top ten places to visit in berlin

Berlin   Travel Guide

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20 Best Things to Do in Berlin, Germany

Berlin's history of battling ideologies makes for some of the most fascinating sightseeing in Europe. Explore the remnants of the Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery , which has been transformed by colorful murals into the largest open-air

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Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) free

U.S. News Insider Tip: A nice souvenir video of the Brandenburg Gate can be captured by taking a taxi on the northbound road (Bundesstraße 2) that loops around the Brandenburg Gate. Keep your camera steady out the window, and you’ll have an impressive panoramic video. – Michael Cappetta

Inspired by the Acropolis entrance in Athens , the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) is one of the most-photographed sites in Berlin. Located in Pariser Platz (Paris Square), one of the city's most famous squares, the Brandenburg Gate was built for King Frederick William II starting in 1788. Designed by royal architect, Carl Gotthard Langhans, the sandstone structure stands 85 feet high.

Reichstag Building Reichstag Building free

A symbol of Germany's past, present and future, the Reichstag, or Parliament Building, is a blend of different architecture styles from the late 20th to late 21st centuries. It symbolizes the country's path from a dark past to a brighter future.

Originally constructed between 1884 and 1894, the building was destroyed by arson in 1933, an act that marked a turning point in the history of the Third Reich. It was then bombed during World War II and didn't become the seating house of government again until 1999, when the distinguishing glass dome was added. Today, a visit to the dome is popular among travelers thanks to the stunning views it provides, particularly of the Tiergarten . If you're interested in a more in-depth history lesson, heed the advice of past travelers and take advantage of the free audio guide available to visitors.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe free

The Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas  (which translates to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe or, more simply, Berlin's Holocaust Memorial) consists of a sloping, wave-like grid of 2,711 concrete pillars constructed to memorialize the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Some of the pillars stand as tall as 15 feet.

Many visitors choose to simply walk among the gray slabs, but if you're interested in learning more about the history, you can descend to the underground visitor center, which displays information about the victims, including photographs, diaries and farewell letters. Recent travelers said they felt incredibly moved by the sheer size of the memorial (it spans more than half a square mile), and most highly recommended a visit when in Berlin. Reviewers note the memorial is within a five-minute walk of the Brandenburg Gate and across the street from Tiergarten Park , making it easy to visit all three top attractions.

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Topography of Terror Topography of Terror free

The Topography of Terror ( Topographie des Terrors ) museum sits on the site of the Gestapo and SS Police's former headquarters during World War II. By walking the grounds and touring the documentation center, travelers can learn about the atrocities committed by the German officers that once worked at this very site. In addition to the WWII history on display here, you’ll also see part of the Berlin Wall in the front of the building.

Other interesting exhibits that detail Berlin between 1933 and 1945 are found on the grounds, including excavated portions of the old building. For a more in-depth look at the museum, you can take the free English-speaking tour, which is offered Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. (Most exhibits are listed in German and English.) You'll want to sign up at the reception desk 30 minutes before the tour starts. 

Berlin Wall Memorial Berlin Wall Memorial free

Located in the center of Berlin, the Berlin Wall Memorial stretches for a little less than a mile along what was once the border that divided the city in two. Upon arriving at the memorial, you can stop into the visitor center to watch a short film on the history of the Berlin Wall, as well as explore a handful of exhibits. Visitors will learn about the political and historical context that led to the wall’s construction, its fall and the reunification of Germany.

Once you are finished in the visitor center, head across the street to see preserved remnants of the border strip. In addition to part of the Berlin Wall itself, you will find the Chapel of Reconciliation, a rebuilt structure that serves as a place of remembrance for the lives that were lost at the wall.

East Side Gallery East Side Gallery free

The East Side Gallery refers to the longest intact section of the Berlin Wall, which stretches for nearly a mile. If you want to experience the wall for the first time, this is the place to do it. After the Berlin Wall's fall in 1989, more than one hundred international artists congregated here, painting murals that depicted the world's joyous and optimistic reactions to the end of the Cold War era. What exists today forms the world's largest open-air gallery, featuring more than 100 murals.

Despite its distance from the main tourist attractions (a little less than 5 miles), the East Side Gallery still wins high praise from past travelers, who say it’s worth the side trip to see this history up close. Recent visitors suggested going early in the day to avoid crowds.

Museumsinsel (Museum Island) Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

Museumsinsel (or Museum Island) is the name given to a group of five museums, the Baroque-style Berlin Cathedral and large gardens clustered on a tiny island in the River Spree. Built between 1823 and 1930, some museums present a different aspect of German history and art, while others spotlight global arts and antiques, such as the Egyptian Museum and Pergamon Museum .

When you visit, see if you can guess which museum hangs which art; there's the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), the Altes Museum (Old Museum), the Neues Museum (New Museum), the Bode-Museum and the very popular Pergamon Museum.

Tiergarten Tiergarten free

The expansive Tiergarten sprawls 519 acres from central Berlin westward and attracts visitors looking for respite from the city's clamor. The name of the park translates to "Animal Garden," and it is also known as "Berlin’s Green Lung." The land where the park sits previously served as a royal hunting ground for select Germans during the late 17th century. Nowadays, visitors can still get a glimpse of animals by visiting Zoologischer Garten (the Berlin Zoo) located within the park. You can also stroll, jog or bike through the most popular green space in Berlin. For many locals, no visit to Tiergarten is complete without stopping at its two beer gardens, in particular Café am Neuen See, which occupies a picturesque lakefront perch.   

The Tiergarten also houses the Victory Column, which was erected in 1873 to commemorate Prussia's victory in the Franco-German War. Visitors can climb to the top of this monument to enjoy great views of Berlin.

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Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg) Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg)

Beginning its life as a summer home for the royal family in the late 17th century, Schloss Charlottenburg became a lavish palace after Frederick the Great commissioned some 18th-century upgrades and additions. Now the complex can take more than a day to tour from top to bottom. Located 6 miles east of Berlin’s city center, this is a popular destination for tourists interested in history and architecture. 

Inside the baroque palace, you can view Frederick I and Sophie Charlotte's living quarters, the chapel and the Neuer Fluegel (New Wing) where Frederick the Great once resided. You can also venture outdoors to the Royal Gardens, the family mausoleum and even an ornate teahouse.

Berlin Cathedral Berlin Cathedral

Located in the Museum District of Mitte, the Berlin Cathedral spans more than 67,000 square feet, making it the largest Protestant church in Germany. Along with its size, the cathedral is also recognized for its beauty – it shares a similar design to Rome ’s St. Peter's Basilica . Its interior features gold accents, intricate mosaics and imperial staircase. Along with the cathedral’s dome, which is accessible to visitors via a set of 270 steps, another highlight is the marble and onyx altar. More than one million visitors stop by the Berlin Cathedral annually for worship services, tours, concerts and special events. Visitors traveling with children should review the cathedral’s event calendar to see if any kid-friendly activities, such as family concerts, align with your visit.

Recent visitors use words like “peaceful” and “iconic” to describe the cathedral. Some reviewers complained about the admission costs, but others said it’s worth the price to be able to view the stunning interior and climb the dome for outstanding views of the city.

TV Tower (Fernsehturm) TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

U.S. News Insider Tip: The TV Tower is conveniently located near the Alexanderplatz station and shopping district. Schedule some extra time to visit some of the unique local shops. During the holiday season, this area is also home to a beautiful Christmas market. – Michael Cappetta

For the ever-popular panorama of the city, the Berliner   Fernsehturm (TV Tower) is a great place to go. Originally constructed in the late 1960s to widely broadcast television signals across Germany, the TV Tower is still the tallest structure in Germany (standing at 1,207 feet), and it's guaranteed to provide quite the view. Visitors can take one of two elevators to the top. If the 40-second trip makes you hungry, stop by the rotating Sphere Restaurant or Bar 203 for some light refreshments.

Pergamon Museum Pergamon Museum

Note: The Pergamon Museum will be closed beginning in October 2023 for extensive renovations. It will reopen in spring 2027, according to the museum’s website .

The Pergamon Museum, located on Museumsinsel (Museum Island)  on the River Spree, is one of travelers' favorite museums. Recent visitors used words like "remarkable" and "jaw-dropping" to describe the museum, which was completed in 1930 and houses many works that are important to the development of ancient art and architecture. Filled with an impressive collection of Greek, Roman, East Asian and Islamic art, exhibits include pieces like the reconstructed Ishtar Gate from Babylon and the Pergamon Altar – a massive monumental Greek temple that is believed to date back to 180 B.C. Other highlights include the Market Gate of Miletus, which dates back to the second century and the Mshatta Façade, which hails from a Jordanian desert castle.

Friedrichstadt-Palast Friedrichstadt-Palast

Friedrichstadt-Palast is home to the world’s largest theater stage. The theater’s roots date back to 1867, though the building that is used today opened in 1984 after the original theater had to be demolished in 1980 for safety concerns. Since its reopening, the theater has been used for entertaining circus performances, vaudeville acts, comedy and musicals. Every February, the theater hosts film screenings as part of the Berlinale, or Berlin International Film Festival.

Recent travelers enjoyed the theater’s beauty. Travelers also added that the theater’s location is very convenient as it sits within walking distance of other major tourist attractions, such as the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstagsgebäude .

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Berlin Beer Gardens Berlin Beer Gardens

No trip to Berlin is complete without visiting a classic biergarten (beer garden). Biergartens in Berlin are popular with locals for summer afternoon and evening activities – plan ahead so you don’t end up in a long queue on a hot day.

One of the most popular beer gardens is Prater Biergarten, which is located just 2 miles north of the city center. The historic beer garden first opened in the mid-1800s. Open daily starting at noon, Prater offers a classic menu of pilsners, along with tasty grilled sausages from the region of Thuringia. Other classic snacks included baked potatoes with cheese curds and pretzels. Before visiting the biergarten, make sure to check the weather forecast: it’s only open weather permitting.

Berlin Christmas Markets Berlin Christmas Markets free

The festive Christmas markets in Berlin attract thousands of travelers each year for their unique food, shopping, beverages and holiday cheer. With dozens of Christmas markets to choose from, it is important for travelers to take the time to research which area they would like to visit, and which theme they would like to experience.

One of the most historical and romantic Christmas markets in Berlin is located at the Charlottenburg Palace . Christmas lights and decorations adorn the largest palace in Berlin to welcome visitors to a winter wonderland. Hundreds of vendors exhibit booths in the palace's plaza, where guests stroll through for holiday gifts and treats. A more classic Christmas market, which has historically opened on Nov. 21 and runs through Dec. 22, is located in the town of Spandau, which is located approximately 10 miles from Berlin’s city center and a 30-minute ride on public transit. At the Spandau Christmas markets, travelers navigate a large plaza that is decorated with Christmas lights and trees to shop hundreds of vendors from around the world. The charm of being in the middle of Spandau's town square adds to the enchantment of shopping at a classic German Christmas market. 

Berlin Story Bunker Berlin Story Bunker

The Berlin Story Bunker is an immersive museum spread across five floors that invites visitors to explore centuries of Berlin and German history. World War II and Hitler are a major focus of the museum (a recreation of Hitler’s personal study and a model of the bunker where he died by suicide in 1945 are among the displays). In fact, the 70,000-square-foot museum is housed within a concrete World War II bunker that’s connected to the Anhalter railway station. Open since 2014, the museum contains multimedia displays, large-scale photographs, short films, sculptures and other art installations.

Recent visitors said the information was well-presented and called the museum a must for history buffs. Because of its size and the amount of reading required, it’s recommended that you set aside at least three hours for your visit.

Potsdamer Platz Potsdamer Platz free

Pre-World War II, Potsdamer Platz was Berlin's main plaza – and a bustling one, at that – but the ensuing wars left it ravaged. After the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended, companies like Sony and Daimler moved in and built their headquarters on the square, thus revitalizing the area.

But global companies weren't the only ones credited with rejuvenating the plaza: Attractions like the Deutsche Kinemathek, a museum dedicated to German film and TV, the Boulevard der Stars – Berlin's answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame – and the Theater am Potsdamer Platz, the largest show stage in Berlin, also set up shop. Families will enjoy the nearby LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Berlin and a sizable mall, The Playce. Plus, with a casino and one of Berlin's largest movie theaters, the entertainment possibilities are nearly endless.

Checkpoint Charlie Checkpoint Charlie

Many say a visit to the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing should not come without a visit to the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, or the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. Checkpoint Charlie was the most popular border crossing between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. It has also had a starring role in major films, including the James Bond franchise.

Experts and travelers say the museum gives context to what's left of the border crossing, and indeed you will find chilling stories of those who escaped from East to West via the Berlin Wall – as well as stories about those who didn't. You'll also get a thorough history of the Berlin Wall.

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Mauerpark Mauerpark free

Mauerpark is a 37-acre park that was officially opened in 1994. The park's name translates to "Wall Park:" It's located on the land in between the walls that separated East and West Berlin, formerly known as “death strip.” Don’t let that sinister name deter you; the park is now known for its "open-air culture in the middle of Berlin" and it provides a great activity space for travelers. What's more, the park has several barbeque areas, making it a perfect spot to prepare an outdoor meal during the summer.

If your visit to Berlin overlaps with a Sunday, set aside time to visit Mauerpark to peruse its flea market. It’s one of Berlin's largest second-hand shopping events, and features hundreds of vendors selling unique antiques, clothing, furniture, products and other wares. In addition to the flea market, live music, pick-up sports games and other events take place on weekends.

Olympiastadion Berlin Olympiastadion Berlin

U.S. News Insider Tip: Review the upcoming schedule of events for Olympiastadion Berlin and try to catch a Hertha BSC football match – the energy is electric! – Michael Cappetta

Olympiastadion Berlin is a large, majestic stadium in Berlin's Olympischer Platz neighborhood that has the capacity to host up to 74,000 fans. The stadium is known as the home of Hertha BSC, a popular German soccer team, and host to a variety of special events throughout the year, including Lollapalooza Berlin, an annual music festival held in September. It's also known for its dark history. The stadium originally opened in 1936 for the Summer Olympics, often referred to as the "Nazi Olympics" for the widespread Nazi propaganda on display during the games. 

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14 of the best things to do in Berlin

Jul 8, 2023 • 7 min read

Experience the best of Berlin with this guide to the top things to do © Westend61 / Getty Images

For a scene-stealing combo of glamor and grit, poised to mesmerize anyone keen to connect with vibrant culture, bold architecture, global food, intense parties and an easy-going vibe, head to Berlin .

Whether your tastes run to posh or punk, you can sate them in the German capital. Here are the best experiences Berlin has to offer.

1. See the treasures of Museum Island

Berlin’s "Louvre on the Spree", this imposing cluster of five treasure-houses is an undisputed highlight of the city’s impressive landscape. Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999, Museumsinsel showcases art and cultural history from the Stone Age to the 19th century.

Feast your eyes on antiquities at at the Pergamonmuseum  and  Altes Museum , take in 19th-century art at the Alte Nationalgalerie and lean in for close-ups of medieval and Renaissance sculptures at the Bode-Museum . The  Neues Museum  is famous as the residence of the exquisite but controversial bust of Nefertiti which has been the subject of repatriation requests from Egypt for almost a century.

Planning tip:  As part of the ambitious  Museum Island Master Plan , the Pergamonmuseum will be completely closed to visitors starting October 23, 2023. The institution is not scheduled to partially reopen until spring 2027 – with some sections of the museum, including the famous  Ishtar Gate , scheduled to stay closed until 2037.

2. Follow the legacy of the Berlin Wall

Few events in history have the power to move the entire world. If you were alive and old enough for the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, you will probably remember the crowds of euphoric revelers cheering and dancing at the Brandenburg Gate . Although little is left of the physical barrier, its legacy lives on in the imagination and in such places as Checkpoint Charlie , the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) and the East Side Gallery  with its colorful murals.

3. Party at Berlin's world-famous clubs

Berlin’s reputation for intense and unbridled nightlife is rooted in the libertine 1920s when everyone from Marlene Dietrich to Christopher Isherwood partied like it was 1999. Since the fall of the Wall, Berlin’s club culture has put the city firmly back on the map of music-lovers everywhere .

The edgiest clubs can be found in locations like power plants, abandoned apartment buildings and other repurposed locations, especially in Kreuzberg & Neukölln and Friedrichshain . Electronic music dominates at cult favourites like ://about blank , Kater Blau and Griessmühle , while Prince Charles has made a name for itself as a hip hop mecca, fetish-focused KitKatClub is a must, and the local punks mosh away at SO36 .

Planning tip: Some of Berlin's best parties are its daytime raves: here's how to hit the clubs in the afternoon .

4. Enjoy drinks outdoors

Whether its beer gardens, rooftop bars or some casual drinks in parks and by the Landwehrkanal, Berliners take a relaxed approach to drinking and socializing outdoors. While Berlin has something to offer all year round, the city in the warm weather has a special buzz around it.

5. Be dazzled by the grandeur of Schloss Charlottenburg

An exquisite baroque palace,  Schloss Charlottenburg evokes the onetime grandeur of the Prussian royals. It is particularly special to visit in the summer when you can fold a stroll, sunbathing session or picnic in the lush palace park into a day of peeking at royal treasures.

6. Book ahead to visit the Reichstag

It’s been burned, bombed, rebuilt, buttressed by the Berlin Wall, wrapped in fabric and finally turned into the modern home of the German parliament, the Reichstag  is one of Berlin’s most iconic buildings. Designed by Paul Wallot in 1894, this is where the German parliament, the Bundestag, has been hammering out its policies since 1999.

Planning tip:  Reserve online in advance  to visit the striking glass dome  for free . This is a government building and you will need to provide identification to gain access.

7. Shop and eat at Markthalle Neun

This delightful 1891 market hall was saved by dedicated locals in 2009. Not only do local and regional producers present their wares but also, on Street-Food Thursday, they're joined by aspiring or semipro chefs, who set up their stalls to serve delicious snacks from around the world. There’s even an on-site craft brewery, Heidenpeters .

8. Tour Berlin's art scene

Art aficionados will be truly spoilt for choice in Berlin. Home to hundreds of galleries, scores of world-class collections and thousands of international artists, the city has assumed a pole position on the global artistic circuit. Its main contemporary art showcase is the Hamburger Bahnhof , a vast museum housed in a former railway station whose loft and grandeur are the perfect foil for this top-notch collection of paintings, installations, sculptures and video.

Local tip:  If you’d prefer something even more Berlin-centric, try Urban Nation in Schöneberg . A relative newcomer to Berlin’s array of galleries, this street art celebration turns the concept of a museum on its head and celebrates art in a unique way.

9. Get to know Jewish history and culture at Jüdisches Museum

Berlin’s Jüdisches Museum  presents an eye-opening and emotional journey through 2000 years of Jewish history in Germany, not just the 12 years of Nazi horror that such exhibits often focus on. Find out about Jewish cultural contributions, holiday traditions, the difficult road to emancipation, outstanding individuals like the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn and jeans inventor Levi Strauss, and the fates of ordinary people and families.

10. Wander or cycle the paths of Tiergarten

Berlin’s rulers used the grounds to hunt boar and pheasants in the rambling Tiergarten until master landscape architect Peter Lenné landscaped the grounds in the 18th century. With its sweeping lawns, shaded paths, woodsy groves, romantic corners, ponds and creeks, the Tiergarten is one of the world’s largest city parks and a wonderful retreat from the city bustle.

Planning tip:  In summer, several charming beer gardens beckon, including Café am Neuen See and the Teehaus im Englischen Garten.

11. See urban renewal at Potsdamer Platz

Despite the name, Potsdamer Platz is not actually a square but an entire city quarter, forged in the 1990s from terrain once bisected by the Berlin Wall. A collaborative effort by the world's finest architects, it is considered a showcase of urban renewal.

Planning tip:  The area itself is rather compact and quickly explored – unless you stick around to see Berlin from above from the Panoramapunkt or dive into German film history at the Museum für Film und Fernsehen .

12. Pose for a photo at the historic Brandenburg Gate

Prussian emperors, Napoleon and Hitler have marched through this neoclassical royal city gate that was once trapped east of the Berlin Wall. Since 1989 Brandenburg Gate  has gone from a symbol of division and oppression to the symbol of a united Germany. The elegantly proportioned landmark is at its most atmospheric – and photogenic – at night, when light bathes its stately columns and proud Goddess of Victory sculpture in a golden glow.

13. Go shopping along Kurfürstendamm

No trip to Berlin would be complete without a saunter along Kurfürstendamm (Ku’damm for short) in Charlottenburg . Along with its continuation, the Tauentzienstrasse, it is the city’s longest and busiest shopping strip, lined with high-street chains and designer boutiques. Don’t miss the KaDeWe , continental Europe’s biggest department store with a mind-boggling food hall, or the cutting-edge concept and flagships stores at Bikini Berlin , a revamped 1950s landmark near Zoo Station.

Local tip:  Take a moment to look up. Amid all this, the majestically ruined Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church) stands quietly as a poignant reminder of the absurdity of war.

14. Explore the exhibits of the Topographie des Terrors

In the spot where the most feared institutions of Nazi Germany (the Gestapo headquarters, the SS central command and the Reich Security Main Office) once stood, this compelling exhibit documents the stages of terror and persecution, puts a face on the perpetrators, and details the impact these brutal institutions had on all of Europe. A second exhibit outside zeroes in on how life changed for Berlin and its people after the Nazis made it their capital.

This article was first published January 2015 and updated July 2023

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18 Best Things to Do in Berlin

By Liz Humphreys and Krystin Arneson

Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, in 1989, the German capital's intoxicating mix of grit, glamour, and anything-goes expression born from historical repression has made it one of the most dynamic cities on earth. Where else can you saunter through Prussian palaces, venture into Nazi-era bunkers, tour the world's longest outdoor art gallery, and lose yourself in Europe's most famous techno temple? (And that's just day one.) So bring an open mind, pack your stamina, and get ready to dive into all the city has to offer. Read on for the very best things to do in Berlin.

Read our complete Berlin travel guide here .

Every review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination. When choosing things to do, our editors consider landmarks and experiences that offer an insider's experience of a destination, keeping authenticity, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.

Hackesche Höfe and Haus Schwarzenberg Arrow

Beneath its rough exterior, Berlin hides elegant urban courtyards behind the Altbau buildings that survived World War II. In the heart of Berlin’s central Mitte neighborhood, Hackesche Höfe is a cluster of eight café- and boutique-filled public courtyards dating from 1907. Following a complete renovation to restore the interconnected höfs (courtyards) to their former glory, the labyrinth reopened in 1996. Several doors down on Rosenthaler Straße, Haus Schwarzenberg is Hackesche Höfe’s gritty, graffiti-covered brother, and it offers a fascinating glimpse of what much of Berlin looked like before gentrification swept in.

Charlottenburg Palace Arrow

Built in 1699 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, wife of King Friedrich I, this massive, multi-winged baroque structure is Berlin’s largest palace. Heavily damaged in World War II and rebuilt and restored over several decades, the palace is home to a number of priceless collections, including royal porcelain and silver, crown jewels, and important 18th-century French paintings by artists such as Antoine Watteau. The rooms themselves, most of which were entirely reconstructed, feature ornate plasterwork, gilding, and frescoes, all based on original designs. The highlight is the gardens, created in the French and English style, with orderly hedges, fountains, ponds, and tree-lined gravel paths.

Berlin Wall Memorial Arrow

This free indoor/outdoor museum and memorial is the best place to learn how the Berlin Wall sprung up, practically overnight, what life was like in the former East German state, and the heroic (and heartbreaking) attempts people made to reunite with their families. As you walk along this one-mile stretch of Bernauer Strasse, an open-air exhibit features photographs and signs detailing the stories on either side of the barrier. There’s also a preserved piece of the original border wall and a watchtower, as well as an indoor visitor center with exhibits chronicling the political and historical events surrounding the city’s division.

Mauerpark Flea Market Arrow

Located along a former part of the Berlin Wall that was a militarized no-man’s land known as the “Death Strip,” the area that is now Mauerpark (“Wall Park") was where guards stationed in watch towers would shoot would-be escapees trying to flee from East Berlin to West. Today, the attack dogs and soldiers are gone, and in their place, the city’s largest and best outdoor market is held every Sunday. Surrounding the bustling market in the trendy green space is something of an anything-goes circus, filled with jugglers, picnickers and the world's largest karaoke party, known as Bearpit Karaoke.

Steph Koyfman

Shannon McMahon

Charlie Hobbs

Berghain Arrow

Perhaps no club in Berlin (or the world, for that matter) is more hallowed than Berghain. Set in a former East German power station, this cavernous, nondescript warehouse is the Holy Grail for techno fans, hosting three-day-long debauchery-induced raves. Every weekend, the club attracts some of the best DJs from all over the planet to spin and pump beats so intense that they ring in your bones instead of your ears.

Reichstag Building Arrow

Reduced to rubble after one of history's most infamous fires in the 1930s, and then rebuilt decades later, the stately Reichstag is arguably Germany's most iconic landmark . The building has been home of Germany’s parliament (the Bundestag) since 1999 and now serves as a symbol of the country’s reunification. Today, a glistening glass dome designed by starchitect Norman Foster sits atop the grand old structure, and anyone with an advanced booking can ascend its 755-foot-long ramp for sweeping views over the city. The Reichstag dome is one of the most enriching free experiences for first-time visitors to the city, where a troubled past exists side by side with a trendsetting future. Few places employ this juxtaposition quite as well as this monument to freedom and openness, which was literally built atop the site that saw Nazis rise to power.

Humboldt Forum Arrow

The Humboldt Forum’s collection is vast and varied—and honestly more than a little overwhelming. The main exhibit is the Ethnological Collection and Asian Art, which displays about 20,000 objects from Berlin’s former Ethnological Museum and Museum for Asian Art of the State Museums. What’s most interesting here is that many objects are examined in a critical context—for instance, looking at how they were taken from African nations during colonial rule, with descriptions in both German and English. The fascinating, if sprawling, Berlin Global exhibit examines Berlin’s impact on the world in six categories: Boundaries, Entertainment, Fashion, Interconnection, Revolution, Space, and War. The After Nature (Humboldt Lab) exhibition critically examines the interplay between climate change and democracy in countries around the world. Then there are a few exhibitions reminding you of the building’s complex history: a Sculpture Hall displaying fragments of the original palace as well as six large 18th-century sculptures; the Palace Cellar below ground that includes part of the medieval Dominican monastery originally on the site as well as preserved sections of the Berlin Palace’s foundations; and a large-scale video panorama about the history of the site (“800 years of history in just 14 minutes!”) Plus, a panoramic rooftop on the fourth floor (accessible with an extra fee) offers lovely views of the Berlin rooftops. Also of note: As befits a modern museum, a good number of exhibits are interactive, with buttons to push, videos and virtual reality stories to watch, and audio to listen to.

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This triumphant neoclassical arch is Berlin’s most famous monument and the only remaining gate of the 14 that originally surrounded the city when it was a proud Prussian metropolis. Since then, Napoleon and Hitler have stormed through it and the world watched as thousands of Berliners swarmed the site with sledgehammers to topple the nearby Wall in 1989. Ever since, this Acropolis-inspired 1791 monument has come to symbolize German reunification. Conveniently located within easy walking distance of a trio of boldfaced Berlin sites ( Tiergarten Park , the Reichstag , and The Holocaust Memorial ), the Brandenburg Gate serves as a central meeting place for tourists.

Topography of Terror Arrow

You’re on the site of the headquarters of the Gestapo, Nazi Germany’s secret police force between 1933 and 1945, where many political prisoners were tortured before being sent to concentration camps and prisons. The Reich Security Main Office, created by Nazi paramilitary organization Schutzstaffel (SS) head and chief of the German police Heinrich Himmel—which was responsible for organizing the Holocaust—was also headquarted here starting in 1939. Indoor and outdoor exhibitions walk visitors through the history of these organizations and the crimes that they committed. Especially moving is the outdoor exhibit “Berlin 1933-1945. Between Propaganda and Terror” that looks at how the Nazis came to power in Berlin; it’s displayed amongst excavated sections of the fomer building (visible through glass panels) where the Nazis planned their crimes against humanity. The comprehensive inside exhibit goes into even more depth, using photos and stories to tell the story of when the Nazis came to power and the crimes they committed until World War II ended. Both exhibits, plus regularly rotating temporary ones, are free to visit. For even more history, to the site’s north you’ll find the longest section of the Berlin Wall still remaining in the city center.

Museum Island Arrow

Berlin's Smithsonian on the Spree, Museumsinsel (“Museum Island”) is a UNESCO-inscribed collection of five world-class museums and a must-see for anyone coming to Berlin. Spanning 6,000 years of art and history, the island’s ensemble of museums (The Altes Museum, Neues Museum , Alte Nationalgalerie, Pergamonmuseum , and Bode Museum) represent the pinnacle of Germany’s museum collection. Here, visitors can come face to face with Nefertiti; ascend an ancient altar dedicated to Zeus; and marvel at Monet, Cézanne, and Degas’ landscapes before crossing the bridge back to mainland Berlin.

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All of the Neue Nationalgalerie’s art dates from the 20th century. The museum’s permanent collection is strong on German Expressionism—think Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Max Beckmann, and Emil Nolde— along with Cubist and Dada works, plus worthy pieces by such 20th-century art world luminaries as Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, Piet Mondriaan, Joan Miró, and Wassily Kandinsky. Though the permanent exhibition space on the lower floor is large, it only holds about 250 pieces, so selections from the museum’s collection of about 5,000 artworks rotate throughout the year. (A new, larger “berlin modern” museum is under construction next to the Neue Nationalgalerie to display more of the artworks; however, its planned opening in 2027 is in question, as it’s already behind schedule and millions over budget.) When the Neue Nationalgalerie reopened in 2021, the permanent exhibition space featured art from 1900 to 1945; from late 2023 through October 2025, the museum is displaying works from 1945 to 2000, with such artists as Barnett Newman, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, and Louise Nevelson. Visitors also have the chance to catch the Gerhard Richter Art Foundation, which has loaned 100 works from the renowned German artist to the museum until at least 2026. You can hit the highlights in 60 to 90 minutes, but it will be a bit rushed. Two hours will give you a much more relaxed pace to explore the permanent and temporary collections, and to maybe even spend some time enjoying the lovely sculpture garden, if the weather’s nice.

