Things to do in Berlin
Welcome to Berlin
Once a city divided, Berlin has emerged as a vibrant and cosmopolitan capital of culture in Germany—and the affordable city has a more laid-back attitude than many other top European destinations. See history and modernity juxtaposed on the streets, with Communist architecture, world-class museums, and hip restaurants, nightclubs, and galleries sprinkled throughout the city. Explore neighborhoods such as bohemian Kreuzberg or attraction-filled Mitte. See the remnants of the Berlin Wall, walk under the Brandenburg Gate, or visit Checkpoint Charlie Museum before letting loose in a modern dance club. Or taste your way through Berlin’s respected culinary scene, which—similar to today's Berlin as a whole—touches on both German traditions and multicultural influences.
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Top 15 attractions in Berlin
#1
Reichstag
The seat of Germany’s Parliament and one of Berlin’s most recognizable landmarks, the Reichstag building is an impressive feat of 19th-century architecture, with a futuristic glass dome and classical columns on its facade. The structure stands proudly on the River Spree’s southern bank, a stoic reminder of Berlin’s turbulent history.More
#2
Unter den Linden
Running from Brandenburg Gate to the River Spree and Museum Island, Unter den Linden is Berlin’s most famous boulevard. Bordered by linden trees for which it is named, it is lined with some of the city’s top sights, such as the State Opera House. Just strolling along under the trees is a popular activity in itself.More
#3
Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor)
The grand gateway to Unter den Linden Boulevard and Tiergarten Park, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is one of Berlin’s most recognizable landmarks. Built by Prussian kings, this monumental gate stood strong through World War I and the Cold War, becoming a symbol of reunified Germany and a poignant reminder of Berlin’s tragedies and triumphs.More
#4
Checkpoint Charlie
Once one of three Berlin Wall border points, bridging the divide between the Allied-occupied West Berlin and Soviet-occupied East Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most important Cold War sites in Berlin. Today, a recreated guard house marks the site where numerous confrontations, escape attempts, and protests took place, and the adjoining Checkpoint Charlie Museum is a moving tribute to those who risked their lives to escape from East Germany and bring about the fall of the wall.More
#5
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Holocaust Memorial)
A somber yet striking memorial stretching over a 4.7-acre (1.9-hectare) plot in the center of Berlin, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die Ermordeten Juden Europas) was opened in 2005 to remember and honor the some 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.More
#6
Berlin Wall
At the height of the Cold War in 1961, socialist East Germany erected the Berlin Wall as an imposing concrete barrier that divided Berlin's eastern and western sides for nearly 30 years. In 1989, toward the end of the war and the fall of East Germany and communism in Europe, the wall's demolition began, thus reunifying Germany. Today, sections of the wall remain as permanent reminders of the days when the country (and Berlin) was divided.More
#7
Museum Island (Museumsinsel)
Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is the apex of culture in Berlin. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the middle of the Spree river, hosts five world-renowned museums that are all architecturally and historically significant. Each museum features different collections, from ancient artifacts to romantic and impressionist works.More
#8
Topography of Terror
A history museum of the Third Reich, Topography of Terror is housed in the former headquarters of the Gestapo secret police and the SS. Artifacts, photos, and videos examine the history of Hitler’s Germany on the site where the fate of Nazi political opponents was decided and the genocide of the European Jews, Sinti, and Roma was organized.More
#9
Gendarmenmarkt
Located in Berlin’s Mitte district, the Gendarmenmarkt is arguably Berlin’s most magnificent public square, attracting a cluster of high-end restaurants and hotels, especially around Charlottenstrasse. Come wintertime, travelers come from all over Europe to shop at the square’s spectacular Christmas market and skate at the festive ice rink.More
#10
Führerbunker
Führerbunker translates from German to “leader’s bunker” and is the site of Hitler’s fortified underground air raid shelter. He died here by his own hand in the last days of World War II. Today all that remains at the site is an information board marking the bunker’s former location.More
#11
Alexanderplatz
One of Berlin’s central meeting places, Alexanderplatz is full of attractions, buildings, restaurants, and shops. It’s a major hub for the U-bahn and S-bahn railway, buses, and trams, and houses the TV Tower (Fernsehturm), a famous Berlin landmark. The city center of East Berlin, Alexanderplatz also features a lot of socialist architecture.More
#12
Bebelplatz
Bebelplatz is a public square in the central ‘Mitte’ district of Germany’s capital city, Berlin. Today it is best known for being the site where some 20,000 newly banned books were burned by bonfire in 1933 on order of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, because they conflicted with Nazi ideology. The square is surrounded by notable historical buildings, including the German State Opera (Staatsoper); St. Hedwig’s Cathedral (built in 1747 and modeled after Rome’s Pantheon, it was the first Catholic church built in Germany after the Protestant Reformation); and the former Royal Prussian Library (Alte Bibliothek) which is now part of Humboldt University.All of the buildings on Bebelplatz were destroyed in World War II and reconstructed afterward. An easily overlooked monument in the center of the square simply contains a pane of glass, which the visitor can look through to see many rows of empty bookshelves underground. A nearby plaque quotes the 19th-century German poet Heinrich Heine with, ‘Where they burn books, at the end they also burn people.’More
#13
Potsdamer Platz
A symbol of a unified Germany, Potsdamer Platz in central Berlin was once a busy square with a major railway station. Second World War bombings completely destroyed it and then the Berlin Wall divided it, before being redeveloped into a thriving social and cultural hub.More
#14
Berlin Victory Column (Siegessäule)
Situated in the heart of the Tiergarten, the Berlin Victory Column (Siegessäule) is a 220-foot (67-meter) statue of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, in battle. Dating back to 1873, it honors Prussia winning the three Wars of Unification. You can climb up to the column’s viewing platform to soak up 360-degree views of Berlin.More
#15
Berlin TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm)
Soaring 1,207 feet (368 meters) over Alexanderplatz, Berlin’s TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm) is Germany’s tallest structure. Built to mark the 20th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic in 1969, the tower was intended to be a symbol of East Germany’s achievements as a socialist society. Today it’s one of the capital’s most visited landmarks, affording 360-degree views over the entire city.More
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When to visit
May through the end of summer has temperate weather ideal for biergartens, park lounging, and the sidewalk cafés—three staples of the Berlin scene. While July and August are busiest, late spring, when the Carnival of Cultures hits, and early fall, with Oktoberfest and the Festival of Lights, are smart bets. Bone-cold winter brings the cheapest deals on airfares and lodging.
Currency
Euro (€)
Time Zone
CEST (UTC +1)
Country Code
+49
Language(s)
German
