The city seems like a whirlwind of sights, with famous activities at every turn and always too little time to see everything.
If you want to experience a lot of sightseeing, then use Hop on Hop Off, or let yourself be guided by experienced city guides or sign up for a guided Berlin Sightseeing Tour. You can find insider tips on these pages, for example:
Sightseeing Hop on Hop off city tours
Things to do in berlin: Either you book a hop on hop off tour or a guided tour in advance, these are the options if you want to miss as little as possible when you are on site.
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We can also recommend a half-day tour on foot or you can discover the districts by classically boarding a boat in Mitte.
Sightseeing in Berlin: For almost four hours you will be taken to Kurfürstendamm, Reichstag, around Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer Platz, Anhalter Bahnhof and a few other sights. For those who are not so keen on walking for four hours, there is a similar bike tour where the visitor rides a rented bike and gets around in a really comfortable way.
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
What to do in Berlin? Discover the metropolis and its popular tourist magnets at your own speed with the hop-on hop-off double-decker buses! Experience the historic Museum Island, the dizzying TV Tower right at Alexanderplatz, the famous boulevard Kurfürstendamm, the former border crossing Checkpoint Charlie or the impressive famous Brandenburg Gate.
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What does the tour with the buses offer?
The unique bus tours make many stops, all major sights, places and tourist attractions. Experience the city’s important historical sites, breathtaking architecture and enjoy the magnificent views that a double-decker, sometimes roofless, bus has to offer.
Hop on Hop Off Berlin: It’s very simple, you can get on and off the bus at any of the stops, take photos, see the attractions, go to various souvenir shops. Of course, you can also have a quick coffee or tea and then wait at the bus stop until the next bus arrives to get back on.
So you can get on and off the bus at any time at your convenience and create a tailor-made individual city tour in a good mood.
Entertaining information and stories or even recorded audio commentaries about the destinations travelled to are available in the cars.
How do I get my tickets?
Book on the spot and receive an e-ticket at the email address you provide. Or book online in advance, print it out and take it with you on the first bus you travel on.
Where does the tour start?
You can choose where you want to start your tour at any time, just hop in one of the vehicles and start exploring the districts!
How long is my ticket valid?
The ticket is valid for 24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours.
How long do the individual bus routes take?
Two lines are available.
The red line runs for about two hours and stops here and elsewhere:
Alexanderplatz
Alexa-Einkaufszentrum
Wall
Checkpoint Charlie
Brandenburg Gate
Central Station
Gendarmenmarkt
KaDeWe am Wittenberglatz
Holocaust Memorial
Madame Tussauds
Museum Island
Kurfürstendamm
Potsdamer Platz
Neptune Fountain
Bellevue Palace
Reichstag
Topography of Terror
Siegessäule
The blue line takes a little less time, about 40 minutes, and stops here and elsewhere:
Alexanderplatz
Karl-Marx-Allee
East Side Gallery
Ostbahnhof
Which languages are offered?
The audio guide is available in various languages: German, Spanish, Chinese, French, English, Russian, Portuguese and Italian.
The top sights in Berlin
Berlin has a lot to offer. A visitor sometimes doesn’t know where best to start. But how can he make sure he doesn’t miss anything? Here are the biggest attractions rounded up. The following list contains the five blockbusters that a tourist should definitely not miss, they can be visited all year round.
The 5 top sights
Do you know a special little pub, a great restaurant or do you have a favourite park? We are now dealing with the sightseeing draught horses, the blockbusters, the crowd pullers, i.e. the gems of all sights.
Brandenburg Gate
For over 200 years, the Brandenburg Gate has been a landmark and one of the most famous sights in the city.
Located right in the middle of the city, it is probably one of the gates that has experienced the most in its history.
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The outstanding phenomenon, built in 1789-91 by Carl Gotthard Langhans, was the royal Eingangsto. So far, s has survived both the 1933-1945 period and the subsequent Cold War. It became a symbol of the division between East and West and later a sign of reunification.
As in so many other places, the breath of history can be felt both at the Brandenburg Gate and on the Straße des 17. Juni, which leads up to the Victory Column.
The area around the city gate is bustling with local street performers, sightseeing offers, tourists and e-scooters every day.
The Wall
The last remaining pieces of the Wall are at the Eastside Gallery and near Anhalter Bahnhof. It is a bit of an exaggeration to still speak of The Wall, because not much remains of the Wall, even though it was the symbol of the end of the GDR or the Warsaw Pact and of the division of Europe.
During the division of the city, S-Bahn and U-Bahn stations located on the border were no longer used. Since the beginning of the 1980s, three S-Bahn lines and several U-Bahn lines ran in West Berlin, each with short sections through the East Berlin area. The trains never stopped at these ghost stations, such as Potsdamer Platz or the Brandenburg Gate.