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A renovated Nazi-era bunker in the now-posh Mitte district houses this private collection of contemporary art, owned by Christian and Karen Boros (who actually live in an apartment on the roof). The selection of sculpture, paintings, photographs, and installations by international artists rotate every four years, but have recently featured contemporary artists like Katja Novitskova, Guan Xiao, and Kris Martin. A guided tour across its five floors reveals not only the impressive collection but also the long history of the bunker, which was used as a Nazi air raid shelter and later became an underground techno club (you can still see vestiges of fluorescent paint in some rooms and stairwells). Tours (required) book up months in advance, so plan accordingly.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Arrow

A short walk from Brandenburg Gate , this sprawling, maze-like set of 2,711 concrete columns is a haunting reminder of the atrocities and toll of World War II and Germany’s main memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Officially called the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the site occupies an entire 205,000-square-foot city block and was designed by American architect Peter Eisenman after an exhaustive 17-year planning process. The memorial’s abstract design offers no explanation or prescribed walking path, but simply invites visitors to enter and become swallowed in its tomb-like slabs.

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With more than 100 paintings, the East Side Gallery is the world's largest (and longest) open-air art gallery. The 0.8-mile stretch of the Berlin Wall, which runs parallel to the Spree River, once trapped East Germans inside. But when the rest of the Wall came crumbling down in 1989, this stretch remained and became a concrete canvas for international artists, who splashed it with murals between February and June of 1990.

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Built by Hitler’s henchmen and used as a lifeline by some two million people during the Allied Airlift, Tempelhof Airport is now a sweeping urban playground that’s larger than Central Park . On sunny days, thousands of Berliners come to jog down the abandoned runways, bike under the old radar station, and grill next to grounded Cold War-era planes. Stay long enough and you’ll see beekeepers in the lawn, windsurfers on the runway, cricket players by the tarmac, zipliners in the forest, and much more.

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Berlin's signature park and "green lung," Tiergarten Park is a leafy 519-acre oasis that was once used as the hunting grounds of Berlin’s rulers (“Tiergarten” means “animal park”). These days, the boars and pheasants have moved on, and in their place a series of lakes, hiking paths, English gardens, and even a biergarten attract joggers, cyclists, and sunbathers. Towering over the center of the park, the gilded Siegessäule (Victory Column) is the most famous of Tiergarten’s many monuments and commemorates Prussian war victories. Nearby, the white Schloss Bellevue palace is where the German president lives. Elsewhere, don’t miss the manicured English Garden and teahouse, and Berlin’s most attractive and romantic biergarten, Café am Neuen See, where lovers can enjoy a pint, a pizza, and a paddle aboard a rowboat on the lake. It would take you days to see all of hte park—we recommend downshifting and taking your time here with a bike, a blanket, and a book.

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Prater Garden, Berlin's oldest biergarten, comprises almost a full acre of communal tables and benches. Although Germany’s capital city doesn't have the biergarten culture of Bavaria, this gem has been around since 1837—and has withstood the multiple tests of time for good reason. Like most biergartens, the atmosphere is relaxed and convivial: People focus on their company first and their drinks (think Pils and housemade dark beer) second. This is also Berlin's best spot for a bratwurst fix; nothing goes better with sun and bier than a grilled sausage, so choose from spicy or standard. Bavarian pretzels make for great beer-side snacks, too.

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Not to be missed

Whether you are interested in history, art or culture, Berlin has many top sights for visitors to enjoy. The museum at Checkpoint Charlie , part of the former Berlin Wall , is a must-see as is the moving Holocaust Memorial located close to the Brandenburg Gate . Not much is left of the Wall itself, but there are some sections still standing, which are hugely popular with visitors. Culture vultures will want to visit Museum Island , home to the Berlin State Museums which house works of art from around the world. After a long day sightseeing, head for Tiergarten park to enjoy a refreshing drink at one of its many beer gardens.

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The 16 best attractions in Berlin

The German capital can be a little overwhelming, so where do you start? These are the best attractions in Berlin

While we’ve managed to keep this collection of the best attractions in Berlin to a concise 16, the German capital is a never-ending source of fascination, excitement and entertainment. Berlin is one of the modern world’s most important cities, a place whose reputation routinely sees it top bucket lists and best-ofs alike, as people from all over the world head here to see the famous buildings, explore the incredible museums and overindulge in Europe’s most exciting nightlife .

Berlin is a city that does it all and does it in an undeniably unique manner. This is Berlin, and don’t you forget. The restaurant scene is dizzyingly diverse, and shopping here is a white-knuckle experience all in itself.

Here to guide you through it all is Berlin local Anna Geary-Meyer. It can be easy to find yourself making plans to move to Berlin, but don’t forget to embrace your inner tourist and experience the classic attractions that this place has to offer.

RECOMMENDED: 📍 Full guide to the best things to do in Berlin 🏡 The best  Airbnbs in Berlin 🛏 The best hotels in Berlin

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Best attractions in Berlin

1.  Brandenburger Tor

• Historic buildings and sites

The Brandenburger Tor (or The Brandenburger Gate if you're not so great with German) is an absolute must-see attraction if you're visiting Berlin. Fun fact: From 1814 until 1919, only the royal family and members of the aristocratic Pfuel Family were allowed to travel through the centre archway. Which wouldn't have been so fun for us normal folk. Now, it no longer causes divisions. It's said to represent peace and unity and is one of Germany's best known landmarks. 

Time Out Tip:  for the best pics, take ’em from the east side so that you can see Tiergarten between the pillars. 

2.  Neues Museum

After a long period of restoration, from suffering severe damage during World War III, the Neues Museum got back up and running back in 2009. It's now arguably one of the best museums to visit from Berlin’s UNESCO-listed Museumsinsel (Museum Island). It's an unforgettable home for a whole host of different artefacts from ancient history to the present day. From Egyptian art to unique prehistoric objects. This museum will feed your curiosity and is a great way to expand your world knowledge.

Time Out Tip:  be sure to properly take in the building itself. All those rennovations have turned the Neues into a fully-fledged architectural gem. 

3.  Holocaust Memorial (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas)

• Monuments and memorials

Architect Peter Eisenman’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is intentionally disorienting: it’s a striking sculptural statement that invites visitors in, only to create a feeling of unease. There’s no vantage point or overview; to fully engage with the structure you need to walk into it. It’s haunting in places, especially on overcast days and near the middle of the monument, where it’s easy to feel a sense of confinement. Early criticism often focused on the monument’s lack of specificity – there are no stars of David here, no obvious symbolism or recognition of German culpability – but it has since won grudging recognition from many former critics.

Time Out Tip:  be sure to get there when the visitor centre is open (Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm). Its exhibitions are exceptionally informative.

4.  East Side Gallery

Running along the River Spree for 1.3km (0.8 miles) from Oberbaum Bridge to Ostbahnhof is one of Berlin’s most photographed tourist sights. This is the largest remaining section of the Wall still standing, decorated with 101 paintings by international artists from 1990. Dmitri Vrubel’s striking portrait depicting Brezhnev and Hönecker’s kiss – a Soviet sign of great respect – is easily its most iconic image. In 2017, in an attempt to prevent the sort of vandalism that had plagued it in recent years, a metre-high metal fence was erected around the perimeter of the Wall, an irony not lost on visitors.

The riverside views are great, too, and best enjoyed with a cold späti beer. There aren’t many places in Berlin where you’re encouraged to engage in shameless, unironic photo-taking, so this is definitely the place to whip out the selfie stick.

5.  Botanischer Garten & Botanisches Museum

• Parks and gardens

The Berlin Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum were landscaped at the beginning of the 20th century. Today it’s home to 18,000 plant species, 16 greenhouses and a museum. The gardens make for a pleasant stroll, but the museum is a bit dilapidated and there’s no information in English. Every Monday, they run a wild mushroom advice workshop, so feel free to forage away in the nearby forests.

6.  Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen

First the site of a canteen for the Nazi social welfare organisation, this building housed a remand prison which the Soviets turned into ‘Special Encampment No.3’ and which the Stasi later expanded. Excellent guided tours are led daily by ex-prisoners; their personal testimony adds chilling immediacy to the bureaucratically spare interrogation rooms, the concrete ‘tiger cage’ in which 30 minutes of walking per day was permitted and the cramped cells where prisoners were forced to sleep in a mandated position. The museum houses a permanent exhibition, which reveals the stories of former prisoners, and there are also temporary exhibitions, often curated from the memorial’s own collection of 15,000 GDR artefacts. 

7.  Jüdisches Museum

Named as the largest Jewish museum in Europe (38,000 square feet of floor space to be exact), Daniel Libeskind’s beautiful, yet deliberately oppressive building houses a masterful museum devoted to the turbulent history of Judaism in Germany. It was opened in 2001, with a permanent exhbition that tells the stories of prominent Jewish figures and their impact. Here, you'll also be able to find out about Jewish   holiday traditions, the difficult road to emancipation and more. Side note: this museum is a popular one so arrive in the morning to avoid long queues and crowds!

8.  Philharmonie

Berlin’s most famous concert hall, home to the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, is also its most architecturally daring: a marvellously puckish piece of organic modernism. Designed by Hans Scharoun, the golden building with its distinctive vaulting roof opened in 1963. Its reputation for superb acoustics is accurate, but it does depend on where you sit. Behind the orchestra, the acoustics leave much to be desired, but in front (where seats are much more expensive), the sound is heavenly. The Berlin Phil gives about 100 performances in the city during its August-to-June season, plus 20 to 30 concerts around the world.

9.  Soviet Memorial (Sowjetisches Ehrenmal am Treptower Park)

One of Berlin’s most impressive public monuments, this memorial to Soviet soldiers killed in the Second World War (one of three in Berlin) and military cemetery is located in a peaceful park in the east of the city. It’s as bombastic and intimidating as you would expect. Treptower Park covers a huge area and is visit-worthy in itself, so combine your stop with a bike ride along the Spree or a stroll to the nearby Karpfenteich (carp pond). In summer, you can enjoy a riverside coffee at one of the park’s restaurants and cafés.

10.  Haus am Checkpoint Charlie

Once the flashpoint between East and West, today the former Checkpoint Charlie border crossing offers tacky souvenir stalls, coach-loads of trippers and actors pretending to be US and Soviet guards, but it also features this fascinating little museum which is sure to please children and adults alike. The founder of Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Dr Rainer Hildebrandt, opened it as a non-violent protest against the Wall, with the purpose of recording the events that were taking place at the best-known crossing point. He believed it was essential to be ‘as close as possible to the injustice itself, where human greatness fully unfolds’. Today the museum tells of heroic escapes, successful and unsuccessful, with great sensitivity. 

11.  Tempelhofer Feld

Famous for its Nazi and Cold War history, Tempelhof airport ceased operation in 2008. Now, you can stroll down the runways where Second World War ‘Stuka’ dive bombers took off and where, during the famous Berlin Airlift after the Soviets blockaded West Berlin in 1948, the Western Powers landed supplies for the city’s 2.5 million residents in one of the greatest feats in aviation history. Today the 368-hectare open space of runways and grasslands is much enjoyed by walkers, kite-surfers, cyclists, runners and skaters alike.

12.  Rixdorf

A short walk from the busy shopping street of Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln, you'll find the iconic and charming village of Rixdorf, centred around Richardplatz. Here, you'll find an ancient church among beautiful early 18th-century buildings. Plus, there’s even a horse-and-carriage business still in operation which will allow you to take a lovely your around the grounds. There is also an annual Christmas craft market held in the square. So, plenty to do and see in this small but intriguing village.

13.  Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History Museum)

Berlin’s Natural History Museum will be a sure-fire hit with any under-10s. The biggest (literally) draw is the skeleton of a Brachiosaurus dinosaur, which weighed 50 tonnes at death and stands proud at four storeys high. But don’t miss the creepy ‘research collections’, which show off some of the museum’s store of over a million pickled animals suspended in jars of alcohol. Berlin’s most famous polar bear, Knut, who died in 2011, is also stuffed and on display.

14.  Kaufhaus des Westens (Department Store of the West)

KaDeWe, the legendary department store, is more than a century old and has stood at the heart of the city’s shopping scene through thick and thin. It stocks an impressive range of high-end designers and has tried to shed its stuffy image by bringing in upbeat younger labels. As opulent as ever, the space is also home to the quintessential luxury food-hall experience in a city otherwise teeming with budget supermarkets. With delicatessens, butchers, pâtisseries and grocers, and plenty of prepared foods to take away, the olfactory experience as you move between sections is a delight in itself. Head up another level to reach a cavernous glass-roofed restaurant with a fine view of Wittenbergplatz below.

15.  Prater Biergarten

• Bars and pubs
• Prenzlauer Berg

Temporarily closed

In the mid-16th century, brewing beer during summer was outlawed in Bavaria due to the drink’s rapid deterioration in the heat. Instead, brewers were encouraged to build cellars next to the River Isar in which to store beer for summer drinking, and thus, the Biergarten was born. Situated in leafy Prenzlauer Berg, Prater Garten is decidedly more Munich than Berlin and lures an appreciative crowd with beer, sausage and pretzels.

16.  Spandau

There’s a running joke among Berliners (though not an especially clever one) that Spandau, the westernmost of the city’s twelve districts, isn’t really part of the capital. Whatever the case may be, this picturesque area is absolutely worth a day trip. Spread out along the River Havel, Spandau’s old town is the site of a gorgeous Christmas market each winter, and the medieval Zitadelle is one of Europe’s best-preserved fortresses.

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The best Airbnbs in Berlin

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Craving currywurst here’s where to head next....

The 15 best restaurants in Berlin

This city’s 28 collective Michelin stars speak volumes: from venerated institutions like Mitte’s Grill Royal to the burgeoning foodie scene in once-gritty Neukölln, there are some downright life-changing meals to be had here.

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The 33 Most Beautiful Places in the World

23 most beautiful places in japan, 23 best worldwide vacation spots for couples, berlin attractions – 25 best places to visit in berlin.

Berlin: A Blend of Modern Vibrancy and Timeless History

Berlin, Germany’s dynamic capital, effortlessly fuses its rich history with a pulsating modern culture. As you wander through its streets, you’ll encounter iconic landmarks, world-renowned museums, and a vivid tapestry of multicultural influences.

This city offers an electrifying mix: from its architectural marvels and sprawling parks to its buzzing nightlife. Whether you’re basking in the glow of Germany’s enchanting Christmas markets in winter or meandering through vibrant rose gardens in spring, Berlin promises a unique experience every time.

The array of activities in Berlin seems endless. With serene river islands, majestic palaces, bustling street markets, and the unforgettable experience of community karaoke events, every corner has a story to tell. Explore its grand boulevards and spacious public squares, or lose yourself in quaint cobblestone alleys.

For the budget-savvy traveler, Berlin stands out as a pocket-friendly destination. The city boasts numerous backpacker hostels, affordable public transport, and a smorgasbord of reasonably priced culinary delights. Dive into the essence of Berlin to truly grasp its distinctive blend of the contemporary and the classic.

The Ideal Season to Explore Berlin

Berlin is a city that beckons travelers year-round, with each season offering its unique charm and experiences.

Winter brings chilly temperatures, which might make outdoor explorations a bit challenging. However, the allure of Berlin’s enchanting Christmas markets, especially emblematic of Germany, more than makes up for it. Plus, the reduced tourist influx means fewer crowds and the possibility of snagging cheaper flights. If you’re on a budget and have a fondness for festive vibes, winter in Berlin could be your perfect fit.

In contrast, summer sees Berlin basking in warmth, perfect for those who fancy a swim or some sunbathing by the city’s pristine lakes. But be prepared for bustling streets, as both locals enjoying school breaks and tourists converge in the city.

For a balanced Berlin experience, consider visiting during the spring or autumn. Termed the “Shoulder Season”, these periods offer temperate weather combined with relatively thinner crowds, making them possibly the best times to truly immerse yourself in all Berlin has to offer.

Navigating Berlin: Your Ultimate Guide to Transportation

Efficient Public Transport: The S-Bahn & U-Bahn Berlin, with its vast expanse and numerous attractions, often requires visitors to rely on its public transportation system. Thankfully, the city boasts a highly efficient network.

The S-Bahn, Berlin’s local railway, seamlessly links city spots with outer destinations. Meanwhile, the U-Bahn, primarily an underground metro, serves as the heartbeat for travel within central Berlin. The beauty of Berlin’s system? One ticket grants access to both! When transitioning between the two, ensure your ticket is validated using the ubiquitous validation machines at stations. A word to the wise: traveling without a stamped ticket might attract a penalty if ticket checks occur.

Though buses ply the streets of Berlin, the S-Bahn and U-Bahn are arguably the most convenient and intuitive modes of city transport.

Walking Through Berlin’s Heart Central Berlin is a walker’s paradise. With landmarks often just a stroll apart, you can easily take in the city’s ambiance on foot. If you’re wary of the language barrier, fear not – English is widely spoken. To aid your exploration, consider arming yourself with a physical map or trusted navigation apps like Google Maps or Maps.Me.

Jetting In and Out of Berlin Berlin’s skies are served by two principal international hubs: Berlin Tegel (TXL) and Berlin Schönefeld (SXF). While Schönefeld is the more frequent choice, budget travelers might find themselves landing at or departing from Tegel. Always scrutinize your airline ticket for the correct airport.

Both airports are well connected to central Berlin, and for specific directions, your hostel or hotel’s front desk will often provide the most tailored advice.

1. Brandenburg Gate

Standing as a monumental testament to Berlin’s rich history, the Brandenburg Gate is a must-visit for any traveler in the city.

Erected in the late 18th century, this grand edifice was initially envisioned by Prussian King Frederick William II as a symbol of the divide between East and West Berlin. However, as the winds of change swept through Europe, it transformed into a beacon of European unity and cooperation.

Historically, its significance is bolstered by events such as Napoleon’s triumphant march through its arches after the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806.

Nestled in the heart of Berlin and surrounded by various other attractions, the Brandenburg Gate is an essential stop on any Berlin sightseeing itinerary. Dive deep into its stories and witness history come alive.

2. Berlin Attractions: Dive into Nikolaiviertel’s Legacy

Journey to Nikolaiviertel, affectionately termed Alt-Berlin (“Old Berlin”), to immerse yourself in the captivating allure of timeless European architecture. This age-old residential district stands as one of Berlin’s treasured pockets of classical design.

While much of Berlin showcases contemporary and somewhat stark aesthetics due to past wars and reconstructions, Nikolaiviertel offers an evocative contrast with its cobblestone lanes, vibrant edifices, quaint homes, and inviting cafés. Beyond its visual appeal, the area houses a local theater and a museum, offering cultural insights to the curious traveler.

As you meander through its streets, take a moment to relax at one of its many cafés, savoring a warm cup of coffee and soaking in the rich ambiance of this Berlin gem.

3. Revel in the Creativity at the East Side Gallery

A visit to Berlin wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the East Side Gallery, a standout among Berlin’s attractions.

Preserving a segment of the historic Berlin Wall, this open-air gallery boasts artwork from international artists, displaying over 100 vibrant murals. The expansive nature of the gallery ensures visitors can enjoy each piece without feeling overwhelmed by crowds.

One mural that has particularly captured global attention is Dmitri Vrubel’s depiction of Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev, and East German head, Erich Honecker, in a striking kiss. Painted in 1990, this artwork has resonated with people far and wide.

Walking along the East Side Gallery, you’re treated to a tapestry of colors, artistic approaches, and poignant messages, each telling a unique story.

4. Discover the Grandeur of Charlottenburg Palace

A must-visit on your Berlin itinerary is the majestic Charlottenburg Palace, located just a 25-minute metro ride from the city’s heart.

Entrance to the palace’s lush gardens is free, making it a budget-friendly spot for those looking to save. Here, you’ll be treated to neo-classical villas, a serene teahouse, and a historic mausoleum.

For those wishing to delve deeper into the palace’s interiors, tickets are priced at €10 for adults and a discounted €7 for students – don’t forget your student ID! Within its walls, you’ll find awe-inspiring rooms, from grand ballrooms to exhibitions featuring exquisite porcelain, the Prussian crown jewels, and other invaluable artifacts.

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5. Find Tranquility at Tiergarten

For nature enthusiasts, Tiergarten is a Berlin highlight. Spanning over 500 acres, this expansive public park offers a serene respite from the bustling city life.

The park boasts a rich tapestry of attractions, from historic monuments and statues to picnic-friendly spots. Whether you’re in the mood for a leisurely stroll through the rose garden or laying back on the vast green lawns with a book, Tiergarten promises a rejuvenating experience.

6. Capture Gendarmenmarkt Square’s Architectural Wonders

A photographer’s delight, Gendarmenmarkt Square in Berlin boasts a rich array of baroque architectural gems. Framed by the Berlin Concert Hall and several exquisite churches, this picturesque square is perfect for both snapping photos and unwinding with some people-watching. And if you’re in Berlin during the festive season, the square transforms into a mesmerizing Christmas market.

7. Revel in the Grandeur of Berliner Dom

A must-see attraction, the Berliner Dom, also known as the Berlin Cathedral, stands tall as a testament to Berlin’s architectural prowess. Constructed in 1905, this Protestant church beckons visitors with its majestic facade.

For €7, explore the interiors, scale to the summit for a breathtaking city view, or relax in the grassy courtyard capturing the cathedral’s essence. History buffs should not miss the Hohenzollern family crypt inside, an eminent burial site in Germany. Watch out for occasional concerts and events hosted within this iconic structure.

8. Delve into Nature’s Beauty at the Botanic Garden

Locally referred to as the Botanischer Garten, this botanical haven is a treat for nature lovers. Home to an astonishing 22,000 plant species, the garden spans across 43 hectares, featuring a plethora of unique flora.

For just €6, immerse yourself in the diverse ecosystems, from tropical plants in a humid greenhouse to various other plant biomes. The accompanying Botanical Museum offers deeper insights for those keen on expanding their botanical knowledge.

9. Scale the Victory Column for a Bird’s-Eye View

Nestled within the Tiergarten stands the formidable Victory Column, a symbol of Germany’s historic triumphs over Prussia and France. For a mere €3, ascend this iconic pillar. Though the journey upwards is via a tight, spiral staircase, the panoramic view awaiting atop is unparalleled. However, if confined spaces aren’t your thing, it might be best to admire this monument from the ground.

10. Discover the Mystique of Peacock Island

A hidden gem in Berlin, Peacock Island, nestled in the River Havel in southwest Berlin, promises a distinctive experience. This tranquil haven boasts historical landmarks like the Pfaueninsel Palace, once King Frederick William II’s summer retreat and now a museum.

Apart from historical sights, relax amidst vast green expanses, have a picnic, or get lost in the rose garden. And, as the name suggests, you’ll be in the delightful company of wandering peacocks. To reach this serene spot, take the metro to Wannsee Station, followed by a bus ride to the ferry point, and finally, a short boat trip to the island. A day amidst nature and history is worth the journey!

11. Visit the German Parliament Building

Iconic and impressive, the German Parliament Building, or Reichstag, stands as a testament to Berlin’s rich history. Rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1933, its signature glass dome is a crowd-puller.

While entrance is complimentary, ensure you reserve your spot online in advance due to its popularity. Once inside, ascend to the dome for breathtaking views, or embark on a guided or audio tour, diving deep into its past.

12. Famous Checkpoint Charlie

A potent symbol of Berlin’s past, Checkpoint Charlie, though a simple stand, is a significant attraction. This renowned checkpoint marked the division between East and West Berlin during WWII.

Today, it stands as a historical relic, with the nearby Checkpoint Charlie Museum providing deeper insights into its pivotal role during tumultuous times.

13. Kreuzberg Neighborhood

Experience the heart of Berlin in the eclectic Kreuzberg neighborhood. Reflecting a rich tapestry of cultures, this eastern part of the city teems with life and diversity.

From bustling street markets and serene communal gardens to avant-garde art galleries, fashionable thrift shops, and a plethora of dining options, Kreuzberg brims with energy. Whether you’re up for a vivacious night out or seeking diverse culinary delights, this neighborhood won’t disappoint.

14. Stroll by the Scenic Landwehr Canal

Experience a serene escape along the Landwehr Canal, stretching about 11 km and running adjacent to the Spree River. Ideal for nature lovers, it offers a refreshing break from the urban hustle. Whether you prefer a leisurely walk or a tranquil moment by the riverbank, this canal has it covered. Conveniently located, it meanders through Tiergarten, Kreuzberg, and central Berlin.

15. Dive into History on Museum Island

Berlin’s prized Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beckons history aficionados. Nestled in the Spree River, it houses a rich tapestry of museums. The renowned Pergamon Museum showcases diverse historical artifacts, while the Bode Museum delves into Byzantine-era sculptures. For Greek and Roman art enthusiasts, the Altes Museum is a treat. The Alte National Galerie exhibits global art spanning various eras, and the Neues Museum is dedicated to Egyptian masterpieces.

16. Savor Authentic German Delicacies

When in Berlin, indulge in its rich culinary heritage. Apart from its international dishes, Berlin boasts German staples from mouthwatering Schnitzel to the much-loved Döner Kebab. Currywurst, a tantalizing concoction of ketchup, Worcester sauce, and curry over a sausage, is a must-try. Seek out other delicacies like cheesy Käsespätzle, vegetable Gemuese Maultaschen dumplings, and the zesty Königsberger Klopse meatballs.

17. Experience Traditional Beer Culture in a German Beer Hall

To complement the German gastronomic journey, sip on traditional beer in an iconic German beer hall. These spacious venues are hubs of camaraderie and merriment, reminiscent of the grandeur of Bavaria’s Oktoberfest. Simply follow the local preference for an authentic beer experience.

18. Unearth Treasures at Mauerpark Market

Sundays in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district are synonymous with the bustling Mauerpark Market. This expansive flea market brims with antiques and quirky finds, akin to an expansive yard sale with potential treasures. Its vibrant atmosphere, enhanced by street musicians and delightful food, peaks with the show-stealer: a large-scale karaoke session. If you find yourself in Berlin on a Sunday, Mauerpark Market is a must-visit.

19. Reflect at the Holocaust Memorial

The Holocaust Memorial, formally recognized as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, stands as a profound symbol in Berlin’s heart. Designed by the renowned architect, Peter Eisenman from New York, the memorial captivates with its varying-sized concrete blocks. While its intriguing design may tempt some visitors for candid photography, it’s essential to approach this space with the utmost respect, honoring the memories of those lost during the Holocaust. An underground gallery further delves into the poignant narratives of Holocaust victims, offering a deeply moving experience.

20. Discover the Charm of Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz, Germany’s most expansive public square, is a bustling hub in Berlin. Teeming with cafés, shops, and eateries, its crowning jewel remains the iconic Television Tower, or “Fernsehturm.” Initially erected as an emblem of East Berlin’s communism, it now stands as the European Union’s second tallest structure. For a panoramic view of the city, ascend the tower for a fee of €21,50.

21. Dive into Berlin’s Electric Nightlife

Berlin’s legendary nightlife is a must-experience. The city boasts iconic clubs, with SchwuZ being one of its pioneering dance venues, Chalet offering a historic townhouse setting, and YAAM resonating with reggae and afro beats. Of special note is Berghain, Europe’s renowned club. Gaining entry can be challenging, but dressing in black and maintaining a calm demeanor in the queue might just work in your favor.

22. Relax at Treptower Park

Berlin’s Treptower Park, located alongside the River Spree, is a verdant oasis spanning 84 hectares. Ideal for picnics or engaging in sports, the park blooms with a rose garden during spring. It also hosts the Soviet War Memorial, bearing powerful quotes from Josef Stalin and paying tribute to the Russian soldiers interred there.

23. Revel in a Berlin Christmas Market

If you’re in Berlin during winter, the city’s Christmas markets promise an enchanting experience. With quaint stalls, festive decorations, and the aroma of mulled wine, these markets epitomize holiday cheer. Gendarmenmarkt and Schloss Charlottenburg rank among the most celebrated, but many other gems await discovery as you traverse the city.

24. Reconnect with Nature at Spreewald Forest

Just an hour from the city’s core, Spreewald Forest offers a rejuvenating escape along the Spree River. It’s perfect for activities like cycling, picnicking, running, or leisurely walks. The Potsdam Biosphere within the forest is also worth exploring.

25. Embark on a Historical Journey to Sanssouci Palace

For history enthusiasts and those seeking resplendent architecture, Sanssouci Palace, the summer residence of Prussia’s King Frederick the Great, is an ideal day trip. With its imposing yellow walls, stately pillars, and meticulously designed gardens, this palace is both a photographer’s dream and a tranquil escape from urban hustle.

Whether you choose to explore Berlin as a tourist or complement your visit with exciting work exchanges throughout the country, you’re guaranteed to have an incredible time exploring Germany.

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Home » Travel Guides » Germany » 75 Best Things to Do in Berlin (Germany)

75 Best Things to Do in Berlin (Germany)

No capital city in the world feels quite like Berlin, and maybe that’s because none has had a century as eventful. Here’s a city that was the party capital of the world in the Golden Twenties and was then razed and cut in two. One half rebounded as an economic juggernaut while the other languished in oppression and a sea of concrete.

And when the two halves were reunited a quarter of a century ago Berlin got a new identity as a fun-loving, disarmingly scruffy, cool and socially-conscious hotbed of ideas. And if you need photo-friendly sights Berlin has them in spades and they’re all permeated with the drama of the last hundred years.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Berlin :

1. Brandenburg Gate

Where Unter den Linden intersects with Ebertstraße stands what may be Germany’s most recognisable sight.

For first-timers in Berlin the Brandenburg Gate is obligatory, and it’s charged with real emotion and meaning, as an ever-present landmark during the destruction of the Second World War and the Berlin Wall when it stood at the divide.

