Recently, I visited Berlin and loved the vibe of the city! It seems to be so very lively and there are numerous things to see and do.There were several places I wanted to visit and areas I wanted to explore, but didn’t have enough time for everything. Now, I really want to plan a second trip as soon as possible:) Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun during my stay,and wanted to share my thoughts on what to see and do in the city. This list is based on my personal experiences and also comprises of things that I would like to do, during my next trip. So, let’s get started!
Fun fact: Berlin may have derived it’s name from the German word for ‘bear’, which is also seen on the coat of arms, and hence,on souvenirs.
Note: Scroll down to the end of this post for my recommendation for where to stay in Berlin : central area,accessible by public transport.
Things to do in Berlin
1.Plan on getting a city card or day pass
Depending on the length of my trip, I always try to look up options for city cards or day tickets, and figure out what would be the best option. A day ticket is a good option if you are planning to spend an entire day,extensively exploring the city.However, if you plan to use the public transport throughout your stay, you can consider getting the Berlin Welcome Card. It not only gives you unlimited access to the public transport, but also offers a large number of discounts on attractions, restaurants,etc. If you visit the city for 5 days, for instance, the Welcome Card would cost 34.50 Euros, which is the same amount that you would pay for 5 day passes.Also, if you want to find out about local places in each of the 12 neighbourhoods, you can check out the ‘Going Local Berlin’ app.
2. Explore the street art
For me, the highlight of my trip was, taking the free Alternative Berlin walking tour and exploring street art through different areas of the city.There is abundance of creativity flowing through Berlin, and it was very interesting to get to know the history of Berlin, with this regard.The districts of Kreuzberg,Friedrichshain and Mitte are particularly noteworthy.
3.Visit the Berlin wall
Remains of the Berlin Wall can be seen in quite a few parts of the city. One option is, getting off at Berlin Hauptbahnhof Ost and then walking a bit to see this long stretch of graffiti-covered Wall.
The Berlin wall near Hauptbahnhof Ost
4. Walk around the Brandenburger Tor
The Brandenburger Tor is an iconic symbol of Berlin; you can choose to visit it in the day, or even go at night to see it lit up. While walking around in this area, you can also visit the Parliament (Reichstag) and the Jewish Memorial. If you would like to go inside the Parliament building and take a tour, you would need to reserve a slot in advance. It is best to do so online, though you can also try registering when you are there in person, and you might get a chance if they have any free slots for the next two days.
The Brandenburger Tor looks beautiful at night
5.Visit the Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is a lively public square, just about 1 km away from the Brandenburger Tor.You can find some remains of the Wall, and read about the history of the square. Though the entire area is full of restaurants, some museums and modern architecture, don’t forget to check out the lights in the huge Sony Centre, which houses a mix of shops, restaurants,a multiplex and a Legoland centre, apart from other things.
The ceiling of the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz changes colours and has a brilliant effect.
6.Walk around Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is another lively neighbourhood in Berlin, in close proximity to Alexanderplatz.You will find a lot of restaurants,pubs,art galleries,shops,cafes here, as it is also quite popular with the students community. If nothing else, then at least taking a walk and grabbing an ice-cream is never a bad idea..isn’t it?
Suggested for ice-cream at Prenzlauerberg
7.Drinks and pubs
Berlin is very lively at night, and there are numerous pubs and bars in the city.If you are in the mood of partying, you can also consider going for one of the pub crawls(the alternative pub crawl also looked interesting), which cost about 10 euros and include 5-6 shots! If this is not something you would prefer, you can check out other options.For instance, Weinerie is a pay-as-you-want bar, where you are only obligated to pay 2 euros or so as deposit, and at the time of leaving, you can decide as to how much money you would want to pay. The Berliner Beer is also a local speciality, and you might want to try it out. Another distinguishing feature of Berlin, is the Spaeti culture. Spaetis are small kiosk-like stores that are open through the night, and have a few benches put outside. You can get some drinks there too and choose to either sit outside on the benches, or just leave after picking up what you like.
I came across a poem dedicated to spaetis, and thought it would be fun to share it with you 🙂
8.Devour food:anytime!
Food is relatively inexpensive in Berlin, and you will find lots of options. The Doner Kebap was said to have first been sold in Berlin itself(though it is questionable); and you will find several shops selling Doners and Falafel wraps- even late at night. Currywurst is also very popular here. Besides, you can find restaurants specializing in a whole lot of cuisines- from Mexican to Indian,Chinese and others. If you are in a hurry and would like a take away, I’ve also seen small shops and stands selling takeaway packs for Chinese food,costing as low as 2.5 Euros.
A friend of mine also told me about a place where you could have breakfast whenever you want.It is open 24 hours a day!
You start spotting Currywurst stands in Berlin, from the moment you step out of the airport!
9.Visit Alexanderplatz and go up the TV Tower
Alexanderplatz is one of the main centers of the city, where you can find the TV Tower, 368 metres high, which can give you a panaromic view of the city.Going up the tower would cost you a minimum of 13 euros if you book the early bird ticket or go after 9:30 pm.There are discounts for students and those having the Berlin City Card. I did want to go up, but missed out on doing so.Instead, I walked around the area with my friends, admired the Neptune Fountain, ate ice-cream, watched them jump on the trampoline,took pictures at the photo booth and checked out some stores. There also other points from where you could get panaromic views of the city, such as the Panaroma point and the tower at Messe Sud. However, the highest viewing point is from the Alexanderplatz TV tower itself.
