With the relics of its turbulent past transformed afresh through street art, chic neighbourhoods and repurposed architecture, Germany’s capital embraces old and new.
Discover Berlin’s inimitable charisma when you explore the city’s lively streets. Wander through modern plazas or tree-lined cobblestone boulevards and stumble across spacious old town squares and canal-side parks. Split into 12 distinct boroughs, Berlin’s history can be read in each streetscape. See the scars of World War II and the Cold War in the city’s revered ruins and get a taste of the city’s multiculturalism in its modern cafés and restaurants.
Mitte is Berlin’s historic centre and remains an important central hub. Visit this borough to see Alexanderplatz dwarfed by the iconic Fernsehturm television tower. Walk along the Spree River and check out some of Mitte’s historic landmarks, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag building and the magnificent old museum buildings on Museum Island. Don’t miss seeing the medieval town of Nikolaiviertel, or be awed by the contrasting ultra-modern architecture of Potsdamer Platz. Nearby, see the historic Cold War monument, Checkpoint Charlie, or walk around the poignant Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
Explore the Zoologischer Garten Berlin in spacious Tiergarten. Go shopping in streets lined with boutique and designer stores or check out independent galleries and showrooms in Mitte, Prenzlauerberg and Kreuzberg. Renowned for cultural diversity and artists’ enclaves, Kreuzberg and its neighbours, Neukölln and Friedrichshain, are exciting boroughs bursting with lively bars, clubs and cafés. Check out the street-art monument to the city’s 1989 reunification at the East Side Gallery or relax with a local pilsner on a grassy lawn in Görlitzer Park or Hasenheide. Nearby, skateboarders, cyclists and inline skaters are welcome on the repurposed tarmac at Tempelhofer Feld, the sprawling parkland of the city’s former airport. If the weather is warm, don’t miss soaking up some sunshine at one of the city’s tree-lined lakes, such as Wannsee.
Berlin is located in northeastern Germany and is serviced by several international airports. Rent a bicycle to explore the city or enjoy its fast and efficient public transit service. Visit in summer to experience the city in full swing or explore the quaint historic neighbourhoods in winter to discover charming Christmas markets.