This ceremonial monument was erected at the turn of the 1790s at the behest of the Prussian King Frederick William II, on the site of one of Berlin’s former defensive gates.

At the top is the Quadriga, a chariot pulled by four horses, all supported by 12 Doric columns forming five passageways.

Recommended tour : Discover Berlin Walking Tour

2. Reichstag

Another landmark that sums up the drama of the 20th century in Berlin is the Reichstag, the meeting place of the German Parliament.

This Neo-Baroque building dates from 1894 and housed the Imperial Diet until it was damaged in that infamous and historic fire in 1933. The ruins were merely maintained until after the Berlin Wall fell.

And as soon as it came down a restoration project by Norman Foster began to resurrect the Reichstag as an emblem of a unified Germany.

The plan included a new glass dome in which you can look down on the debating chamber and take in Berlin’s cityscape, all while hooked up to an audio-guide.

Available activity: Berlin Reichstag: Rooftop Dinner at the Käfer Restaurant

3. Tiergarten

After scurrying around the big-hitting sights and museums the Tiergarten could be a peaceful interlude.

It’s a large belt of thick foliage, coursed by the Landwehr Canal and spreading west from the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag.

Like so many European city parks the Tiergarten was once a hunting ground (for the Electors of Brandenburg) before being revamped in the 1830s by the Prussian architect Peter Joseph Lenné.

Schloss Bellevue, the residence for the President of Germany, is in the Tiergarten.

Beyond providing some respite from the city the Tiergarten is woven with monuments like the Bismarck memorial, and pretty spots like the Luiseninsel and rose garden.

4. Victory Column (Siegessäule)

Where the roads converge in the Tiergarten there’s another big photo opportunity.

The Victory Column was built in 1864 after the defeat of Denmark in the Danish-Prussian War.

But it would also come to represent a slew of other victories in that era, over Austria and then France in 1870-71. Following these successes an 8.3-metre sculpture of Victoria was added to the top of the column, weighing 35 tons.

The whole monument once stood in front of the Reichstag, but was moved in 1938-39 to its current spot at the centre of a roundabout as part of Hitler’s ambitious plan to remodel Berlin as “World Capital Germania”. For a small fee you can tridge the 285 steps of the spiral stairway to watch over the Tiergarten and Berlin 51 metres above the park.

5. Museum Island

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Museum Island on the Spree is an ensemble of five world-beating museums.

These are the Altes Museum, Alte National Galerie, Neues Museum, Bode-Museum and the Pergamon Museum.

This little district, and the wider notion of a museum as a venue for public edification, is a product of the Enlightenment and plans were set in motion in the early 19th century.

The museums were also an opportunity to show off the richness and sophistication of the Prussian royal collections and the fruits of its 19th-century victories.

The first institution to open was the Altes Museum in 1830, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel who drew up several Neoclassical monuments around Berlin in that period.

The last was the Pergamon Forum from 1930, while the Neues Museum from 1859 was reopened in 2009 having been wrecked in the war.

Tip: If you’re planning to visit a few museums have a look at the Museum Pass Berlin: 3-Day Entry to Over 30 Museums

6. Neues Museum

Created in 1855, destroyed in 1945 and now reborn, the Neues Museum had been left to rot for the entire post-War period.

Finally, after reunification plans were put in place its treasury of ancient artefacts was finally moved from the Altes Musuem back to its rightful home in 2009. There are galleries for Ancient Rome and Greece, but it’s the Egyptian displays that pull in the crowds and none more so than the bust of Queen Nefertiti.

The 3,350-year-old sculpture was discovered at Amarna in 1912 and has been beguiling people ever since.

Still, Nefertiti is only one of many exhibits, from hieroglyphics to sarcophagi and two preserved ancient courtyards, one Egyptian and one Greek.

7. Gemäldegalerie

Paintings by Europe’s greatest artists up to the 18th century are in store at the Gemäldegalerie, one of the world’s top fine art museums.

For the sake of introduction, we’re talking about Botticelli, Albrecht Dürer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Hans Holbein, Raphael, Vermeer, Botticelli and many more than we can list here.

This wealth of painting wasn’t amassed by a single family, but was curated by the Prussian Government from 1815 as a cross-section of European art.

You have 1,250 works of the highest quality to see, by master after master, so don’t be surprised if you lose all track of time under their spell.

8. Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer

Some of the most memorable images from the early days of the Berlin Wall were recorded at Bernauer Straße where there’s now a memorial to this famous boundary.

A 70-metre length of the wall has been preserved here, including the Todesstreifen (Death Strip) in between, and a watchtower beside the street.

This whole section is closed off as a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives trying to cross between 1961 and 1989. Across Bernauer Straße is the visitor centre, which chronicles the wall, from when it was first enforced to its eventual destruction.

There’s also a five-storey observation tower giving you a true sense of the divide.

9. Pergamon Museum

At the Pergamon Museum you’ll come face-to-face with epic ancient monuments from the Near East, brought in pieces to Berlin from the 1910s and reconstructed in these galleries.

The 2nd-Century Pergamon Altar is the piece that gives the museum its name, a stairway and portico on a pedestal adorned with a frieze in high relief portraying scenes from Greek mythology.

Some other wonders are the colourful Ishtar Gate, rebuilt with the material discovered in its excavation, the Roman Market Gate of Miletus, the Islamic art of the Umayyad Mshatta Facade from Jordan and, oldest of all, the Mesopotamian Meissner fragment from the Epic of Gilgamesh.

10. Deutsches Historisches Museum

In the Zeughaus, one of the many palatial buildings on Unter den Linden, the German Historical Museum reveals 2,000 years of German history.

For this there’s an enormous exhibition of 7,000 artefacts arranged in chronological order.

These jump from precious pieces, like the iconic painting of Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the elder or Napoleon’s hat worn at the Battle of Waterloo, to things that give you a hint of everyday life.

So you can also cast your eye over Weimar election posters, penny farthing bikes from the 19th century, intact American supply drops from the Berlin Blockade and home appliances from the GDR.

11. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Not far from the Brandenburg Gate is the solemn and powerful memorial to the holocaust, designed by the New York architect Peter Eisenman.

Set on what used to be the “death strip of the Berlin Wall” are 2,711 concrete blocks of varying heights, in a grid pattern on an undulating open space that lends the memorial a wavelike form.

The blocks are on 54 north-south rows, and 87 perpendicular east-west rows.

The memorial encourages you to interact and reflect, and there’s also an underground gallery ; a network of themed rooms offers background on Jewish victims of the holocaust, with biographies, letters and personal effects of some of the victims.

12. Unter den Linden

Berlin’s oldest and most stately boulevard runs east to west from the Musuem Island to the Brandenburg Gate.

The route is as old as Berlin, and the lime trees that give Unter den Linden its name were planted in 1647. But it was only in the 18th century, during the reign of Frederick the Great that the boulevard took on its current grandeur.

The big sights like the Zeughaus, State Opera and Humboldt University all arrived in this period.

The list of alumni at the university includes Einstein, Marx, Engels and Hegel.

Many of the historic landmarks on Unter den Linden were levelled or badly damaged in the war and would take until after Reunification to be rebuilt or restored.

13. Gendarmenmarkt

Contained by Charlottenstraße and Markgrafenstraße is a square exuding Baroque opulence and plotted by the architect Johann Arnold Nering in the 17th century.

The showpieces are the French and German Churches, facing off at the northern and southern ends of the plaza.

They are both fronted by porticos and crowned with regal domes.

Between them is the newer and very imposing Konzerthaus, erected in 1821, in front of a statue of the writer Friedrich Schiller.

In December the square gets a sprinkle of fairy dust when the Christmas Market sets up, while the Classic Open Air is a programme of concerts in summer.

14. Topography of Terror

Like the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, the Topography of Terror stands as another sobering message for future generations.

On Niederkirchnerstrasse is the former location of the Gestapo and SS, two names that are instantly connected to possibly the most infamous period in European history.

The headquarters for these institutions were bombed in the war and then pulled down afterwards, before being abandoned on the course of the wall, which still stands here.

There’s an open-air exhibition on the excavated ruins of the headquarters, recalling life in Berlin during the Third Reich, the story of the SS and Gestapo, their key figures and the deeds that were plotted at this place.

15. Fernsehturm

Raised next to Alexanderplatz in the late-1960s, the Fernsehturm (Television Tower) was intended as a highly visible symbol of communist power in East Berlin.

Still the second tallest structure in all of the European Union, it is as much landmark for Berlin as the Reichstag or the Brandenburg Gate.

The Fernsehturm is also the highest building in Europe open to the public, and provided you plan ahead, the 40-second ride to the viewing platform 200 metres high is something you can’t turn down.

From this height you can zoom in on the minutest details with a telescope, and there’s also a revolving restaurant, which requires a bit of pre-planning if you want a table.

Suggested activity : Skip-the-Line Berlin TV Tower with VIP Dinner

16. Jewish Museum Berlin

On Lindenstraße the museum tackling the weighty topic of Jewish history in Germany opened in 2001 in an acclaimed Deconstructivist building by Daniel Libeskind.

From above, the museum’s plan resembles a bolt of lightning and has been compared to a dismantled star of David.

Once you start negotiating its zigzagging corridors there are empty spaces, 20-metre-high voids that express interrupted history and the sense of loss of the holocaust.

The permanent exhibition lays out the story of the Jews in Germany, starting in the towns on the banks of the Rhine in medieval times.

The hope and prosperity of the Jewish Emancipation of the 18th and 19th centuries gives way to National Socialism and the horrors that followed.

An alternative axis leads you to the Garden of Exile, and another to the Holocaust Tower, a hollow 24-metre silo.

17. DDR Museum

Believe it or not, “Ostalgie”, or nostalgia for the German Democratic Republic, is a thing in the former East Germany.

The DDR Museum opened just across from the Berlin Cathedral in 2006 and is a complete repository for the German Democratic Republic, documenting the good, the bad and the downright kitsch.

Among many things you can check out the decor and furnishings inside a typical flat in an East German “plattenbau” concrete tower block and see what it was like to drive a Trabant.

Across 27 themed spaces there’s memorabilia from the Free German Youth (FDJ), recordings of East German music, a reproduction of a classroom, but also information about the notorious Stasi and their efforts to pry into the lives of thousands of citizens.

18. Berlin Cathedral

Not strictly a cathedral, as it has never been the seat for a bishop, this temple on Museum island is still Berlin’s most important Protestant church.

It’s the fourth church at this setting next to the Spree, in a line that goes back to 1451. The current cathedral is in the exuberant Historicist style and was finished in 1904. Berlin Cathedral sustained damage in the Second World War when the lantern in the dome was destroyed, but the building never collapsed and has become another allegory for Berlin.

Restoration began in the 1970s and took until 1993. Through the portal there’s a profusion of goldwork, mosaics, sculpture and a mosaic hewn from marble and onyx by the 19th-century architect Friedrich August Stüler.

Below, enter the Hohenzollern Crypt, the resting place for the House of Hohenzollern, which produced Prussian Kings and German Emperors.

19. Alexanderplatz

The largest square in Germany and an energetic transport hub, Alexanderplatz is one of the most dynamic and exciting corners of Berlin.

This former parade ground became the city’s main shopping district at the start of the 20th century.

It was completely obliterated in the Second World War and owes its appearance to a GDR project during the 1960s.

In those days “Alex” was the scene of many public gatherings, including the peaceful protests against the wall in 1989. The rate of transformation since the wall came down has been dramatic, and following developments like the Alexa mall, Alexanderplatz is a major shopping and entertainment destination once again.

A lot of the GDR’s concrete architecture remains, most famously in the unforgettable silhouette of the Fernsehturm.

20. Checkpoint Charlie

The intersection of Friedrichstraße and Zimmerstraße is the site of the legendary border crossing between East and West Berlin.

This very place was almost the scene of a catastrophe in 1961 when American and Soviet Tanks stood off against each other for six days at the end of October.

Later, in 1962, it witnessed the death of Peter Fechter, a teenager shot trying to cross from East to West.

The name comes from the phonetic alphabet (Charlie meaning C), as Checkpoint Charlie was the third such border crossing set up by the allies in the city.

Now the guardhouse and sandbags in the centre of the street are worth a photo as you pass by.

21. Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears)

Also harking back to the days of the wall is a hall at Friedrichstraße Station, the only westbound border crossing by train, U-Bahn and S-Bahn link.

West Berliners making short visits to the east would return home from here, and the name Tränenpalast comes from the tearful goodbyes that would happen in front of the station.

The old terminal has an exhibition using firsthand accounts by people who made the journey between 1962 and 1990, describing the stringent security measures and customs checks.

There are hundreds of original artefacts to bring the reality home, while the original signs and instruction panels have been preserved and are still in place.

22. Treptower Park

A quick ride on the S-Bahn takes you to Treptower Park next to the Spree in the southeast of Berlin.

Summer is when the park is at its best as you can amble beside the river for four kilometres or catch a boat for a cruise on the Spree.

The park was landscaped in the English style in 1884 and spreads over 84 hectares, composed of abundant lawns, tree groves and a rose garden.

Right after the war an immense memorial and cemetery was built for the 80,000 Soviet soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin.

It was East Germany’s chief war memorial and is a large ensemble of sculptures, including a central area lined with 16 stone sarcophagi, one for each of the Soviet republics.

This leads up to a 12-metre statue of a Soviet soldier holding a German child and standing on a smashed swastika.

23. Gedächtniskirche

The original Kaiser Wilhelm Church was built in the 1890s and had a Neo-Romanesque style.

The church was part of the Kaiser’s nationwide construction project to ward off the growing labour movement, and was named after his grandfather.

It was badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1943, and after the war there was a big debate about whether it should be pulled down or rebuilt.

In the end the architect Egon Eiermann designed a stunning modern church next to the ruins.

This new building has walls inlaid with more than 20,000 blue stained glass panels and consecrated in 1961. The surviving, damaged tower of the old church remains as a memorial, holding an anti-war exhibition with a crucifix made from nails collected from Coventry Cathedral, bombed by the Nazis in 1940.

24. Olympic Stadium

Few sporting arenas have seen as much world-changing history as Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

When the Nazis came to power in 1933 they identified the upcoming 1936 Olympics as a propaganda opportunity, and Werner March was called upon to design a monumental stadium that would turn heads.

The result was a technical masterpiece and would be the arena where Jesse Owens took four gold medals, undermining any notions of Aryan supremacy.

Since then an immense steel roof has been installed, weighing 3,500 tons and the capacity has been cut back from 100,000 to 74,475. Visit for a tour during the week, or try to catch the famous atmosphere of a Bundesliga match when Hertha BSC play their home matches in the ground between August and May.

25. Berlin Philharmonie

The Berlin Philharmoniker is often voted in the top two or three symphony orchestras in the world.

So for classical music fans a night at the Philharmoniker’s home venue might represent a lifetime ambition.

The concert hall, noted for its tent-like roof, opened on the south side of the Tiergarten in 1963. In those days it was in a wasteland created by the wall, but is now at the green soul of the city and a member of the Kulturforum ensemble of important cultural venues.

An odd piece of trivia is that guns were used to test the acoustics during construction in the early 60s.

You might have your eye on an upcoming performance, but if you’d just like a taster there’s a free concert of chamber music every Tuesday at 13:00 in the foyer.

26. Deutsches Technikmuseum

A technophile’s idea of heaven, the German Technology Museum is a trip through transport and industry down the years.

Kids will be wild about the fleet of heavy-duty vehicles like steam and diesel locomotives and a gigantic aviation hall holding a V-1 bomb, an Arado Ar 96, the wreckage of a Stuka divebomber and Lancaster, a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

As for industrial processes, the museum doesn’t just tell you how things are made; it shows you with live demonstrations of paper production and typecasting for newspapers for instance.

Kids can also get involved at the Science Centre, where wacky experiments will deepen their understanding of concepts like electricity, light and magnetism.

27. Charlottenburg Palace

The summer home of the imperial Hollenzollern family is an easy journey west on the S-Bahn, and is the largest and most refined palace in the city.

Berlin’s answer to Versailles was first built in 1695, and then expanded according to the taste of its owners over the next century or so.

And like Versailles, Charlottenburg could easily consume a day, as there’s so much to see at the palace and its various outbuildings, many hosting museums.

The baroque Old Palace has a magnificent porcelain cabinet, sumptuous tableware, the crown jewels and royal silver collection.

The Rococo New Wing has the state apartments of Frederick the Great, while the Hohenzollern mausoleum is where members of that prestigious family are buried.

The delightful Belvedere outside has a display of Berlin porcelain, while the old palace theatre has a museum for prehistory.

28. Kaufhaus des Westens

Shortened to KaDeWe, Kaufhaus des Westens is a department store without rival.

This eight-storey monster is the most famous shopping destination in Germany and the second largest department store in Europe.

If you’ve got money to burn the first three floors are all about high-end women’s and men’s fashion, and if you think you’ve seen it all before, the dazzling “Luxury Boulevard” on the ground floor is like a mini 5th Avenue.

But for the rest of us the show-stopper is the immense “Delicatessen” food hall on the 6th floor where scores of confectioners and bakers work their magic, and almost any specialty food under the sun is available.

Then above is the winter garden, setting the scene for KaDeWe’s 1,000-seat self-service restaurant.

29. Museum für Naturkunde

You can say hello to the world’s largest mounted dinosaur skeleton at the central hall of Berlin’s natural history museum.

Standing at 13.27 metres this beast, a sauropod, would have weighed 55 tons when it was alive.

Nearly all the material is from one animal, discovered in Tanzania in the early 20th century.

Tristan the T-Rex, and the groundbreaking archaeopteryx fossil (the missing link between reptiles and birds), are the other main events.

But there’s a lot more keep you rapt in the museum’s galleries: Take the 4,500 mineral specimens in the Hall of Minerals, a taxidermy of a dodo, and an exhibition illustrating the theory of evolution with perfect clarity.

30. Mauerpark Market

Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg is the setting for a shopping trip to remember.

The market is at its best in summer, when you can compare it to a small music festival.

In among the stalls are musicians playing gigs for little crowds, as and street food vendors selling international fare.

The stallholders themselves are mostly everyday people trying to sell stuff they no longer need.

But there are also professionals flogging antiques and collectibles like Soviet paraphernalia, and artisans selling handicrafts, clothing and art.

At 15:00 all attention turns to the amphitheatre where there’s a mass karaoke session in which anyone can take part, as long as they don’t mind singing in front of hundreds of people!

31. Alte Nationalgalerie

When the wealthy banker and art patron Joachim Heinrich Wilhelm Wagener passed away in 1861 he bequeathed his bountiful collection of 262 paintings to Prussia.

That collection would be the basis for the Nationalgalerie, and work began on a venue within two years.

Friedrich August Stüler’s came up with a stately Neoclassical temple that has a few Eclecticist flourishes thrown in.

As for the contents, the museum deals only with the 19th century.

We’re talking about the Romantic art of Caspar David Friedrich and his contemporaries, moving through Impressionism and paintings by Renoir and Monet, into the early roots of Modernism via Max Liebermann and Adolph von Menzel.

32. Konzerthaus Berlin

The grand concert hall on Gendarmenmarkt was actually a theatre for most of its history.

As the Königliches Schauspielhaus, and then the Preußisches Staatstheater, the most illustrious actors of the 19th century trod its boards.

It functioned in this capacity up to the Second World War when it was bombed out.

The ruins were left untouched until the building was revived as a concert hall and the venue for the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (Now the Konzerthausorchester Berlin). Check the season in advance and buy, beg, borrow or steal to get a seat, as the acoustics in the Konzerthaus are rated in the top five in the world.

33. Berlin Zoo

No animal attraction in Europe gets more visitors than the Berlin Zoo, which is enveloped in woodland on the southwestern corner of the Tiergarten.

At just over 1,5000 the array of different species is the largest on the planet, and the zoo toes the line between ethical animal treatment and crowd-pleasing exhibits.

All the big cats are present, along with chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos and gorillas: As of 2017 Fatou here is the oldest gorilla in the world at 60 years olc.

Though space is at a premium near the centre of the city, the inhabitants are kept in humane enclosures that resemble they’re natural environments.

The zoo engages in breeding programmes for rhinos, gaurs and various rare deer and pig species, while a pair of giant pandas arrived in 2017 on a breeding loan and are presented in a large glass habitat.

34. Potsdamer Platz

On the southeast corner of Tiergarten, Potsdamer Platz was an empty no-man’s-land divided by the wall from the end of the war to the 1990s.

That was all a far cry from the Golden Twenties when the square had been the bustling centre of the city, an equivalent to Times Square for its transport connections, shopping, entertainment and nightlife.

After the wall came down developers were presented with a blank canvas to re-imagine a unified Berlin as a modern, forward-thinking capital.

Only a quarter of a century later Potsdamer Platz is a futuristic business district in the mould of La Défense or Canary Wharf.

Daimler’s Haus-Huth here was the only facade to survive the devastation of the war, and behind it lies a free museum for modern and contemporary art delving into movements from Bauhaus to Minimalism.

35. Sony Center

Maybe the showpiece for the new Potsdamer Platz is this building complex that went up during the 1990, designed by Helmut Jahn and Peter Walker.

The centre is a kind of plaza, encircled by arresting glass towers and sheltered by a tent-like canopy, which creates a real sense of spectacle.

Around it are shops, hotels, museums, cinemas, an IMAX theatre, restaurants and offices.

There’s free Wi-Fi on the plaza and sure to appeal to kids is the branch of the Legoland Discovery Centre, an indoor theme park based on the much-loved building toy.

36. East Side Gallery

Warschauer Straße station is the spot to start a walk beside the longest preserved stretch of the Berlin Wall.

Every patch has been adorned with art, turning this into the world’s longest outdoor gallery.

Some of the murals have gone down in history and are indelible, while others are constantly being replaced and updated.

Most of the work is bold, colourful and thought-provoking.

The lasting image depicts GDR leader Erich Honecker and General Secretary of the Communist Party Leonid Brezhnev locked in a kiss.

Painted by Dimitri Vrubel in 1990, it was restored by the artist in 2009 as part of an ongoing fight to preserve the most famous images in the face of erosion and tagging.

37. Museum of Film and Television

The Deutsche Kinemathek is Germany’s film and television archive, which unveiled its museum in 2006. If you’re enchanted by Weimar-era silent movies like Nosferatu and Metropolis, trailblazers in the horror and sci-fi genres, you owe it to yourself to come for the inside story at the museum.

There are vintage posters, costumes, scene sketches, photos and original props.

One of the biggest stars of the era, Marlene Dietrich has a special place in the exhibition, and there are artefacts from her breakthrough, The Blue Angel and a collection of her personal belongings.

The highlight of the television exhibition is the archive footage of momentous 20th-century events like the fall of the Berlin Wall or Germany winning the World Cup in 1954.

38. Prenzlauer Berg

Somewhere to try and grasp the dizzying speed of change in Berlin since Reunification, Prenzlauer Berg is a former East German neighbourhood.

As a residential area it escaped a lot of the wartime destruction that levelled the rest of the city.

So the dominating five-storey Neoclassical apartment blocks survived, falling into dilapidation on the socialist side of the border.

When the wall came down these blocks and their courtyards were taken over by squatters, whose radical ideals and rough edges have been gradually smoothed out over the last quarter of a century.

Still young, it’s a neighbourhood of leafy streets, artsy boutiques, hookah bars and trendy restaurant concepts.

39. Botanischer Garten

Planted with over 22,000 plant species, Berlin’s 43-hectare botanical garden is heaven on earth for horticulturalists, gardeners and anyone who needs to recharge their batteries.

The garden is in the residential area of Dahlem, having moved from the centre of the city between 1897 and 1910. At this time the largest of the park’s 15 greenhouses, the Große Tropenhaus (Great Tropical House) was raised in a graceful Art Nouveau style.

Its humid interior is 30°C all year, and supports a giant bamboo.

Outside you can get lost in a 14-hectare arboretum, which has the absurdly romantic “Arbour of Roses” at its heart.

And real scholars can immerse themselves in the Botanical Museum, teeming with plant trivia and exhibits like the Prussian royal specimen collection.

40. Stasi Museum

Berlin confronts another difficult period from its past at the former headquarters of the State Security Service for the GDR. At Haus 1 of the Ministry for State of Security, the museum is in a suitably oppressive-looking complex in Lichtenberg, some way east of the centre.

The full scope of the surveillance conducted by the Stasi on the GDR’s citizens and its efforts to infiltrate the west are laid bare.

Anyone who’s into espionage will get a kick out of the miniature cameras, bugs and concealable weapons, and there are explanations of the Stasi’s structure and recruitment methods.

Go upstairs and things get really interesting, as everything has been left exactly as it was in 1989. Desks, chairs, filing cabinets and safes are all in place, and you can step into the office of its head, Erich Mielke, the man known as “The Master of Fear”.

41. Bode Museum

The last of our Museum Island attractions is on the northern tip, and was named for its curator when it first opened in a Neo-Renaissance palace 1904. The focus is on classical sculpture, Byzantine art, Renaissance painting, liturgical art and a massive numismatic collection.

The Italian Renaissance halls are maybe the most accessible for first-timers, and are bursting with frescoes, glazed terracotta and sculptures by artists like Donatello.

Equally spellbinding is the Byzantine art from the 3rd to the 15th centuries made up of carvings, mosaics and painted icons from Greece, the Balkans, Italy, Turkey and Russia.

And as for that coin collection, only 4,000 pieces of the 500,000-strong reserve can be shown.

This was first assembled by the Brandenburg Electors in the 16th century.

42. Kurfürstendamm

Shooting west from the Gedächtniskirche is Berlin’s glitzy and upscale shopping avenue in the Parisian tradition, drawn up at the behest of Otto von Bismarck in the 1880s.

Framing four rows of plane trees are luxury emporia and flagship stores for international mid-market brands like Urban Outfitters and C&A. Next to the Gedächtniskirche is the Europa-Center, Berlin’s oldest shopping mall, beneath a rectangular 1960s skyscraper which is now a protected building.

In the Golden Twenties Kurfürstendamm was Berlin’s hottest entertainment district, and “Theater und die Komödie am Kurfürstendamm” are throwbacks to that era.

Café Kranzler harks back to before the war when it was known as Café des Westens and the haunt of bohemian Berlin’s intellectuals and writers.

43. Hackesche Höfe

Opening onto Hackescher Markt is a chain of eight connected Art Nouveau courtyards, conceived at the turn of the 20th century by the architect August Endel.

Between Rosenthaler Straße and Sophienstraße are bars, clubs, theatres, shops and a cinema, all on courtyards organised according to their occupants: So to explain, a lot of the entertainment is on Courtyard I and II, which stay open at all hours, while the quieter businesses and residential courtyards further back are closed off at night.

After the war Hackesche Höfe was neglected on the GDR side, though its heritage listing meant it couldn’t be torn down.

The courtyards and their beautiful Jugendstil motifs were restored in the 1990s and have become a dynamic testament to a unified Berlin.

44. Museum Berggruen

In 1996 the Jewish native Berliner Heinz Berggruen sold his astounding modern art collection to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation for a nominal sum.

This was a gesture of reconciliation after being forced to flee Berlin in 1933. He left at the age of 18 and became a prominent art patron in the intervening years, making friends with Pablo Picasso and having an affair with Frida Kahlo.

Picasso and Paul Klee are the two stars of his collection, represented by more than 200 pieces.

They are joined by celebrated artists like Seurat, van Gogh, Braque, Cézanne and Matisse Giacometti, whose monumental “Large Standing Woman III” greets you at the entrance.

45. Kreuzberg

Bounded to the east by the Spree, Kreuberg is a neighbourhood that was a little desolate in the 20th century as it was surrounded on three sides by the wall.

The low cost of living appealed to an eclectic mix of immigrants, squatters, anarchist communes, artists and musicians, and Kreuzberg became the centre of Berlin’s counterculture and gay scenes.

With the arrival of start-ups, gentrification has crept in over the last few years, but Kreuzberg still has that communal, creative spirit at shared gardens, cultural centres an markets.

There’s a multicultural mix of restaurants, shops you can’t find anywhere else and countless places to catch live music.

A little more polished, Friedrichshain to the east is packed with museums, and officially has the highest density of nightclubs in Berlin.

Recommended tour : 2.5-Hour Walking Tour through Kreuzberg 61

46. Landwehr Canal

Dug in the 1840s, the Landwehr Canal created a navigable route between Friedrichshain in the east and Charlottenburg in the west.

The canal cuts right through Kreuzberg, and its embankments are calm, green and walkable.

Along the Maybachufer on the south side of the canal there’s a Turkish market on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, which feels like a bazaar and has a cornucopia of Turkish produce and goodies.

Facing Maybuchufer from the north side is Paul-Lincke-Ufer, traced with canal-side cafes and bars, while Fraenkelufer has the vestiges of a synagogue, demolished by the Nazis and with one wing still intact.

47. Brücke Museum

Connoisseurs of Expressionism won’t mind going the extra mile to Dahlem by the Grunewald where there’s a fabulous museum for Die Brücke.

This group of Expressionists was formed in Dresden in 1905 and among its members were some of the most exciting painters of the period, like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Emil Nolde.

The museum opened in 1967 and was endowed with the private collections belonging to two of its members, Karl Schmidt-Rottluf and Erich Heckel.

The total reserve of 400 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings is shown in temporary exhibitions that home in on a specific theme or individual painter.

48. Grunewald

Within walking distance of the Olympic Stadium is the northern cusp of Berlin’s largest green area, sprawling across 3,000 hectares.

Berlin’s streets will seem far away once you’re on a peaceful trail in deep birch and coniferous forest.

And you can thank Berlin’s early-20th-century environmental movement for helping to protect the Grunewald from the city, which was expanding west at the time.

Pack a picnic in summer, as well as your bathing suit on the hottest days as swimming is permitted at Wannsee and Schlachtensee.

There are many more smaller lakes in the forest, like Grunewaldsee, which has the Renaissance Jagdchloss Grunewald on its shore, the oldest palace in Berlin.

