for the 3.5 million East Germans emigrating to the West prior to 1961. The 155km wall was intended to stifle a hemorrhaging workforce!
An estimated 100,000 still escaped East Germany after the wall went up. In the first two years, 1,300 of them were border guards!
Crossing wasn't easy, of course. At least 98 people were killed as a result of trying to sneak through, although some counts put the death toll well above 200!
East Berliners devised many daring ways of entering the West, from tightropes, zip-lines, and hot air balloons to crashing through in a speeding train!
Misinformation about relaxed regulations spread across East German news, driving citizens to gather at the wall hoping to cross. Outnumbered, the border guards eventually gave way!
Most of the wall has been demolished, but tourists can still visit preserved segments, such as the Eastside Gallery (so-called for its large graffiti murals running along the Spree River's east bank between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain). A notable section is also visible at the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse. City tours should cover most of the sites, including Checkpoint Charlie – the famous American checkpoint on Friedrichstrasse.
Berlin is a true summer city and there are few better ways to spend a sun-soaked visit than to tour its sights by foot or by bike! If your visit has been cursed by cold or rainy weather, however, visit the segment at the Berlin Wall Memorial. It can be viewed from the top floor of its Visitors' Center, which also provides fascinating insights into life behind the wall.
We booked this your as a group of 6 people, our host and tour guide Leah was very knowledgeable about the area, explaining the local cultural aspects of the urban art scene, we saw a side to Berlin that we would never have seen without booking such a tour. Highly recommend!
Dave was an amazing guide! Did not have much knowledge about Germany’s history but after this trip, I went and checked a lot of spots suggested by him. Left Berlin with a great deal of knowledge. Great experience overall!
This tour was A LOT of fun! The escape stories we learned about were hilarious. And you'll pass by many major sights of Berlin. Perfect activity to do outside on a sunny day :)
It was a great cycle and very safe. Bike was sturdy & everything worked & there are plenty of very fascinating stops so it’s not 3 hours solid cycling if anyone is worried.
Great tour, very knowledgeable and likeable guide Martin who did a superb job. Great family trip that we will never forget! Thanks you very much