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Visit what remains of The Wall, including the Documentation Centre on Bernauerstraße or the museum at Checkpoint Charlie.
The Nordbahnhof was also such a „ghost station“. It is currently hosting a photo exhibition commemorating these abandoned stations. You will find interesting stories about border controls, guarded stations and escape plans. Plan 30 minutes for this exhibition.
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After the visit, walk from Bernauer Strasse towards the Berlin Wall memorial. Here, too, you can expect a lot of information, visual material and reconstructions, including border stones or an original watchtower.
Kurfürstendamm
Kurfürstendamm (or simply Ku‘ Damm) is another popular attraction, or simply Ku‘ Damm, by far the most popular shopping street locally.
It is the main street in the old west. The boulevard starts in Halensee and goes all the way to Tauentzien.
For people who like to shop, Kurfürstendamm is a feast. It’s the place to go if you’re serious about shopping.
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The Kudamm is still the most popular shopping destination in the city. There is almost everything to buy locally, and if you take your wife to the city, you can’t avoid a shopping spree on the boulevard.
It is located in the western part of the city, in Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf. Here you will find all the big fashion boutiques and exclusive designer brands that fill the 3.5-kilometre shopping mile. Of course, you’ll also pass Europe’s largest department stores‘, the KaDeWe. A classic department stores‘ with the food, jewellery and perfume departments at the top. Many years old, but still a hit.
Fernsehturm
The famous TV tower right on the Alex is a must-see when visiting the city. It is the tower that stands out from the eastern cityscape. The 368-metre high highlight soars into the sky and can be seen from many districts. You can take the lift up to the dome of the landmark, stop in at the revolving restaurant and have a meal.
Let yourself be enchanted by the wild view over the city. The panorama from above is truly impressive. You will quickly get a feeling for how big the city really is. You should book the tickets online in advance. A trip here is a really cool experience for adults and children alike.
The TV Tower can be seen from many places in the metropolis and serves as a good landmark for where you are.
Reichstag
The Reichstag building was built in 1894 and, like the Brandenburg Gate and this part of Berlin in general, has had quite a turbulent life under the various governments, not least during the two world wars. Near the Brandenburg Gate is the impressive attraction that is the seat of the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament.
After 1945, until the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the building fell into disrepair. The Federal Republic of Germany, founded in the late 1940s, moved its meetings and seat of government to Bonn. The history of the building is truly unique and thus a highlight that a visitor should have experienced on site.
In 1991, the Reichstag was once again designated the German parliament, Berlin became the capital and seat of government again a few years later, and the building was restored with its now very famous and distinctive glass dome.
If the weather is good and the sun is shining while you are here, you can book a trip to the café in the building with a clear conscience. Here you can experience an excellent breathtaking view over the city.
Bus tours
Many tourists are familiar with the classic sightseeing bus tours in the various large European cities. It often makes a lot of sense to take a bus tour and see everything.
The metropolis is large and divided into many different districts, each with its own centre, peculiarities, characteristics and life.
With the bus tour, it is quickly possible to effectively see and experience various sights and city districts.
There are many companies that take visitors to the attractions described above, and all offer to book tickets online from home.
Boat tours
You can’t miss the Spree and the Landwehrkanal, both of which meander through the districts, on a city trip here. The central location of these bodies of water has the great advantage that you pass a multitude of sights on a boat trip.
There are many different companies that organise and offer various boat tours of different lengths. You can buy tickets on the steamer or before, it is as always also possible to book online from home and secure a place on one of the popular boats.
Comments and experiences
Liese
Berlin has so many offerings and attractions that it’s easy to pick many attractions for a top list. My experiences with the hop on hop off sightseeing tours were consistently good. Those who have taken a look – and selected the places we return to again and again ourselves. With this list you are not yet fully informed – but you are well on your way.
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is something of a symbol of Berlin, and miraculously, the Brandenburg Gate survived the war. There are simply places you can’t miss in Berlin, and one of them is the Brandenburg Gate. It’s also almost impossible… the place there is cosy and ideal for a coffee.
In front of the Brandenburg Gate, US President Ronald Reagan shouted to the Russian President to tear down the Wall. So hurry up and take a photo of one of the places you can’t miss. It’s probably one of the most famous sights locally and you can’t go home without taking a photo .
The tour begins in front of the Brandenburg Gate – even though it has become a bit of a tourist trap on Pariser Platz.
If you are interested in history, the Brandenburg Gate Museum is also worth a visit. The museum tells about the history of Berlin over the last 300 years. Tickets can be booked here.
