Berlin is the capital of Germany and is full of incredible and interesting things to do. Here are the must-see places and things to do when visiting the city.
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Historical & Cultural Landmarks
History lovers have a ton of sites to see in Berlin. The city was the capital of Prussia prior to 1871, then became the capital of unified Germany. It was partitioned into East and West Berlin after World War II until the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. There’s no shortage of buildings, monuments, and historical sites with incredibly interesting stories.
Brandenburg Gate
Your visit to Berlin will inevitably lead you to the Brandenburg Gate standing in central Berlin. This 18th-century neoclassical monument is the city’s icon. Erected on the site of a former city gate, the monument has played a role in many political and military processions.
During the Cold War era, it was located on the border of the Berlin wall on the East German side. It served as a reminder of the city’s division. On December 22, 1989, the West German chancellor walked through the gate and was greeted by the East German chancellor. Today it is a symbol of unity and peace.
The gate stands in Pariser Platz, a cobblestoned pedestrian zone. The area is large enough for more than a million people to gather. Brandenburg Gate serves as a backdrop for concerts, stage shows, celebrations, and New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Berlin Wall & East Side Gallery
No visit to Berlin is complete without visiting the remaining sections of the Berlin Wall. Seeing the wall gives you a sense of the division that the city endured, simply depending on where they were when the wall was erected. The wall was built in 1961 to prevent East Germans from escaping into West Germany.
Prior to visiting Berlin, I really thought that the Berlin Wall was a wall that divided East Germany from West Germany. I realized my ignorance after visiting the city! It turns out that the city of Berlin is solidly in what was East Germany. But there was a section of Berlin that was still part of West Germany controlled by the Western Allies. So the Berlin Wall was really only around West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was constructed to keep East Germans from crossing into West Berlin and then being able to be escorted into West Germany safely by the Western Allies.
Today sections of the wall still stand, and there are lines now marking the spot of where the wall was previously. Make sure to visit the East Side Gallery, an open-air art gallery spanning along the wall by the River Spree. There are over 100 murals on the east side of the wall.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was the most famous border crossing between East Germany and West Germany. It was the third checkpoint opened by the allies and was named according to the NATO phonetic alphabet. The first two checkpoints had the names Alpha and Bravo. The checkpoint was the site of the 1961 Berlin Crisis featuring a standoff of American and Soviet tanks. Later it was the site of many failed escape attempts by East Germans.
Today it serves as an open-air museum complete with the checkpoint booth, flag, and sandbags. While visiting the site, spend some time at the nearby Mauer (Wall) Museum. Here you will find photos, documentation, and artifacts of escape attempts from East Germany.
Reichstag Building
Home of the German Parliament, the Reichstag Building is definitely a site to behold. The original building was erected in 1894. The glass dome was added during the 1990s. The Parliament meets on a lower floor, but there’s no ceiling in the room they meet in. The glass dome allows visitors to see inside the room and hear what’s going on. The dome is a symbolic gesture to prevent another atrocity like the Holocaust from happening again.
Visitors must register up to two months in advance, and spaces fill up quickly. A ramp spirals up and around the dome while an audio guide tells you about the history of the building, the German Parliament, and the sites you can see from the rooftop terrace. There’s also a rooftop restaurant where reservations are required.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a poignant site in Berlin. This Holocaust memorial was designed by Peter Eisenman and opened in 2005. It consists of 2711 concrete blocks of varying sizes. The blocks start out small, but soon you are walking through narrow paths with the blocks towering over your head. It gives you the sensation of drowning. This is to help you understand why regular Germans allowed the Holocaust to occur – it was just little things here and there at first, but then suddenly they found themselves in too deep and couldn’t escape. It’s a profound feeling.
Outstanding Museums
If you love museums, Berlin has around 170 to offer! From art to antiquities to military history, there’s something for everyone.
Museum Island & Other Art Museums
It is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring five world-renowned museums called Museum Island:
- Pergamom Museum – focuses on ancient Greek, Roman, Near Easter, and Islamic civilizations
- Neues (New) Museum – features Egyptian, prehistoric, and early historic artifacts
- Altes (Old) Museum – classical antiquities including Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art
- Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) – European art from the 18th to the early 20th century
- Bode Museum – sculpture, Byzantine art, and coins
Nearby, the Humboldt Forum is located in the Berlin Palace. This museum has exhibits on ethnology, Asian art, and global cultures. There’s also the Gemäldegalerie (Old Masters Gallery) which focuses on European painting from the 13th to the 18th century.
If you prefer more contemporary art, check out the Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlinische Galerie, Sammlung Boros (Boros Collection), and the KW Institute for Contemporary Art. Other interesting art museums include C/O Berlin featuring photography and visual media and Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg focusing on surrealism and symbolism.
German History Museums
There are plenty of opportunities to brush up on your German history. The Deutschlandmuseum provides an interactive journey through 2,000 years. The Jewish Museum Berlin describes the history of Jews in Germany from the Middle Ages to present day. The Anti-Kriegs (Anti-War) Museum illustrates the horrors of both World Wars through photographs, documents, and artifacts.
Learn more about the city itself at the Berlin Story Museum. The DDR Museum gives you a glimpse of what life was like in East Germany. Learn all about the history espionage at the Germany Spy Museum. And learn all about the East German secret police and their tactics at the Stasi Museum.
Unusual Museums
If standard museums aren’t your thing, maybe you one of these more unusual museums will spark your interest:
- DeJa Vu Museum – interactive exhibits of optical illusions and modern art
- Buchstabenmuseum (Museum of Letters) – collections of typographic signs
- DesignPanoptican – exhibits with bizarre combinations of industrial objects
- Disgusting Food Museum – explores the feeling of disgust through the smell, sight, and animal cruelty practices used to produce food
- Lippenstift-Museum (Lipstick Museum) – cultural history of lipstick through exhibits and artifacts
- MAGICUM Berlin Magic Museum – interactive exhibits on magic and mysticism.
- Monsterkabinett – underground walk-through gallery of animatronic monsters, insect-like robots, and costumed actors
Must-Do Experiences
You could spend all of your time in Berlin at historical sites and museums. But there are a few other must-do experiences!
Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm)
Get a birds-eye view of the city from Fernsehturm, the iconic TV tower. The tower was erected by East Germany between 1965-1969 for two reasons. First, it actually functioned as a broadcast facility. But more importantly, it served as an important message of Communist power.
Take an elevator ride to the tower’s observation deck for a panoramic view of the city. You can enjoy a drink at the Sphere Bar, or a full meal at the Sphere Restaurant. Opt for the premium ticket to see Berlin’s Odysee, a VR experience. Choose from two films: the history of the tower construction, or the history of Berlin.
Charlottenburg Palace
Located in the western part of Berlin, the late 17th century Charlottenburg Palace is a baroque masterpiece. It was built to be a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, wife of the first king of Prussia. You can tour the palace rooms and admire impressive art and treasure collections. The gardens are glorious as well, especially in summer. In the winter, the grounds host a Christmas market.
Spree River Cruise
Take a Spree River Cruise to see the city from a different perspective! There are tons of options available. Enjoy a 4-course sunset dinner cruise or a cruise on a ship with a panoramic roof. You can even rent your very own electric boat to explore on your own!
Berlin Unterwelten
Explore under the streets of Berlin at Unterwelten. Berlin has a massive underground infrastructure including tunnels and secret passages. Take a tour to discover East German escape tunnels, archaeological finds, and bunkers for residence to evade nuclear war. There are multiple tours available.
What’s topping your list of things to do in Berlin?
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