Berlin is the most visited city in Germany, and it is not a surprise. The proud capital had many rough periods in the last centuries, as it was a main city during the Second World War, and the city was divided into West and East Berlin. The West was in the hands of the US, France and England, and the East was for the Soviet Republic. People could not go from East to West easily. The city has risen since, and now the city is rising with great sights, alternative neighbourhoods, and incredible nightlife. Keep reading if you want to know more about Berlin. 

1. Walk underneath the Brandenburger Tor

One of the most famous highlights of Berlin is the Brandenburger Tor, an old city gate, which is at the end of the famous Unter den Linden. The poles look like they were built in the Roman era, but they were built in the 18th century. The highlight of the building, in my opinion, are the impressive horses on top of the gate. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How much time needed: 15 minutes

2. See German politics at the Reichstag

One of the highlights of Berlin is the Reichstag, the heart of the democracy of Germany, as the politics of the country are held here. After the Second World War, the Russians broke the building and put their flag on top, which ended the horrific war. As a tourist, you can get in and visit the dome and have a great view over the city of Berlin. From the outside, the building is already very impressive and worth visiting. 

Price: Free, but if you want to enter you need to register in advance. It can be a bit difficult, so do this far in advance. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

3. Visit the Museum Island

The Museum Island is famous for having five famous museums on a very small area, which are the Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgallery, Pergamonmuseum, Bodemuseum (see picture above), and Altesmuseum. They are all worth a visit, but my personal highlight is the view, including the water, the museum, and the television tower.

Price: Depending of which museums you are visiting.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: Depending of the amount of museums you are visiting.

4. Admire the impressive Berliner Dom

The Berliner Dom is probably the most important church in Berlin. It is both impressive on the inside and the outside. The dom is built in the 18th century and absolutely worth a visit. The building lies on the museum island (see above) and is one of the most gorgeous buildings in the city. 

Price: € 10,-.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour

5. Visit one of the zoos in the city

Berlin has two zoos in the city, and they are both great. The famous zoo in the city centre is Zoo Berlin, which is one of the oldest in the world but very innovative. It was famous for its pandas and the polar bears (especially Knut). Another zoo is the Tierpark Friedrichfelde, which is further away but bigger, as the exhibits are huge. This is a fantastic zoo as well. Visit one (or both!) – it is absolutely worth visiting. Both are great to visit, have many endangered species, are huge, and are among the better zoos in Europe. 

Price: Friedrichsfelde is € 14,50 online, but € 22,50 when you are there. Zoo Berlin is depending on the things you want to visit, but starting at € 15,50.

Tourist occurrence: Friedrichsfelde is low, but Zoo Berlin high.

How much time needed: Both between 3-6 hours. 

6. Go party all night

Partying in Berlin is something different, as you can go to parties that last all weekend. In Europe it is the start of the techno scene, and you can still see that in the clubs. The clubs are often alternative and very cool, but it can be tough to get into clubs, or you have to stand in a long line. One of the most famous and most interesting clubs in the world, Berghain, is located in Berlin. There are also many raves throughout the city. For me, the nights out in Berlin are a bit overrated, but they can be very cool as well. 

Tourist occurrence: Very high in some clubs, and less in others. 

How much time needed: As long as you want, especially in the weekends!

7. Feel humble and impressed at the Holocaust Monument

Close to the Brandenburger Tor lies the impressive Holocaust Monument. A monument consisting of many big and small stones, which creates an interesting feeling and makes you think about one of the worst pages of mankind. Take your time to get lost in this maze of memories. Do not step on the rocks, as it is disrespectful.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

8. Explore the paintings on the East Side Gallery

From 1961 until 1989, Berlin was divided into East and West Berlin. People from the East could not come to the West, as the Soviet Union (which was controlling the East) did not let the inhabitants go. After the wall was pulled down, many artists painted a part of the wall, which resulted in the East Side Gallery, a very interesting wall to discover, as it also has some controversial paintings. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

9. Cross Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is not one of the most interesting sights in Berlin, but it is pretty cool to really go from one to another half of the city, as it was not possible for 30 years. Sometimes there are fake soldiers of both the US and the Soviet Union. There is some information in the area. This is not one of the biggest highlights of the city, but it is cool to visit for a moment. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 30 minutes

10. Admire paintings in the Gemäldegallery

The Gemäldegallery is one of the best museums to check out classical paintings. There are works of Raphael, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Paul Rubens, and many more great painters. It is great to have a stroll to this museum, especially if you are into art from the past. 

Price: € 14,-

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 2 hours

11. Take a stroll or bike ride on Tempelhofer Feld

The Tempelhofer Feld was one of my highlights of Berlin. Although it is getting more popular, it is not as popular as many other sights. It is an abandoned airport, where you can be on the runway and stroll it for a while or take a step or bike on it. You can also relax here, as it is a park. This is a great place to hang out, have a stroll, and feel surprised about being in such a cool and underrated location. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Low, but it is getting more popular.

How much time needed: 1-3 hours, depending if you want to relax for a moment. 

12. Understand history at Mauerpark

Mauerpark is a great place to enjoy a relaxing stroll or moment on a bench. There are often many cultural events, which makes this park even more interesting. It is located on the Bernauer Strasse, where some of the last original parts of the Wall are located. There is a small museum as well. 

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1 hour

The numbers correspond with the numbers in the map. Note that tierpark Friedrichsfelde is too far east to be on the map.

Things I have not done, but could be cool

Berlin is a huge city, and there are many other good things to do in Berlin, like the Kurfürstendamm, parks, and more. However, I think those 12 are the most important ones. 

Final thought

Berlin has something for everyone. If you are into history, food, museums, nightlife, or zoos. Berlin has something for you! To be honest, it is not my favourite city in the world, but it is very cool to see it and compare the differences between East and West Berlin. You cannot go wrong with Berlin!

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