Map: Berlin Sightseeing Modules
Map: Berlin Public Transportation
▲▲▲BUS TOURS
Berlin is a sprawling city (pop. 3.4 million), built on a huge scale. Take a deep breath, then use this orientation to prepare for your trip. The day plans—for visits of one to seven days—will help you prioritize the many sights. You’ll tap into Berlin’s information sources for current events. Most important, you’ll learn to navigate Berlin by subway, bus, taxi, bicycle, or on foot. With the proper approach and a measure of patience, you’ll have Berlin by the tail.
Berlin is huge. Though it’s a major metropolis, it’s not a city of skyscrapers packed into a single, dense urban core. Rather, Berlin is spread out—a series of pleasant neighborhoods, with broad boulevards, long blocks, and low five-story buildings.
Berlin’s “downtown” alone stretches five miles, following the west-to-east flow of the Spree River. In the center sits the vast park called Tiergarten. Most tourist sights lie east of the park, in the central zone known as “Mitte.” To make sprawling Berlin easier to digest, this book’s coverage is organized by compass direction, radiating out from the historic core. (This organization has nothing to do with the old, Cold War-era “East Berlin” and “West Berlin” designations; in fact, virtually everything mentioned here other than “Western Berlin” was in the former East.)
Historic Core: Berlin’s one-mile sightseeing axis runs west-to-east along Unter den Linden boulevard—the city’s “Champs-Élysées”—with a mix of 19th-century Neoclassical grandeur and 21st-century glitz. At the western edge, you’ll find the historic Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag (Germany’s domed parliament), and a scattering of poignant memorials. Unter den Linden passes the grand squares called Gendarmenmarkt and Bebelplatz before it terminates at Museum Island—the birthplace of Berlin and today home to a cluster of the city’s top museums: the ancient wonders of the Pergamon and Neues museums, and German paintings in the Old National Gallery.
Besides art, within this core are Berlin’s towering Cathedral, the German History and DDR museums, and the re-creation of Berlin’s former royal palace. While this area is where most tourists spend their time, there’s little local life here; for that, venture to the areas described next.
Northern Berlin: The trendy Scheunenviertel (“Barn Quarter”) neighborhood, near the Hackescher Markt transit hub, is a short walk north of Unter den Linden; here you’ll find eateries, shopping, and Jewish history. Farther out is the even hipper Prenzlauer Berg residential area, with recommended hotels, restaurants, and shopping. Also in this zone are the Berlin Wall Memorial—the best place in town to learn more about the Wall—and the Hauptbahnhof (main train station).
Southern Berlin: South of Unter den Linden, fascism and Cold War sights dominate, anchored by Checkpoint Charlie (the former border crossing through the Wall) and the Topography of Terror (documenting Nazi atrocities). Further south and east is the sprawling, diverse, and fun-to-explore Kreuzberg neighborhood with characteristic mini-neighborhoods known as Kieze; the main sight here is the Jewish Museum Berlin.
Eastern Berlin: East of Museum Island, Unter den Linden changes its name to Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and leads to Alexanderplatz—formerly the hub of communist East Berlin, still marinated in brutal architecture, and marked by its impossible-to-miss TV Tower. Farther east sits the gentrifying Friedrichshain neighborhood, with the East Side Gallery (a mile-long stretch of surviving Berlin Wall, now slathered in graffiti).
Western Berlin: Just west of the Brandenburg gate is the entrance to Berlin’s huge central park, Tiergarten. South of the park, Potsdamer Platz is home to Berlin’s 21st-century glitz, with skyscrapers and shopping plazas. Down the street, the Kulturforum is a cluster of museums dedicated to painting (starring Rembrandt, Dürer, and more), decorative-arts treasures, and classic musical instruments.
West of the park is City West—the former heart of communist-era West Berlin, lined up along the boulevard named Kurfürstendamm (“Ku’damm” for short). Today this modern area feels more like a classy suburb, with a few sights (including the Berlin Zoological Garden) and several recommended hotels. Finally, to the north is Charlottenburg Palace, with a mediocre royal interior but excellent 20th-century art museums nearby.
