If German history and culture interest you, then you should spend a week in Berlin! The city is filled with amazing sites and things to do, and there are plenty of places to explore nearby as well. Here’s an itinerary to help you plan a wonderful week.
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One Week Itinerary
If you have one week to spend in Berlin, here’s the itinerary I recommend:
Sunday
Plan to depart from the U.S. on Saturday for a Sunday arrival. Most flights originating in the U.S. will arrive in Berlin in the morning giving you a full day to spend touring. I know it may be tempting to request an early check in to your hotel and take a nap. But don’t do it! You need to stay up ALL day so that you can beat the inevitable jet lag you will feel. Get outside and start touring!
I think the best way to discover a city is by taking a guided tour. Fortunately, Berlin has quite a few groups that offer free tours. Remember you should tip your guide – usually $10-20 per person is sufficient. I like this Welcome to Berlin tour – it will give you a nice feel for the city. This Berlin Basics tour also looks like a great introduction. If you want something more in-depth, this History and Culture in the Heart of Europe tour might be a good fit.
After your tour, you will be ready for dinner and bed. Just find a restaurant or cafe near your hotel. Here are some native foods to look for on the menu: currywurst (sausage topped with curry-ketchup), Döner kebab (shaved meat and veggies in a pita), eisbein (pork knuckle with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes), königsberger klopse (ground meat in a creamy sauce), spätzle (egg noodles with cheese), schnitzel (breaded and fried meat cutlet), buletten (meatballs). Then get to bed – we have a busy day tomorrow!
Monday
Berlin was the capital and center of Nazi power. So Monday of our week in Berlin is dedicated to learning about the Third Reich, World War II, the Berlin Wall, and the Cold War.
Walking Tours
Today we are going to do two different 3 hour free walking tours. The first one is Berlin & Nazism: Rise & Fall of the Empire. This tour will show you all the most important Nazi monuments in the city as well as memorials of the many victims of the movement. After a break for lunch, then you’ll experience the East Berlin: Wall and Cold War Special. This tour explains the history of Berlin from 1961 through the Cold War. Together these two tours will give you the complete 20th century history of Berlin and give you a better understanding of the forces that shaped the city of Berlin.
On your tours, you can expect to see the Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery, Checkpoint Charlie, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Brandenburg Gate, and more.
Fernsehturm Views & Dinner
Take a break in your hotel room (or at a bar enjoying a Berliner Weisse beer). Then make your way to Fernsehturm, the iconic TV tower. The tower was erected by East Germany between 1965-1969. 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, and then have 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. Make sure to book your tickets in advance!
Tuesday
Today we leave all the heaviness of Nazi and Cold World history behind! On the agenda today is some fabulous architecture and opulent treasures.
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.
You will likely spend 4-6 hours exploring everything the palace complex has to offer. There’s a restaurant on site, and other lunch options are available within a 10-15 minute walk.
Reichstag Building & the “Dome”
After touring the place, return to central Berlin to the Reichstag Building. 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. 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.
You should register for tickets up to two months in advance. Spaces fill quickly, so make sure to be on line exactly two months before your trip. And while you are online, you might as well make a reservation for dinner at the dome’s rooftop restaurant!
Wednesday
Our week in Berlin is almost halfway over! Today is museum day. Berlin has an amazing assortment of world-renowned museums as well as plenty of unique museums. There’s something for everyone!
- Art, History & Artifacts – Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring five world-renowned museums and the Humboldt Forum located in the Berlin Palace with exhibits on ethnology, Asian art, global cultures, and Old Masters paintings.
- Contemporary Art – Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlinische Galerie, Sammlung Boros (Boros Collection), KW Institute for Contemporary Art, C/O Berlin, and Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg.
- German History – Deutschlandmuseum, Jewish Museum Berlin, Anti-Kriegs (Anti-War) Museum, Berlin Story Museum, DDR Museum, Germany Spy Museum, Stasi Museum, and Mauer (Wall) Museum.
- Unusual Museums – DeJa Vu Museum, Buchstabenmuseum (Museum of Letters), DesignPanoptican, Disgusting Food Museum, Lippenstift-Museum (Lipstick Museum), MAGICUM Berlin Magic Museum, and the Monsterkabinett.
Dinner Cruise
Tonight let’s take a cruise on the Spree River to see the city from a different perspective. Enjoy a 4-course sunset dinner cruise featuring fine German cuisine and unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks.
Thursday & Friday
On Thursday and Friday we embark on a day trip outside the city. There are many options to consider, but here are my favorite to choose from.
Option 1: Potsdam
The most popular option is Potsdam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Potsdam is the historical home of the Prussian kings. If you love palaces, this is THE place to go! There’s Sanssouci Palace, summer residence of Frederick the Great. Also on the Sanssouci grounds is the Baroque Neues Palais (New Palace) and the Orangery Palace. Amidst all of these palaces is Sanssouci Park featuring terraced grounds, fountains, and more than 1,000 sculptures. A combo ticket gets you access to all of these and other impressive sites on the complex.