It’s one of a host of historic residences either ensconced in the woodland or on its fringes.

49. Teufelsberg

In the northernmost expanse of Grunewald is the extraordinary Teufelsberg, a man-made hill cresting at 120 metres.

When Berlin’s streets were cleared at the end of the war, rubble from some 400,000 bomb-hit buildings was deposited in the forest.

The hill was started in 1950 and the last load of debris was dropped in 1972. That was all dropped on top of an incomplete Nazi military-technical academy, designed by Albert Speer.

Like a lot of Nazi concrete constructions the academy proved too difficult to demolish with explosives so was buried.

In the 1960s an American listening station was built on top, and urban explorers will love pottering around this abandoned site if they don’t mind paying a €8 fee at the gate.

50. Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz

In 1914 the pharmaceutical magnate Ernst Marmlier built himself a luxurious Neoclassical villa on the shore of Wannsee, to the southwest of Berlin.

Not long after this would come into the hands of Nazi-sympathiser Friedrich Minoux, who sold it to the SS during the Second World War.

And that’s how it was involved in one of the grimmest chapters in world history.

The Wannsee Conference in 1942 is where the plan was drawn up for the “Final Solution”. The museum at the villa has documents from the conference and multimedia outlining how the genocide of millions of Jews came about.

The exhibition goes into depth on deportation, concentration camps and life in the ghettos before the Final Solution was put into action.

51. Liebermann-Villa

Also on the lake, next door to the Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz is the summer residence for the eminent German Impressionist, Max Liebermann.

Lovers of his work will be captivated by the garden, which shows up in around 200 of Liebermann’s paintings and has been restored to Max’s early 20th-century designs.

A terrace faces Wannsee, and this is framed by a lovely birch grove on one side and gardens with boxwood hedges on the other.

The artist’s studio holds a poignant exhibition about the Liebermann family’s persecution under by the Nazis, while the top floor has around 40 of Max’s later works and portraits of friends and important figures from the time.

52. Spandau Citadel

Billed as one of the best-preserved Renaissance fortresses in Europe, the Spandau Citadel also contains the oldest surviving building in Berlin.

Julius Tower is the symbol for the citadel, 35 metres high and a remnant from a medieval castle predating the Renaissance fortress by about 300 years.

The four-bastioned stronghold took shape around the tower in the second half of the 16th century, and was besieged by the Swedes in 1674 and taken by Napoleon’s troops in 1806. As you go in, you’ll see how gravestones from a medieval Jewish cemetery were reused in the citadel’s walls, and the Commander’s House chronicles the fortress’ eventful history.

In winter the vaulted cellars are a haven for hundreds of flying fox bats, and there are bat-themed tours for closer look of these harmless creatures.

53. Domäne Dahlem

A trip on the bus or the U3, Domäne Dahlem is a manor house and rural museum on the southwestern fringe of the city.

The oldest architecture in the manor goes back to the 1560s, while the land on its grounds has been farmed for more than 800 years.

Naturally Domäne Dahlem is just the setting for a museum about traditional agriculture and nutrition, dealing with its topics in a smart, creative way.

In the stables is the Culinarium, in which three floors of interactive exhibits and multimedia explain the history of nutrition in Europe, and where our food comes from today.

In the manor house there’s a recreation of a shop from the Renaissance, where a hologram merchant will assist you, and in the grounds is a real blacksmith’s forge and furniture workshop.

54. Schloss Köpenick

On an island in the Dahme River, just before it feeds the Spree, sits the only Baroque palace in Berlin to make it to the 21st century unchanged.

Another residence for the Hohenzollerns, Schloss Köpenick is often referred to as the Water Palace (Wasserschloss) for its picturesque waterside setting, and took on its current form under after a reconstruction ordered by the future Frederick I in the 17th century.

He turned a Renaissance hunting lodge into a plush Baroque residence, adorned with exuberant stuccowork by the Italian decorator Giovanni Caroveri.

Within there’s an exhibition by Berlin’s Kunstgewerbemusuem showcasing applied art from the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods.

55. Käthe Kollwitz Museum

You can pick up the Käthe Kollwitz thread once more at this museum dedicated to the female painter and sculptor.

In a Historicist villa on Fasanenstraße are some 200 woodcuts, paintings, sculptures, graphics and posters.

A member of the Expressionist and then New Objectify movements, Kollwitz spent a lot of her career in Prenzlauer Berg, which was a working class district at the time, and her art gave a voice to the downtrodden during industrialisation.

That empathy shines through in prints like “Brot!”, and the anti-war woodcut cycle “Krieg”. On the top floor, in a gallery drenched with natural light is a well-known two-metre sculpture of Kollwitz by Gustav Seitz.

56. Neue Wache

A good follow-up for the Kollwitz Museum is the Neoclassical temple on Unter den Linden.

The architect behind this monument was Karl Friedrich Schinkel who designed it in the 1810s as a memorial to the fallen soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars and specifically the German Campaign of 1813. The building was also employed as a guardhouse for the troops of the Crown Prince, up to the end of the First World War and the start of the Weimar Republic.

Since 1993 this solemn space has been dedicated to “Victims of War and Dictatorship”. Kollwitz’s sculpture Mother with her Dead Son is the centrepiece under the oculus where it is exposed to the elements to signify the civilian suffering during the Second World War.

57. Friedrichstadt-Palast

You can recapture the spirit of the 1920s at a cabaret show in Berlin.

And while there’s no lack of options the Freidrichstadt-Palast (1919) deserves special mention for the incredible dimensions of the theatre and the lavish revues it puts on.

The stage floor of 2,854 square metres is claimed to be the largest theatre stage in the world.

And if the venue is palatial, the shows are an explosion of glitz and glamour.

The casts are huge, and the costume design, acrobatics and choreography are from a less restrained Las Vegas.

In 2017 the marquee event was Jean Paul Gaultier’s “The One Grand Show”, boasting 500 costumes, more than 100 performers and a multi-million Euro budget.

58. Bauhaus Archive/Museum of Design

The impact of the Bauhaus School (1919-1933) on architecture and design is impossible to overstate, and at the Bauhaus Archive you’ll be treated to the largest assortment of works from the movement.

The venue is from the 1960s and its futuristic appearance and serrated lines have made it a shooting location for movies like Æon Flux and V for Vendetta.

The exhibition meanwhile uncovers the origins of the Bauhaus movement and its key figures, and has models by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius.

There’s also art from the period by László Moholy-Nagy, Paul Klee , Kandinsky, Lionel Feininger, along with a complete library for the movement, furniture by Gunta Stölzl, Marcel Breuer and Josef Pohl, sketches, schematics and photography.

59. Hamburger Bahnhof

In 1996 the old terminal for the Berlin-Hamburg Railway reopened as a contemporary art museum.

The distinguished Neo-Renaissance hall became obsolete early on, when trains were re-routed to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof in 1884. After that it served as a museum of transport, which closed following damage in the war.

A donation of contemporary art by Berlin businessman Erich Marx set things in motion again, and there are noteworthy works by Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer and Joseph Beuys.

Video art, particularly from the 1970s is prominent, along with contemporary photography by Andreas Gursky, Thomas Ruff and Bernd and Hilla Becher.

60. Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island)

Pfaueninsel on the Havel River is part of a World Heritage Site that encompasses Potsdam and Berlin’s stately properties.

Excavations on the island have brought up evidence of occupation from the Iron Age, and in the 1600s it was the site of a royal-approved glassworks founded by the man of science Johannes Kunckel.

But what we see today is straight from the Romantic period at the end of the 18th century when Friedrich Wilhelm II commissioned a summer residence intended to resemble the ruins of a Romanesque castle.

The gardens are in the English style, which was in fashion at the time, and are littered with follies and grottoes, as well as an aviary.

The most famous inhabitants though are the many free-ranging peacocks that give the island its name.

Get there by S-Bahn and on a ferry, which is part of the fun.

61. Strandbad Wannsee

In Berlin’s westernmost borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Wannsee is a neighbourhood beside two lakes on the River Havel.

By Großer Wannsee on the southern limit of Grunewald is the Strandbad Wannsee, affectionately known as Berlin’s “bath tub”. On sunny summer days you can join the herd on the S1 or S7 and wallow in the clean, mostly shallow water and lounge in the sun on the beach.

At more than a kilometre long the lido has been accommodating bathers since 1907. The beach is traced by a promenade and there are sports facilities, boat rentals, playgrounds for little ones and a selection of bars, cafes and kiosks.

Tour starting here : 2-Hour Seven Lakes Tour from Berlin’s Wannsee

62. Tempelhofer Feld

Many of Berlin’s cherished landmarks and public spaces are still here because residents came together to stop developers getting hold of them.

And that is exactly what happened at the city’s former Tempelhof Airport after it was decommissioned in 2008. The airport is now a public park only a few minutes south of Kreuzberg: A generous flat space criss-crossed by former runways and taxiways that are a dream to cycle and skate on, and still commanded by a listed terminal building.

Tempelhof was where the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49 was coordinated, and was the last of Europe’s great pre-war city airports to cease operation as a passenger hub.

63. Story of Berlin

On a jaunt down the swanky Kurfürstendamm you can brush up on the history of Germany’s capital.

Across 23 rooms you’ll be led on a journey through eight centuries, from the first recorded mention of Berlin to German Reunification in 1990. All the facts are relayed via multimedia displays, and if you’re with kids the museum’s short bursts of information and interactivity are ideal for young attention spans.

There are also some fascinating artefacts, like a genuine nuclear bunker from the Cold War, the GDR leader Erich Honecker’s Volvo limousine and pieces of the Berlin Wall.

64. Berliner Funkturm

You don’t need to be an architecture expert to know where the idea for Berlin’s 150-metre-high radio tower came from.

Its designer Heinrich Straumer clearly based his steel framework construction on the Eiffel Tower, and the Berliner Funkturm was inaugurated during the Great German Radio Exhibition in 1926. Not long after, during the 7th edition of the exhibition, Albert Einstein himself gave a speech from the base of the Funkturm.

The tower later made history in 1936 when it transmitted the world’s first regular television programme.

The observation platform is at 124 metres and has a view to rival the Fensehturm, precisely because the Fernsehturm is part of the panorama!

65. Markthalle Neun

This Baltard-style market hall in Kreuzberg first opened in 1891, getting its name from being the ninth of fourteen halls around Berlin.

After the war residents fought off developers for years to preserve this much-loved landmark.

In the end Markthalle Neun was sold to a trio of entrepreneurs who reopened it as a food market in 2011. The venue hosts delectable culinary extravaganzas throughout the year like a wine fair, a cheese festival and a wurst and beer event.

There are stalls selling produce and speciality foods on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and the rest of the week you can come for one-off establishments like an Italian bakery, craft beer microbrewery, an artisanal pasta maker and traditional butcher’s shop.

The third Sunday of the month brings a breakfast market, while Thursday nights are all about street food.

Included in this tour : 2.5–Hour Culinary Tour with East Side Gallery

66. Natur-Park Südgelände

After Berlin Anhalter Bahnhof shut down in 1952 its buildings and infrastructure dating back to the 19th century were left to rust and be reclaimed by nature.

The site slowly turned into an unofficial park, before it was properly landscaped in the 1990s.

What’s special about this place is how old industrial structures like a 50-metre water tower, a cavernous locomotive shed, tracks, bridges, a turntable and a DRB Class 50 engine mingle with the woodland and meadows.

The shed is used for markets, avant-garde performance art, and as an atmospheric shooting location for movies.

67. Marx-Engels Forum

A relic from a very different time, the pair of statues depicting Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels stand in the shadow of the Fernsehturm on the right bank of the Spree.

The statues were cast in 1986, not long before the wall came down, and after Reunification there was much discussion about whether to remove them or keep them as a reminder of the past.

Eventually they remained, which makes sense as these two 19th-century figures loomed large over life in Berlin until 1989. The park around it used to be a quarter of the Old Town before it was flattened in the war and it would be three decades before the ruins were cleared and a green space laid out.

68. Oberbaumbrücke

The last of our run-down of Berlin’s postcard-worthy landmarks crosses the Spree between Kreuzberg and Frierichshain.

When Berlin was divided, the border between the former American Zone and East Berlin hugged the right bank of the Spree.

Oberbaumbrücke became an armed checkpoint, only allowing crossings in one direction from West to East.

And when the wall fell in 1989 some of the most memorable images were taken at this location.

Since then road and U-Bahn traffic has resumed, and the bridge has been restored to its 19th-century Gothic Revival appearance.

Movie buffs may also know Oberbaumbrücke from Run Lola Run and the Bourne Supremacy.

69. Currywurst

On the topic of films, if you’ve seen any movies about Berlin you’ll know that there’s always a scene at an Imbiss.

These are temporary snack bars set up on street corners or parks and cooking up comfort food.

In 1949 a German icon was born at an Imbiss on Charlottenburg, when Herta Heuwer poured a mixture of ketchup and curry powder over bratwurst to create the currywurst.

The sausage normally comes chopped up in the sauce and served with a side of French fries, and something like 70 million currywursts are enjoyed every year in Berlin alone.

The exact spot where Herta is said to have made her first currywurst is now marked with a plaque.

70. Street Food auf Achse

The courtyard in Prenzlauerberg’s evocative KulturBrauerei is the scene of a new culinary institution that arrived in Berlin in January 2015. Every other Sunday this space is filled with a cosmopolitan variety of food trucks, fitting for a city as multicultural as Berlin.

There’s food on the go from almost anywhere you can imagine, within reason: We’re talking local faves like currywurst, as well as Vietnamese, Thai, South Korean, Tex-Mex, Polish, Brazilian and almost anything in between.

The trucks show up in every season, rain or shine, but the experience is maybe most satisfying in summer when you can nibble at your own pace at the Frannz Club Biergarten, which has a laid-back atmosphere.

Related activity : Berlin: Evening Food Tour by Bike

71. Gardens of the World

In the eastern Marzahn-Hallersdorg district is a celebration of landscaping and horticulture from all over the globe.

There are gardens from Japan, China, the Middle East, Bali and Italy, faithfully designed, and tended with love and no little skill.

In 2017 a new English garden opened in time for the Internationale Gartenasstellung (International Garden Exhibition). Also installed for 2017 is the IGA Cable Car, which crosses the attraction and connects with the Kienberg U-Bahn station.

The individual gardens have been planted one by one since the Chinese Garden in 2000. There are seasonal events here, like the cherry blossom festival in April and the Chinese moon festival towards the end of summer.

72. Classic Remise

A U-Bahn ride west of the centre will bring you to a 1920s tram depot on Wiebestraße in Moabit.

This industrial building came through the war relatively unscathed and in 2003 became an amenity for storing classic cars.

Even though this facility isn’t actually a museum you’ll come close to a bewildering array of privately-owned Ferraris, Bugattis, Rolls Royces, Mercedes, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Porsches and many more prestige marques.

These are stored in two-tired, metal-framed glass containers, which regulate temperature and humidity.

Car connoisseurs can also tour the mechanic’s workshop to see these vehicles being serviced and restored.

73. Sanssouci Palace

A day out in Potsdam has to be on the cards, and you can reach this city in under half an hour by commuter train.

The first reason to make the journey is to see Frederick the Great’s UNESCO-listed summer escape, a Rococo palace embedded on a vine-decked hillside atop a terraced stairway . The king would get away from it all at Sanssouci, as the name “sans souci” (carefree) makes clear.

The palace is beautifully formed, but isn’t lavish in scale, which tallies with Frederick’s reputation as a self-effacing sort of person.

There are ten rooms on the tour and a uniting feature is the exuberant stuccowork by the sculptor Friedrich Christian Glume.

See the Voltaire Room, where the French philosopher would stay in the mid-1700s, and the Carrara marble columns in the main reception room, the Marmorsaal (Marble Hall).

Recommended tour : Potsdam: Sanssouci Palace Guided Tour from Berlin

74. Sanssouci Park

One explanation for the relatively modest size of the palace is that the king wanted to make the most of the outdoor space.

That vineyard in front of the palace was planted with vines from France, Italy and Portugal under Frederick’s orders, and beneath this is a Baroque parterre, modelled on Versailles and sprinkled with conical boxwood topiaries and marble statues of mythological figures.

After that you have the enormous expanse of the park to cover, and its fountains, ponds and groves of lofty mature trees.

All over the park are delightful follies of temples and miniature Rococo palaces, which were often used as accommodation to make up for the shortage of guestrooms in the palace itself.

75. Sightseeing by Bike

Germany’s public transport company Deutsche Bahn operates a bike-sharing system in Berlin.

You have to register in advance, but after that you’ll be free to hire a bike and pay by the minute or by the day.

There are also a few private bike rental companies in the city, including Rent a Bike on Grunerstraße.

There’s no reason to feel daunted about cycling in Berlin as the city has almost 1,000 klilometres of designated bike paths, as well as lanes on pavements and on the roads (you can track down plenty of maps online). There’s a deep-seated cycling culture too, and it’s safe enough that people don’t generally wear helmets.

For inspiration on two wheels, you can zip around the sights at Tiergarten and Potsdamer Platz if time is of the essence, or coast around trendy Kreuzberg’s cafes and galleries.

75 Best Things to Do in Berlin (Germany):

• Brandenburg Gate
• Victory Column (Siegessäule)
• Museum Island
• Neues Museum
• Gemäldegalerie
• Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
• Pergamon Museum
• Deutsches Historisches Museum
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
• Unter den Linden
• Gendarmenmarkt
• Topography of Terror
• Fernsehturm
• Jewish Museum Berlin
• Berlin Cathedral
• Alexanderplatz
• Checkpoint Charlie
• Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears)
• Treptower Park
• Gedächtniskirche
• Olympic Stadium
• Berlin Philharmonie
• Deutsches Technikmuseum
• Charlottenburg Palace
• Kaufhaus des Westens
• Museum für Naturkunde
• Mauerpark Market
• Alte Nationalgalerie
• Konzerthaus Berlin
• Potsdamer Platz
• Sony Center
• East Side Gallery
• Museum of Film and Television
• Prenzlauer Berg
• Botanischer Garten
• Stasi Museum
• Bode Museum
• Kurfürstendamm
• Hackesche Höfe
• Museum Berggruen
• Landwehr Canal
• Brücke Museum
• Teufelsberg
• Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz
• Liebermann-Villa
• Spandau Citadel
• Domäne Dahlem
• Schloss Köpenick
• Käthe Kollwitz Museum
• Friedrichstadt-Palast
• Bauhaus Archive/Museum of Design
• Hamburger Bahnhof
• Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island)
• Strandbad Wannsee
• Tempelhofer Feld
• Story of Berlin
• Berliner Funkturm
• Markthalle Neun
• Natur-Park Südgelände
• Marx-Engels Forum
• Oberbaumbrücke
• Street Food auf Achse
• Gardens of the World
• Classic Remise
• Sanssouci Palace
• Sanssouci Park
• Sightseeing by Bike

24 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Berlin

Written by Bryan Dearsley and Lura Seavey Updated Dec 22, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Berlin, the capital of Germany and the country's largest city, is also a major center of politics, culture, media, and science.

Noted for its cultural attractions, Berlin is home to the world-famous Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, while its diverse art scene encompasses numerous events, galleries, and museums , including those on Museum Island , a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite the devastation of WWII, and following decades of decay to the east of the infamous Berlin Wall, the city has been rebuilt in a way that celebrates its successes while acknowledging a dark past.

Today, Berlin has earned a reputation as something of a youthful, hip tourist destination that offers an eclectic mix of places to visit, including new and classic architectural landmarks, dynamic entertainment, shopping, and a wide variety of sports and cultural institutions.

Whatever your interests, to help you get the most out of your sightseeing adventures, be sure to refer often to our list of the top tourist attractions in Berlin, Germany.

1. The Brandenburg Gate

2. the rebuilt reichstag, 3. museum island, 4. the berlin wall memorial, 5. german historical museum, 6. berliner fernsehturm: berlin's television tower, 7. mauer museum (checkpoint charlie museum), 8. charlottenburg palace and park, 9. gendarmenmarkt, 10. jewish museum berlin, 11. the german museum of technology, 12. memorial to the murdered jews of europe, 13. grosser tiergarten and the victory column, 14. pergamon museum, 15. the humboldt forum, 16. berlin cathedral church, 17. the topography of terror, 18. berlin zoological gardens, 19. tierpark berlin, 20. berlin-dahlem botanical garden and botanical museum, 21. ddr museum, 22. the nikolai quarter, 23. kaiser wilhelm memorial church, 24. französischer dom and the huguenot museum, where to stay in berlin for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to berlin, berlin, germany - climate chart.

Berlin's most famous historic landmark is undoubtedly the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor). Once a symbol of a divided nation, it now stands as a symbol of unity and peace.

This impressively large Neoclassical gate was commissioned by King Frederick Wilhelm II in 1788, and its design was inspired by the Propylaea in Athens' Acropolis. The sandstone monument is 26 meters tall, standing in the Mitte district's Pariser Platz , just a block from the Reichstag building.

During the Cold War, its physical and symbolic position as a blocked gate along the Berlin Wall made it a frequent site for demonstrations by West Berliners. It's also famous for being the backdrop of US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 entreaty to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the wall.

It was also the scene of a poignant gesture in 1999, when political leaders from a variety of countries—including Germany's Angela Merkel, Russia's Mikhail Gorbachev, and Poland's Lech Walesa—together walked through the gate to commemorate the tearing down of the Berlin Wall 10 years earlier.

Visiting the Brandenburg Gate at night is a special treat, and undoubtedly one of the top free things to do in Berlin .

Address: Pariser Platz, 10117, Berlin

The Reichstag (Reichstagsgebäude) was originally completed in 1894 where the Neo-Renaissance palace served as the home of the German Empire's Imperial Diet until it burned in 1933. It was not used again until after the reunification of Germany, at which point it underwent a 10-year reconstruction and finally became the home of the German Parliament in 1999.

A highlight of this magnificent reconstruction is the replacement dome, the Kuppel. Made of glass, it offers superb views of the surrounding city, especially at night from the Rooftop Restaurant. If you're visiting in the summer months, be sure to check into the schedule of light shows and film nights for a memorable Berlin experience.

Note that entry to the Dome and Terrace is ticketed, and due to demand, it's recommended that tickets be requested in advance . While registration is available on the day, you should expect a two- or three-hour wait. Free English language audio guides are available.

Address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011, Berlin

Sandwiched between the River Spree and the Kupfergraben in a 400-meter-long canal, Spree Island—better known as Museum Island (Museumsinsel)—is one of the city's most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites .

Here, you'll find many of Berlin's oldest and most important museums , including the Old Museum (Altes Museum), built in 1830 to house the Crown Jewels and other royal treasures.

The New Museum (Neues Museum), destroyed during WWII, was rebuilt and opened again in 2009. It serves as the home of extensive collections from the Egyptian Museum, the Papyrus Collection, and the Collection of Classical Antiquities.

The Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie), opened in 1876, displays Neoclassical sculpture and paintings from 1815-1848, as well as Impressionist and early Modernist pieces. The Bode Museum houses a collection of Byzantine art, as well as a large sculpture collection spanning from medieval times to the late 1700s.

The city's most popular museum, the Pergamon features a Museum of Islamic Art, the Ishtar Gate, and reconstructed historic buildings from the Middle East. The newest museum attraction, the Humboldt Forum opened here in 2019 and houses the Ethnological Museum of Berlin and the Museum of Asian Art.

Address: Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin

The Berlin Wall originated in 1961 when East Germany sealed off that half of the city to prevent citizens from fleeing to West Germany. By the time it was torn down in 1989, the four-meter-high wall extended 155 kilometers, dissected 55 streets, and possessed 293 observation towers and 57 bunkers.

Today, only small stretches of this graffiti-covered travesty remain, including a 1.4-kilometer stretch preserved as part of the Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer). It stands as a chilling reminder of the animosity that once divided Europe.

Highlights of a visit include the Marienfelde Refugee Center Museum, with its exhibits relating to the one-and-a-half million people who passed through Berlin as refugees; the Günter Litfin Memorial, a former watchtower now set up as a memorial, which pays tribute to the first civilian killed trying to cross from east to west; and the Monument in Memory of the Divided City and the Victims of Communist Tyranny.

Be sure to also check out the Window of Remembrance and the Visitor Center with views over the remains of the wall. Guided tours are available in English.

Address: Bernauer Straße 111, 13355 Berlin

Established to mark Berlin's 750th anniversary in 1987, the German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum, or DHM) is a must-visit for those interested in learning more about the city's remarkably rich history.

This much-visited attraction consists of a number of historic exhibition halls jam-packed with fascinating displays of artifacts relating to various periods and events from the country's founding right up to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Other highlights include exhibits relating to medicine, fashion, religion, printing, art, and photography. Military buffs are also well catered to with the museum's vast collection of historic armor, weapons, and uniforms.

There's also a cinema located on-site, and a research library that's open to the public. English language guided tours are available, and for those expecting a longer stay (you'll want to, there's that much to see), there's a handy cloakroom and café.

Address: Unter den Linden 2, 10117 Berlin

Despite its age—it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020—the 368-meter-tall Berliner Fernsehturm (Berlin Television Tower) has lost none of its appeal to visitors to the city.

Since opening in 1970, Europe's third-tallest freestanding structure has attracted over 60 million visitors, most of them drawn for the spectacular views over Germany's capital.

Originally constructed to mark the prowess of communism (it's located in the former East Berlin district), the landmark can be picked out from pretty much every corner of the city, making it more significant as a symbol of the city's reunification in the 1980s.

Be sure to include the structure's observation deck in your visit, and if you're able to linger awhile, book a reservation at the 207-meter-high revolving restaurant.

Address: Panoramastraße 1 A, 10178 Berlin

Also of interest is the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie). Marking the best-known crossing point between East and West Berlin, this fascinating tourist attraction features numerous displays and artifacts tracing the history of human rights, along with exhibits dealing specifically with the history of the Berlin Wall, and Checkpoint Charlie.

Situated next to the original guardhouse, the museum also highlights some of the most interesting attempts made by those trying to escape communist rule. These include an original homemade air balloon used in one successful attempt.

Also of interest is the nearby open-air BlackBox Cold War exhibit , which features sections of the Berlin Wall and related information stations.

Address: Friedrichstraße 43-45, 10969 Berlin

Berlin's oldest and largest Prussian estate, the late 17th-century Charlottenburg Palace was for decades the primary residence of German royalty.

Now beautifully restored, this huge palace has many extraordinary features, including a massive 50-meter-high central dome, opulent Baroque and Rococo décor throughout its expansive rooms, and a large garden that was inspired by the gardens at Versailles.

A highlight of the property's tour program is a visit to the New Wing , with its State Apartments and fine Banqueting Halls. Built in 1746, it's here visitors get a glimpse of the splendor in which the Prussian Kings and Electors lived, from Frederick I's bedroom and study with their fine furnishings and paintings, to the State Dining Room and 42-meter-long Golden Gallery with its rich, gilded stucco.

Over in the Old Palace is the Porcelain Cabinet, a room dedicated to a large historic porcelain collection and special exhibits, including the Crown Jewels and other royal items.

Other highlights are the Palace Park dating from 1697 and home to the New Pavilion (Neue Pavilion), built in 1788 in the style of a Neapolitan villa, and the Belvedere Teahouse with its fine collection of Berlin porcelain.

Be sure to visit the Mausoleum with its royal tombs, as well as the Grand Courtyard with its large statue of the Great Elector, Frederick William of Brandenburg. One of the top things to do in Berlin in winter is visit the Charlottenburg Palace Christmas Market , a spectacular display of more than 250 vendors and artisans exhibiting seasonal wares.

Address: Spandauer Damm 10, 14059 Berlin

The Gendarmenmarkt, one of Berlin's largest squares, is dominated by three historic landmark buildings: the Konzerthaus, the French Cathedral (Französischer Dom), and the German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom).

This picturesque 17th-century square is now one of Berlin's top tourist attractions and hosts numerous public events each year, including classical concerts on the steps of the Konzerthaus theater in the summer.

Come winter, the entire plaza becomes one of the most famous Christmas markets in Germany .

Konzerthaus : The Konzerthaus , built in 1821, is as famous for its architectural splendor as it is for the first-rate performances of Konzerthausorchester Berlin, one of the country's most popular symphony orchestras.

In front of the building stands a statue of the German poet Friedrich Schiller surrounded by four female figures who represent the artistic elements of Lyric Poetry, Drama, History, and Philosophy.

Cathedrals: The cathedrals are so named for their domes ("dom" is also the German word for cathedral) and are in fact not churches. The French Cathedral is home to the Huguenot Museum , and the German Cathedral exhibits the history of the German Parliament.

Alexanderplatz : Another well-known square in Berlin, Alexanderplatz was the center of East Berlin life and is now home to the World Time Clock, a popular meeting place. Nearby is the Television Tower (nicknamed Telespargel) with panoramic views of the city.

Address: Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin

Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum Berlin) features a distinctive zinc-paneled exterior that makes it one of Berlin's most striking landmarks.

It was established in 2001, and inside visitors will find a wide range of historical artifacts and donated collections that illustrate the long history and struggle of Jewish Germans, from the Middle Ages to the present.

Exhibits include artwork, religious objects, and 24,000 photographs that have been preserved and recovered. Especially poignant is The Memory Void, where you'll find an installation called "Shalekhet," or "Fallen Leaves," a collection of some 10,000 iron faces spread across the ground. Sobering, to say the least.

The museum is also home to an extensive library and archives at the Academy of the Jewish Museum Berlin , where there are frequent educational programs. Museum galleries include sections dedicated to Hanukkah, anti-semitism, Middle East conflict, the history and culture of Jerusalem, and the life of Munich rabbi Leo Baerwald.

A variety of themed tour options are available, along with English language audioguides.

Address: Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin

The must-see German Museum of Technology (Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin) was established in 1983 to showcase and celebrate Germany's industrial and technological prowess.

There are plenty of fun things to do for kids and families in this popular museum, including taking in displays related to the Industrial Revolution, getting some hands-on experience in a reconstructed workshop. In addition, the museum offers a fascinating look at the vehicles that evolved alongside this rise in mechanization.

