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Top 5 Picks – Spree Boat Cruises in Berlin

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Golden late summer sunsets, all sorts of folks chilling on the banks of the Spree … it’s time to catch a glimpse of the city from the water. I’ve sorted my top 5 picks for Spree Cruises in Berlin. 

How to decide…

I do not care for typical tourist activities, with the exception of a boat tour. I have always wanted to do a boat tour in Berlin. It seems a beautiful way to view the city.

Although most boat tours include audio guides – some in English, others exclusively in German -, I’ve ignored them as a criteria for the most part – I’m there for the late summer vibes and the wind in my hair.

Food and drinks seem to be available for purchase on all boats, but are not included in any of the ticket options on the Visit Berlin website. Do check out that website if you don’t care for any of the following 5 suggestions. ☺️

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Applying for permanent residency in Germany: Brie’s story

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Like many things German-bureaucracy related, experiences vary depending on your caseworker, the wind, and the position of the moon divided by your appointment date. Just kidding. Sort of… I’m sharing my timeline and experience to give you a ballpark idea of what to expect. 

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The Berlin WBS (Wohnberechtigungsschein) and how to get it

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Hunting for an apartment on a budget in Berlin? Try getting a WBS

We all know how insane the Berlin apartment situation has become. Even people with a significant and stable income – in other places, an easy guarantee for locking down a lease – often have to search and wait for months or even years to find an apartment in this ever-growing city. And anyone who was lucky enough to land a cute 2-bedroom apartment with an Einbauküche (every tenant’s dream!) by the canal in Kreuzberg will be sure to never terminate their lease. At least not in this lifetime.

Then what about the freelancers and people with low incomes? You don’t need to be a psychic to know that as a freelance artist, you are most likely at the bottom of the list of potential tenants for any given landlord. And it feels close to impossible to find your own humble abode.

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Why “Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet” doesn’t always mean you can do whatever you want

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Once you’ve been in Germany for a few years, the restrictions imposed on your work permit might melt away with the magic words “Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet” or “Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt”. But these words can be misleading and have been known to put freelancers in a tight spot. We explain the confusing caveats of “free access to the job market”.

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Understanding German rental leases

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Are you signing a German rental lease?

You want to understand all aspects of the German rental contract before you agree to it formally. But the clock is also ticking to seal the deal quickly. Given the short period of time you have to sign the tenancy contract, often a day or less, it can be challenging to figure out which parts of the rental lease are important, especially if you don’t understand German. Red Tape Translation can help.

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How to sauna like a pro in Germany

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A true sign of cultural assimilation is the ability to do the sauna like a pro – at least for this US American in Germany.

One of the first “warnings” I received as I arrived to Germany with a group of 30 other musicians, mostly North Americans, was about the sauna. “If you don’t take off your clothes, people will stare at you”. The idea of being naked in front of strangers was terrifying. So it would be a few years later before I gave it a fair chance.

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