The Best Places To Visit In Berlin
Schloss Charlottenburg
This magnificent royal palace and gardens is the centrepiece of the ritzy Charlottenburg neighbourhood that has taken its name. Built at the very end of the 17th-century by King Friedrich as a summer residence for his wife Sophie Charlotte, the original Schloss has been extended over the centuries and filled with a world-class art collection. The scale is impressive, but what really enchants are the ornate Baroque stylings, which extend to the outdoor spaces. Free to enter, the Italianate gardens are a wonderful place to spend a sunny afternoon.
Visit SPSG.de
The Berlin Wall
When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and the city’s east was reunited with its west, much of the old concrete barrier was reduced to rubble. Not so the East Side Gallery. Artists descended on this 1.3km section of the wall and covered it with some eye-catching work that you can still see today – including a famous kiss between the leaders of the Soviet Union and Communist East Germany.
Visit VisitBerlin.de
Reichstag Building
The home of the German parliament is a suitably imposing 19th-century building – with a remarkable later addition. At the turn of the millennium, British ‘starchitect’ Norman Foster stuck a glass dome on top of it. An instant Berlin landmark, the dome is open to visitors who can enjoy some fine city views – when they’re not looking down on the politicians at work in the debating chamber beneath their feet.
Visit Bundestag.de
James Simon Gallery
It took a decade to design, a decade to build, and eventually came in at almost twice its original cost, but the James Simon Gallery was worth the time and money. Finally opened in 2019, it is now the reception centre for visitors to the Unesco World Heritage site that is Berlin’s Museum Island. Its contemporary take on classical architecture makes a monumental statement – thankfully the museums on the island are full of their own treasures, otherwise they’d be overshadowed by this attention-grabbing upstart.
Visit SMB.museum
Museum Island
Beyond the James Simon Gallery on Museum Island lies one of the world’s great cultural clusters. Five museums built by a series of Prussian rulers house priceless artworks and artefacts. The reconstructed Neues Museum has the 3,000-year-old bust of Nefertiti; the Alte Nationalgalerie is a Greek temple to 19th-century French art; the Bode has dazzling sculptures by Bernini and Canova; the Altes is worth seeing for its own magnificent dome; while the antiquities-focused Pergamon is currently closed as part of an island-wide renovation plan.
Visit VisitBerlin.de
Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Checkpoint Charlie was the famous crossing point in the Berlin Wall that separated Eastern Europe from West until 1989. The museum that now takes its name is all about the wall, the checkpoint and the many ingenious attempts to get around what East German officials used to call the ‘best border security system in the world’. (Spoiler: it wasn’t completely impenetrable.)
Visit MauerMuseum.de
Neue Nationalgalerie
In a mid-century masterpiece of a building that was recently renovated, the Neue Nationalgalerie is dedicated to 20th-century art. In and around its vast main hall, you’ll find pieces by the biggest names, from Warhol to Dali, Bacon to Picasso. ‘Potsdamer Platz’ by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is a local favourite worth seeking out.
Visit SMB.museum
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz used to be a bleak place. Destroyed during World War Two, it was then cut in two by the Berlin Wall, and left as a no man’s land. Everything changed when the Wall came down. Transport links were restored, and huge construction projects undertaken. Today, the area is alive with commerce (the Mall of Berlin and Playce shopping centres) and culture (it’s a hub for the Berlin film festival).
Visit VisitBerlin.de
Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum is another example of Berlin giving a historic building a striking extension. In the 90s, the great American architect Daniel Libeskind added a metallic zigzag that uses a series of ‘voids’ to speak directly to the horrors within German-Jewish history. The exhibitions inside the museum go into detail on that history – while outside, Libeskind’s Garden of Exile is another disorienting and profound experience.
Visit JMBerlin.de
Memorial To The Murdered Jews Of Europe
This memorial to the millions of Jewish victims of the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany has divided opinion since it opened in 2005. It is worth visiting for yourself. Across almost five acres of uneven ground, architect Peter Eisenman has erected thousands of concrete columns of varying heights, creating a series of pathways that close in on the visitor as the columns grow higher. An underground visitor centre casts light on some of the murdered individuals, but the full scale of the Nazis’ crimes may still be beyond comprehension.
Visit Stiftung-Denkmal.de
Tiergarten Park
Think of this as Berlin’s Hyde Park. Close to the city centre, it’s a sprawling green space that locals use to picnic, play games and just lie down in. Originally a royal hunting ground, the Tiergarten has been dedicated to the ‘pleasure of the general population’ for almost 200 years now. We suggest you make use of it. On its southern edge, the Café am Neuen See is a nice lakeside spot with a beer garden.
Visit VisitBerlin.de
Kino International
This 60s cinema in old East Berlin plays a key role in the world-renowned Berlinale film festivals. Premiere or not, it’s an atmospheric spot to catch a movie in. Huge hand-painted film posters on its outside give you a clue as to what’s showing.
Visit Kino-International.com
MARIUS SERBAN/UNSPLASH
Grunewald Forest
Spread across 7,500 acres, Grunewald is a quiet spot for a walk on which you might spot deer, foxes or even wild boar. Look out too for a Renaissance hunting lodge that counts as Berlin’s oldest palace. You won’t need to look so hard for the 55m-tall Grunewaldturm tower – climb up to its viewing platform for the city’s best green views.
Visit VisitBerlin.de
Topographie des Terrors
This site close to Potsdamer Platz used to be the HQ for the Nazi secret police and a central command for Hitler’s SS security force. Today, it’s the Topography of Terror – a memorial and museum with a permanent exhibition about Nazi crimes. Tour the grounds outside and you’ll also see a 200m stretch of the Berlin Wall.
Visit Topographie.de
Hackesche Höfe
Mitte’s Hackescher Markt is a treasure trove of indie boutiques showcasing some of the city’s best new design talent. At its heart is the Hackesche Höfe, a labyrinthine complex of eight courtyards that date to the early 20th century. Today, you’ll find lots of pretty ateliers dotted around their fountains. For a grittier look at Berlin’s past, Haus Schwarzenberg is an interesting nearby counterpoint, with street art that still regularly evolves today.
Visit HackescheHoefe.de
Türkischer Markt
Berlin’s Turkish market is a local institution. The city is home to the biggest Turkish community outside Turkey, and this is their twice-weekly hub in Kreuzberg. On a Tuesday or Friday, wander up and down its half-mile length and you’ll notice fabric and food tend to dominate. The street food options are many and excellent, including some fine filled flatbreads. Just remember to bring cash.
Visit TuerkenMarkt.de
SOHO HOUSE BERLIN
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