But the federal government has also found a home in Mitte. This district is therefore characterised by tourist attractions, public buildings and a number of cultural institutions and events. But this is not a new invention, it has been Berlin’s reality since its inception. This is also where many of the historic districts are located. Whether it’s the Brandenburg Gate, the TV Tower, Alexanderplatz or Unter den Linden – of all the districts, Mitte offers the greatest density of things that every visitor must have seen and experienced. Here, the flair, charm and energy of the metropolis can be felt on almost every street corner.
Shopping Alexanderplatz
If you want to take home more of the new cultural life as a souvenir in addition to the well-known sights and tourist attractions, you should explore the area around Jannowitzbrücke in the evening hours. Here there are numerous nightclubs offering parties from Friday evening until Monday morning – and longer.
Or Oranienburgerstraße and its side streets. In inconspicuous backyards and behind graffiti-covered facades, an unforgettable party night can be waiting. Just follow your eyes and ears or ask one of the young people who are on the streets of Mitte day and night at the weekend.
The TV Tower can be seen from most districts. At a height of 368 metres, the TV Tower is the tallest building in the city and offers a great view over the city! Unfortunately, the queue can be very long, so I recommend buying a Fast Track ticket to avoid the queue.
Alternatively, you can go to the Panorama Point at Potsdamer Platz, which is less crowded.
The City is full of exciting museums – from art to Egyptian exhibitions, so there’s something for everyone! But the best thing is that most of them are in one place: on Museum Island! It is one of the largest museum complexes in the world and houses some impressive buildings. The whole thing is protected by Unesco. So if you’re into museums or it’s just raining, Museum Island is the place for you. German art from the Golden Age, Greek vases, temples from Babylon and Egyptian mummies. You can even see Nefertiti here.
The Berlin Cathedral, one of the most beautiful churches, is also located here. It is located directly on the city’s river, which is the perfect backdrop for a photo. It is also possible to take a boat trip on the river, passing some of the sights.
Anyone who wants to experience Berlin at its best, enjoy the city or turn night into day is well advised to stay at a hotel or hostel in Mitte. We wish you a lot of fun in your heart and an unforgettable stay!
Those who come here to spend their city breaks should seriously consider booking their hotel, guesthouse, flat or holiday home in the Mitte district. The advantages are obvious: almost everything you want to see and should see is right at your feet or can be reached within a few minutes by car or by one of the first-class public transport systems in Mitte. Even late at night, you can always get from A to B in Mitte, not to mention the numerous taxis.
In the following, I pick out a few of the attractions of the Mitte district that should be on every visitor’s list.
First of all, there is Alexanderplatz, which offers shoppers enough food for 14 days in Berlin and more. In the area around Alexanderplatz you will find many small boutiques as well as large shopping centres like the Alexa. If you want, you can take a bungee jump from the Park Inn Hotel during your shopping tour or sit in one of the many street cafés and take in the mixture of historical charm and modern zeitgeist of the capital with all your senses.
Just a stone’s throw from Alexanderplatz is the beautiful Nikolai Quarter, where you can discover, among other things, the oldest church in the seat of government. From there, we recommend continuing the tour along Unter den Linden. There is so much to discover to the right and left that connoisseurs and explorers will have to plan several hours to finally reach the end of the boulevard at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate.
Norbert
Unlike most other districts in the capital, Kreuzberg’s development history is relatively short. The district was originally founded in 1820 by a group of Jewish settlers and takes its name from a hill in the district, 66 metres above sea level, on which a monument was erected in memory of the Napoleonic campaigns.
Until well into the 19th century, Kreuzberg was very rural. With industrialisation, however, this changed abruptly and it became the most densely populated district until well into the 20th century. In figures, this means up to 60,000 people per square kilometre. But not only residential buildings, but also industry settled here.
Checkpoint Charlie is located in this district, it is the most famous border crossing between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. This was one of the Soviet Union’s means of controlling immigration from East to West Berlin. It was built in the 1950s, while the Wall was being erected in 1961.
After 1945, the condition was very bad, many houses were destroyed, flats in poor condition. The associated cheap rents made the area very attractive for immigrants. But students and artists also came to Kreuzberg in the 1960s and began to shape the area. This brought with it an alternative lifestyle that has remained here to this day.
The Jewish Museum at Hallesches Tor is the largest Jewish museum in Europe and documents 2,000 years of Jewish history in Germany. Here you can explore Jewish life and traditions that date back thousands of years. Highlights of the Jewish Museum include underground passages, the Holocaust Tower and the Exile Garden.
After reunification, Kreuzberg was suddenly right in the middle of the metropolis and thus became extremely interesting for many people looking for a new home here. This was accompanied by an increase in rents and the area slowly but steadily made its way to becoming a trendy district, where not only immigrants and students but also wealthier people from all parts of Germany and the world found a new home.
Like Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain, it has become a trendy district with many opportunities for young people to have a good time.