There are plenty of vehicles and aircraft on display, including a number of preserved steam engines dating back as far as 1843. Other highlights include riding in a vintage 1930s train from the museum to its locomotive depot on the weekends.

Guided tours are available in English. For those wanting to make a day of it (which is recommended), there's a restaurant and picnic spot located on-site.

Address: Trebbiner Straße 9, D-10963 Berlin-Kreuzberg

A remarkable testament to the people of Germany and their commitment to never turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the past, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas)—also known as the Holocaust Memorial —is another Berlin landmark that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Sitting on the eastern side of Tiergarten, this collection of 2,711 concrete slabs covers 19,000 square meters of uneven ground. Below the sprawling memorial is an information center that houses the letters, diaries, and photographs of Holocaust victims. An audioguide is available in English.

Address: Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin

Literally translated as the "Large Animal Garden," Berlin's Grosser Tiergarten has long been a major tourist attraction. Originally a royal hunting reserve in which deer, wild pigs, and other game were kept, it was transformed into a public park in 1700.

Attractively laid out with an abundance of trees and shrubs and expanses of grass and flower borders, the Tiergarten covers 210 hectares and is a favorite spot for relaxation, walking, and boating.

The park also contains numerous statues and monuments, including the 1880 Statue of Queen Luise , which depicts her with a relief recalling her care of wounded soldiers during the War of 1806. There's also an 1849 Monument to Frederick Wilhelm III , with reliefs reflecting the King's peace-loving disposition.

The most famous of the Tiergarten's monuments is the massive Victory Column (Siegessaule), a 70-meter-tall structure crowned by an eight-meter-high gold statue of Victoria. The statue, dubbed Golden Lizzy by locals, was completed in 1873.

It's well worth climbing the 285 steps to the top of this magnificent monument for the views over the Tiergarten . And if you look closely, you'll still see evidence of bullet damage caused during WWII.

Address: Str. des 17. Juni, 10785 Berlin

The Pergamon , the most visited of the Museum Island attractions, is also one of Berlin's top sightseeing destinations. It is home to three main galleries, each occupying a wing of the massive building, including the Middle East Museum, the Islamic Art Museum, and the Antiquity collection.

The artifacts, which narrowly escaped harm during WWII, were collected by German archaeologists during the 19th and 20th centuries from excursions to Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia.

Primarily focused on architectural marvels, including ornate façades and gates, some of the museum's most famous pieces are the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, the Roman Market Gate of Miletus, and the Mshatta Façade. A café and bookshop are located on-site.

One of the most popular attractions on Museum Island—a place that's already busting at the seams with great sightseeing opportunities—is the newly opened Humboldt Forum .

Established in 2019, this remarkable feat of construction sees two of Berlin's leading museum collections —the Museum of Ethnography (Ethnologisches Museum) and the Museum of Asian Art Museum (Museum für Asiatische Kunst)—now housed under a single roof: that of a completely reconstructed Berlin Palace. Both are considered to be the equal of leading museums around the world.

Visitors can now easily explore Germany's largest collections of non-European treasures , including a trove of more than 400,000 artifacts from across the globe.

Notable highlights include displays of ancient art from Asia, along with sizable collections focusing specifically on China. In addition to its theaters, the facility houses two restaurants and a shop.

Address: Schloßpl. 1, 10178 Berlin

Located on Museum Island next to the Lustgarten , the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) is one of the complex's most imposing buildings thanks to its 75-meter-high dome.

Built in the New Baroque style, the building is the largest church in Berlin and is divided into three main sections: the Memorial Church, the Baptismal and Nuptial Church, and the Parish Church. After decades of painstaking work to repair war damage, the church has been returned to its former glory.

Highlights of a visit include the Imperial Staircase, decorated with bronze cornices and 13 tempera paintings by Berlin landscape painter Albert Hertel in 1905. You should also plan to see the Imperial Gallery with its splendid views of Berlin.

Another popular feature is the Hohenzollern Crypt, which contains nearly 100 sarcophagi, coffins, and monuments from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Try to time your visit for one of the cathedral's many concerts, organ recitals, or special visitor services, and be sure to climb the 270 steps to the Dome for superb views over Museum Island. English language guided tours are available, and a café and shop are located on-site.

Address: Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin

Also known as the Museum of the Gestapo, the Topography of Terror (Topographie des Terrors) occupies the buildings that were once the central offices and prison of the Secret State Police and the headquarters of Gestapo operations during WWII.

The main exhibit focuses on the SS and police during Nazi rule, highlighting the terrible crimes that were committed and giving visitors a sense of the constant state of terror that was everyday life for Europeans under their control.

Exhibits include documents, photographs, audio, and film, and explore various themes, including persecution and extermination, occupied countries, and the postwar era.

Visitors are also invited to tour the historic grounds, which include remains of the Berlin Wall and the outdoor exhibition Historic Wilhelmstraße. Informative English language tours are available on Sundays.

Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 8, 10963 Berlin

Berlin Zoological Gardens (Zoologischer Garten Berlin) is the oldest zoo in Germany and remains one of Berlin's most popular attractions, welcoming 3.5 million guests each year.

Established in 1844 and completely rebuilt after WWII, the zoo has earned a reputation for its many successful breeding programs and is known for providing authentic habitats for the animals.

The zoo is home to nearly 20,000 animals big and small, from Arctic wolves to zebras. Famous residents include a pair of giant pandas, two species of giraffe, and a flock of diminutive African penguins.

The Zoological Gardens are also home to Europe's biggest aviary, as well as Aquarium Berlin , where you can watch more than 9,000 creatures swim in its 250 tanks, including reef and tiger sharks, jellyfish, tropical fish, reptiles, and insects.

Address: Hardenbergplatz 8, 10787 Berlin

Another zoo of interest is Tierpark Berlin . Spread across 400 acres and home to some 7,250 animals from 846 different species.

Opened in the 1950s, it's very nearly the equal of Berlin Zoo and is well worth a visit, especially if you're traveling with kids. Star creatures include its elephants (the zoo is known for its breeding program), polar bears, as well as a large herd of muskox.

If you're visiting in summer, be sure to time your visit to coincide with one of the regular late openings. And check out the zoo's website for details of special kids' programs, feeding schedules , as well as tours and unique animal experiences.

Address: Am Tierpark 125, 10319, Berlin

Originally the kitchen and herb garden of the Royal Palace, the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum (Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem) was built in 1679 on the instructions of the Grand Elector.

Covering 126 acres, it is one of the world's largest botanical gardens , home to more than 20,000 species of plants that represent the flora of not only Europe but also tropical and subtropical environments in the Great Tropical House.

There are also gardens of medicinal plants and a large pond forming the centerpiece of the biotope for marine and marsh plants.

If you can, try to visit at Christmas, or during the attraction's annual "Botanical Night" event, considered one of the most romantic things to do in Berlin in winter.

Also worth seeing is the Electoral Garden with its 17th-century garden greenery, the garden restaurant, and the excellent Botanical Museum with its herbarium featuring more than two million plants and an extensive library.

Address: Königin-Luise-Strasse 6-8, 14195 Berlin

One of Berlin's newer tourist attractions, the DDR Museum opened in 2006 and offers a sobering look at life in East Berlin under communist rule.

Located in the old government district of East Berlin, this popular attraction features a variety of hands-on, interactive exhibits related to such areas of life as surveillance, the privations of everyday life, as well as a replica tower block.

Other highlights of a visit include a replica prison cell, interrogation room, cinema, along with accompanying information. Be sure to try out the Trabant simulator, which provides a realistic driving experience along the Berlin Wall in a classic East German vehicle.

A large collection of authentic artifacts from this time period are also on display.

Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1, 10178 Berlin

Berlin's Nikolai Quarter (Nikolaiviertel) is in the heart of the old city, and is where you'll find many of its oldest and most popular attractions, as well as plenty of interesting things to do beyond the usual places to visit.

This pedestrian-friendly quarter is known for its many small buildings set along narrow streets full of nooks and crannies, home to restaurants, cafés, and shops, along with craft workshops selling everything from basketry to wooden crafts.

Highlights include the district's many old fountains, lanterns, and lattice-windows on the older houses and historic buildings such as Ephraim Palace , built in the 1760s, which has exhibits dedicated to Berlin's rich artistic and cultural history, as well as an exquisite grand staircase.

Also of note is Knoblauch House , built in 1760 and representative of the former homes of the city's wealthy Jewish merchants and tradesmen.

Another favorite tourist spot is Berlin's most famous street, Unter den Linden . This broad avenue stretches some 1,400 meters and connects Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate to the Lustgarten.

Today, the two car lanes on the Unter den Linden are separated by a wide, central pedestrian area that extends much of the street's length and provides a wonderful place to relax and take in the bustling city around you. Popular attractions are the Gendarmenmarkt , the Opera House , and St. Hedwig's Cathedral .

Address: Nikolaikirchplatz, 10178 Berlin

One of Berlin's most interesting landmarks, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche) is in many ways two churches: the ultra-modern new church designed in 1961, and next to it, the ruins of the original, including most of the 63-meter-high tower.

Completed in 1895 in honor of Emperor Wilhelm I, the original was destroyed in 1943, but its remains were incorporated into the new complex.

The result is now a major Berlin landmark that also serves as a war memorial, with exhibits installed containing mosaic remains, architectural remnants, and photos. The centerpiece is a figure of Christ from the old church and a Cross of Nails from Coventry Cathedral, destroyed by German bombs earlier in WWII.

Guided tours are available, and visitors are welcome to participate in Sunday services; Evening Music Services featuring cantatas, organ recitals, and choral music; and regular weekday services. A very popular Christmas Market is held outside the church each winter.

Address: Breitscheidplatz, 10789 Berlin

The Französischer Dom (French Cathedral) was constructed in 1705 by and for French Calvinists (Huguenots) who came to Berlin in the late 17 th century seeking religious freedom. Its ornate dome was later added in 1785, and repaired in the 20 th century after sustaining damage during WWII.

The church's tower is one of the best places to get a bird's-eye view of the city of Berlin , offering panoramic views over the Gendarmenmarkt and nearby landmarks like the Berliner Dom and Pergamonmuseum on Museum Island.

The freshly renovated Huguenot Museum is located in the tower of the cathedral, dedicated to the history of those who were forced to relocate as a result of the Reformation. The exhibits focus on the contributions made by these immigrants who, at the time the church was built, made up around 25 percent of the city's population.

The museum includes paintings, photographs, books, and furniture, and also hosts lectures and special programs throughout the year. It is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 12 noon to 5pm.

Address: Gendarmenmarkt 7, 10117 Berlin,

For those wanting to be within walking distance of top attractions such as the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, the best place to stay is Berlin's Mitte district, the city's historic center. Here are some highly rated hotels to consider in or near this area:

Luxury Hotels:

• One of Berlin's most iconic hotels is the magnificent SO/Berlin Das Stue , centrally located and overlooking the western section of the beautiful Tiergarten. This boutique hotel features the Michelin-starred Cinco restaurant, as well as high-end amenities like electric vehicle charging, on-site spa services, and in-room breakfast.
• At the Tiergarten's opposite end, the Regent Berlin and Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin are just steps away from the historic Brandenburg Gate and are perfectly positioned to explore the city's famous Museum Island. Both are also just a short walk from the tree-lined Unter den Linden, famous for its boutiques, cafés, and restaurants.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Just minutes away from the Tiergarten and close to excellent dining and shopping, the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West is a great base from which to explore other areas of Berlin thanks to its proximity to the city's excellent subway (U-Bahn) system.
• Another popular option is The Circus Hotel , just minutes from Museum Island. Renovated in 2020, this eco-conscious boutique hotel offers a lovely garden courtyard, as well as a rooftop terrace.
• Also of note is the funky, modern Hotel Gat Point Charlie , which as its name suggests, is adjacent to one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. It's also just steps away from the Friedrichstrasse shopping area, and guests can rent bicycles on-site for exploring the city.

Budget Hotels:

• For those on a tight budget, city-center options worth considering include the Ibis Berlin Kurfurstendamm Hotel , a short walk from the Tiergarten, and Motel One Berlin-Hackescher Markt , not far from the city's museum district.
• A fun stay can be enjoyed at the unique CUBE Lodges Berlin Mitte , a collection of bungalow-style "cubes" capable of sleeping up to four people and set around activities including volleyball courts and bike rentals, all just a short walk from the Berlin Wall Memorial.
• Sightseeing: There are several great ways to see Berlin, whether by bus, bike, or on foot. One of the easiest ways to get around the city and learn a little about the history is on a double-decker, open-air Berlin City Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour . This tour offers 20 stops at various points of interest, with the option to get off or stay on the bus. For a more in-depth, feet-on-the-ground experience, the Explore Berlin Walking Tour offers a three-hour guided walking tour that includes major attractions, from the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie to Hitler's former bunker. If you really want to get active, take a 4.5-hour guided Berlin Bike Tour to see the city's top attractions and learn about their history along the way.
• Day Trips: The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour from Berlin is a six-hour day trip to one of the first concentration camps established by the Third Reich. Today, it is a national memorial. This is a historian-led tour and includes admission to the site. If you would like to visit iconic tourist attractions like Zwinger Palace and Frauenkirche, the Dresden Day Trip from Berlin provides an opportunity to get a guided walking tour of the historic city and then enjoy the afternoon exploring Dresden and the banks of the River Elbe at your leisure.

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29 BEST Places to Visit in Berlin (2024)

Germany’s capital city Berlin has been through a lot over the last century, and yet it’s still determined to move forward while remembering the past. It’s a place where history, an alternative lifestyle, modern innovations and a really interesting fashion scene clash together.

While Berlin’s history can be a little intimidating, don’t let that stop you from diving deep into the city’s quirky corners and interesting attraction. It’s got an overall friendly and welcoming vibe and it also seems determined to make itself a center for great food, a vibrant culture, and an exciting nightlife.

Walking through the streets of Berlin feels refreshing but you’ll always feel the weight of the past. This makes it one of the most unique cities to visit in all of Europe. And of course, there are plenty of amazing places to explore in Berlin.

So many, that you might feel a bit overwhelmed. But don’t worry, I’ve collected the best places to visit in Berlin in this insider guide below, so that you definitely won’t miss out on all the must-sees and hidden gems that the city has to offer.

Need a place quick? Here’s the best neighbourhood in Berlin:

These are the best places to visit in berlin, faq on the best places to visit in berlin, final thoughts on the coolest places to visit in berlin.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

Today a wealthy part of the city, it has several family-friendly attractions and activities as well as things that will apply to broader groups of travellers.

• Learn more about the area’s history and culture at the child-friendly Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
• See the official home of the German president at Bellevue Palace.
• Descend into an old underground bunker to learn more about Berlin’s history at the Story of Berlin.

Before we start, make sure you know where you want to stay in Berlin . The city is pretty big and there are plenty of unique neighbourhoods that all offer a different vibe. If you’re here to explore as many sights as possible, make sure you base yourself close to the city centre and public transport network. Alternatively, you could also get your hands on the Berlin City pass for discounted entry tickets to plenty of attractions and free use of trams and buses.

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#1 – The Brandenburg Gate – The Absolute Must-Visit!

• A must-visit place
• Expect quite a few visitors
• Represents the unity of Germany

Why it’s so awesome: Most people who are alive today know something of the trauma and sadness in Berlin’s history. For 30 years it was divided down the middle, and this monument existed in the land between the two sides of the city. It was also the backdrop for the celebrations of Berlin’s unification, which is why it must be part of your Berlin itinerary.

Of course, the dark history of the Brandenburger Torn doesn’t make it a super fun attraction, but it’s an incredible insight into the past and an important reminder of what happened not that long ago.

What to do there: If you don’t know a lot about Berlin’s history, this is your chance to learn some more. It is one of the most famous – if not THE most famous – attractions of Germany’s capital city, so be prepared to share the attraction with plenty of other tourists.

You can admire the massive structure, take the typical Instagram pics in front of it or admire a cool light show at night. While there are plenty of signs around that talk about the time before Berlin’s sides were united, it’s best to go visit with a local city guide if you want to know more about the details behind the construction, its history and other cool facts.

Insider tip: The gate is free of charge! If you can, visit at night to avoid the crowds and get a really sick picture of the lit-up monument.

#2 – Berlin’s Nightlife – A Diverse and Exciting Place to Visit

• Best party-scene in Europe
• Endless options
• Famous around the world
• Big queer community representation

Why it’s so awesome: You can’t visit Berlin without hearing about the city’s insane nightlife. While it’s not technically a place to visit, there are just too many amazing venues to decide which one is the best. You can get bars, clubs and hidden hotspots all over the city and each of them offers a different vibe. One of the most famous nightclubs is Berghain but there are plenty of other and more unique nightlife places to visit.

What to do there: Dance the night away until your feet hurt – and then keep going. Go nude at Pornceptual, party through the weekend at Sunday Club, choose from all sorts of music genres at Hoe_Mies or dive into the techno scene at Suicide Circus or Tresor. There are endless options and trust me, you’ll struggle to decide where to go to!

#3 – Holocaust Museum

• Simple but impressive architectural masterpiece
• A place of respect

Why it’s so awesome: There are some landmarks that you need to see when visiting or backpacking Berlin just because they’re important to the whole of humanity – and this is one of them. This memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a part of Berlin’s attempt to come to grips with its own past. And this is clearly reflected through the solemnity and gravity of the site. It’s also a sobering reminder of the dangers of giving in to fear, hatred and mistrust.

What to do there: This isn’t a place to come to chatter and take photos. And in fact, you’ll probably find that you don’t want to. This monument is deliberately created to invite people in, and then has a distinctly uneasy vibe that suits the subject matter. Parts of the site are extremely haunting, in a way that’s hard to describe, and once you get to the center of it the sense of confinement is hard to take and extremely memorable.

When you visit, make sure to be respectful. Some of the blocks that are further on the outside might look like a great spot to sit or climb on, but be aware that there is plenty of police around to stop people from using this site as a playground.

Insider tip: Bring a snack with you. There are plenty of benches around where people can sit down and admire the impressive monument. It’s the perfect place to sit back and just appreciate your life for a while.

#4 – The Judisches Museum – Possibly one of the most important places to visit in Berlin

• Definitely not ideal for kids
• Worth a visit just for the interesting design

Why it’s so awesome: The idea of a Jewish museum in Berlin was first floated in 1971, on the 300th birthday of the formation of the city’s Jewish community. After a lot of time, it finally opened in 2001. The building and the museum were designed by Daniel Libeskind and became an important part of the city, its history, and its attempt to understand its own past.

What to do there: Next to the Brandenburger Tor, this is another one of the most important landmarks in Berlin, mainly because it opens the floor for the Jews to tell their own story through their own words. It’s an intensely personal museum that fights to tell the stories of how the Jews contributed to their communities and how their culture adapted to life in Berlin. This story obviously takes a tragic turn, and the strength of the stories makes it feel very close, real and personal in a way that shouldn’t be missed.

Insider tip: Since this is a popular and important attraction, be prepared to share the museum with quite a few other visitors. It’s best to purchase tickets online so you can skip the line.

#5 – Tiergarten – One of the most incredible free places to go to in Berlin

• Berlin’s version of Central Park!
• A great place to relax all year-round

Why it’s so awesome: If you’re looking for a great and cheap place to spend an afternoon, then this is the perfect place. Tiergarten is an enormous garden right in the middle of the city. It was once used by the Kaiser as hunting grounds and is now one of the largest urban gardens in Germany.

What to do there: This is the type of place where you can relax and do whatever you like to do in parks. Walk around and explore the sites. There’s a Victory Column in the middle of the park, which commemorates a Prussian victory, and an ornate palace at the garden’s edge. If you don’t feel like walking, just take some friends and a picnic and hang out, enjoy the sun, and relax. It’s seriously one of the best free things to do in Berlin !

Insider tip: If you have a full itinerary for the day, this is the perfect place to sit back and let your feet relax a little bit before heading to the next attraction. You’ll see plenty of people bring blankets and frisbees during the summer months.

#6 – Neues Museum – A fascinating educational place to visit in Berlin

• Full of interesting history
• Actually pretty cool just to look at too

Why it’s so awesome: With the drama and sadness of Berlin’s more recent history, you could be forgiven for forgetting that it actually has a much longer history filled with tragedy, significance for the future, and majesty. But this museum will remind you! It’s on Berlin’s UNESCO listed sites and holds artefacts from early and ancient history. If you want to learn about more than just the city, this is the place to go.

What to do there: A trip to this museum is the perfect answer to an otherwise slow museum. This is where you’ll learn about the earliest inhabitants of Berlin, Germany, and Europe as a whole. Make sure you check out the ancient Egyptian bust of Queen Nefertiti, one of the most famous women in the very long history of humanity.

While this might not be the most interesting place to visit for everyone, it is a great spot to explore on a rainy day. Tickets start from 6 Euros per person but you can easily purchase them online for easy and super fast access.

Insider tip: Neues Museum is part of Berlin’s Museum Island, a museum complex in the northern part of the historic city centre. If this is not the right spot for you, there are plenty of other things around that you could explore.

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#7 – The East Side Gallery

• The largest open-air gallery in the world.
• Consists of 105 paintings
• Paintings or ON the Berlin wall
• A whole 1.3 kilometres of history and art

Why it’s so awesome: This huge gallery features a long stretch of the Berlin Wall that has amazing works of art across it. After the wall fell in 1989, 118 artists from 21 countries went to work on this section, using the wall as a backdrop for their political and social commentaries.

What to do there: You can’t travel to Berlin without experiencing and thinking about all the turmoil this city has been through over the last century. And this wall will show you another side of that unrest. So, spend some time contemplating the artworks and the artist’s chosen canvas. It’s an interesting commentary on the issues of the time and the beliefs of the people who lived through it.

Insider tip: If you’re big on Instagram game, this is going to be a great place to shoot a couple of epic and unique shots. Keep in mind that you won’t be the only one wanting to take pics, so be sure to come at an earlier time of the day.

#8 – Museum Island – A fascinating educational place to visit in Berlin

• A UNESCO World Heritage site
• Multiple museums combined
• Day-worth of exploring

Why it’s so awesome: Museum island is a complex that includes a lot of different museums. The site itself has been named a UNESCO world heritage site and includes some of the most visited museums in Europe. The Neue Museum, which I talked about before, is also part of the Museum island. You’ll also find the famous cathedral perched on the island.

What to do there: You’ll find a museum for all tastes at this site including the world-famous Pergamon museum where you can see Islamic Art, the Ishtar Gate, and the Bode Museum for sculptures and art from the ancient world. If you plan to go to more than one museum then you should get the 3-day museum pass and make a day of it.

Alternatively, you could also just get individual tickets for each museum, just keep in mind that you might have to wait in line since the Museum Island is a very popular attraction, especially during Berlin’s peak tourist season.

Insider Tip: Make sure you take your own food and drink to the island, as there are very few shops that sell food and water and they do so at a very high price.

#9 – Berlin Zoo – More than just a cage!

• Great place for families and kids
• Highly ethical zoo
• Massive area
• Bring snacks!

Why it’s so awesome: The Berlin Zoo is one of the biggest and most important zoos in all of Europe. It provides safe homes for countless endangered species. Unlike other zoos, this place actually works on reintroducing animals to their natural habitat. With over 35 hectares and over twenty thousand animals, it’s one of the most comprehensive collections of species in the world.

What to do there: You can walk through the zoo and learn about all types of different animals. This is the perfect place to bring your kids and teach them about nature. It’s also a great way to inform yourself about how to respect nature and animals correctly. The zoo offers special programs for kids, such as feeding times and tours.

Insider tip: Please note that the Berlin Zoo isn’t just a regular zoo. It’s a home for endangered species and lives up to high ethical standards, so you can visit without any worries.

#10 – The Berlin Cathedral – A beautiful and scenic place to check out in Berlin

• The largest and most famous church in the city
• Architecturally striking and opulent

Why it’s so awesome: This building is the largest church in the city and it’s also one of the hotspots in Berlin for tourists. It has a striking green dome that looks amazing in photos and is surrounded by lush green areas that are great for a picnic and contrast nicely with the church. It’s taken decades to renovate the church, but now it’s returned back to its former glory and impresses with amazing architecture and a great play of colour.

What to do there: The best thing to do around the cathedral is to take a blanket and some snacks with you and have a picnic while admiring the beauty of the building. In fact, many locals spend the sunny afternoons around the monument. Make sure to take lots of pictures and tour the inside of the cathedral as well.

The Berlin cathedral is located just opposite the famous Museum Island, so you could even spend all day here just exploring what this part of the city centre has to offer.

Insider tip: For a small fee, you can climb the 270 steps up to the top of the dome and take in the great views over Museum Island, which is another cool attraction I’m gonna get to shortly.

#11 – Mauerpark – One of the most amazing places in Berlin!

• Great weekend hotspot!
• Holds events and flea market

Why it’s so awesome: This area used to be part of the Cold War era death strip but since then it’s been turned into a place of fun and nature. This seems to be a fitting memorial, to have so much beauty and joy where there was once so much pain, and it’s a great place to escape from the city during the week or to enjoy events pretty much any time. It also has a flea market on Sundays that locals and tourists alike swear by.

What to do there: This is an extremely popular part of Berlin, so expect large crowds, especially over the weekend. If you’re in the city on Sunday, make sure you turn up for the flea market, which is an absolute city favorite for locals and visitors alike. During the warm summer months, there are a lot of fun, free events held here as well, so find out what’s on and just show up! Also, try the Bearpit Karaoke for a few laughs!

#12 – The TV Tower

• Hands down the most popular place to go in Berlin
• Take your camera with you
• Really crowded, so expect lines

Why it’s so awesome: As a fascinating and unique relic of the city’s Communist past, The TV Tower (Fernsehturm) is now one of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks. You can see pretty much the whole city from the viewing deck of this tower. Over 1.2 million people visit a year, which makes it one of the most popular attraction in the city. It also acts as a handy landmark for orientating yourself due to its sheer size.

What to do there: Take the elevator to the observation deck. You’ll be 203 meters up in the sky and be able to see the whole city from that vantage point. This is the perfect place for that iconic photo of you in Berlin, so make sure you take advantage of it and bring your camera!

Since this is a super popular attraction all year long, you can expect to share the view with quite a few other visitors. In order to reduce the waiting time in line, be sure to purchase your tickets online beforehand.

Insider tip: If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can even make a reservation for a window table at the TV Tower restaurant. It’s not the cheapest place to eat, but the view definitely makes up for it. It’s one of the most unique experiences you can have in Berlin.

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#13 – Checkpoint Charlie

• A border crossing between East and West Berlin
• Setting for many thrillers and spy novels

Why it’s so awesome: If you want a slightly creepy, more personal view of what the city was like when it was divided by the Berlin Wall then you need to visit this site. This is the most famous border crossing between East and West Berlin and until 1989 it signified the border between capitalism and freedom and communism and confinement. It’s also the site of a few stand-offs between America and the Soviet during the Cold War.

What to do there: Visit the site and try to imagine what it was like for people who had to move through the checkpoint. There’s a sign above it that reads “You are now leaving the American sector’, a warning that’s incredibly ominous in this context. Over the years, this checkpoint has become almost a symbol of the conflict during the Cold War, which is why it’s one of the most important points of interest in Berlin today.

#14 – Berlin Wall Memorial

• Partly steel reconstruction
• Remembrance for the victims of the Berlin Wall
• 1.4km long, 12-foot-high

Why it’s so awesome: This site is more informative than other museums and will teach you all about the history of the Berlin Wall. It’s the ideal place for history nerds that really want to dig in deep. This wall split the city in two and stretched 1.4 kilometers across the city. You’ll be able to see the fortifications that once stood along this wall as well as the infamous ‘death strip’.

What to do there: This is an incredibly important historical site, so make sure you take the time to explore it. Marvel at the watchtower and ‘death strip’ and learn more about the sites through the interactive displays that are dotted throughout the area. Just remember that not all of the displays are safe for children, so be careful if you bring them to this site.

Insider Tip: The Berlin Wall is usually part of most Berlin Walking Tours, so if you want to find out directly from a local guide be sure to join one.

#15 – Kurfürstendamm

• The Champs-Élysées of Berlin
• Shopping and hotel street
• Great for people watching too

Why it’s so awesome: If you’ve got some spare money, Kurfürstendamm is one of the best spots to go to in Berlin. It’s a massive avenue filled with all sorts of shops and plenty of charming cafes. It’s also a place to see and be seen. This is where you can find cool designer boutiques right next to high-end fashion stores. While staying on Kurfürstendamm is insanely expensive (think 5-star hotels), it’s perfect for shopping or a chill afternoon stroll.

What to do there: Spend all the money you got! But if you’re not keen on that, walking down the avenue for window-shopping is just as cool. There are an insane amount of designer shops and even some automobile exhibitions that can be visited. This is Berlin’s best most famous shopping street, right alongside “Unter den Linden” so you’ll share the boulevard with plenty of other visitors.

#16 – Charlottenburg Palace

• Stately baroque palace
• In the heart of Berlin
• Stunning architecture

Why it’s so awesome: You might not think of Berlin in connection with palaces, but this residence will teach you otherwise. It was built in the 18th century for the Prussian rulers and is a perfect example of the baroque still that’s been so popular through the ages.

What to do there: Take pictures of the palace inside and out and then spend some time in the gardens. The green spaces surrounding the palace are almost better than the building itself and many people say that they’re one of the most beautiful gardens in the city as well. You can also find a Tea House and the Orangery in the garden which are worth a visit as well.

#17 – Reichstag

• One of the most famous places in Berlin
• Berlin’s seat of power and home to the German parliament

Why it’s so awesome: This stately building is the seat of power in Germany and it also has a turbulent history behind it. In 1933, there was a fire at the site which prompted the persecution of political opponents and it also took a lot of damage in World War II. The completion of repairs took until after the fall of the Berlin Wall, but now it’s intact and still functions as a place of power in Berlin.