While most European capitals have a handful of clear-cut “must-see” sights, Berlin is more of a “choose your own adventure” destination. There’s plenty to see and do here. Art lovers could spend days museum-hopping, never once thinking about Hitler or the Berlin Wall. History buffs could be on cloud nine without ever looking at a single canvas. And plenty of visitors have a blast just hanging out in Berlin’s funky neighborhoods and leafy parks, never stepping through a turnstile. My suggested plans incorporate a bit of everything. Though jam-packed, they work if you’re energetic and well-organized. If you have more time, spread out these priorities to give yourself some breathing room.
| 9:00 | Ascend the Reichstag dome (reserve in advance). |
| 10:00 | Follow my Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate Walk. |
| 11:30 | Follow my Unter den Linden Walk. |
| 13:00 | Grab a quick Currywurst lunch near Museum Island. |
| 13:30 | Do an “express tour” of the Pergamon, Neues Museum, and Old National Gallery; or, if you prefer history, tour the German History Museum and/or DDR Museum. |
| 16:00 | Follow my Communist East Berlin Walk. |
| 17:00 | Ride the S-Bahn from Alexanderplatz to Nordbahnhof and take my Berlin Wall Memorial Tour. |
| 18:30 | Ride tram #M10 to Prenzlauer Berg for dinner. |
| 20:00 | Explore Prenzlauer Berg before collapsing at your hotel. |
| 9:00 | Ascend the Reichstag dome (reserve in advance). |
| 10:00 | Follow my Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate Walk. |
| 11:30 | Follow my Unter den Linden Walk. |
| 13:00 | Grab a takeaway lunch to enjoy on a Spree River cruise. |
| 14:30 | Choose from these Museum Island area sights: Pergamon, Neues Museum, Old National Gallery, German History Museum, or DDR Museum. |
| 17:00 | Follow my Communist East Berlin Walk (or stretch your museum time). |
| 18:00 | Head to Hackescher Markt (take the S-Bahn from Alexanderplatz, or walk from Museum Island) for my Scheunenviertel Walk. |
| 19:00 | Have dinner in the Scheunenviertel. |
| 9:00 | Follow my Fascism & Cold War Walk from Checkpoint Charlie to Potsdamer Platz. |
| 11:00 | Take my Gemäldegalerie & Kulturforum Tour; have lunch at a museum café or on Potsdamer Platz. |
| 15:00 | Ride the U-Bahn (U2 from Potsdamer Platz to Senefelderplatz) and take my Prenzlauer Berg Walk. |
| 16:30 | Take tram #M10 to Nordbahnhof for my Berlin Wall Memorial Tour. |
| 18:00 | Return to Prenzlauer Berg (tram #M10 or walk along the rest of the Memorial) for dinner. |
| 9:00 | Ascend the Reichstag dome (reserve in advance). |
| 10:00 | Follow my Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate Walk. |
| 11:30 | Take my Unter den Linden Walk. |
| 13:00 | Take a Spree River cruise with a picnic lunch. |
| 14:30 | Follow my Communist East Berlin Walk. |
| 15:30 | Take the U-Bahn to Senefelderplatz for my Prenzlauer Berg Walk. |
| 17:00 | Take tram #M10 to Nordbahnhof for my Berlin Wall Memorial Tour. |
| 18:30 | Head back to Prenzlauer Berg (tram #M10 or walk along the rest of the Memorial) for dinner. |
The timing of this day depends on how much museum-going you want.
Morning: Binge on your choice of Museum Island-area museums: Pergamon, Neues, Old National Gallery, German History Museum, or DDR Museum.
Midday: If you’re still going strong with museums, take a lunch break at the Bode Museum café or under the S-Bahn tracks on Georgenstrasse; if you’re done early, walk to the Scheunenviertel for lunch.
Afternoon: Take my Scheunenviertel Walk, then visit the Palace of Tears; with additional time, choose from the “Days 4-7” options, later.