The German Museum of Technology is a technical museum with a wide range of old and new technology and science. The museum’s exhibition focuses include German shipping, aviation, rail transport, power generation, computer technology and much more.
When you visit the museum, you can see the world’s first computer, steam locomotives, aeroplanes, ships and many other exciting objects. The German Museum of Technology is undoubtedly one of the most overlooked sights if you are interested in technology.
Clubs and restaurants, pubs and cafes, kebab shops and shisha bars can be found everywhere in Kreuzberg and overall this area is infused with an incredible amount of creativity and modern zeitgeist.
Due to its central location, the district is also ideal for exploring the spots; everything worth seeing here can usually be reached within 20-30 minutes by car or public transport.
This is simply the result of many cultures living close together in Kreuzberg, living and contributing to the district. Be it the punk and rock culture of the famous concert hall SO36, the hip hop culture with musicians and dancers, everything comes together in the neighbourhood. The symbol of this colourful potpourri is the annual Carnival of Cultures that starts here.
If you have booked your hotel, flat or holiday home at a time when this carnival is taking place, you should not miss this spectacle! This colourful carnival parade with music, theatre, food and artists of all genres is truly unique.
After Mitte has been „grazed“, younger visitors in particular sooner or later end up in Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, two districts that are connected by the Oberbaumbrücke and used to be in East Germany (Friedrichshain) and West Germany (Kreuzberg). While Kreuzberg has always been a neighbourhood with a special flair, Friedrichshain has only developed into a trendy district of the first order in recent years. Both areas are home to the most exciting clubs for night owls.
You just have to get involved with the district, open yourself up to the different cultures and approach everything without prejudice and with curiosity. Then you will see many interesting people and get to know many cultures. Booking a hotel or flat on Mehringdamm, for example, is a real alternative to a holiday flat in a classic tourist hotspot like Mitte or Charlottenburg. You have cultural and nightlife opportunities of a different kind right on your doorstep.
The local public transport network is very well connected, so you can reach your hostel, hotel or guesthouse quickly from any point or, conversely, arrive back at your hotel quickly from anywhere.
Josefine
Did you know? Today’s district of Pankow is made up of the historically grown districts of Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow and Weißensee, which merged to become the most populous district through a territorial reform in 2001. With 360,000 people, it is in the middle of the pack in a comparison of German cities.
One can comfortably describe the area, which stretches from the so-called City-Ost at Alexanderplatz to the state border with Barnim, as a district of superlatives.
A popular must on the list of must-sees. And why not at one of the flea markets that take place every Sunday. Festive, popular – and fun. There are many other flea markets to visit. The flea market in Mauerpark is a weekend attraction.
Idyllic and extensive green spaces can be found here as well as trendy neighbourhoods, attractive residential quarters, popular cultural centres and flourishing commercial locations. There are many sights in Pankow besides the landmarks of the former districts, such as the water tower in Prenzlauer Berg, the lake with fountain in Weißensee and Schönhausen Palace.
The castle played an important role in German and Prussian history on several occasions. For example, the negotiations between Elector Frederick III and the German Emperor Leopold I are said to have taken place here, which then made the coronation as King Frederick I in Prussia possible.
For many years Queen Elisabeth Christine, separated from her husband Frederick II, lived in Pankow Castle in the summer. After the founding of the GDR, Niederschönhausen Palace in Pankow became the official residence of President Wilhelm Pieck and, after his death, the GDR’s State Council resided here until 1964.
It’s a place that’s on many people’s bucket list, and I get that! The city is full of history, culture and beautiful gardens, so there’s something for everyone, and with prices that most backpackers can afford, there are many good reasons to visit!
Two great arenas, Max-Schmeling-Halle and Velodrom in Pankow, host international rock and pop stars as well as athletes.
The largest Jewish cemetery in Europe, with 115,000 graves, on Herbert-Baum-Strasse and Germany’s largest synagogue on Rykestrasse are also historically significant in Pankow. The oldest inner-city nature reserve „Am Faulen See“ is located in Pankow on the border to Lichtenberg and is a jewel of the capital.
The Museum für Naturkunde is the largest natural history museum in Germany. It is undoubtedly one of the best overlooked sights not to be missed!
The museum nearby is probably best known for its large dinosaur skeleton, Brachiosaurus Brancai, which is one of the largest dinosaur skeletons in the world. In addition, the Museum of Natural History has an extensive collection of more than 30 million objects from the fields of zoology, palaeontology, geology and mineralogy.
The most extensive German housing project was realised in the 1990s on the northern outskirts of the city; more than 5,000 flats were built in Karow-Nord. You can shop in modern centres, cosy trendy shops or at numerous markets, such as the city-famous eco-market on Kollwitzplatz or the oldest weekly market on Pankower Anger.