What to do there: You can book an appointment online to tour the building and enjoy the lush and stately rooms as well as a visit to the top of the building’s glass dome. This will give you some amazing views across the city, so it’s well worth making the extra effort. Simply walking past the monument is also pretty worth it since the building is quite an attraction in itself.

#18 – The Park Inn Hotel – Not your typical activity…

• For the thrill seekers
• Not ideal if you’re afraid of heights

Why it’s so awesome: If you’re looking for something more exciting than museums, then take a trip to this hotel. It’s located in Alexanderplatz, one of the city’s centers, and is 125 meters high. After a quick chat to the desk clerk, you can take the elevator to the top and then jump off the building. Yes, literally. It’s called base flying and it’s similar to bungee jumping, as well as a lot of fun.

What to do there: You can go base flying during the day or at night for some amazing views. Onlookers are welcome, so you’ll have someone there to witness your courage and take photos of your screaming face as you jump. You can also get an official view of your jump or take your own video camera and have someone record the action for you.

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#19 – The Botanical Garden – A nice quiet place to see in Berlin

• Enjoy stunning nature
• Holds 22,000 different plant species
• Combined with a museum
• Indoor and outdoor space

Why it’s so awesome: When you spend all your time in a city you need a place where you can connect with nature. This botanical garden is absolutely huge, with plenty of room for everyone who wants to breathe in some fresh air and looking at artistic flower and plant displays.

What to do there: This is the perfect place to just wander around and enjoy the scenery. You’ll see ivy-covered buildings, giant bamboo and a profusion of colorful waterlilies sure to delight gardeners and non-gardeners alike. There are over 22,000 different species of plants in this garden, so you’ll need to put aside a bit of time to see everything.

#20 – Berliner Unterwelten

• Unique place to visit
• Explore the secret underworld

Why it’s so awesome: When the tide started to turn during the Second World War and defeat looked possible, the authorities started to build bunkers under the city. This eventually became an underground system of tunnels and bunkers that both sides used during the Cold War. In fact, during this period a lot of money was spent creating multi-use rooms like subway stations and underground car parks to keep the population safe from a nuclear war.

What to do there: There are more than 3,000 shelters under Berlin, so make sure you have a guide who can lead you to the most interesting ones and give you some background on the sites as well. After spending a little time in this underground maze, you’ll understand why it’s one of the most unusual things to do in Berlin and one of the most popular as well! There are a few different types of tours through the tunnels, so choose the one that appeals to you the most.

Insider Tip: For now, there are no available tours online. If you want to find a private guide, be sure to check with your Berlin accommodation for help.

#21 – Monster Kabinett

• Part art gallery, part haunted house.
• Not ideal for kids
• A bit creepy
• But also pretty fascinating

Why it’s so awesome: Created by an art collective called the Dead Pigeon Collective, this is a warehouse full of strange art. It contains metallic masterpieces as well as costumed people ready to put on a show on Thursdays and Friday nights. During these events, you’ll be confronted with skittering spider robots, malformed sculptures, and more in a weird and very effective modern version of a haunted house.

What to do there: This is one of the most unusual things to do in Berlin and the location fits with that as well. The gallery is in a dark alley and you can’t really tell that you’ve reached it until one of the members of the collective greets you. It’s obviously a safe place to visit, but it is very scary, so leave the kids behind and show up on a Friday or Thursday night year-round for a fun evening out.

#22 – Liquidroom – One of the more unique places to visit in Berlin!

• Great place to relax
• Saltwater pool
• Cool inside and outside design

Why it’s so awesome: This complex looks like a collection of tents, a design meant to evoke its past as a train station around the time of the Second World War. But these days, the building is far more modern and contains top of the line spa facilities and saunas where you can relax with the latest wellness technologies.

What to do there: If you love spas then you simply must experience this one. The baths and saunas are great and perfect for heating and relaxing all the tension from your bones, but you definitely can’t miss the saltwater floating pool. The pool is in an architecturally fascinating room with high arches and multi-colored lights and music plays constantly. The music ranges from classical to techno and it’s designed to be heard underwater while you relax and float. This could be very relaxing, but it might also remind you of movies about mind control, so try to keep an open mind when you take your time in this pool.

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#23 – Kreuzberg

• Popular district
• Full of unique cafes
• Great for shopping

Why it’s so awesome: Berlin is one of the most beautiful places in Germany – in its own way -and neighborhoods like this one are the reason why. It’s filled with amazing shops, galleries, cafes, restaurants, and bars. So, no matter what you enjoy doing, you’ll have a great time when you spend an afternoon or evening in this area.

What to do there: This is one of the best places in Berlin when you don’t have an itinerary or a clear goal. Instead, just wander and see what you find. The buildings and streets are beautiful, the vibe is upbeat and modern, and when you get tired you can stop in at one of the cafes or restaurants for a tasty drink or snack!

Insider Tip: Kreuzberg used to be one of the sketchier neighborhoods in Berlin, but has since changed thanks to students, young entrepreneurs and a very chilled out community.

#24 – The Pergamon Museum

• Part of the UNESCO World Heritage
• Controversial exhibitions

Why it’s so awesome: Located on the Museum Island, this museum houses reconstructed, monumental buildings that were taken from Turkey. Since its opening in 1930, there has been ongoing pressure to return these cultural treasures to their home as the legitimacy of the acquisition is a little suspect. But while the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus are in Berlin, you absolutely must go to see these spectacular displays.

What to do there: This is a display of history that you need to see while you’re visiting Berlin. The museum itself was damaged during the Second World War and many of its displays were taken by the Red Army. Some were returned, however, which gives extra history and weight to the already staggering pieces on display. Make sure you check out the south wing, where the Professional Way of Babylon, the Ishtar Gate and the Market Gate of Miletus are kept.

Insider tip: The Pergamon museum is the most popular one on Museum island. Therefore, you can expect quite a few visitors. While you can enter the museum with an individual ticket, it’s also part of the city pass I spoke about earlier.

#25 – The Museum of Unheard of Things – Quite the quirky place in Berlin!

• Quirky place
• Only for the open-minded ones
• Small but interesting

Why it’s so awesome: The objects in the collection are arranged all over the walls of this museum, but each of them tells a strange tale or myth that’s both fantastic and almost convincing. Don’t expect to hear about facts, this is a super creative place that allows your imagination to run freely. The stories are incredibly entertaining, if not a bit confusing sometimes but if you appreciate that kind of art, you should really stop by.

What to do there: Like any other museum, you need to explore the items at this museum and read their descriptive labels. But there the resemblance stops because this is unlike the majority of museums. Make sure that you check out the ‘petrified water’, the story about the cow-pie worshipping community, and how sacramental wine lost its color. The curator of the museum has gathered and created stories of all different types, and it’s an absolute pleasure to visit the imaginative and slightly strange world that has resulted.

#26 – The DDR Museum

• Interactive exhibitions
• Depicts life in the former East Germany

Why it’s so awesome: This museum isn’t so much awesome as fascinating and unsettling. When Berlin was divided, the eastern side became known as the DDR or Deutsche Demokratische Republik. This police state existed between 1949 and 1990 and was ruled by fear and suspicion. Some people estimate that one in ten people in that state worked as an informant for the Stasi and this museum explores the relics of that history.

What to do there: There are more than 200,000 relics in this museum, but the reason why it’s worth seeing is because it’s been set up to allow you to become immersed in the world behind the Berlin Wall. You can walk into an East German apartment and watch a television show created by the state, or pick up the telephone and hear the click of someone listening in. This sounds like a claustrophobic world, and it is, but it’s also a unique look into a very different way of life that most westerners can’t even imagine.

Insider Tip: While this place carries quite a dark history, it’s actually one of the best places to visit with slightly older kids if you want them to learn about the harsh past in the most gentle way possible.

#27 – The Museum für Naturkunde – A fascinating educational place to visit in Berlin

• The biggest natural history museum in Germany.
• Great for kids!

Why it’s so awesome: This museum contains amazing collections of minerals, paleontology exhibits, and zoology displays. Some of the displays go back thousands, if not millions of years, and include the oldest bird known to have existed, extinct animals, and the world’s largest chunk of amber. So, if you’re interested in the history of the natural world, this museum is a Berlin must see.

What to do there: While you’re in Berlin, make sure that you put aside a few hours or even an afternoon to check out the marvels on display. Check out the mounted dinosaur, which is the tallest in the world even if that includes the bones from other dinosaurs and the wet collection. The wet collection contains thousands of fish and sea creatures preserved in glass jars, many of the jars more than 100 years old. This collection fills an entire room that’s been specially designed for them, and because of the way the lights are designed, the whole place shines with a beautiful, yellowed glow.

#28 – The Gendarmenmarkt

• One of the largest squares in Berlin
• Cool events during summer
• Includes three beautiful and historic buildings

Why it’s so awesome: This picturesque square is one of the most popular attractions in Berlin for tourists and it’s easy to see why. It plays host to a variety of public events throughout the year including classical concerts and the world-famous Christmas market in December. But even when there’s nothing going on, the stately 17th-century square still contains a number of important buildings and landmarks that are worth exploring.

What to do there: First, check out if there are any events in the square while you’re in the city and make sure you attend. There’s nothing like being part of everyday life in Berlin and this is a great way to do it. If there’s nothing on, spend some time in the square to explore the French and German Cathedrals and the Konzerthaus theater. They’re all architecturally amazing and you’ll be able to get some great photos in front of them!

Insider Tip: Just like the Alexander Platz, this place is ideal for people watching!

#29 – The Museum of the Gestapo (Topography of Terror)

• Outdoor & Indoor exhibitions
• Explore the old Nazi ideology
• Old Nazi headquarter

Why it’s so awesome: The Topography of Terror occupies the buildings that were used as offices and prisons by the Gestapo and the Secret State Police during the Second World War. The exhibits don’t shy away from this history, instead, they focus on giving visitors a good idea of how terrifying it must have been to be under the control of such a violent and capricious military force.

What to do there: You might want to avoid this museum if you struggle with graphic displays as they can be found everywhere in this museum. If you do go, make sure you check out the videos, photographs and audio from this time. They explore issues like persecution, extermination, and occupation and they also address the time after the war, when Berlin was struggling to recover from the atrocities. This is an important and memorable display, but it definitely isn’t a comfortable one.

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Find out what people want to know about the best places to visit in Berlin

What is the most visited place in Berlin?

The Reichstag and Museum Island are the most visited attractions in Berlin.

Are 3 days enough time to visit Berlin?

There are a lot of things to see and do in Berlin. I would say three days is enough time to see the highlights.

What is Berlin best known for?

Berlin is known for its museums and thriving art scene.

Is Berlin worth visiting?

If you’re travelling to Germany, you should definitely make sure to see Berlin for its historical and cultural importance for the country.

Berlin is a city with an interesting and sometimes tragic history that shouldn’t be forgotten. That’s why it’s so important that as many people as possible experience the best places to visit in this city. It’s a reminder of the dangers of hatred, confinement, and segregation.

And Berlin’s determination to move forward is also a reminder of the strength of the human spirit. So, make sure you have the trip of a lifetime while you’re in this city by choosing the attractions you’re most interested in seeing from my complete list. If you’re looking for even more things to do when visiting the city, check out some of the amazing Berlin day trips too.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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capitalism and freedom had me in a fit of laughter!!!!!! it was fascism not communism

also the city of berlin being the most iconic landmark of the city of berlin.. genius never wouldve thought! Great list 🙂

Communism reigned over East Germany from 1949 until 1989, Sara.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

10 Historic Places to See in Berlin

Dating to the 13th century, germany's vibrant capital berlin is brimming with history. here's 10 sites that you can't miss..

Lucy Davidson

06 sep 2021, @lucejuiceluce.

As the European Union’s most populous city, Berlin is an artistic, historic, and social hub. The city has been under the rule of the Kingdom Of Prussia, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, and the Third Reich. After the Second World War, it was famously severed in half by the Berlin Wall, which was only taken down in 1989. As a result, there are endless monuments, museums, and historical sites to explore the capital’s multifaceted history with.

From famous places steeped in history like the Reichstag, to lesser-known sites like Berlin Flak Tower, there’s a wealth of sites to visit. Here’s our pick of 10 of the best.

1. Brandenburg Gate

Probably Berlin’s most famous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate is a stunning Romanesque structure modelled on the ancient gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. Standing at the heart of the city, the Gate is a symbol of the German capital and is consistently ranked among the top 10 things to see in Berlin.

Commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia and built between 1788 and 1791, today, visitors from around the world come to see the Brandenburg Gate and its ornate carvings, including its dramatic depiction of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, driving a horse drawn chariot.

2. Reichstag

No visit to Berlin can miss the famous German parliament building, the Reichstag. One of the most popular places to visit in Berlin, the Reichstag Building as we know it today is a fusion of the original 19th century building – heavily damaged by the infamous fire of 1933 and subsequent WWII bombing – and a restoration project which finished in 1999.

As well as viewing the stunning architecture particularly the remarkable roof terrace and dome, visitors can explore more via guided tours are available, but these must be booked in writing well in advance.

3. Berlin Wall

Probably the most famous of all the places to see in Berlin, the Berlin Wall split the city and was a dramatic symbol of the ideological struggle of the Cold War. An 87 mile long concrete barrier that divided East and West Berlin, the Wall was the most obvious embodiment of the so-called ‘Iron Curtain’ between eastern and western Europe.

The fall of the Berlin Wall finally occurred on 9 November 1989, and was almost completely dismantled in the weeks that followed. Very few segments of the wall remain today, but those that have are extremely popular for visitors and locals alike. The largest section can be found at the open air East Side Gallery, although small sections are dotted throughout the city.

4. Berliner Dom

One of the most stunning buildings in Berlin, Berliner Don is an exceptionally beautiful early 20th century Cathedral built during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Constructed between 1894 and 1905, this ornate structure is crowned with a remarkable, imposing dome and is now open to the public to explore.

It’s the capital’s largest and most important Protestant church and, when it comes to deciding what to see in Berlin, this hugely popular landmark is an absolute must.

5. The Holocaust Memorial - Berlin

History runs to the very heart of Berlin, and while joyous events are celebrated, there are a number of sites which document darker moments from the city’s past. Berlin has made the conscious decision to ensure that the horror of the Nazi regime and the Holocaust are not forgotten. One of the most moving sites of all is the Holocaust Memorial.

The Holocaust Memorial is a vast granite maze covering 19,000 square metres which remembers the millions of European Jews murdered by the Nazis. It makes for sombre and thought-provoking viewing.

6. The Pergamon Museum

Located on Museum Island, the Pergamon Museum showcases a vast and fascinating world famous collection of ancient artefacts, Ancient Near East, and Islamic art. For lovers of history, it ranks as one of the very best things to do in Berlin.

As well as a host of incredible artefacts, the museum houses monumental structures such as the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus, which all consist of original parts brought from their original locations in Turkey.

7. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Originally built in the 1890’s and dedicated to Kaiser William I by his grandson Kaiser William II, today the fusion of Romanesque and modern architecture make the Kaiser Wilhelm Church a fascinating place to explore.

Seemingly odd to view from the outside – being as it is a largely 18th century tower with a modern concrete, steel and glass hulk attached – inside the Church is truly stunning, with beautiful glass walls and an epic feel. A truly unique experience.

8. Berlin Stasi Prison

An infamous East German prison which operated during the Cold War, the Berlin Stasi Prison is a memorial to those who were persecuted there. Following WWII, East Berlin was under the occupation of Soviet Russia as the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Stasi were the official security forces of this state. The Berlin Stasi Prison became the detention centre for anyone considered hostile to the state until it was eventually disbanded in 1989 as the GDR began to falter.

Today, the prison is a memorial to those who were detained there and is a stark reminder of the atrocities carried out during the Cold War. Tours are offered and visitors can see a film about the prison’s history.

9. The Berlin Flak Tower

One of the more hidden and obscure places in Berlin to visit, the Berlin Flak Tower is a Second World War anti-aircraft station and bunker which can now be seen via organised tours run by the Berlin Underground Association.

Visitors can explore three of the seven floors of the bunker and discover the astounding underground landscape. The most striking experience that the site offers is the opportunity to stare deep down into the very depths of the building.

10. Charlottenburg Palace

Built in 1713 as a summer getaway for the first queen of Prussia, Charlottenburg is Berlin’s largest royal estate. One of Berlin’s most beautiful museums, the architecture is predominantly baroque, reflecting the taste during the period when it was first constructed.

Today, Charlottenburg ranks among the top places to visit in Berlin and visitors can undertake a guided tour through both the Old Palace and the New Wing. Tours guide visitors through the rich family history of Sophie Charlotte, in addition to the property’s extensive collection of artworks.

The Best Places to Visit in Berlin, Germany

Written By: Thomas Carney

Updated On: January 23, 2024

Berlin, the capital city of Germany, has a rich, storied past stretching back through the Cold War, the two world wars, to the swinging 20s and beyond. Today it is the largest city in the European Union, yet at the same time, you’ll find that Berlin is surprisingly affordable when compared to other larger European cities.

In this article, we’ll run through some of the best places to visit in Berlin, including its historical sites and attractions. Are you ready to explore this sprawling city of almost four million inhabitants based on my experience of living on and off in the city since 2008? As Germans say, “ Los geht’s! ”.

Table of Contents

Things to do in Berlin, Germany

Visiting Berlin? Book your private airport transfer from the Berlin Brandenburg Airport. We love booking a private transfer when landing in a new city. The meet and greet service at the airport’s arrival hall makes for a seamless transfer in comfort to our hotel lobby.

This article about popular historic tourist attractions in Berlin was originally written by Berlin resident Thomas Carney . It has been updated and expanded for 2022 with fresh new Berlin tours and places to stay.

1. Visit the Reichstag

The Reichstag building is the home of the German Parliament. Famously, its burning in 1933 was a trigger for the Nazi’s consolidation of power. After German reunification in 1990, the rebuilt Reichstag was restored after years of neglect since World War II and today is one of the most popular sites in all of Germany thanks to free entrance to the glass dome on top that gives spectacular views of Berlin. The glass dome was created for more than just the view; it represents transparency and Germany’s united democracy.

You’ll have to register ahead of time to book a visit, and it’s important to bring your ID. Personally, my favorite time to visit is just before closing when you get a view of Berlin at night.

2. Stop by Brandenburg Gate

No visit to Berlin would be complete without visiting one of Berlin’s most famous gathering places. Located just five minutes walk away from the Reichstag building, you’ll find the famous Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s old city gate. It was in front of this monument that Regan issued an ultimatum to the Soviet leader, Gorbachev, to tear down the Berlin Wall. To the east of the gate, you’ll find the Pariser square, which leads on to “Unter den Linden”, a wide boulevard leading down towards Museum Island, which is lined with embassies, five-star hotels, and high-end boutiques.

We took this Berlin Third Reich Walking Tour that visited all the major attractions and historical spots in Berlin. Meeting at Brandenburg Gate, we began the tour by listening to the history of the final days leading up to World War II. We passed the rebuilt Reichstag and seat of the German House of Parliament, visited the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, The Holocaust Memorial, and Hitler’s Bunker, which is now a very unremarkable parking lot.

3. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Berlin is full of reminders of the crimes of the Nazi era, from the brass-plated stones you’ll find in the sidewalks marking the last residence of victims of the Nazi regime to monuments such as The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as The Holocaust Memorial is a monument is located centrally just beside Brandenburg Gate. It’s made up of 2711 rectangular blocks that descend deeper as you walk further into the memorial, giving you a sense of isolation and unease.

The Holocaust Memorial is free to visit, and it is suitable for wheelchairs. Located underground beneath the memorial, you’ll find an information center on the Holocaust with free entrance almost every day.

4. Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is the most famous border crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin, and it is featured in countless films such as Bridge of Spies. It was the top tourist attraction we wanted to see when visiting Berlin. (outside the Berlin Wall, of course) The Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie, which provides information on the Berlin Wall, is worth a visit. Read: Top 16 Fun Facts About Germany That You Probably Didn’t Know

We took a free walking tour in Berlin to see many of the historical sites in Berlin. We highly recommend free city tours as they are often hosted by a local, and when the tour is over, you only pay what you can to suit everyone’s budget. We recommend 10 Euros per person, but it really is up to you. We took the Original Free Berlin walking tour here.

4. Visit a Remaining Piece of the Berlin Wall

Remnants of the Berlin Wall that separated East Berlin from West Berlin still exist around the city. One such place is the Berlin Wall Memorial, where you’ll find a visitor center along with a remaining section of the wall. Another section of the Berlin Wall Memorial that is popular is the East Side Gallery on the Spree River, which has many famous graffiti sections.

The Berlin Wall memorial is one of the top attractions in Berlin, and there are several places to see its remains. We took a Street Art and Workshop in Berlin and it was amazing. Graffiti has a strong history in Berlin and is entrenched in its history. Learn about its origins and then have a lesson on how to make some street art of your own. This tour shows you how to create graffiti with spray paints (it’s harder than it looks) and then paint your graffiti on the original Berlin Wall, where you’ll get a picture of your Graffiti on the historic wall. Get more details here.

5. The Berlin TV Tower at Alexanderplatz

East Germany built the TV Tower to be a symbol of the technological advances of the Eastern Bloc in 1969. Today, the Berlin TV Tower is the highest vantage point in Berlin. You can take an elevator up to the 203-meter-high observation deck and viewing platform, where you’ll get the best view in all of Berlin. This being Germany, you can also enjoy a beer at the top of the bar or even eat at the restaurant that slowly revolves around to give you a 360-degree view of Berlin.

You can book tickets in advance here for fast-track tickets and priority entrance to Berlin’s Television Tower at an exclusive window seat in the Sphere restaurant. From 200 meters (656 feet) above the city admire views of the Reichstag, Berlin Cathedral, the Olympic Stadium, and Potsdamer Platz. See more information here

6. Museum Island

Berlin is home to some amazing museums. Conveniently, you’ll find five world-class museums situated on Museum Island right in the center of Berlin. Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is located in the middle of the Spree River. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most frequented museums in all of Europe.

As these museums on Museum Island have large collections, I personally would choose one to visit rather than trying to take in all five in one day. Let’s break down the museums individually to help you decide which one to see. Hours: 8 to Midnight daily

Pergamon Museum – Perhaps the most famous on Museum Island, the Pergamon Museum Art Museum has been undergoing renovations since 2013. (so expect exhibits to be closed and have long lines). In the Middle East Museum, you’ll find entire historical buildings such as the Pergamon Altar, Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the Processional Way from Babylon. The Islamic Art Museum lets you discover artifacts from Muslim as well as Christian and Jewish groups and the Antiquity Collection houses one of the most significant collections of Greek and Roman Art. Book your entrance ticket in advance here.

Altes Museum – The Altes Museum has an amazing collection of Greek and Roman antiquities where you will immerse in the art and culture of the Greeks and Romans. There are monumental columns and a rotunda inspired by the Pantheon Tickets can be bought here.

Alte Nationalgalerie – The Old National Art Gallery houses Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Biedermeier, Impressionism, and early Modernity. Highlights include Sleeping Beauty and Impressionist works by French Impressionists such as Manet, Monet, and Renoir. Discover Romanticism with The Monk by the Sea, the Group of Princesses, and the Gothic Cathedral at the Water. Tickets here

Neues Museum – See three museums in one at the Neues Museum. It has exhibits from the Egyptian Museum, the Antique Collection, and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. Highlights of the Neues Museum include the famous bust of Queen Neferti and Priam’s Treasure from the Heinrich Schliemann collection. Get your tickets here.

The Bode Museum houses the Museum of Byzantine Art and the Sculpture Collection, plus one of the largest coin collections in the world. Get your tickets here. All museums are part of the UNESCO World Heritage designation.

7. Berlin Cathedral

When visiting any European city it is always worthwhile going into the city’s main cathedral. The beautiful Berlin Cathedral is topped by picturesque domes, creating a striking scene. It is the largest cathedral in Berlin and is located near Museum Island. Like so much of Berlin, it was heavily damaged during World War II but has been restored. Make sure to climb to the top for views of the city, and don’t forget to visit the crypts below.

Take this boat tour – A boat tour is an amazing way to see the capital city from the water while enjoying a light lunch. See the government district, Bellevue Palace, and Berlin Central Station on the 2.5-hour boat tour along the River Spree.

8. Stop by Gendarmenmarkt for a Coffee

Berlin was largely destroyed in the Second World War, so many parts of the city lack the historical buildings of other European capitals. One exception is Gendarmenmarkt, a market square situated between Under Den Linden and Checkpoint Charlie. It’s perfect for sitting out on a cafe terrace and enjoying a coffee before your next stop of the day.

Over the holiday season , you’ll find one of Berlin’s best Christmas markets in Berlin at Gendarmenmarkt, where you can sample mulled wine and German Christmas biscuits.

9. Oberbaum Bridge

Spanning the Spree River, The Oberbaum Bridge (The Oberbaumbrücke) is one of the most photographed places in Berlin. It was used as a checkpoint between East and West Berlin during the Cold War from 1961 to 1989 and has become a symbol of Berlin’s unity. It was.

Built in 1895, the Oberbaum Bridge, this beautiful double-deck bridge spans the River Spree connecting the districts of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. The two decks are for transportation, the upper carrying the U-Bahn and the lower being a roadway. It was used as a checkpoint

10. Tiergarten

Tiergarten is to Berlin as Central Park is to New York . Spanning 519 acres, it is the heart of the city, bordering major attractions like Brandenburg Gate. It was once the royal hunting grounds but, in the late 17th century, was turned into a leisure park.

After WWII many of the trees were cut down and used as fuel in the winter, but in 1949, many trees were replanted from donations across Germany. Inside the park, there are tree-lined paths, a Biergarten, and Siegessäule (Victory Column). Note you can climb to the top of the Victory Column for a birds-eye view.

11. Berlin Zoo

While we typically don’t recommend zoos, but the Berlin Zoo has extensive breeding programs to reintroduce endangered species. It is located in Tiergarten, and it works to keep animals in natural environments as close to their natural habitats as possible.

12. Berlin Nightlife

Berlin probably has one of the most lively nightlife scenes in all of Europe, and no visit to Berlin would be complete without going out at least once! We chose the nightlife scene in the artsy and bohemian district of Kreuzberg for our evenings out. Other hot nightclub areas in Berlin include Torstrasse in the clubbing district of Mitte and the historic Nollendorfplatz in Schöneberg (the oldest LGBTQ neighborhood). Berlin is famous for having everything from techno dance clubs to indie rock bars.

13. Charlottenburg Palace

Located a little outside the center of the capital city, Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in Germany. Take a tour to see the apartments of Frederick the Great. For something unique to do in Berlin, book An Evening at Charlottenburg Palace that includes dinner and a concert experience with the Berlin Residence Orchestra. Charlottenburg Palace was a former summer residence for the royal House of Hohenzollern. You can book your tour in advance here.

14. Kaufhaus des Westen (KaDeWe)

It’s the largest department store in continental Europe and has been welcoming patrons for more than 100 years. It was destroyed after WWII but reopened in the 1950s and has become one of Berlin’s top tourist attractions. It’s a great place for shopping for souvenirs and name brands all under one roof. This is also a good place to grab a bit to eat. Head to the 6th floor for some affordable and delicious German food. German Food: 20 Traditional Dishes To Try in Germany or At Home

Where To Stay to Make the Most of Your Berlin Trip

If you’re excited about Berlin and want to make a trip out of it, you then have the question of where to stay. Berlin is a sprawling city, so making sure you choose the right location to stay in will make a big difference. We have a whole article dedicated to Where To Stay in Berlin: Best Areas To Stay For First-Time Visitors .

As you may have noticed, many of the popular historical sites of Berlin are found in “Mitte”, literally meaning Center in German. If you have the budget, this is a great area to stay in as it is within walking distance to many popular sites and attractions. Hotels along the “ Unter den Linden ” Boulevard are very centrally located but also among the most expensive in Berlin.

Accommodation around the “ Volkspark am Weinberg ” offers an excellent mix of locations as well as great surrounding restaurants and bars.

• Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin – Berlin’s premier hotel located right next to the Brandenburg Gate.
• AC Hotel by Marriott – close to Teirgartn and the attractions in Berlin Mitte with a more affordable price tag.
• Radisson Collection Hotel Berlin – located in Berlin Mitte near Alexanderplatz Square just opposite the Berlin Cathedral.

How to Get Around Berlin, Germany

Berlin has a very efficient public transportation system. The best way to get around Berlin is by using the underground trains known as the U-Bahn. You can purchase tickets per zone, and there are ten different lines. Most of the tourist attractions in Berlin are located in zones A and B. Zone A spans the city center of Berlin, including the S-Bahn-Ring. Zone B begins outside the S-Bahn ring and goes to the city limits. The fare zone Berlin AB is used most by travelers.

The U-Bahn runs 24 hours on weekends and 1 am on weekdays. Before boarding the U-Bahn, make sure to validate your ticket in the machine. You can’t simply purchase a ticket and walk on, it must be validated beforehand.

You can download the BVG App to help you get around Berlin. We also use Google Maps to get around cities, you can easily follow the best transportation route on Google Maps.

When’s the Best Time to Visit Berlin, Germany

The best time to visit Berlin is from May to September. This is when the weather is pleasant, there are plenty of festivals and events, and it’s great for patio season. In my opinion, the month of May is the best time to visit Berlin, as you’ll enjoy warm weather without overheating (Germans don’t do air conditioning as a rule). The city also feels incredibly vibrant as people awake from the long winter.

Berlin winters are long, cold, and dark. In mid-December, the light will start to fade around 3:30 pm. However, the Christmas markets with mulled wine and holiday decorations do offset the dreary winters.

April and October are also good times to visit Berlin, and you can find better deals during the shoulder season.

Berlin Tours

Dave and I took our tours in Berlin with Get Your Guide. It is our go-to tour company when traveling. This highly rated Berlin Wall and Graffiti walking tour is a great way to explore Berlin’s alternative art and graffiti culture. We really enjoyed this graffiti-inspired walking tour along the streets of the Mitte, Kreuzberg, and Friedrichshain districts.