Evening: Have dinner in the Scheunenviertel or Prenzlauer Berg.
| 9:00 | Follow my Fascism & Cold War Walk, from Checkpoint Charlie to Potsdamer Platz. |
| 11:00 | Follow my Gemäldegalerie & Kulturforum Tour; have lunch at the museum café or Potsdamer Platz. |
| 15:00 | Your choice: Take bus #200 to City West for sightseeing and dinner; or head to the Jewish Museum and/or Berlinische Galerie, then to Kreuzberg for exploring and dinner. |
Choose from:
City West sights: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Käthe Kollwitz Museum, strolling Ku’damm, and browsing KaDeWe and Bikini Berlin stores; with more time, extend your explorations into the adjacent Schöneberg district
Jewish Museum and/or Berlinische Galerie
Kreuzberg (you could add on Treptower Park or Tempelhof Field)
Charlottenburg Palace and nearby modern art museums
Friedrichshain and 20th-century sights: East Side Gallery, Stasi Museum, and/or Karl-Marx-Allee; Treptower Park is also nearby
Day-trip to Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum
Day-trip to the palaces at Potsdam
Day-trip to the Martin Luther sights at Wittenberg
Berlin’s tourist offices (abbreviated as “TI” in this book) are for-profit agencies that are only marginally helpful (tel. 030/250-025, www.visitberlin.de). You’ll find them at the Hauptbahnhof (daily 8:00-22:00, by main entrance on Europaplatz), in City West at Europa Center (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, closed Sun, hidden inside the shopping mall ground floor at Tauentzienstrasse 9); nearby “info box” kiosk on Rankestrasse across from Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (daily 10:00-18:00, until 16:00 Nov-March), at the Brandenburg Gate (daily 9:30-19:00, until 18:00 Nov-March), in the Park Inn hotel lobby at Alexanderplatz (Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00, Sun 8:00-18:00, Alexanderplatz 7), and at Tegel Airport (daily 8:00-21:00). A separately run TI—focusing on Prenzlauer Berg, and generally more useful—is at the Kulturbrauerei (daily 11:00-19:00). See the map on page VII for most locations.
Skip the TI’s €1 map, and instead browse the walking tour company brochures—many include nearly-as-good maps for free. Most hotels provide free city maps. If you’re staying (or spending lots of time) in Prenzlauer Berg, ask for the free Pankow Entdecken booklet, with lots of local insights.
While the TI sells the three-day Museum Pass Berlin (see “Helpful Hints” below), it’s also available at major museums. If you take a walking tour, your guide is likely a better source of nightlife or shopping tips than the TI.
For a comprehensive rundown of the city’s train stations and airports, and for information on parking a car, see the Berlin Connections chapter.
Medical Help: The US Embassy has a list of local English-speaking doctors (tel. 030/83050, https://de.usembassy.gov, search for “English-speaking services”).
Museum Closures: The Berlin Wall Memorial Visitors Center and Documentation Center, the Old National Gallery, and the Gemäldegalerie are closed on Monday.
Museum Passes: Of Berlin’s three different passes, the €29 Museum Pass Berlin is best for serious museumgoers—it covers nearly all the city sights for three days (including everything covered by the one-day Museum Island Pass). The Museum Pass Berlin is a great value and pays for itself in a hurry. It gets you into more than 45 museums, including the national museums and most of the recommended biggies (though not the German History Museum), on three consecutive days. Covered sights include the five Museum Island museums (Old National Gallery, Neues, Altes, Bode, and Pergamon), Gemäldegalerie, and the Jewish Museum, along with more minor sights. Buy it at any participating museum or a TI. The pass generally lets you skip the line and go directly into the museum (except at the Pergamon, where you can prebook a time slot).
The €18 Museum Island Pass (not sold at TIs) covers all the sights on Museum Island and is a fine value—but for just €11 more, the three-day Museum Pass Berlin gives you triple the days and many more entries.
There’s also the WelcomeCard, a transportation pass that includes discounts for the Berlin Cathedral, DDR Museum, German History Museum, Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie, Jewish Museum, and others (pass described later, under “Getting Around Berlin”).
Addresses: Be warned that many Berlin streets are numbered with odd and even numbers on the same side of the street, often with no connection to the other side (for example, Ku’damm #212 can be across the street from #14).