Another must-see place is Cecilienhof Country House where the Potsdam Conference was held. This was a meeting in 1945 between Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. These world leaders decided how Germany would be dividing ending World War II and indirectly starting the Cold War.
You’ll be hungry after all of this exploring, so head to the Dutch Quarter. Here you will find brick structures built in a traditional Dutch style. These were erected by King Frederick William I to help make the Dutch craftsmen he recruited to town feel at home. Today these buildings hold a variety of shops, cafes, and bars. You are sure to find a great meal and some nice souvenirs before you head back to Berlin!
Potsdam is about 45 minutes away from Berlin by train. Trains run frequently between the two cities. It will take about the same amount of time to drive there. Another option is to book a group tour from Berlin.
Option 2: Spreewald
Spreewald has the distinction of being a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its canals and lush greenery. Experience it best from the water. You can rent a kayak or stand-up paddle board, or take a boat tour through the canals.
Several picturesque villages are in the Spreewald region. Lübbenau has a charming town square and is where most canal tours begin. Lehde is a historical village showcasing the culture of the Sorbs, a Slavic minority group. Here you will find traditional wooden houses, people in Sorbian clothes, and the Freilandmuseum Lehde open-air museum depicting the culture. Another village is Burg, known for thermal spas.
During your visit, you must try some of the local cuisine. Spreewald pickles are famous for their variety of flavors. The regional specialty of quark (a soft cheese) with linseed oil and potatoes or bread is also a must-try. And you can’t go wrong by ordering the fisherman platter at any restaurant. It’s sure to be filed with fish caught in the canals that very day.
A train journey to Spreewald takes about 1.5 hours. If you prefer to drive, it’s also a 1.5 hour journey. Once you arrive, you can easily get around by walking or renting a bicycle. Group tours aren’t available now. Fortunately, it’s easy to get there on your own.
Option 3: Wannsee & Peacock Island (Pfaueninsel)
If you are craving a relaxing day at the beach, this day trip from Berlin is for you! Standbad Wannsee is a historic lakefront beach that’s perfect for water activities and sunbathing. But we have a few things to do before lazing the day away in the sun!
Visit the House of the Wannsee Conference. This is where high ranking officials of the Nazi party, SS officers, and other officials met to discuss how to remove the Jewish population from Germany in 1942. The house now stands as a memorial to the Holocaust and features exhibits on history of Jewish persecution.
After this important but heart-breaking stop, boost your spirits by taking the ferry to Peacock Island. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island has lush gardens and plenty of free-roaming peacocks. Visit Peacock Island Castle and enjoy a picnic lunch in beautiful surroundings.
End your day at Standbad Wannsee basking in the sun and reading a good book. You’ve earned it!
This is a easy option on our list of day trips from Berlin as it located only 45 minutes away by train or a little over 30 minutes by car. Group tours aren’t available. You can book a private guided tour, but it’s much more cost effective to take the train.
Saturday
Our week in Berlin is almost over, so today we have a few options to pick and choose from.
Markets
One of the best ways to interact with locals is to attend a weekend market. Fortunately, Berlin has several options. The Boxhagener Platz Market features clothes, paintings, books, vinyl records, and much more. You will also find great boutiques surrounding the square. There’s plenty of food booths in the market and cafes nearby as well.
Kollwitzplatz Market has a farmer’s market offering fresh produce and other ingredients perfect for a picnic. Or enjoy lunch from one of the food booths available at the market. You will also find textiles, handicrafts, jewelry, and accessories.
Markthalle Neun is located in a historic railway warehouse. This is the place to high quality and locally produced food. It’s open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. So if you find yourself hungry and not sure where to go on days other than Sunday, Markthalle Neun is a great choice!
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 residents to evade nuclear war. There are multiple tours available.
Museums
There are so many great museums in Berlin, so you must want to explore another one! If you focused on art and artifacts on Wednesday, maybe try out one of the more unusual offerings or take a deeper dive into German history. Or vice-versa! See all the great options under the Wednesday itinerary above.
Some combination of these activities will take up your final day in Berlin. And you will probably still have time to visit any sites you missed or shop for souvenirs.
Sunday
Our week in Berlin has come to an end. It’s time to head back to the airport and home to real life. Or better yet, the train station towards another German city or European country!
Accommodations
You won’t spend much time in your hotel during your week in Berlin. But you will want a comfortable place to stay. I stayed in the Westin Grand Berlin. It’s a beautiful hotel in a great location. If you want to pay a bit less, the Titanic Titanic Gendarmenmarkt Berlin is in the same area and has great reviews.
When will you spend your week in Berlin?
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