Tip: To get the best views of the TV Tower itself, head to the rooftop of the Park Inn Radisson Blu Hotel! For a small fee, you can enjoy the terrace views of the city and then relax with a drink or so. You can also stay at the hotel and wake up to the great views each day!
10.Check out Nikolai Viertel, the foundation of Berlin
Quite close to Alexanderplatz, you can find the NikolaiViertel (Nikolai Quarter). It is said to be the heart of the city and the origin of Berlin.
11.Walk along Unter Den Linden
Unter Den Linden is a popular street, housing several points of interest. You can visit the Berliner Dom (cathedral), the Neue Wache war memorial, the Humboldt University buildings, the Deutsches History Museum and the Berlin State Opera.
Neue Wache: Memorial for the victims of war and oppression
12.Explore the history of Berlin and visit a bunker
One of the best ways to explore the history of the city, in my opinion, is visiting ‘The Story of Berlin’ museum. Through multimedia and art, you can travel in time and retrace the growth and development of the city through centuries. You can also join the guided tour of one of the bunkers, located nearby,and find out how people would have lived there, had there been a nuclear emergency. It was a very impactful experience for us.Make sure you have at least two hours in hand, if you want to visit the bunker as well as go through the entire museum. The entry would cost you 12 euros, unless you have a student Id or the Berlin Welcome Card.
I feel walking around is the best way to explore a city, and so, always try to look up guided walking tours. You can find several free walking tours, which can give you an overview of the city and take you past the main attractions.However, if you would like a more in-depth insight into the history,culture or architecture of the city, you can opt for one of the tours given by Context Travel. They believe in deep travel and all their docents are academicians,PhD’s or researchers themselves. I had taken the ‘Divided city of Berlin during Cold War’ walk and got to know a whole lot about how architecture was influenced at the time when Berlin was split up into East and West.I will be posting about in detail soon, but you can check out the website of Context Travel, if you like,They offer tours in several cities around the world.
13.Visit Checkpoint Charlie and buy a piece of the Wall
Checkpoint Charlie was a very fascinating spot for me. It used to be the single crossing point during the Cold War, when Berlin was divided into two parts. The Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum, opened two years after the unification of Germany, is a great source of information. You can also find a part of the Wall outside the museum,and it is possible to buy small pieces of the Wall, as souvenirs too. We found a big exhibition close to Checkpoint Charlie, which had a lot of pictures,quotes and stories about Berlin in this period of time.
Checkpoint Charlie: The US Army Checkpoint at the time of divided Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie
14.Visit the Currywurst Museum
If you are visiting Checkpoint Charlie, you can just walk a few minutes further to visit the Currywurst Museum. It is a fun way to find out about the history of the Currywurst, shop for souvenirs or relish some of these sausages in the museum cafe.
A Currywurst Museum truck, located near Checkpoint Charlie
15. Visit the Berlin Zoo and walk around in the Tiergarden
A lot of my friends had suggested visiting the Berlin Zoo. Unfortunately, I did not have time to visit it, but will try to do so during my next trip.It is the oldest zoo in Germany, and I would really like to see the polar bears and the giant panda. Tiergarten,on the other hand, is a big park in the inner city, and is very popular for having picnics,jogging or just relaxing amidst the greenery. I did get to see Tiergarten during my walking tour with Context Travel.
So, these are some of my suggestions as to what you could do in Berlin. Of course, there are many other things that the city has to offer,and I hope to get a chance to explore it further soon. I would definitely like to take a tour of the Parliament,perhaps visit the Museum Island, the zoo, Winerei, the TV tower, the Treptower park and explore more street art.
What about you?Have you visited Berlin?What did you enjoy the most?Or what would you be interested in seeing?
Also check out this great guide to exploring all the abandoned places in Berlin by Fotostrasse !
The Berliner Dom and the TV Tower
Thanks to ‘Visit Berlin’ for giving me a whole lot of information about the city and providing me with the City Card. I absolutely loved the city and can’t wait to get back!
Where to stay in Berlin: central location
EDIT: I revisited Berlin in June,2016 – a year after my first visit and wanted to stay in a central area, which would be well accessible with public transport. I also had to attend a conference at the Messe Sud and I chose to stay at the Park Inn Hotel at Alexanderplatz. Luckily, I got a great room on the 9th floor, directly overlooking the TV Tower, Nikolai Viertel and other landmarks of Berlin in the distance. Not only was it located just near the train station, but I could also easily walk to some of the popular landmarks like the Berlin Dom, the Museum Island (with 5 museums) , the SEA Life Aquarium, the Unter Den Linden shopping street and more. There are also a lot of shopping and food exploring opportunities right outside the hotel and I had no problems staying there at all! In fact, if you are an adventure seeker, you can try out base flying from the hotel rooftop. Otherwise, you can relax in their spa or enjoy dinner and live performances in their restaurant.
Here are some ideas for taking day trips from Berlin!
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