By Marriette Rough
Every year the Berlin Olympic Stadium hosts a two-night fireworks competition. It is on the 4th and 5th of September and tickets are available online at http://www.pyronale.de/en/tickets
This year the competing nations are Spain, England and Germany on Friday eve. Then on Saturday night Slovakia, Finland and Mexico. Quite the mixed bag.
You have a few options here, depending on your style. You can buy grand-stand sit down tickets at €50 or standing tickets at €26 (I would advise this option the least, standing still for two hours may not be so much fun). Want to make things a bit fancier you can get a VIP package at €155 which includes free food and drinks as well as a seat in the VIP area of the Olympic Stadium. Then we have the alternative option, which is what us tour-guides usually do. Get the train to Heerstr train station (which is one stop before the Olympic Stadium) and then follow the masses down Teufelsee Strasse which will turn into Teufelseechausee. After about a ten minute walk you will come to a huge hill with a great viewing plateau. There you will have to squish your picnic blanket down wherever you can find the space. Buy yourself a bottle of champagne with the money you have saved by not buying official tickets and get your ‘oo and ahhh’ on.
Take a warm jacket even if it’s been a hot day, as it tends to be a bit cooler up there.