Berlin’s
oldest beer garden in the Prater on Kastanienallee is also in the district, as is the city’s most modern hospital in Buch.
The Zeiß Planetarium on Prenzlauer Allee is recommended for those interested in astronomy; the silver „Kugelhaus“ has been welcoming visitors since 1981. Special events and lectures are also held here regularly.
Continue to the old town of Spandau
In 1232, and thus even before Berlin-Cölln, Spandau was granted city rights. Although Spandau has been part of Berlin since 1920, true Spandauers still consider themselves independent. Today, the old town of Spandau is almost entirely a pedestrian zone. Here a view of the Reformation Square. In the background you can see parts of St Nicolai’s Church.
The wooded areas, here a view over the meadows and fields in Spandau Forest, are still the backbone of local recreation today. The picture shows the Teufelsbruch nature reserve in Spandau.
The Spandau Citadel was built in its present form between 1559 and 1590 by Italian fortress builders. Medieval feasts and guided tours of the fortress are as much a part of the citadel’s offerings as open-air cinema and art exhibitions.
It goes further east.
The Lichtenberg coat of arms was changed in the course of the merger of Lichtenberg and Hohenschönhausen – the brainstorming took a whole 5 years. The new version shows elements from the former district coat of arms in the upper field of the divided shield and elements from the district coat of arms of Hohenschönhausen in the lower field. The upper field shows a mountain with a sun behind it – the sign stands for a bright clearing – and the lower field shows three ears of corn representing Malchow, Wartenberg and Falkenberg. The lower field of the coat of arms is blue and stands for Lichtenberg’s location on Lake Rummelsburg and the banks of the Spree. The crown of the wall represents the connecting element of all districts.
When you watch TV reports about reunification, you also see the pictures of the storming of the headquarters of the Ministry for State Security in Normannenstraße in Lichtenberg again and again. Stasi files were collected here, which were later made accessible to the citizens by the Gauck Authority.
But there is much more to the location. It was not without reason that the area was given the title „Place of Diversity“ by the federal government in 2008. For a visit to the East Berlin district can be very diverse. For example, one of Berlin’s two zoos, the Tierpark, is located on site. Simply take the U5 underground to the station of the same name and you can marvel at the most beautiful animals and plants in the zoo.
For those interested in history, Lichtenberg offers the German-Russian Museum Karlshorst, one of the most important sites of the Second World War: this is where the surrender was signed. Anyone who wants to can get an idea of the premises directly on site and also learn everything else worth knowing about the Second World War and the surrender.
But the district also has a lot to offer in terms of shopping and nightlife. Take Sisyphos, for example, one of the largest in the area. There are several large shopping centres on Tierpark and Frankfurter Allee that offer everything you can imagine. Discotheques, small bars and cafés as well as many restaurants round off the district’s offerings.
In addition, the Lichtenberg underground and suburban railway station is one of the largest railway stations in the capital. In particular, the connection with the regional trains makes the station the hub of all those who want to explore a little outside of Berlin. Having a hotel, guesthouse or flat here can open up a whole new range of possibilities. It doesn’t always have to be the so-called Inn districts, just experience everything from its Lichtenberg side.
Katja
The district of Charlottenburg was named after the Queen Consort Sophie Charlotte and has been part of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district since 2001. Before it was included in Greater Berlin in 1920, the part was an independent city. In 2005, the district celebrated its 300th birthday. Known for its neighbourhoods, it is located in the inner city, west of the Tiergarten. The Straße des 17. Juni (Street of the 17th June), which is also known beyond the borders and was formerly called Charlotten-burger Chaussee, connects the area with the historic centre of Mitte, which is particularly popular with tourists.
Wilmersdorf was created in 1920 as the 9th administrative district through the merger of the town of Wilmersdorf, including the district of Halensee, with the then rural communities of Schmargendorf and Grunewald, as well as the estate district of Grunewald-Forst. Due to changes in the administrative boundaries in 1938, it lost the southern part of Grunewald Forest to Zehlendorf and the settlement of Eichkamp with the adjacent railway area to Charlottenburg. The part of Dahlem north of Pücklerstraße was added. From 1945 to 1990, everything belonged to the British sector. The district consists of the districts of Grunewald, Schmargendorf and Wilmersdorf. It borders Spandau, Schöneberg, Steglitz and Zehlendorf.
But Charlottenburg also has its own centre, popular with Berliners and its many visitors, and that is the area around Kurfürsten Damm, the Ku’damm. In the 1920s, this area became part of the „New West“ with all that this entailed in terms of culture, nightlife and consumption.
No wonder that artists like Otto Dix, Bertolt Brecht, Max Liebermann and many more discovered the district for themselves. But these glorious times of the 1920s came to an end in the years 1933 to 1945, which severely affected and destroyed Charlottenburg, especially the area around Breitscheidplatz. But it was not long before the place and its neighbourhoods became the focus of social life again after 1945.