Festivals: Berlin hosts a near-constant string of events; see the appendix for key holiday and festival dates.
Cold War Terminology: What Americans called “East Germany” was technically the German Democratic Republic—the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR. You’ll still see those initials around what was once East Germany. The name for what was “West Germany”—the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or BRD)—is now the name shared by all of Germany.
Laundry: You’ll find several self-service launderettes near my recommended hotels (generally daily 6:00-22:00). In Prenzlauer Berg, try Eco-Express Waschsalon (Danziger Strasse 7) or Schnell & Sauber Waschcenter (Oderberger Strasse 1); for locations see the map on here. In the Scheunenviertel, there are two launderettes around the corner from Rosenthaler Platz: Waschsalon 115 (Wi-Fi, Torstrasse 115) and Eco-Express Waschsalon (Torstrasse 109); for locations see the map on here.
The city is vast. Berlin’s sights spread far and wide. Right from the start, commit yourself to the city’s fine public-transit system.
Berlin’s transit system uses the same ticket for its many modes of transportation: buses, trams (Strassenbahn), and trains. There are two types of trains: The U-Bahn—like a subway, making lots of short hops around town—is run by the local transit authority (BVG); the S-Bahn, a light rail that goes faster and stops only at major stations, is operated by German Railways (Deutsche Bahn).
For all types of transit, there are three lettered zones: A, B, and C. Most of your sightseeing will be in zones A and B (the city proper); you may enter zone C if you’re going to Potsdam, Sachsenhausen, Schönefeld airport, or other outlying areas.
Information: Timetables and prices are available on the helpful BVG website or app (www.bvg.de). VBB, the public transportation authority for Berlin and Brandenburg, offers a handy website and free app especially good for on-the-go trip routing, as it includes U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and tram connections (www.vbb.de).
Sections of the U-Bahn or S-Bahn sometimes close temporarily for repairs, with a bus route replacing the train (Ersatzverkehr, or “replacement transportation”; zwischen means “between”).
Within Berlin, Eurail passes are good only on S-Bahn connections from the train station when you arrive and to the station when you depart.
The €2.80 basic single ticket (Einzelfahrschein) covers two hours of travel in one direction. It’s easy to make this ticket stretch to cover several rides...as long as they’re in the same direction.
The €1.70 short-ride ticket (Kurzstrecke Fahrschein) covers a single ride of up to six bus/tram stops or three subway stations (one transfer allowed on subway). You can save on short-ride tickets by buying them in groups of four (€5.60).
The €9 four-trip ticket (4-Fahrten-Karte) is the same as four basic single tickets at a small discount.
The day pass (Tageskarte) is good until 3:00 the morning after you buy it (€7 for zones AB, €7.40 for zones ABC). For longer stays, consider a seven-day pass (Sieben-Tage-Karte; €30 for zones AB, €37.50 for zones ABC), or the WelcomeCard (options from 2 to 6 days; described below). The Kleingruppenkarte lets groups of up to five travel all day (€19.90 for zones AB, €20.80 for zones ABC).
If you’ve already bought a ticket for zones A and B, and later decide to go to zone C (such as to Potsdam), you can buy an “extension ticket” (Anschlussfahrschein) for €1.60, which covers 1.5 hours of travel in that zone.
If you plan to cover a lot of ground using public transportation during a two- or three-day visit, the WelcomeCard is usually the best deal (available at TIs; www.visitberlin.de/welcomecard). It covers all public transportation and gives you up to 50 percent discounts on lots of minor and a few major museums, sightseeing tours (including 25 percent off the recommended Original Berlin Walks and Insider Tour), and music and theater events. It’s especially smart for families, as each adult card also covers up to three kids under age 15. The Berlin-only card covers transit zones AB (€19.90/48 hours, €27.90/72 hours, also 4-, 5-, and 6-day options). For multiple trips beyond the city center, there’s a Berlin-with-Potsdam card (zones ABC, €21.90/48 hours, €29.90/72 hours, also 4-, 5-, and 6-day options). If you’re a museum junkie, consider the WelcomeCard+Museumsinsel (€44/72 hours), which combines travel in zones A and B with unlimited access to the five museums on Museum Island (€46/72 hours for the ABC version).