And there you have it, the best places in Berlin, Germany. If you are visiting the capital city, make sure to spend a few days discovering its history, culture, and nightlife scene. Have you been to Berlin? Share your Berlin travel tips and advice in the comments below.

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Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

• Allianz - Occasional Travelers.
• Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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About Thomas Carney

Thomas is an Irish resident of Berlin who loves travel, hiking and the outdoors. As a fan of minimalist backpacking, he writes about minimalist packing lists and merino gear at MerinoWoolRocks.com

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8 thoughts on “The Best Places to Visit in Berlin, Germany”

Berlin’s rich history is fascinating, and this article does a great job of highlighting key attractions like the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate. It’s impressive to see how Berlin has transformed over the years, while still preserving its past. The Reichstag’s glass dome is not only a remarkable architectural feature but also a symbol of Germany’s united democracy. I’ve found that having a map at hand is essential when exploring sprawling cities like Berlin. The tip about visiting the Reichstag just before closing for a nighttime view is a gem. Overall, this article provides valuable insights for anyone planning a trip to Germany’s capital.

I added Germany tour in my calendar may be 2024. I am thankful for your blog and shared knowledge able information

It makes me want to go back to Berlin after reading this post! There is so much to do there that I will definitely check out the locations you mentioned and that I haven’t visited yet the next time I visit. Thank you very much for sharing your site, I received a lot of help from it. You’ve done a fantastic job on your own site, and I really enjoy it.

They are masterminds when it comes to the R32 and VR6 prototype. And don’t forget the W12 edition also. 🙂

Good !! Definatly once I Want To Visit .

Berlin is one of my most favorite cities! I lived there for a year and hold the city close to my heart 🙂 I can’t wait to go there again – perhaps for ITB in March! Thanks for the rundown of the historical sights in Berlin. I love the Reichstag and pretty much everything. Even though the Checkpoint Charlie has become a bit too touristy to my liking. Berlin is an awesome place to visit!

i will plan to visit in berlin soon once i have a free time by this coming summer, a wonderful place to be with thanks

Berlin seems to be a lively city despite its dark past. Would love to explore its historic places.

Sights to see in Berlin – The best places in East Berlin

• Gepostet am 8. November 2020
• last updated 31. October 2023
• , in: East Germany

Table of content

Berlin is one of the most dynamic metropolises in the world and has undergone a breathtaking transformation in recent years. This is true not only for the West, but especially for the East of the city, the former capital of the GDR. Since we at Wild East are focused on the East, we naturally present only the most beautiful East Berlin sights in keeping with the style. In addition to the many historic sites, some new ones have been added in the years since German reunification. Today we want to introduce you to the most important old and new sights to see in Berlin and take you on a trip to the capital. If you are interested in practical information about Berlin, you can find important tips for your trip here.

These are the top 15 Sights to see in Berlin

Alexanderplatz with TV tower

The “Alex” is one of the busiest squares in Berlin. Alfred Döblin set a literary monument to the former parade ground in 1929 with his book “Berlin Alexanderplatz,” capturing the feeling of life in Berlin in the 1920s like perhaps no other book. At the time, cabarets and modern department stores dominated the scene and attracted people from all over Germany. During World War II, the square and surrounding buildings were heavily destroyed.

World time clock and central square with hooker brooch

After the war, the GDR government decided to redesign the square on a large scale. A Centrum department store was built, but also the Fountain of Friendship between Peoples, known by Berliners as “Nuttenbrosche,” (“Hookers Brooch”) and the famous World Time Clock, today one of the city’s most popular meeting places. The Teacher’s House with its huge frieze showing various everyday scenes of GDR citizens also dates from that time. As you can see, there is a lot going on at the “Alex”!

Berlin TV Tower

The absolute eye-catcher, however, is the TV tower, which officially no longer belongs to the “Alex”. The “Telespargel” (“Television Asparagus”) is the highest building in the city. In the restaurant at a height of 200 meters you have the best view of the capital and do not even have to move for the panoramic view, because the restaurant circles around within 30 minutes! One floor below you can also enjoy a fabulous view of Berlin from the viewing gallery.

East Side Gallery

Not much is left of the Wall in Berlin – fortunately. The East Side Wall between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke used to shield parts of Friedrichshain from neighboring Kreuzberg. In the spring of 1990, parts of the Wall were torn down.

At the East Side Gallery, it was decided to invite artists and let them create something to mark this historic event. 118 artists from 21 countries came. The result was what is now the largest open-air gallery in the world. Some of the artworks today stand iconically not only for the East Side Gallery, but as advertisements for the city of Berlin. Among the most famous and beautiful works are Dmitri Wrubel’s “My God, Help Me Survive This Fatal Love,” featuring the brotherly kiss of Honecker and Brezhnev, and Birgit Kinder’s “Test the Best.”

Holocaust Memorial

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe has been commemorating the Jews killed by the Germans in the Holocaust since 2005. Until 1989, the area had served as part of the Berlin Wall. But since a central memorial was to commemorate the Shoah, the area not far from the Brandenburg Gate was chosen for it. There are now a total of 2711 concrete steles here of varying heights. Walking through them, one gets the feeling of walking into a labyrinth and almost being crushed by the cold concrete steles. The monument is one of the most impressive memorials and its composition is truly unique. Visiting this place is free of charge and there is also an exhibition under the memorial.

Karl-Marx-Allee

Built as Stalinallee in the early 1950s, today’s Karl-Marx-Allee is the largest continuous ensemble of buildings of socialist architecture in Berlin. This showcase street was meant to display the most modern and best buildings of the GDR. And indeed, it is a microcosm of GDR architecture. For even though the street was originally built in the style of Stalinist neoclassicism, there are also very functional and modern-looking buildings to be seen here. Among the most beautiful are Café Moskau, Kino International and Kino Kosmos, as well as the buildings around Strausberger Platz. Along the street there are many information boards that inform about the history and architecture.

The RAW site is located not far from the East Side Gallery and the Warschauer Straße S-Bahn and U-Bahn station in Friedrichshain. The former Reichsbahn repair works is now the largest cultural area in the city. There are countless bars and clubs here. Even a skate hall, a climbing tower and a swimming pool can be found here. On weekends, when Corona is not spoiling your fun, thousands of people pass through here. Food stalls feed the hungry mob. Flea markets are held frequently. Many buildings were designed by artists or are painted with graffiti.

Brandenburg Gate

Like hardly any other building, the Brandenburg Gate is so closely associated with German division and reunification. It stands at the end of East Berlin’s boulevard Unter den Linden and was built at the end of the 18th century in the style of classicism. The Quadriga, a bronze figure depicting Victoria, the goddess of victory, and her team of four horses, crowns the gate and is one of the city’s most popular photo motifs. This area of Berlin was also heavily destroyed during the war.

The rulers had only the Brandenburg Gate rebuilt. From 1961, the Berlin Wall ran directly behind the gate, making the Brandenburg Gate a symbol of the divided city. This tourist hotspot of Berlin should not be missing on our list of the most important sights to see in Berlin’s East.

Hackesche Höfe and Haus Schwarzenberg

At the beginning of the 20th century, several residential quarters were built west of Alexanderplatz. So far, so ordinary. But the Hackesche Höfe pursued a revolutionary concept: Germany’s largest residential and commercial courtyard complex at the time was planned for workers. They were not to be merely colorless tenements, but had heating and indoor toilets. They were also surrounded by green spaces, allowing a comfortable living on a budget. In 1997, the Hackesche Höfe were extensively renovated and have since been restored to their former glory. Today you can spend hours in the many restaurants, galleries and artists’ studios and then marvel at the impressive colorful facades. Next door is the Schwarzenberg House with a lot of street art.

Museum Island

A kind of “city within the city”, picturesquely surrounded by the Spree and Spree Canal, is located in the heart of the former capital of the GDR. Here you can find the most important museums in Germany. No matter what kind of art you are interested in, you will definitely not get bored here! There is so much to see here that you can probably only visit two museums in one day, but you could also easily spend days in just one of the houses. And if you want to relax, you can do so in the Lustgarten, which was originally designed by Peter Joseph Lenné and is now used by countless couples as a seating area in the summer.

The Old Museum (Altes Museum) was one of the first public museums in the country and has been delighting its visitors since 1830. Here you can see numerous ancient works of art, sculptures, vases and much more. Architecturally, the Old Museum also knows how to convince. The legendary Prussian master builder Karl Friedrich Schinkel was responsible for its construction. “There’s a Schinkel in every corner” is what people like to say about Berlin. The Altes Museum, with its portico perfectly echoing the ancient museum theme, is definitely one of the most beautiful of them all.

Where there is an Old Museum, there must of course also be a New Museum (Neues Museum). It was opened ten years after the Old Museum and was heavily destroyed during the Second World War. Restoration began shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the New Museum was officially opened in 2009. It is not modern art that is exhibited here, but the museum is home to the world-famous bust of Nefertiti. The mysterious beauty is one of the most important museum exhibits in Germany. In addition, you will find numerous other exhibits from ancient Egypt.

Pergamon Museum

You haven’t had enough of the ancient world yet? Then go to the Pergamon Museum . It was only built in the 20th century and shows Middle Eastern and Islamic art. The star of the exhibition is the famous Pergamon Altar, to which the museum owes its name. It was designed around 170 BC in what is now Turkey, and its detailed friezes are still in remarkable condition. To keep it that way, the altar will be restored until 2024. Until then, you can view a 3D model of the altar here .

Bode Museum

The Bode Museum , a historicist building, has captured the most beautiful spot on Museum Island. It stands on the northern tip of the island and can thus be seen from afar. Here you can admire the largest collection of sculptures in Europe, but you will also find many other works of art, mainly from the years 800 to 1800. The attached coin collection and the Byzantine Museum are also worth a visit.

Old National Gallery

The Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) marks the end of our excursion to Museum Island. Just like the New Museum, the National Gallery was designed by Friedrich August Stüler, a student of Schinkel. The Alte Nationalgalerie reminds me a bit of an ancient temple and indeed it is a real temple of art, where you can marvel at countless paintings from the 19th and early 20th century.

Berlin Cathedral

The monumental Berlin Cathedral made of granite and sandstone is one of the largest Protestant churches in Germany. At the beginning of the 20th century, the house of worship was built at the behest of the emperor, this time Schinkel and Stüler were allowed to lend a hand together. Here you can admire not only the largest organ in Germany, but also those of some important representatives of the Hohenzollern family, because the church was built as the central burial place of the ruling dynasty, which provided not only the Prussian kings, but from 1871 also the German emperors.

Over a hundred coffins can be found here in the underground of the church. Our tip: Here you can download a free audio guide to the church. And if you don’t have time to visit the church, you can at least take a virtual tour there.

Gardens of the World

The Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf is not exactly an area that would attract a particularly large number of tourists. To mark the 750th anniversary of the city, a park was opened here that functioned under the name Berliner Gartenschau. But the biggest boost to the nearly 100-hectare site came when Berlin won the bid to host the 2017 International Garden Show, which was a huge success. The name Gardens of the World says it all. You can stroll through Chinese, Japanese, Balinese, Oriental and Korean garden landscapes here and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the manicured grounds. Or you can take a ride on the cable car to the Kienberg. Yes, you heard me right, this is also possible in East Berlin.

Rotes Rathaus

Rotes Rathaus (“Red City Hall”) is the seat of Berlin’s ruling mayor and was designed precisely for this purpose shortly before the founding of the Reich, coincidentally on the site where Berlin’s city hall already stood in the Middle Ages, as was discovered a few years ago during the construction of the U5 extension. The name refers not to the fact that the GDR bigwigs once guided the city’s fortunes here, but to the red brick facade. The Second World War also brought severe destruction here, but the reconstruction was closely oriented to the original building. Since it is a public building, you can stroll through the magnificent halls of the town hall today without being disturbed, and you don’t even have to pay an entrance fee.

Oberbaum Bridge

Speaking of beautiful red buildings: The Oberbaum Bridge is also a popular photo object and connects the south with the north bank of the Spree not far from the East Side Gallery. At the end of the 19th century, under the then Berlin building council Otto Stahn, the building, executed by the Siemens company, was erected in the neo-Gothic style, bringing a little medieval flair to this modern part of the city. In 1902, the first Berlin subway (today’s U1) was already running here on the bridge. You can explore the Oberbaumbrücke quite comfortably by strolling through the arcade, which looks like a medieval cloister.

Müggel Tower

Had enough of the hustle and bustle of the capital? The Berlin district of Köpenick is still part of Berlin, but seems more like a small town. It is Here you will find an observation tower built in the early 1960s on the edge of Müggelsee. Here on the Müggelberg there was already a tower from 1880, but it burned down during renovation works in the 1950s.

A new tower was needed and the result can still be seen today. Designed by students and financed by the people of Berlin, among others, a building was created that was not oriented towards the Socialist Realism style that had prevailed until then, but in a sense represented Berlin’s departure into modernity. The chic reinforced concrete building with its wide window fronts still offers a great view over the Müggelsee, the Müggelberge and the Langer See. Currently, another tower is planned to be connected with the old Müggel Tower.

Nikolaiviertel

This is literally where it all began: the Nikolai Quarter (Nikolaiviertel) in the Mitte district was the historic first part of Berlin to be settled. The quarter was almost completely bombed out during the Second World War. For a long time, it was difficult to develop a stringent development plan for this part of the city, but just in time for the 750th city anniversary in 1987, the time had come. The historic buildings Ephraim-Palais and Knoblauchhaus were joined by several prefabricated buildings that recall the historic heritage of this place and create a mix of styles that is as peculiar as it is worth seeing.

In the center of the quarter stands the Nikolaikirche, which you can’t tell that it only dates back to the 1980s in this form and which builds a structural bridge between the church from the 13th century that once stood here and its rebuildings in the 19th century. The quarter is therefore something for architecture fans and explorers and must not be missing from our list of the most important sights to see in Berlin.

Berlin Wall Memorial

Die Berliner Mauer trennte zwischen ihrer Errichtung 1961 und ihrem Fall 1989 nicht nur die westlichBetween its erection in 1961 and its fall in 1989, the Berlin Wall not only separated the western sectors from the capital of the GDR, but also became a symbol of the Cold War and the division of Europe. Many people lost their lives in the desperate attempt to overcome it and flee the GDR. Only parts of the Wall remain today. Sometimes they serve as a huge open-air art gallery, like the East Side Gallery, but here a different approach is taken.en Sektoren von der Hauptstadt der DDR, sondern wurde zum Sinnbild des Kalten Krieges und der Teilung Europas. Viele Menschen kamen bei dem verzweifelten Versuch, sie zu überwinden und aus der DDR zu fliehen, ums Leben. Von der Mauer sind heute nur noch Teile erhalten. Mal dienen sie wie die East Side Gallery als riesige Freiluft-Kunstgalerie, hier wird aber ein anderer Ansatz gewählt.

The Berlin Wall Memorial is the central place of remembrance for the division of Germany and the deaths at the Wall. Here, the history of the Wall is told in an exemplary way and you can get an impression of the former border fortifications that are still well preserved here. Definitely one of the most impressive experiences of your Berlin visit!

Book recommendations

You want to more information about Berlin? Then maybe our book tips on the subject will help you.

• Schulte-Peevers, Andrea (Author)

Classic tour guide about the city with all the practical information you need for your Berlin trip.

• Bennet Schulte (Author)

The bilingual book leads to the Berlin Wall sights and memorials.

• Orders are despatched from our UK warehouse next working day.
• MacLean, Rory (Author)

Great overview of Berlin’s history with a completely unusual approach

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A critically acclaimed biography of the Checkpoint Charlie and the division of the city

* – this link is an affiliate link. If you buy or order something here, we will receive a small commission. It won’t cost you a cent extra and we can continue to write new articles for you. Thank you for your support!

Markus Bingel

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17 Best Things To In Berlin, Germany

A first-time visit to Berlin is bound to be an absolutely incredible experience, filled with an eclectic mix of history, culture and gorgeous sights, it’s a city that intrigues yet embraces us visitors with open arms.

Whether you’re going for a long weekend, a week or even months, it’s likely you’ll be scrambling for time to catch all the places in this vibrant city… especially if you keep stopping for a cheeky currywurst (and a tipple or two)! 😉

Just like other German cities  like Hamburg and Cologne , Berlin has a pretty diverse mix of sights that you must see on your first visit with a hefty proportion being included in Germany’s Top 100 sights to see.

With that in mind, take a look at some of the very best sights you’ll want to include on your first visit to Berlin.

1.) Stroll through Brandenburg Gate

Brandenburg Gate is one of Germany’s best-known landmarks that you’ll no doubt want to see. Historically, an old city gate, Brandenburg Gate was rebuilt around 250 years ago and still stands proudly today.

Famous as a point for major historical events, it’s a great spot to see when visiting the Reichstag that’s close by.

Also, for a leisurely sightseeing tour, book this ticket for a sightseeing cruise around Berlin .

These particular tickets offer guaranteed seating, which means you won’t be waiting around or standing for long periods of time. It’s such a great tour.

Book: Berlin sightseeing cruise tickets

2.) Visit the glass dome of The Reichstag

The Reichstag is not only home to the German Government but also home to one of the most impressive glass domes in all the world!

Open to the public, you can head inside the dome and enjoy the incredible building (and views) from the top. Make sure to book these tickets well in advance for a tour around the whole Government District, Chancellery, and Reichstag. 

3.) Experience the glorious Berlin Cathedral

Perched on Museum Island, Berlin Cathedral is one awe-inspiring place to visit.

The grand history and incredible architecture is jaw-droppingly beautiful and well worth a gander at.

Make sure to spend some time in the main Cathedral before heading downstairs to learn more about the crypts and history of this incredible building.

4.) Learn about reintroduction programs at Berlin Zoo

More than just a zoo, Berlin Zoo helps educate, collaborate and maintains reintroduction programs for some of the most endangered species across the world.

Head here to learn more about the valuable work they do and the breeding programs that help in supporting endangered animals.

Also, be sure to book some of these epic Berlin tours, below; especially before you arrive in the city. This way, you won’t be scrambling for tickets and can maximise your time exploring the epicness that is Berlin. 

5.) Discover art at the East Side Gallery  

Premised as an international memorial for freedom, this massive stretch of the Berlin Wall has been commissioned, featuring over 100 different paintings from artists all across the world, including the colourful  Some heads by Thierry Noir.

Stroll the length of the 1.3km section to admire artists’ works, just take a good pair of walking shoes with you.

That being said, you can also book this epic bike tour around Berlin’s best places to visit. It’s an incredible tour around the Mitte district, Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island and so many more spots. It’s amazing. 

Just make sure to book tickets in advance, they are small group tours and they do fill up fast!

Book: Berlin bike tour around the best spots in the city

6.) Explore Berlin’s Museum Island

No visit to Berlin is complete without a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hop over to the island that sits in the middle of the River Spree to see some of the best museums in the world.

Make sure to visit the Atles Museum and the Bode Museum for some incredible artefacts.

If all that walking works up an appetite, check out our complete list of amazing burger joints that are close by, right here .

7.) Remember at the Holocaust Memorial 

Head to the Holocaust Memorial to reflect upon the horrendous mistakes of history.

The creator, Eisenman created this space for visitors to feel uneasy and confusing space where no order cannot be found.

Opened over 10 years ago, it’s a place to ponder and remember the terrible acts of the Holocaust.

Read more: our visit to the Holocaust Memorial

8.) Wander around Charlottenburg Palace

Officially, the largest palace in Berlin, Charlottenburg Palace was originally built over 300 years ago.

Around 15-20 minutes from the bustling centre of Berlin, the palace is a great place to wander, especially through the gardens.

Make sure to visit the Tea House and the Orangery in the palace gardens, they really are spectacular.

9.) See the president’s home, Bellevue Palace

Whether you get to visit the inside or not, Bellevue Palace is a grand sight to see whilst in Berlin.

Based on the edges of Großer Tiergarten (Berlin’s oldest and largest park), it’s well worth a little gander.

10.) Take a look at Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie was the most famous crossing point between East and West Germany during the time of the Berlin Wall. Nowadays, the checkpoint has been redeveloped to show how it once stood.

If you want to see the original building head to The Allied Museum for a more intimate look.

11.) Grab some bubbles and Currywurst at the Berlin TV Tower

Book these tickets and scale to the top of the Berlin TV Tower for some impressive 360-degree views of the city or even for a little brunch.

If you’re planning a visit in the late afternoon or early evening, you can also enjoy bubbles and Currywurst whilst overlooking the city.

Just be sure to book these queue jump tickets to the top of the TV tower before arriving. You’ll get straight to the top and miss those long queues that happen at peak times. 

Book: Queue jump tickets to the top of the TV tower

12.) Gorge on the diverse foods of the city

One of the best things about Berlin is the varied and diverse mix of foody delights that are around every corner, you can literally have any type of food that your heart (or tummy) desires.

Make sure to try something you haven’t tried before. For me, this was Israeli Food when we ate at the delicious, Djimalaya .

Make sure to try their Hummus plates and falafel balls. Yum!

Oh, and if you’ve got time, book this guided boat tour of Potsdam to see the beauty of the palaces just outside Berlin itself. We totally loved Potsdam and it’s an essential place to include when visiting the best places in Berlin. 

Book: Guided boat tour of Potsdam

13.) Head inside the French Cathedral

The French Cathedral is, arguably, one of the prettiest buildings in Berlin.

Head inside for a wander around the building, whilst stopping for a bite to eat in the basement halls. Most people don’t realise that the Cathedral also houses The Huguenot Museum in the tower itself.

14.) Climb to the top of the Victory Column

If you’re feeling pretty fit, or just want to burn off all those currywurst calories, then take the almost 300 steps to the top of the Victory Column.

Nearly 200 years old, the column offers some pretty epic views across the city.

15.) See inside the New Church 

The New Church sits directly opposite the French Cathedral on the opposite side of the square.

Head inside for a closer look at the gorgeous architecture and plan a trip to coincide with one of the many events and markets that operate within the Gendarmenmarkt beside the church.

16.) Watch a show at Konzert Haus

If you’re looking to find some of the city’s world-renowned culture and art, then make sure you pop into Konzert Haus, where some of the world’s best ballet, opera and German music and theatre is held.

Tickets can be booked online and I’d definitely advise this if you’re wanting to visit.

17.) See the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Built well over 100 years ago, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was heavily destroyed during World War II.

Fondly known as ‘the hollow tooth’ the spire and tower of the church still stand in its destroyed state; a testament and memory to the awful tragedies of war.

Make sure to visit the old and new church that now occupy the site.

Read more: Best cities in Germany to visit

13 Best Cities in Germany To Visit

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16 of the best bars in Berlin

By Krystin Arneson

Berlin’s bar scene is defined in part by its famous “living-room bars.” Think candlelight, mismatched furniture from your great aunt’s attic, and raw exposed walls. Plenty of the best bars in Berlin are places you wouldn't look twice at during the day, but past sunset, they come alive with boisterous banter and young revellers spilling out onto the sidewalks. Yet a different side of the city’s bar scene is full of glamour, hearkening back to the Weimar-era glory days; another face prizes German beer traditions in natural settings, with historic biergartens and cafes in lush park settings. Whatever setting you fancy to get your evening started – or to while away an afternoon – the city has it. These are the best Berlin bars right now.

Café am Neuen See

Cafe am Neuen See is one of the city's most romantic biergartens, thanks to its lakeside location and dreamy surroundings in the middle of Tiergarten Park – Berlin's answer to New York 's Central Park. While it shines brightest in summer, an indoor restaurant also makes for a cosy spot in the winter, with panoramic windows, roaring fireplaces, and plenty of candles. Come here to spend a lazy afternoon with friends.

Address: Café am Neuen See, Lichtensteinallee 2, 10787 Berlin, Germany Website: cafeamneuensee.de

Past the dramatic curtains and under the vintage sign, candles abound in this tiny, eclectic bar located in a cool section of Kreuzberg. Everything is clustered together, even the tables (seating can be a bit of a gamble). The interior is raw and industrial, like many so-called “living room bars” in this section of Berlin , but it’s quirked up by vases and pots of flowers that hang from the ceiling like a rain shower of blossoms. Drinks are wonderful – especially the perfectly mixed Old Fashioneds and Basil Smashes – and if you're at all undecided, the bar staff is happy to help you customize your own drink.

Address: Das Hotel Bar, Oberland Straße 26 -35, 12099 Berlin, Germany Website: instagram.com

Located on the 10th floor of the Monkey Hotel in Charlottenburg, the Zoologischer-Garten adjacent Monkey Bar serves up excellent G&Ts as well as panoramic views of the Monkey House in the zoo below. Decor inside takes a cue from the zoo, too: There’s art involving gorillas and giraffes, and stepped seating layered in brightly woven cushions that invites guests to relax and enjoy the view. Warm golden light bulbs illuminate the space and planters give it a taste of the jungle. Come during the day for the best views – and to avoid long lines at the bar.

Address: Monkey Bar, Budapester Str. 40, 10787 Berlin, Germany Website: monkeybarberlin.de

Madame Claude

Although Madame Claude occupies a space that was once a brothel, everything is decorated as if you've wandered into someone's apartment – but upside down. Furniture is artfully arranged across the ceiling, and half the fun is spotting the details, like sets of keys and beer bottles hanging above your head; it’s like a cosy I Spy book. Start with Mme. Claude, the house cocktail, but don't shy away from standard drinks – they're done perfectly. And head to the basement if you'd like to catch some live music.

Address: Madame Claude, Lübbener Str. 19, 10997 Berlin, Germany Website: madameclaude.de

Geist im Glas

Dark and intimate, this is one of the city's best places for cocktails. The space is raw and industrial, but it’s warmed up by the radiant glow of candles flickering away on tables and in candelabras. Most people cluster in couples and small groups of friends , talking quietly as they savour cocktails. It's a hotspot among the barhopping locals of Neukölln and neighbouring Kreuzberg, though the bar is starting to catch the attention of tourists, too.

Address: Geist im Glas, Lenaustraße 27, 12047 Berlin, Germany Website: geistimglas.de

Weserstraße, Neukölln's nightlife street, is known for its high concentration of unpretentious "living room bars," and Tier is emblematic of them: think low-slung, mismatched vintage tables, chairs clustered together, and plenty of candles. As for the drinks, expect incredible, inventive cocktails at New York speakeasy standards – the menu features options for timid drinkers as well as the more adventurous. “Tier” means “animal,” by the way – after a few of these concoctions, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Address: Tier, Weserstr. 42, 12045 Berlin, Germany Website: tier.bar

Muted Horn's quiet location next to a discount grocery belies the complexity – and quantity – of its offerings. After passing under a pink neon sign, you'll enter a space dominated by a massive bar with 22 wall-mounted taps that pour local and guest brews, as well as fridges holding more than 100 kinds of bottles. Minimalist high-top tables and chairs squeeze in across the bar, with sofas and lower-slung tables available for cosying up. If you don't know much about craft beer, feel free to chat up the bartender or, better yet, a fellow patron – it's a friendly crowd.

Address: Muted Horn, Flughafenstraße 49, 12053 Berlin, Germany Website: themutedhorn.com

After heading down a short and steep flight of stairs, you'll enter a softly lit, peacock-blue drinking den made welcoming with wood floors and a star-patterned ceiling. Choose between booths, high tops, or velvet sofas – there's an option for everyone, whether you're on an intimate date or getting together with friends. Despite being stylish, it remains cosy and low-key: It ticks the boxes between friendly service, great cocktails, and a setting that's just steps away from Museuminsel, the Jewish Quarter, boutique shopping, and other Mitte district tourist must-dos. Cocktails are punchy and vibrant, with the signature drinks often incorporating nods to the owner's Korean heritage through the use of ingredients like gochujang syrup, soju, and kimchi juice. While you can definitely get a standard Old Fashioned here – and it will be a delicious one – Mr Susan rewards those who want to explore playful taste profiles that go beyond the usual. Plus, these might be some of the friendliest bartenders in Berlin.

Address: Mr. Susan, Krausnickstraße 1, 10115 Berlin, Germany Website: mrsusan.com

Klunkerkranich

Bartenders at Klunkerkranich, an improvised rooftop bar that looks like it was hastily assembled by a rogue artist collective, sling mostly beer and wine at frightfully good prices. If it's a chilly day, the Tempranillo will take the edge right off. Come here with a group of friends to take in the sunset – the views over Berlin , facing toward the tower, are nothing short of spectacular.

Address: Klunkerkranich, Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin, Germany Website: klunkerkranich.org

Prater Garten

Prater Garden, Berlin's oldest biergarten, comprises almost a full acre of communal tables and benches. Although Germany’s capital city doesn't have the biergarten culture of Bavaria , this gem has been around since 1837 – a testament to it being one of the best bars in Berlin. Like most biergartens, the atmosphere is relaxed and convivial: People focus on their company first and their drinks (think Pils and housemade dark beer) second. This is also Berlin's best spot for a bratwurst fix; nothing goes better with sun and bier than a grilled sausage, so choose from spicy or standard. Bavarian pretzels make for great beer-side snacks, too.

Address: Prater Beer Garden, Kastanienallee 7-9, 10435 Berlin, Germany Website: prater-biergarten.de

Velvet's interior looks like its name: low-lit, low-slung, and smooth. The bar is home to a half-dozen or so chairs, perfect for solo drinkers, while there are several booths ringing the periphery to curl into with friends or lovers. Dark walls and upholstery keep the mood intimate and focused on drinks and conversation, and the restrained amount of tables guarantee that while nights can get buzzing, the mood will never be overly raucous. Truly crafted and creative cocktails are the name of the game here, with a menu that changes weekly and that is based on seasonal plants around Berlin (previous menus have included foraged ingredients.) Velvet is a place to “sip the local season,” as the menu declares says, and all the seasonal syrups, liqueurs, distillates and extractions they use are housemade.