After the division into East and West, this was the centre of West Berlin and the Kürfürsten Damm was, so to speak, the figurehead and symbol of the prosperity of the West. That’s why many GDR citizens flocked to Kurfürsten Damm to celebrate the night the Wall came down. There they were in the heart of the West, so to speak, and could best visualise the political events and the resulting changes for their own personal future.
The Radio Tower was completed in 1926 and is also known as the answer to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The tower has a restaurant at 52 metres and a viewing platform at 125 metres. In 1935, the world’s first television programme was broadcast from the tower. The radio tower is therefore also a historical landmark.
But even after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the area and its most famous promenade have lost none of their attraction and are still the most visited area of West Berlin by tourists.
For in addition to numerous shopping opportunities, the part has much more to offer those spending their holiday locally. Be it the historical Charlottenburg Palace with its palace garden, the Zoological Garden, the Memorial Church, the Europacenter, the KaDeWe… the list of things awaiting everyone who sets out from their hotel, flat or holiday home to explore Berlin is long.
In addition to the well-known tourist attractions, there are also many little gems waiting to be discovered far from the Kudamm, be it small parks, romantic cafés or cosy corner pubs.
The Olympic Stadium was completed in 1936 and built for the Olympic Games in the same year. It was built for around 100,000 spectators, but can only hold 75,000 according to regulations.
After an extensive renovation from 2000 to 2004, the Olympiastadion was transformed into a modern stadium that can be used for concerts as well as football. Today, the Olympiastadion is home to the football club Hertha BSC, which plays in the Bundesliga. If you are not interested in football or the Olympic Games, the stadium is one of the most overlooked sights.
The connection to the public transport network is very good here, so that you can quickly reach your hostel, hotel or guesthouse from any point or, conversely, quickly arrive back at your hotel in Charlottenburg from anywhere.
Wilmersdorf retained its village character until the 1980s. After that, the village, like its neighbouring communities, was drawn into the maelstrom of the expanding capital. Land sales brought the farmers unimagined wealth, and the number of inhabitants rose rapidly. In 1906, the community was granted town status under the name Deutsch-Wilmersdorf.
On Fehrbelliner Platz, a unique art and flea market opens every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. From simple second-hand household items to high-quality art and antiques, visitors can find just about anything there. Flea market lovers should definitely stop by.
This beautiful church was built in 1895 but destroyed by British bombs in 1945. The church was not restored, but the architects simply built around it, which is actually very typical for the City. The church that still stands as a meeting place after 1945. A monument that makes you think. The new building has 21,292 stained glass windows and is not really beautiful, but the church is still worth a visit. Be sure to visit the new, very beautiful church.
Wilmersdorf shares one of the most famous shopping streets with Charlottenburg: Kurfürstendamm. There you will find a very exclusive and varied range of shops, as well as lots of original restaurants and cafés. With the expansion of Kurfürstendamm, a new noble residential area, the Grunewald villa colony, was created at its western end in 1889. The villa colony includes the natural Halensee and the four man-made lakes Dianasee, Herthasee, Koenigssee and Hubertussee. Personalities who spent their lives in Grunewald include Hildegard Knef, Harald Juhnke and Brigitte Mira.
If you go for a walk in the Grunewald, it is quite possible that a wild boar will cross your path. Despite the fact that Berlin is a big city, many of these animals live here in particular. They are mostly used to humans, but no local would ever think of underestimating a wild boar. If you come across one during your visit, it’s best to stay calm and let it go on its way, or walk slowly past the animal.
Norbert
Next to Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg is without a doubt the absolute trendy district. Culturally, nowhere are there so many different influences, offers and opportunities as here.
The Computerspielemuseum is a small museum dedicated to computer games. Inside the museum you can take a historical tour of various games and gaming machines.
The museum houses the largest European collection of software and hardware for computer and other game machines. So the Computer Games Museum is one of the most fun overlooked sights if you are a real gamer or a slightly geeky computer freak.
Characterised by old buildings, many cosmopolitan and creative people have come together in the PB and given the district a very individual contemporary feel.
Whether cafés and bars, clothes shops, tattoo studios, record and organic shops or shops where you don’t really know what and whether they sell anything. Prenzlauer Berg represents the other Berlin, away from glitz, glamour and the boulevard, completely different from Potsdamer Platz, Friedrichstraße or Museum Island.
For visitors looking for just that, authenticity and the ravages of time, they should book their hotel, holiday flat or flat here. One step outside the door and the energy and creativity immediately hit your ears and eyes. But first a few official facts about this exceptional district:
Prenzlauer Berg is part of the Pankow district and borders the touristy Mitte district to the west and southwest.
