My name is Jo Eckardt. I grew up in the Rhine region of West Germany and then moved to the United States for almost two decades. I taught German at NYU and studied social work there. In 2001, I returned to Germany. Since I had visited Berlin every summer during the 1980s (before the Berlin Wall came down), I knew that it was where I wanted to live. I haven’t ever regretted my decision, as I love Berlin. It’s vibrant, full of great energy but also laid-back, and is a wonderful place to raise children.

In 2004, I started to do tours and I soon realized that this was a great way to stay connected with people from the US and other countries, as well as to closely follow all the trends and changes Berlin is experiences.

In 2011, I founded a company called “A Friend in Berlin.” The idea was to provide guests an opportunity to visit Berlin as if they had a friend waiting for them – the kind of person you could contact before you arrive to ask them how to prepare and to be welcomed by them once you arrive. Since then, I have assembled a great team of guides who speak many languages, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, and Portuguese. We offer tours both on foot and by vehicle, and can accommodate individuals and large groups, as well as anything in between. No matter what the size, our guests enjoy the privacy of our tours.

Visit Jo’s Website: A Friend in Berlin

Visit Jo’s Audio Tours Website: Voice Map