Cold War Berlin
Overnight, a city was divided. West Berlin became one of the strangest places on earth: a landlocked island of democracy, surrounded on all sides by a lethal obstacle and the forces of the Eastern Bloc. East Berlin, meanwhile, was declared a socialist showcase, a city with a front row seat to the Western world, and strict orders not to look. This tour explores what that division actually felt like from the inside.
The checkpoints, the spy stories, the daily reality of a split city, and the extraordinary chain of events that finally brought the Wall down. Some of it you know. Some of it sounds made up. And more of it than any serious historian would like to admit is tied to the power of rock and roll.
What we can explore
- The Berlin Wall and the division of the city
- Everyday experiences on both sides
- How the border opened and what followed
How we’ll explore
We travel on foot and by public transit. We can give more time to memorial sites or to the stories of the neighborhoods the division changed. Cycling is also possible, with bicycles arranged separately at an additional cost. I can arrange a private car with a professional driver for an additional fee, paid directly to the driver.
Make it your tour
Tell me your travel dates, the size of your group, and what you’re curious about. I’d be delighted to plan a private tour with you.