Berlin is currently one of the most popular metropolises in Europe. The diversity of the individual districts in particular attracts tourists from all over the world. In addition to the well-known historical sites, which are a must-see, there are many insider tips off the beaten track.
In the south, one trendy district merges into the next, where the PB meets its spiritual relative, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. To the east is the district of Lichtenberg, which is more characterised by prefabricated buildings and residential areas, and to the north the districts of Weißensee and Pankow.
If you like fish and underwater adventures, don’t deprive yourself and your children of a visit to the AquaDom & Sealife. It’s only a 5-minute walk from Alexanderplatz towards Unter den Linden, so it’s wonderfully central. The place consists of aquariums divided into different areas of the world. In the large aquariums you can experience all the quirky and colourful fish swimming 360 degrees around you. Also try the lift that takes you through the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world with 1500 tropical fish.
Almost the entire district is made up exclusively of old buildings, most of which date from the turn of the 20th century. Most of these flats were built before 1948, and the Second World War destroyed relatively few flats compared to other districts.
That’s why you can find a lot of contemporary witnesses and houses in the style of that time – no wonder that more than 300 buildings are listed here. On the other hand, this fact also brings with it a rather homogeneous – one could perhaps also say monotonous – cityscape: mostly five-storey residential buildings in closed block construction.
Many tourists love the PB, so we like to go there. It’s especially recommended on Sundays, when there’s a big flea market in Mauerpark.
But did you know that just a few hundred metres from Mauerpark there is a larger area where you can see parts of the Wall?
The Berlin Wall Memorial is a larger area where you can experience the history of the Wall for free.
But of course there are always exceptions to the rule, which make the cityscape a little more interesting. For example, Germany’s largest synagogue on Rykestraße or the district’s landmark, the first water tower „Dicker Hermann“ on the corner of Knaakstraße. And not to forget the Zeiss Planetarium on Prenzlauer Allee.
Kastanienallee and Schönhauser
Alle Especially in the area of Schönhauser Alle and Kastanienallee you will find the typical character of this district. Anyone who wants to experience the city in its purest form, enjoy it or turn night into day is well advised to stay in a hotel or hostel.
Be it the typical Berlin gastronomy, backyard clubs or shops with things you probably can’t buy anywhere else. The district’s trendy character is mainly due to the fact that a relatively large number of young people between the ages of 20 and 44 live in Prenzlauer Berg. Among them are many newcomers from all parts of the world, musicians and artists, alternative and also many from the homosexual scene. The result is a colourful, happy and creative population that gives the district its unmistakable character. Even if you have not booked your hotel or holiday flat in the PB and are more interested in the classic sights of Mitte, you should not miss a visit to Prenzlauer Berg!
Norbert
Treptow advertises itself with the motto „Work, Live, Relax“. This motto also expresses the district’s versatility. Together with Köpenick, it is Berlin’s largest district in terms of area – and the one with the most water.
Treptow Park is a memorial to 7,000 of the 80,000 Soviet soldiers who lost their lives in the Second World War between 1939 and 1945. The sculptures in the park are really huge and impressive! They are so big that they make people look like little ants. If you are on a city break, it is definitely worth a visit.
Nowhere else can you sit by the water and enjoy nature so wonderfully here. But also steamboat trips, boat rentals or bathing places make this district an ideal place for water rats, water sports enthusiasts and nature lovers to spend their holidays. There are plenty of hotels, guesthouses, holiday flats, etc. in Treptow – and at reasonable prices. The abundance of water is complemented by countless forests, green spaces and parks and, especially in Köpenick, by a picturesque little old town. Perfect for relaxing, lingering and strolling.
With an area of almost 13,000 hectares, which makes up about 14% of the total area, Köpenick is the largest district in terms of surface area. But it is also one of the most beautiful districts because it is the greenest and has the most water.
For water sports enthusiasts, houseboat owners and nature lovers, Köpenick is always worth a visit. And the old town also exudes a very special charm: small winding streets, many cosy cafés and bars as well as lots of boutiques and restaurants with delicious dishes are waiting to be visited.
But topics such as shopping and nightlife are not neglected locally either. Shopping centres and numerous other shopping opportunities in the form of smaller shops and boutiques have also found their way into this district. And night owls will find opportunities to turn night into day in the Arena or the Hoppetosse, for example.
But to speak of Treptow as a shopping or nightlife hot spot would certainly not be right, for that there is Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg or even Charlottenburg with the Kurfürstedamm.
There is much to discover in the alleys of the old town, including one of the reasons why actor and entertainer Harald Junke still seems immortal: The Captain of Köpenick.
If you want to have your picture taken with the captain at the town hall, just ask for directions – everyone in town knows where to find the captain. In addition to the daily charm of the old town, there are various events spread throughout the year, such as Treptow in Flammen or the Bölchefest – events that guarantee lots of fun and action.