Address: Velvet, Ganghoferstraße 1, 12043 Berlin, Germany Website: instagram.com

KASCHK by BRLO

Brlo is one of Berlin's premier beer establishments (no matter which location you hit) and each possesses a sort of industrial casualness that references Berlin's gritty past while giving it a coat of polish for the city's current crowd – especially in Mitte. Evenings and nights are buzzing here, with groups queuing up for shuffleboard or pool and groups of colleagues and friends laughing over beers. It's here that you'll find some of Berlin's best craft beers all on tap – meaning you can come in for a quick one or really make a night of it. The menu rotates with guest taps, so it's worth going back to see what's changed if you're in town for a while. It's self-service, so we suggest ordering in rounds when the pace picks up.

Address: KASCHK by BRLO, Linienstraße 40, 10119 Berlin, Germany Website: brlo.de

One of Berlin’s most beautiful watering holes, ORA (built as a pharmacy in 1860) retains its antique glamour with restored wooden cabinetry and vintage medicine bottles that mingle alongside the booze and exquisite glassware lining the shelves. But don’t think it’s trying to be a theme bar: The old pharmacy is simply left to shine as much as possible, blending right in with ORA’s modern purpose: expertly crafted cocktails, from classics to seasonal creations.

Address: ORA Restaurant & Wine Bar, Oranienpl. 14, 10999 Berlin, Germany Website: ora.berlin

Buck and Breck

The first challenge about Buck and Breck is actually finding it. The façade changes often, and once you locate it, you'll need to ring a doorbell. The bartender takes centre stage here, creating cocktails around a communal table from colour-coded bottles. If you can take your eyes off their skilful movements, you'll take in a streamlined, darkly minimalist atmosphere with eclectic details and art glinting in the corners.

Address: Buck and Breck, Brunnenstraße 177, 10119 Berlin, Germany Website: buckandbreck.com

Prinzipal Kreuzberg

Prinzipal looks like just another closed apartment door on bustling Oranienstraße, but inside, the bar is a self-described "rabbit hole" of decadence. It's one of the few bars in Berlin with a truly luxe atmosphere (don't fear, the furniture on the upper level is still vintage and mismatched), where glamour abounds via soft lighting and draped curtains. It doubles as a burlesque venue, so expect chic, 1920s sophistication – plus some memorable cocktails.

Address: Prinzipal Kreuzberg, Oranienstraße 178, 10999 Berlin, Germany Website: prinzipal-kreuzberg.com

Neukolln's Weserstraße is home to some of Berlin's best cocktail bars, and this elevated but casual outpost, established in 2021, has already won 2024's award for Best Bar in Germany. You'll find handmade wooden furniture that welcomes relaxation, moody downlighting, and two-toned walls that give polish to the city's traditional plaster, plus touches of industrial cement. A cosy fireplace lends a little warming glow to grey, cold Neukolln evenings. Wax On is there if you know to look for it – and while plenty don't, those who do are a crowd who know their drinks. Regulars from around the kiez (immediate neighbourhood) are drawn here by the exotic ingredients – clarified banana juice has been known to feature. The menu has traditionally rotated between four imaginative drinks (concocted in the basement below) and four classic cocktails – or you can, of course, call your own drinks with an obliging staff that's happy to prepare them or put together something based on your tastes. If cocktails aren't your thing, there are also a few natural wines to order, plus a pils on tap and some carefully considered zero-proof options .

Address: Wax On, Weserstr. 208, 12047 Berlin, Germany Website: instagram.com

A version of this article was first published on Condé Nast Traveler .

12 Best Places To Visit In Germany With Family In 2024!

T hinking about visiting Germany with your kids? Looking for the best places to visit in Germany with family in 2024? You’re in the right place!

Germany is a fabulous destination for families. It’s renowned for its rich history, gorgeous landscapes and interesting culture. Its fairy-tale old towns and castles add some magic and its big cities add some vibrancy. All up, Germany is a captivating blend of historical charm and modern appeal.

From landmarks such as the Berlin Wall and Neuschwanstein Castle to the beautiful landscapes of the Rhine Valley and the Black Forest to the great food and ease of getting around, there’s so much to love about traveling in Germany.

Germany isn’t just for adults though. There are many fantastic places to visit in Germany with kids. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best choices to add to your itinerary.

Why Is A Family Vacation In Germany A Great Idea?

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Germany is an incredible destination for families for the reasons I mentioned above as well as many others. The fairy-tale castles are sure to capture your kids’ imagination.

A trip to the Berlin Wall can be a great accessible educational opportunity. A walk on cobblestoned streets through a colorful old town will take your kids right back to fairy-tale classics. Families are welcome almost everywhere.

There are, of course, many attractions in Germany for kids. From huge theme parks to children’s museums and fun markets, trains and more, there is a lot to love about traveling to Germany with kids.

The efficient train system and great road network also make it easy to get around and to explore as much of Germany as you like. There’s a great range of accommodation, including many hotels that specifically created for families.

The food can also be quite kid-friendly. It’s easy to enjoy a pretzel or a bratwurst (sausage) almost anywhere which is likely to appeal to even fussy eaters.

All up, it’s a very easy place for a family vacation that your kids won’t forget.

Best Places To Visit In Germany With Family

Here are my top 12 picks of the best places to visit in Germany with kids…

The capital of Germany, Berlin offers a fantastic blend of historical and family-friendly attractions. The Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall are must visits for all and a great learning opportunity for kids.

The DDR Museum is a hands-on way for your family to learn about life in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Berlin is a city with a super interesting past, and there’s no better way for your kids to learn and understand it than in the city itself.

For more family focused attractions in Berlin , the Berlin Zoo is a great place to head with a wide variety of animals. The interactive Legoland Discovery Center is also a favorite among children. Head to the German Spy Museum for lots of fun spy activities, like dressing up and debugging a room.

To let off some steam, make sure you head to Tiergarten. This huge park has plenty of space to roam with historical monuments, six playgrounds and row boats. It’s also home to the zoo. 

I recommend The Circus Apartments in a handy spot in Berlin. They have a variety of apartment options including two and three bedroom, fully self-contained apartments for up to six people.

Click here for more details and the latest prices.

Nuremberg is our pick of the best city to visit in Germany with family. It’s an easy city to explore with a great range of attractions that are easily accessible for families.

The Old Town is the natural place to start with super colorful houses and the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) keeping watch from above. You can also explore the city from underground and see how Nuremberg’s art collections were kept safe during World War II. You can find the Spielzeugmuseum (Toy Museum) in the Old Town with toys from various time periods.

Just outside the Old Town, the Deutsche Bahn Museum is a must visit. It centers on the history of the German Railways with old carriages, videos and more. What kids will really love is the model railway, the chance to take a light railway ride and the interactive play area specifically for kids.

If you have younger kids (10 and under), don’t miss a day out at the Playmobil FunPark. This amusement park with Playmobil theming was one of my 6 and 10 year olds’ favorite places in Germany. There are great playgrounds, pedal boats, water play area, castle area, go karts and more. It’s located just outside of Nuremberg.

You can read more about things to do in Nuremberg here.

We stayed at the Novotel Nuernberg Centre Ville which was perfect for our family. It’s on the edge of the Old Town by the main station and has family rooms. There’s also a great indoor pool, children’s playroom, restaurants and more.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Home to maybe the most photographed old town in Germany, Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber (or just Rothenburg) is a picturesque medieval gem, perfect for exploring with kids.

It’s only a small town, but this is part of its charm. Its colorful buildings, cobblestoned streets and well-preserved town walls will help you feel like you’ve gone back in time. 

The town walls are the perfect place to start exploring. They offer many pretty views, and there are information boards along the way to learn more. It’s a great way for kids to let off some steam while discovering Rothenburg. There are also some playgrounds around the walls.

Another place families will enjoy is the Christmas Museum. It’s located in the Käthe Wohlfahrt Weihnachtsdorf which is a popular chain of Christmas stores that open year round. It’s about the history of Christmas customs with many decorations on display.

A popular place to visit in Rothenburg is the Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum (Medieval Crime Museum). It’s located in a building which is 600 years old and covers over 1,000 years of the legal history of Germany and Europe. It focuses on interrogation (torture), crime and punishment.

This museum is for families with teenagers who have an interest – and it is a fascinating museum. I visited without my 6 year old, which was the right choice.

We stayed at the Pension das Lädle which is in the heart of Rothenburg’s Old Town. It has three and four person rooms with separate sleeping areas for kids.

Rhine Valley

The Rhine Valley may be best known for its wines but it’s also a fabulous place to travel to Germany with children. With gorgeous towns, stunning wineries and fairy-tale castles, the whole family will love a trip here.

Start your adventure with a relaxing cruise down the Rhine trying to spot the castles that dot it before driving around and visiting your favorites. Rheinstein Castle is a picturesque place to start or visit Schönburg Castle with its amazing views and slingshot simulator your kids will enjoy.

Of course, you can’t miss out on stopping in the beautiful towns. Bacharach may be the cutest with a town wall to explore, a pretty Old Town and wines to taste. Boppard is another town worth heading to with half-timbered houses, old wine taverns and a Roman fort.

There’s also a fun chairlift in Boppard with great views and nice walks at the top. You can take an easy stroll to Vierseenblick (Four Lakes View). This cool viewpoint is at a horseshoe bend in the Rhine River and gives the illusion that there are four lakes instead of one river.

We stayed at the Rhine Pearl Hideaways which is a building of apartments in the middle of Oberwesel, a picturesque town in the middle of the Rhine Valley. The apartments are modern and perfect for families.

Trier is not just the oldest city in Germany and home to nine UNESCO World Heritage sites but is also a great destination in Germany for children.

Located near the border of Luxembourg and not far from the Rhine Valley, Trier has had human settlement for over 6,000 years. It was an important place in Roman times and you can still see ruins from this time today. These ruins are fun to explore with kids and are great for capturing the imagination.

Start your adventure at Porta Nigra, a second century Roman city gate. It’s the best way to enter the Old Town and is massive. In the Old Town there are pretty streets, Hauptmarkt (the main square), many churches, an antique toy museum and more. Trier Cathedral still has parts from Roman times.

As you head further south, there are more Roman ruins from thermal baths to an amphitheatre. It is worth checking them all out.

For a more hands-on experience, you can also visit Freilichtmuseum Roscheiderhof, an open air museum, about eight kilometers from Trier.

We stayed at Ibis Styles Trier which is right in the center of everything. There are family room options.

Beautiful Heidelberg is definitely one of the places to visit in Germany with children. With its great setting by the Neckar River and surrounded by hills, there are plenty of places for kids to explore and roam.

Heidelberg’s famous ruined castle is a great place to start. You can either walk up here or get a fun cogwheel train up. In addition to exploring the castle area, you can visit the Deutsches Apotheken-Museum (German Pharmacy Museum) inside the castle which covers the history of medical science and pharmacies in Germany. It’s interesting even for young kids with old reconstructed pharmacies, labs and interactive games.

After the castle, consider taking the cogwheel train further up the hill to visit the Walderlebnispfad (Forest Adventure Trail). This is an easy 2 kilometer trail with many activities to do along the way aimed at children. There is also a small, older-style amusement park up there.

Our favorite thing to do in Heidelberg was to head up the opposite hill to explore Heiligenberg, where settlement first started in this area. There are great paths through the forest where you can feel like you are discovering Celtic and Roman ruins, old monasteries and Thingstätte, an amphitheater completed in 1935 by the Nazis to spread propaganda.

We stayed at the Heidelberg Apheartments in the heart of Heidelberg. They offer fully self-contained apartments for up to eight people.

Find more great hotels in Heidelberg here.

Europa-Park – Rust

When you travel to Germany with kids, this theme park is likely to be their favorite place in the country.

Considered one of the best in Europe, Europa Park is massive with 18 themed areas, over 100 attractions, 13 roller coasters, many live shows and so much more. Think Disneyland but with European theming. Most of the themed areas are based on different countries in Europe. There is also a separate water park here called Rulantica.

Even visiting in peak August, we had so much fun here. The kids absolutely loved the more family-friendly roller coasters, getting wet on the splash rides and watching horse shows. The  park’s VirtualLine feature in the app helped to ensure we never lined up for too long and had a great time.

There are many places to eat, stay and more and this is a great way to end a family vacation in Germany. It’s located near the French border between Heidelberg and the Black Forest.

One of the many great things about Europa Park is that there are six hotels adjacent to the park and in the immediate area each with their own theming. If you stay at any of the hotels, you can access the many facilities at all of them and you also get early access to the park.

We stayed at Hotel Castillo Alcazar which was a lot of fun. It has its own entrance directly into the theme park and is themed as a Medieval knight’s castle. There are many family room options, even for larger families.

Black Forest

The Black Forest is definitely a fantastic region to head to when visiting Germany with kids. It’s incredibly scenic with beautiful villages and plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors.

We loved hiking round lakes, swimming outdoors, exploring the towns and visiting picturesque castles like Hohenzollern Castle. You can visit the home of cuckoo clocks in Triberg or peddle your way around Titisee lake on a boat. You can bathe in the thermal pools at Baden-Baden or explore the picturesque Old Town in Freiburg .

Kids will love Badeparadies Schwarzwald Titisee, a big indoor waterpark with an amazing sauna complex for adults. And, of course, no visit is complete without a slice of the famous black forest cake (although technically it doesn’t come from here).

There are so many awesome experiences in the Black Forest for families that you could spend your whole trip in this region alone.

We stayed at the Feldberger Hof Family Hotel in the Black Forest. It’s an all inclusive resort specifically for families and it’s amazing. There are so many family friendly facilities (including an outdoor ropes course, horse riding and indoor pool area with water slides), activities, rooms and great food.

The hotel also includes an attractions pass for the region which gives free or discounted entry to 60 attractions plus public transport.

Autostadt Wolfsburg

Autostadt Wolfsburg is an automobile museum and theme park located in Wolfsburg, Germany. It tells the story of the history and development of automobiles, but also has attractions and activities related to automotive culture. This isn’t a big, dry museum.

Spread over 28 hectares, there are multiple museums, massive car towers, playgrounds, giant slides and various car pavilions. One of the coolest parts is definitely the round, glass, 60 meter towers that store Volkswagen cars ready to be delivered to new homes. It’s fully automated with cars being placed and removed from the tower with ease. You can take a ride up the towers yourself for an up close look.

This place is a whole world with plenty of cars and history to explore. Adults can test drive real vehicles while kids can learn to drive in some very cool miniature ones. There are many interactive exhibits. It’s easy to enjoy a half day here. 

For families, there are also some playgrounds including some huge slides up to 18.5 meters high. There’s a cool shop and plenty of eating options too.

For the full Autostadt experience, it is possible to stay on-site. The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg Autostadt hotel is located here.

There’s a pool, sauna, two restaurants (Including a three Michelin star option) and a lounge. Rooms cater for up to four people.

If you’re heading to northern Germany, Bremen is a great place to stop for families. At the end of the Fairy Tale Route, Bremen celebrates the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale, the Bremen Town Musicians with a statue of the donkey, dog, cat and rooster from the tale in the main square.

There are also images and statues around town of these creatures and it’s fun to have the kids look out for them. If you aren’t familiar with this story, I recommend that you watch it on YouTube before you go.

The Old Town is fun to explore for all ages with a great main square, the stunning Bremen Cathedral and the laneways of Schnoor and Böttcherstraße. It’s easy to explore by foot. 

The Universum Science Centre is a standout attraction if you visit Germany with kids. It has interactive and educational exhibits which kids will enjoy. 

For a thought-provoking historical site, visit the Bunker Valentin. It’s an absolutely massive World War II submarine factory that has been left standing to illustrate the futility of war.

We stayed at the Best Western Bremen City . It has some great apartment style rooms for families within walking distance of the main attractions.

Also in northern Germany, Lübeck is a charming city home to a picturesque, UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town. It is a good mix of historical and kid-friendly attractions. 

The best place to start is with a wander through the well-restored Old Town. Encircled by the Trave River, there are many great views, churches, museums and more. A feature of this Old Town are the hidden courtyards. These are courtyards from the Middle Ages accessed via small walkways from the street. We made it a family game to try to spot as many as possible.

The world-class European Hansemuseum is worth visiting and an easy way to learn more about the Hanseatic League which played a big part in Lübeck’s past.

Lübeck is famous for its marzipan so a sugary treat at Cafe Niederegger is the perfect way to end a day of sightseeing. When you have finished exploring Lübeck, consider a trip to Travemünde on the Baltic Sea. Just 20 minutes from Lübeck, it’s the perfect place to have some beach time. It also has a pretty Old Town.

We stayed at Hotel Die Reederin . It’s a gorgeous boutique hotel in Lübeck’s Old Town. It offers a spacious family room option.

My final place to visit in Germany with kids is a special one if you are visiting in late November or December. I recommend you visit as many Christmas markets as you can if you visit at this time of year.

German Christmas Markets are incredibly magical and special. From the traditional food and drinks to the Christmas music and lights, they set the scene for a perfect Christmas.

Many Christmas markets and destinations in Germany have special events perfect for families at this time of year. For example, Quedlinburg has the “largest Advent calendar in Germany”. At 4:30pm every day in the lead up to Christmas, families meet up and search together for one of 24 houses with special Christmas decorations that are open to the public. Inside, there are surprises.

Nuremberg Christmas Market has a special section for kids with old-fashioned rides, crafts and activities. For novelty, head to Cologne for a floating Christmas market on a ship. Munich has a Kinderland section at one of its Christmas markets with special activities and a Christmas Post Office. In Hamburg, you can watch Santa fly overhead in his sleigh!

Christmas is a truly special time in Germany for the whole family so make sure you include plenty of Christmas markets in your itinerary at this time.

Final Thoughts

Germany is a fantastic place to visit for families. There is so much to enjoy here from the great outdoors to the interesting history that surrounds you.

There are plenty of kid-focused attractions, but it’s also easy to visit interesting historical and cultural attractions in a way that is interesting for kids too.

I hope this list helps you have one of your best family vacations in Germany.

Bio: Sharon Gourlay is a full-time blogger and mum of three who loves sharing her love of travel with kids with others, especially when it comes to sharing one of her favorite destinations, Germany! You can find more information to plan your ultimate adventure in Germany at Germany Footsteps .

The Best Bars In Berlin

photo credit: Florian Kroll

Olivia Ladanyi

April 24, 2024

Berlin is famous for its nightlife, but going out here can be so much more than queuing up for hours at a club only to get your ego shattered at the door. This city is packed with bars that don’t close their doors until well after midnight, and there’s a drinking spot to suit any mood or occasion, whether you want to sip martinis by candlelight, neck a few glasses of natural wine while listening to a DJ set, or brave the sticky interior of a Kneipe, Germany’s take on a locals’ pub or dive bar.

Wherever you end up, there are three main things to know about Berlin bars: many of them still allow smoking inside, eye contact when saying “Cheers!”—or “Prost!” —is mandatory, and ordering a round of Mexikaner shots is the secret to making friends. Other than that, make sure you get at least one bright-green gin basil smash when you see it on the menu. In our opinion, it’s Germany’s second-best invention (the first is Aspirin, which you might need after visiting a few of these spots).

Fahimi Bar is nearly impossible to find, but even still, it’s packed Tuesday through Saturday. The inside looks like an AI-generated vision of a Berlin bar: there are bare concrete walls, metal backless stools lining a lit-up blue square bar, and thick clouds of cigarette smoke. If you can, grab a spot by the window that looks out over the chaotic Kotti roundabout from the third floor. And skip the classic cocktails—this is the place to go wild and try something different, since they add new drinks to the menu every month. Fahimi gets crowded around 9pm, so make it your first stop of the night and show up for the early-evening Happy Hour deals at 7pm.

With its mirrored bar, beaded chandeliers, velvet seating, and suited barmen shaking classic cocktails to the soundtrack of light jazz, Würgeengel in Kottbusser Tor feels like you’ve time-traveled back to 1920s Berlin. Come alone on a weeknight for a pre-movie martini before tottering seconds down Dresdener Straße to Babylon Kreuzberg , one of the best arthouse cinemas in the city. If the olives aren’t quite cutting it, order a plate of puttanesca that’ll be brought to your table from next-door Gorgonzola Club . Just don’t turn up with a big group on a Friday or Saturday night (you won’t get in), and don't show up on a Sunday, either. Würgeengel is annoyingly and nonsensically closed then, which proves just how Berlin it is.

Although it’s technically a café and boulangerie, this canalside daytime spot is one of our favorite places to drink in the area. Come on a Sunday in spring after ambling down Nowkölln flea market to share a bottle of Riesling or hover around the orange wine tap. The outdoor patio bar churns out trays of Aperol and Campari spritzes until the early evening when everyone disperses to nearby restaurants or onto another bar. Once the weather warms up, Berlin locals and in-the-know tourists swarm this Paul-Lincke-Ufer suntrap, so finding an available bistro chair is almost as painstaking as a rent-controlled apartment.

If you’re in Kreuzberg, it’d be a crime not to pop your head into Roses. The 20+-year-old queer bar—with furry pink walls, padded leather ceilings, rotating mirror balls, leopard print stools, glittering Madonnas, and ashtrays in the toilet—is one of the best places to start or end any high-octane night out. It’s cash only, the soundtrack is strictly pop classics, and the boxed wine is almost undrinkable. (That said, the gin tonics go down almost too easily.) Roses closes at 6am every day, so you can easily be sucked in and spat out once the sun has risen.

FRIEDRICHSHAIN

Fitcher's Vogel

Friedrichshain

Fitcher’s Vogel is the archetypal Berlin bar, with its peeling wallpaper, glowing vintage lampshades, excessive amount of candles, and dusty upholstered furniture. It’s a short walk from Berghain, so pop in for some pre-queue Dutch courage or to nurse your ego when you inevitably don’t get in. It’s open from 6pm until 3am on weekdays and 5am on Friday and Saturday and fills up quickly, so head down early if there’s a big group of you. Otherwise, you’ll have to brave the windowless smoking room at the back. With its two-seater sofas and dark corners, Fitcher’s Vogel is perfect for dates trying to find out if they have anything more in common than their love of whisky sours. Speaking of, they do a very good one here.

Nathanja & Heinrich

This expansive corner café and bar hidden away on a Neukölln backstreet is well worth the detour from Weserstraße to get there. Arguably the best bar in a neighborhood known for them, Nathanja & Heinrich’s leafy exterior, soft lighting, and large windows that open out on warm nights make it an ideal spot to while away your evenings. It’s open from midday until 2 or 3am, and at night, this café-by-day shapeshifts into a cocktail bar. Hordes of locals descend onto Nathanja come dusk, with tables taken up by big groups chatting into the early hours. The martinis are the main draw here—even served dirty, they’re clean, crisp, and chilled—and you can easily sink more than you’ll thank yourself for the next day. It fills up quickly, but there’s a lot of (smoking or non-smoking) seating, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to get a table.

There’s no better place to kick off the weekend a day early than Sway. From Thursday through Sunday, this relaxed natural wine bar on Pannierstraße is packed with small groups of Neukölln locals sharing a bottle of juicy light red or salty Sauv Blanc while listening to impromptu DJ sets. Linger for a few hours, making your way through the handful of wines served by the glass and their signature grilled cheese: brioche oozing with aged Alpine cheese served with a chunky pickle and a generous dollop of mustard. Keep an eye on their Instagram for upcoming restaurant collaborations, pop-up menus, and wine-tasting workshops.

You’ll know you’ve arrived at this inconspicuous canalside bar on Maybachufer when you see a crowded window lined with shoes and condensation. While the listening bar isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, if you, like us, crave a change from Berlin’s dark smoky spaces, head to Kwia with an open mind (and some socks on, as you’ll need to take your shoes off at the door). The drinks are reason enough to visit this purple-hued Kreuzkölln spot, with fun cocktails garnished with lavender, natural wines, and nightly DJ sets. You don’t come to Kwia to catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in months, so avoid the chillout area and head to the sound room, where you can listen to ambient music sandwiched between the zoned-out bodies of strangers melting into the floor cushions. As the name suggests, this is a queer bar.

Since Berlin-born community radio station Refuge Worldwide began in 2021, its on-site bar has become a Weserstraße staple. Keep walking through to the back room booth to see whoever’s playing live on air, or stop and order a mezcal margarita at the bar before grabbing one of the few small tables to hear their set playing from the speakers. Although it opens its doors at 1pm, Oona is best enjoyed with a group on a summer night, when glass-clinking audiophiles spill out from the tiny packed bar and you might have to take up space on the pavement.

The seasonal, plant-heavy cocktail menu at this low-lit spot changes weekly, but you can expect drinks containing ingredients like Japanese knotweed cordial, rosehip liqueur, fig leaf extract, and distilled yellow habanero. Velvet is a luxe affair, especially for Neukölln, so bring someone you’re trying to impress—a hot date, a new client, or your most discerning friend—settle in at a plush quilted booth, and indulge in a level of sophistication that’s hard to find elsewhere in this city.

Villa Neukölln

Although the cocktail and wine selection at Villa Neukölln is nothing to write home about, this cheap, cozy, late-night drinking spot housed in a former movie theater is one of the most reliable bars in the area. It’s a bit of a time vortex—if you squint hard enough, you can just about make out century-old scenes. The grand main room, with jazz club tables gathered around a velvet curtain-draped stage, has the faded glamor of a bygone era that’s typical of Berlin bars. They host shows, concerts, and a weekly swing night, but Villa Neukölln is best late on a Friday night with a big group and a bunch of pilsners.

PRENZLAUER BERG

Prenzlauer Berg

From indie rock to post-punk, this legendary dive bar has been loyally serving the city’s underground music scene since 2002. The Schönhauser Allee bar platforms up-and-coming bands, and some big names like Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs have played here over the years. You can hear the power vocals and drum beats from hundreds of meters away, all of which pull you into 8MM's chaotic, crowded cave. And even though you’re not coming here for the drinks, the reasonably-priced sours make up for the €10 you sacrificed at the door.

Sorsi e Morsi

This Italian bar responsibly serves small bites (morsi) to accompany your drinks (sorsi), contradicting its not-so-responsible 6am closing time on Friday and Saturday. We come here when we want to feel chic, while also knowing we’ll likely emerge when the sun rises, unsure where the past eight hours went. With a long list of €5 aperitifs—order the negroni sbagliato or limoncello spritz—and an impressive selection of Italian wines, it’s hard to say no to another. There’s a chaotic atmosphere, with bar staff working at double speed, but when you arrive with a €20 note and leave with money left over, you’ll probably want to return next weekend and do it all over again.

Wohnzimmer Bar

Wohnzimmer translates to living room, which explains its cluttered homey decor: damask chaise longues, round velvet sofas, floral kissing chairs, and ‘60s-style cabinets litter the interior. The bar itself looks makeshift—like one you might have in your living room—but serves an exceptional espresso martini that keeps the young crowd going until its 2:30am closing time. The outside perimeter is lined with small tables and wooden benches that overlook a small green square, which is an ideal place to chain Aperol spritzes on balmy Berlin evenings.

Le Bar Tabac

East Berlin’s first French bar, ​​Le Bar Tabac, opened in Prenzlauer Berg in 1982 when the city was still split in half. From behind the Wall, the French owner attempted to recreate the bar his grandparents owned in Paris of the same name, and it still has an old-school charm. The glowing carotte rouge Tabac sign jutting out over the door signals a night of top-tier cocktails, good chat, and a smoke or two, secondhand or otherwise. We recommend the French gimlet, Lillet Berry, or one of the natural wines chalked up on the board. Le Bar Tabac is popular all year round, but has a real buzz in the summer, when locals pour out onto the pavement with a Gauloise in one hand and Le Vodka Soda in the other.

CHARLOTTENBURG

Schwarzes Café

Charlottenburg

Schwarzes Café is a Berlin institution synonymous with the glamorous West. It draws an eclectic crowd now, as it did in the '80s when David Bowie and Iggy Pop were regulars. You’ll have to wait to be seated and might even be turned away on a Friday or Saturday night, but this is Berlin—were you even here if you weren’t rejected from somewhere? Once you’re through the neon parrot entrance, head up the staircase and grab a table in the impressive first-floor room, with its dominating disco ball, ornate ceiling, and small balcony that smokers squeeze onto. Don’t bother leafing through the extensive menu—order a gin basil smash, since theirs is the best in the city. It’s cash only, so make sure you bring enough for a few rounds and a 2am breakfast (you can order food at any time, even in the early hours).

Café Am Neuen See

There’s nowhere better to soak up Berlin’s long warm summer days than in a Biergarten. This temporary self-service kiosk sits on a small lake in Tiergarten, the city’s biggest green space, and dishes out steins of helles or weißbier and simple German food to large groups bathing in vitamin D and remembering that nature exists. There’s a sizable area around the water that’s packed with long wooden tables, which families, day-trippers, and tourists sardine onto. Turn up in the late afternoon after doing something cultural (because Berlin life isn’t all about drinking beers), rent a rowboat, and stay until the overhead string lights flick on.

This tiny gay bar in the heart of Mitte has been serving those on the way to or coming from a good night out since 2006. Between the mirrored walls, glittering ceiling, and red leather seats, Betty F is an experience that will linger in your head longer than the next day’s gin-fuelled hangover. Descending the steep stairs into the smoky basement bar feels like entering a pocket fantasy world. You should know by now that when it comes to bars in this city, there’s a directly proportional relationship between enjoyment level and disco ball size, and Betty F boasts a big one. If it’s your lucky night, everyone will get up and dance to the pop-heavy playlist.

Chausseestrasse 131

It’s easy to walk past Chausseestrasse 131 late on your way home and be tempted in by its lustful red glow for one last cocktail and shuffle on the black-and-white checkered floor. Although technically more of a club, 131 Bar is worth popping into for a drink and dance if you’re in the area on the weekend (it’s only open on Friday and Saturday nights). The historic old building hosts a diverse arts program, including exhibitions, dinners, screenings, and events. It feels exclusive, and once you’re in, it’s hard to shake the feeling that you’ve just gatecrashed a house party you weren’t invited to. Like any Berlin bar worth its salt, you won’t be kicked out until past 4am.

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