I’ve now been to Berlin several times, and I absolutely love it as a city. It’s kind of the embodiment of “cool”. There’s always something new and interesting going on and it would be impossible to not fill your days in Berlin doing something amazing.
10 things to do in Berlin
1. See the Brandenburg Gate
Obviously, this is a highly touristy thing to do, but not seeing the Brandenburg Gate would be like going to Paris and not taking time to look at the Eiffel Tower.
2. Tour the Reichstag/Bundestag
One of my most memorable travel experiences ever was getting to have dinner on top of the Reichstag Building and seeing the Bundestag at night with no other visitors in the building. If you want to tour it (which I highly recommend) you need to book your tour in advance. You can do so here.
3. See a show
Berlin has some excellent theatre, and a lot of it happens to be in English. If you want to see something a bit different, I highly highly recommend booking in to see a show at the Chamaeleon theatre. I’ve seen two shows there now and they are both amazing.
4. Go thrifting at Maeurpark
Every Sunday a massive flea market takes over Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg. It’s the biggest market that I’ve been to and it gets busy. But that won’t stop you from finding a few good deals! (And maybe even needing a second suitcase to take them home in.)
5. Walk around the Tiergarten
It’s Berlin’s answer to Central Park. It’s 520 acres and it’s heavily wooded. After WWII only 700 trees survived out of over 200,000 that lined the park (some dating from the 16th century). It’s since gone through loads of regeneration and you’d never know that it was once destroyed.
6. See most beautiful square in Europe (The Gendarmenmarkt)
The Gendarmenmarkt is located in the historic centre of Berlin and is said to be one of the most beautiful city squares in all of Europe. Having seen it in person, I completely agree. (I’ve included some photos of it below.) More than a million people visit the square every year.
7. DDR Museum
The DDR Museum is a hands-on museum that explores what life was like in East Germany (aka the DDR – Deutsche Demokratische Republik). The museum has three themed areas: “Public Life”; “State and Ideology” and “Life in a Tower Block”. It’s one of the few things on my list that isn’t free. Tickets cost around €8.
8. Visit the Holocaust Museum
It makes for a draining visit, but it’s respectful, sombre and moving. It’s a piece of history that should never be forgotten. I highly recommend visiting the subterranean museum as well. There’s usually a queue to get in, but if you arrive early in the morning, you’ll only have to queue for 15 minutes or so.
9. Eat
Berlin has a really interesting food scene, so you’ll definitely eat well during your visit. I recommend trying out one of the local food markets, and take a peek at my vegan guide to Berlin if you’d like more recommendations.
10. East Side Art Gallery
It’s a 1316 meter long section of the Berlin Wall, that was painted by 105 artists from all over the world in 1990. You could spend hours looking at all the different murals and it’s an incredible free attraction.
Berlin Cathedral
The Gendarmenmarkt
Is there anything else you’d add to the list?
For more posts on Berlin, you can check out:
Dinner on Top of the Reichstag
Berlin in 24 Hours
A Vegan Guide to Berlin
Scandic Hotel Berlin
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