Locally, as mentioned, it’s more the proximity to nature, water and parks. To be a little more specific here, the area around Treptower Park should be highlighted in particular. Located directly on the Spree River, thousands of people gather here in summer to sunbathe, picnic, play badminton and much more.
Numerous festivals, such as Treptow in Flammen or the Hafenfest (harbour festival), also take place here and attract numerous visitors every year. And while we’re on the subject of events, we shouldn’t forget the Kindl Bühne Wuhlheide, where concerts with international stars take place almost every weekend. Just around the corner is the Alte Försterei, the stadium of the football club 1. FC Union. If you have even the slightest interest in football, you shouldn’t miss a game there and the atmosphere it creates.
If you’re coming to Berlin with children, we can give you a real insider’s tip. Right next to the Kindl Bühne Wuhlheide is the FEZ leisure and recreation centre. There are lots of things to do here all year round.
From a climbing forest and skateboarding tracks to numerous, ever-changing events and theme days with exciting things to discover for young and old. The whole thing is rounded off by lovingly designed playgrounds and a large swimming pool. If you like nature, are not looking for the hustle and bustle right outside your hotel door every day and don’t mind a 15-minute drive to the city centre, you should think about booking your hotel or guesthouse here.
The Großer Tiergarten is the largest and most popular park. The 212-hectare park is the answer to Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London. It is often called the green lung of the city and is a wonderful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Inside the park, a peaceful oasis awaits you with vast green meadows, deep forests, mirror-like lakes, beautiful sculptures and significant monuments. Take a walk along the many paths, rent a rowing boat, have a picnic or something else.
Either way, you can spend a relaxing day in picturesque surroundings.
The Great Tiergarten is crossed by several streets, the most famous of which is the Straße des 17. Juni. This is the main street with the large roundabout where the Victory Column is located.
Ariane
Berlin? Don’t forget to check out this list of the best experiences and sights.
Hohenschönhausen is a district named after the district now known as Alt-Hohenschönhausen. Until 2001 it was an independent district, since then it has formed a merger with Lichtenberg.
Today, about 105,000 people live here, many older people but also young singles who were looking for
a nice and cheap place to live
after school or training and found it in Hellersdorf.
It borders the districts of Weißensee, Prenzlauer Berg, Lichtenberg and Marzahn as well as the Barnim district. At that time it was a knight’s manor – and coincidentally, the footprint of Hohenschönhausen also resembles a knight’s head.
The city is one of the most interesting cities in Europe, with a dramatic history, exciting culture, beautiful architecture, but also pragmatic architecture.
As in many districts in the area, Hohenschönhausen is also characterised by prefabricated buildings. Large-scale housing construction really got underway in 1984, and within the next five years the residential area along Falkenberger Chaussee was built. A total of 29,630 modern prefabricated housing units were built there, providing space for about 90,000 people. The first prefabricated buildings were built between Wartenberger Strasse and Falkenberger Strasse between 1972 and 1975, followed 3 years later by the new buildings along Landsberger Allee.
Nevertheless, Hohenschönhausen is not a concrete jungle; there are also plenty of green spaces, playgrounds and parks that are popular in summer for sunbathing or playing with the children. The number one shopping address is the Lindencenter on Prerower Platz. In addition to the approximately 30,000 flats, several shops, restaurants, schools and leisure facilities have been built on site. An infrastructure that should make the district interesting, especially for young families. The whole thing was complemented by a very good and necessary public transport connection to the centre, Alexanderplatz.
Here you can find the concentrated load of technology, clothing, food and everything else. So if you are using a hotel, guesthouse or flat here and are looking for a shopping centre that offers everything, you don’t need to go to the city centre but can fulfil all your wishes just around the corner at the Lindencenter. The animal shelter in Hellersdorf opened its doors in 2002 and has been a popular place to visit ever since, and not just because of the lovable four-legged friends. It is also the futuristic architecture that attracts visitors and interested people time and again – including directors who have used the architecture of the animal shelter as a film set on one occasion or another.
Berlin has almost become a monument unto itself. In fact, there is no other city in the world that is comparable. Hohenschönhausen is relatively unknown to tourists, yet there are also plenty of great sights here that are definitely worth visiting for holidaymakers.
The whole area exudes soul and charm, with the dramatic events of the past in the rearview mirror and the idea of a modern metropolis in constant development.
In the village centre along the main street you will find a great village church, the castle and the old town hall – all three are among the oldest buildings. The best-known and most visited sight in Hellersdorf, however, is the Mies van der Rohe House in the villa district, which was designed by the famous star architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the early 1930s. Art is regularly exhibited there, so a visit is definitely worthwhile for visitors to Berlin who are interested in art.
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