🌳 Eberswalde: a green alternative to Berlin
If you want to see Berlin, but for you it is too noisy, fast and expensive, then choose a respectable suburb to live. Eberswalde is located 50 km from Berlin or half an hour away by comfortable high-speed train.
Where to stay in Eberswalde?
Rental prices in a small town are much lower. I stayed at the Altes Forstamt guesthouse. “Booking” offers to rent a room with a bathroom and a kitchen, an excellent breakfast for 1-2 guests here for a day for 70-80 euros. In Berlin, it will be almost impossible to find a private room for that kind of money. In the capital, a bed in an 8-bed room in a hostel will cost 32 euros, and a bed in a 4-bed room will cost 60-78 euros.
Altes Forstamt also offers apartments, costing 130 euros/day for a group of up to 5 people.
From Eberswalde you can take the train directly to the central station. And there, within walking distance are the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Tiergarten park, the Mall of Berlin and other tourist attractions that this city is so rich in.
But Eberswalde itself is rich in interesting places and good cafes and restaurants. It is in a small town that you can experience the life of the Germans themselves, observe their habits and passions.
Where to eat in Eberswalde ?
The Germans really value high-quality natural food. And in Eberswalde there are many establishments where this concept has become the basis of a cafe or restaurant.
Cafe-shop Globus Naturkost
Let's take a look at the cafe-shop Globus Naturkost, which means “Globe – natural products”. It truly features goods and products from many, many countries.
The establishment belongs to a married couple – Heidi and Torsten. Their philosophy is caring for nature, sustainable development and environmentally friendly products.
That’s why they sell products exclusively from small family producers in their store, even if the products are a little more expensive than those from large companies. Heidi and Torsten know many farmers personally. This also guarantees the good quality of the purchased products.
Their business motto is: “Saving the world a little every day.” Therefore, they try to produce as little waste as possible. If you come to the store with your own containers for cheese, sausage or baked goods, you will receive a discount!
The prices here are really higher than in other stores. But, for example, wine for our people, accustomed to huge excise taxes on alcohol, may seem simply cheap. And the dishes in the cafe are so refined and original that they can undoubtedly be called “haute cuisine.”
This is also accompanied by the sincere cordiality of the owner Thorsten himself. He will be happy to help you choose wine. He will also conduct a tasting and tell how he personally traveled to Italy to find producers there of the best and most environmentally friendly wine in Europe.
Bakery Wiese
On the nearest street there is also a bakery with the cute name “Meadow” or in the German version Bakery Wiese. Here they bake bread from rye flour from local producers and do not use yeast. The secret of their delicious bread is long-term aging of the dough.
You can buy delicious cakes, buns, and puddings here. The smallest donut will cost 2 euros. And for 60 euros they will teach you how to bake your own bread and soul. At least, this is how the master class “Backkurs Brot und Seele” is translated from German – “Course in baking bread and soul.”
Kiez Eck Bar
Wine, coffee and pastries are, of course, good, but are there places in Eberswalde where you can drink good German beer? Undoubtedly! The Kiez Eck bar not only offers excellent beer and snacks (all organic, of course), but also often invites performers of various musical genres. Admission is free, but voluntary contributions from Hut-Spende (German for “in the hat”) are provided for musicians.
Where to go and what to see?
Eberswalde is indeed a very green city. In addition to a large number of tall trees on the streets, there are zoological and botanical parks on its territory. The Bernim Nature Park and the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve are also close by .
By the way, in the neighboring town of Khorin – just 7 minutes by train – there is a monastery. It was built back in the 13th century. The shape and ornament of the building are reminiscent of the great cathedrals of Cologne, Paris or Siena.
Today there is a museum in the monastery. And under its arches various music concerts and festivals take place. Yet the monastery has ideal acoustic characteristics.
