Berlin

Berlin is both a city and a state, and it is made up of many cities rather than just one. A vacation in Berlin takes you from the Brandenburg Gate past Museum Island to the remnants of the Wall, into the neighborhoods of Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg, and out to the lakes of Köpenick and Wannsee.

Location and Urban Landscape

The German capital lies in the glacial valley of the Spree River, surrounded by Brandenburg. Almost a fifth of its area is forest, and add to that lakes, rivers, and canals; Berlin has more bridges than Venice. The city grew out of the twin settlements of Berlin and Cölln, developed as the seat of the Hohenzollerns, and in 1920 was merged with surrounding towns and villages to form Greater Berlin. That's why districts such as Spandau, Köpenick, and Charlottenburg have their own old towns and town halls. From 1961 to 1989 the Wall divided the city; the scars are still visible in many places and shape the image of a city that constantly reinvents itself.

Sights in Berlin

The Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, with its glass dome that you can walk up into, stand for German history. Nearby, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, with its 2,711 concrete slabs, commemorates the Holocaust. Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, brings together world-class treasures in the Pergamon Museum, the Neues Museum with the bust of Nefertiti, and the Alte Nationalgalerie; note, however, that the Pergamon Museum is expected to remain closed for renovation until 2027. Across the way stands the reconstructed Berlin Palace, home to the Humboldt Forum. The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße, the East Side Gallery along the Spree, and Checkpoint Charlie illustrate the division. Farther west you'll find the Kurfürstendamm, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and Charlottenburg Palace.

Districts and Neighborhoods

You experience the real Berlin in its neighborhoods, known as Kieze. Kreuzberg and Neukölln are multicultural, with markets, cafés, and pubs; Prenzlauer Berg is characterized by renovated period buildings and playgrounds; Friedrichshain by clubs and apartments along the former Stalinallee. In the south, Steglitz-Zehlendorf shows the green, bourgeois side of Berlin with villas, the Botanical Garden, Peacock Island, and the Wannsee lido. Far to the west, Spandau has an old town that is older than Berlin itself, and with the Citadel one of the best-preserved Renaissance fortresses in Europe. In the southeast, Treptow-Köpenick is the largest district by area, home to Müggelsee lake, Köpenick Palace, the old town where the Captain of Köpenick occupied the town hall in 1906, and the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park.

Culture and Nightlife

Berlin has three opera houses, the Philharmonic in Hans Scharoun's Philharmonie, around 170 museums, and a club scene known worldwide for electronic music. Club culture is officially recognized here as cultural heritage. The Berlinale in February is one of the major film festivals. The former airport grounds of Tempelhofer Feld are now a vast park where you can bike along the runways and fly kites. In summer, open-air cinemas, beach bars along the Spree, and swimming spots beckon.

Food and Drink

Berlin cuisine is hearty: currywurst, supposedly invented by Herta Heuwer in 1949, pickled pork knuckle with sauerkraut, meatballs, and Königsberger Klopse. The döner kebab sandwich became popular in Berlin, and few cities have such diverse international food, from Vietnamese snack stands to Michelin-starred restaurants. Berliner Weisse is drunk with woodruff or raspberry syrup, and the jelly doughnuts called Berliner elsewhere are known here as Pfannkuchen. The Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg is a gathering place for street food.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has been in operation since 2020 and is connected to the center by S-Bahn and Regional Express trains. The main train station is a major hub for ICE high-speed trains to Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and abroad. Within the city, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams, and buses run frequently; local transit is included with the Deutschlandticket. The best time to visit is from May to September, when life moves outdoors. In Advent, Christmas markets open, such as those at Gendarmenmarkt and Charlottenburg Palace, and on New Year's Eve the city celebrates at the Brandenburg Gate.