20 Things to Do in Berlin: A First-Timer's Guide

Berlin wears its history in the open - you can stand where the Wall divided the city, then dance in a club that used to be a power station. Germany's capital is edgy, green, affordable and endlessly layered. Here are 20 of the best things to do, from the must-see monuments to the neighbourhoods where the city really lives.

1. Stand at the Brandenburg Gate

Start at Berlin's most famous landmark. The 18th-century Brandenburg Gate once stood stranded in the Wall's death strip; today it is the symbol of a reunited city and a reunited Europe. Come at dusk, when it is floodlit and the crowds thin.

2. Go up the Reichstag dome

Germany's parliament building is crowned by a vast glass dome you can walk up inside, spiralling to a view over the government quarter and the city. Entry is free, but you must register online in advance - do it before your trip.

3. Explore Museum Island

Five world-class museums cluster on one island in the Spree, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Neues Museum holds the famous bust of Nefertiti; the Pergamon is renowned for its monumental antiquities (check what's open during its long renovation). Pick one or two rather than all five.

4. Walk the East Side Gallery

The longest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall - about 1.3 km - is now an open-air gallery, painted by artists from around the world. The mural of two Cold War leaders kissing is the most photographed image in the city.

5. Understand the Wall at Bernauer Straße

For the fuller, more sobering story of the Wall, come to the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße, where a preserved section, a watchtower and an outdoor exhibition show exactly how the border tore through streets and lives.

6. See Checkpoint Charlie

The most famous Cold War crossing between East and West is now heavily touristy, but the nearby museum tells gripping stories of daring escapes. Worth a quick look, best paired with the Wall Memorial for real depth.

7. Reflect at the Holocaust Memorial

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe covers a whole block near the Brandenburg Gate: 2,711 concrete slabs of varying heights that you walk among until the ground dips and the world outside disappears. The underground information centre is quietly devastating.

8. Learn at the Topography of Terror

Built on the former site of the Gestapo and SS headquarters, this free documentation centre lays out how the Nazi terror apparatus worked. It runs beside one of the longest remaining stretches of the outer Wall.

9. Ride up the TV Tower at Alexanderplatz

East Berlin's Fernsehturm is the tallest structure in Germany, and its observation deck and revolving restaurant give the widest view in the city. It rises over Alexanderplatz, the busy square at the heart of the former East.

10. Admire the Berliner Dom

The grand, domed Berlin Cathedral overlooks Museum Island and the Spree. Climb to the gallery around the dome for a close-up view over the rooftops, or simply relax on the Lustgarten lawns in front of it.

11. Take in Gendarmenmarkt

Often called Berlin's most beautiful square, Gendarmenmarkt is framed by two matching domed cathedrals and a concert hall. It is especially lovely in December, when it hosts one of the city's prettiest Christmas markets.

12. Stroll the Tiergarten and Victory Column

Berlin's great central park is a huge, wooded expanse made for a walk or a bike ride. At its heart, climb the golden Victory Column for a view straight down the axis to the Brandenburg Gate.

13. Visit Charlottenburg Palace

The largest palace in Berlin, this Baroque royal residence in the west of the city comes with lavish interiors and beautiful formal gardens - a calmer, greener half-day away from the crowds.

14. Dive into Kreuzberg

For the Berlin of street food, canal-side evenings and buzzing nightlife, spend time in Kreuzberg. Browse the Turkish market along the Landwehr Canal, eat your way down Oranienstraße, and stay out late.

15. Spend Sunday at Mauerpark

On Sundays, this park on the former death strip fills with a huge flea market and, in the afternoon, open-air karaoke in a stone amphitheatre where thousands cheer on brave strangers. Pure Berlin.

16. Eat currywurst and döner

Berlin's two great street foods: currywurst (sliced sausage in curried ketchup) from a corner stand, and the döner kebab, whose modern form the city claims to have invented. Cheap, everywhere and essential.

17. Experience the nightlife

Berlin's clubs are legendary, running from Friday night deep into Monday. You don't have to attempt the famously strict door at Berghain - the city is full of bars, live venues and clubs for every taste. Just adjust your bedtime.

18. Find the courtyards and street art of Mitte

Wander the interconnected courtyards of the Hackesche Höfe, then the graffiti-covered Haus Schwarzenberg alley next door. Berlin's street art is among the best in the world - look down the side streets and up the walls.

19. Take a boat trip on the Spree

One of the easiest ways to see the centre is from the water. An hour-long cruise on the Spree glides past Museum Island, the government quarter and the cathedral, with the sights neatly narrated along the way.

20. Day trip to Potsdam

Half an hour by train, the royal town of Potsdam is home to Sanssouci, the exquisite palace and terraced vineyards of Frederick the Great. It makes one of the best day trips in Germany.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Berlin?

Three to four days lets you cover the history, the main museums and a couple of neighbourhoods without rushing. Berlin is big and spread out - build in time to just wander.

Is Berlin expensive?

No - it remains one of the most affordable capitals in Western Europe. Public transport, street food and many memorials and museums are cheap or free.

What is the best time to visit Berlin?

May to September for warm, long days and outdoor life; December for the Christmas markets. Spring and early autumn are quieter and still pleasant.

How do you get around Berlin?

By its excellent U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus network, all on one ticket. The centre is walkable, and the city is very bike-friendly.