Souvenirs

Looking for a momento of your Berlin trip? Or something to impress the folks at home? There's a wide choice of souvenirs in Berlin, ranging from stuff the Soviet Army threw away through to high-quality KPM china / porcellain.

On the street

Go to any popular sight in Berlin such as the Brandenburg Gate and you'll see dozens of street vendors with an assorted variety of kitsch and other junk, some of it - such as all those Russian dolls - not having much to do with Berlin at all. Whether you choose to make a purchase is up to you, but if you do go for a choice piece of "genuine" "Berlin Wall", do ask for detailed proof that it is from the The Berlin Wall and not just any old wall that happens to be located in Berlin.

Souvenir shops

Better choice can be had in the actual souvenir shops themselves - you get the entire range from postcards through to pewter models of the Brandenburg Gate. Bear in mind though that prices are aimed at the casual, impulse-driven tourists - often you can get the same stuff for fewer Euros in reputable department stores such as KaDeWe, Wertheim or Kaufhof

Popular gifts from Berlin

Like the little men on the pedestrian traffic lights? They're called Ampelmännchen and are an East German phenomenonm, although they've also spread to the west. Your best source for Ampelmännchen goodies: the three Ampelmann Shops.