Berlin
Visited in 2015, 2017 and 2026
At a glance
- Country
- Germany
- Region
- Germany
- Population
- 3.7 million
- Best time to go
- May to September
- Main airport
- Berlin Brandenburg (BER)
- Coordinates
- 52.51°N, 13.39°E
Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.
Overview
Berlin wears its history openly. Traces of the Wall, grand Prussian boulevards, Cold War checkpoints and memorials sit among parks, canals and some of Europe's most creative neighbourhoods.
It is a city of distinct districts rather than one centre, each with its own mood: museums and monuments in Mitte, cafés and old tenements in Prenzlauer Berg, late nights in Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. It is spacious, green and easy-going, and you will want more time than you planned.
Things to see
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Photo: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 Brandenburg Gate
The city's great neoclassical gateway, once stranded beside the Wall and now the symbol of reunification.
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Photo: Mfield , Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, GFDL 1.2 Reichstag dome
Walk up the spiralling glass dome above the parliament for views across the city; book ahead online.
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Photo: Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 Museum Island
Five world-class museums on an island in the Spree, from ancient Near Eastern art to the bust of Nefertiti.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: N-Lange.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 Berlin Wall Memorial
A preserved stretch of the Wall and death strip on Bernauer Strasse, with moving stories of escapes.
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Photo: Lklundin, CC BY-SA 3.0 East Side Gallery
The longest surviving section of the Wall, covered in murals by artists from around the world.
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Photo: Alexander Blum, CC BY-SA 4.0 Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
A field of grey concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate, with an information centre below.
Things to do
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Photo: Coooohen, CC BY-SA 4.0 Tempelhofer Feld
Walk, cycle or skate down the runways of a former airport, now a huge public park.
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Photo: ernstol, CC BY-SA 3.0 Day trip to Potsdam
Prussian palaces and gardens at Sanssouci, under an hour away by S-Bahn or regional train.
Find tours -
Photo: Ziko van Dijk, CC BY-SA 4.0 Street food
Try currywurst from a stand, a late-night döner kebab and the international food halls of Kreuzberg.
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Photo: Franz Richter ( User:FRZ ), CC BY-SA 3.0 Mauerpark Sunday market
A flea market and open-air karaoke in a park where the Wall once ran.
Where to stay
Mitte
Central and well connected, close to the main sights and museums.
Hotels in MittePrenzlauer Berg
Leafy streets, cafés and restored tenements, good for families and couples.
Hotels in Prenzlauer BergKreuzberg
Diverse, creative and lively, with great food and bars along the canal.
Hotels in KreuzbergFriedrichshain
Younger and edgier, near the East Side Gallery and big clubs.
Hotels in Friedrichshain
Getting around
The U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses run on one ticket system and reach everywhere. Cycling is easy on the flat streets.
Express and regional trains run from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Hauptbahnhof in around 30 minutes.
When to go
May to September brings long days, beer gardens and lakeside swimming. Winter is cold and grey, but Christmas markets brighten December.
Plan your trip to Berlin
- HotelsBooking.com
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Airport parking, lounges and transfersHoliday Extras
- Car hireAuto Europe
- Mobile data (eSIM)AiraloCode DAN9406 for money off
- GuidebooksAmazon
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Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.