You can buy U-Bahn/S-Bahn tickets from machines at stations. Tickets are also sold at BVG pavilions at train stations and at the TI, from machines onboard trams, and on buses from drivers, who’ll give change. You’ll need coins or paper bills (only German “EC” credit cards are accepted as payment at transit ticket machines or retailers).
To use a ticket machine, start by pressing the flag icon, and then tap the British flag for English instructions. Next, select the zone (AB, ABC, or “short-distance journey” for a zoneless short-ride ticket) and the type of ticket you want (single, day, or four-trip; for seven-day tickets, select the “season tickets” option), then feed in coins or bills. Most travelers want the AB ticket—either single or all-day ticket. Note that “adult” (Erwachsener) means anyone 14 or older.
As you board the bus or tram or enter the subway, validate your ticket in a clock machine (or risk a €60 fine; with a pass, stamp it only the first time you ride). Tickets are checked periodically, often by plainclothes inspectors. You may be asked to show your ticket when boarding the bus.
If you learn a few key transit lines, it will help shrink this vast city.
Several S-Bahn lines converge along a single east-west axis—flowing like a high-speed river through the heart of the city. Get used to this, and you’ll zip quickly between key stops: Savignyplatz (hotels in western Berlin), Zoologischer Garten—also known as “Zoo Station” (zoo, City West, Ku’damm), Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse (near the heart of Unter den Linden), Hackescher Markt (Museum Island, Scheunenviertel, connection to Prenzlauer Berg), and Alexanderplatz (eastern end of the historic core).
Buses #100, #200, and #TXL travel east-west along Unter den Linden between the Reichstag/Brandenburg on one end and Alexanderplatz on the other. There are stops every few blocks, with buses every 10 minutes or so.
On the S-Bahn, lines S1 and S2 travel north-south between Nordbahnhof (Berlin Wall Memorial), Friedrichstrasse, Brandenburger Tor, and Potsdamer Platz (Kulturforum).
On the U-Bahn, line U2 cuts diagonally across the city from Prenzlauer Berg (hotels) to Potsdamer Platz, stopping near Checkpoint Charlie at Stadtmitte. Other handy U-Bahn lines include U6 (running north-south through downtown, offering a quick connection to Kreuzberg) and U1 (cutting east-west through southern Berlin, connecting City West, Kreuzberg, and Friedrichshain). The still-under-construction U5 will eventually connect the Hauptbahnhof, Reichstag, and strategic stops along the city’s main sightseeing spine: Brandenburger Tor, Unter den Linden (near Babelplatz), Museum Island, Rotes Rathaus (City Hall, near the Nikolai Quarter), and Alexanderplatz.
Tram #M1 is helpful for getting to and around Prenzlauer Berg—connecting the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station with key stops along the main drag Kastanienallee up to the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station. Useful tram #12 overlaps with the middle part of this route.
Tram #M10 connects stops along the Berlin Wall Memorial, from Nordbahnhof all the way to the Mauerpark and the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn station.
Cabs are easy to flag down, and taxi stands are common. A typical ride within town costs around €10, and a crosstown trip (for example, Savignyplatz to Alexanderplatz) will run about €20. Tariff 1 is for a Kurzstrecke ticket (see below). All other rides are tariff 2 (€3.90 drop plus €2/km for the first seven kilometers, then €1.50/km after that). If possible, use cash: Credit card payment comes with a surcharge.
For any ride of less than two kilometers (about a mile), you can save several euros if you take advantage of the Kurzstrecke (short-stretch) rate. To get this rate, it’s important that you flag down the cab on the street—not at or even near a taxi stand. You must ask for the Kurzstrecke rate as soon as you hop in: Confidently say “Kurzstrecke, bitte” (KOORTS-shtreh-keh, BIT-teh), and your driver will grumble and flip the meter to a fixed €5 rate (for a ride that would otherwise cost €8).
Local laws require Berlin’s Uber drivers to charge the same rates as taxis; there’s no financial advantage to using Uber over just hailing a cab.
Flat Berlin is a very bike-friendly city, but be careful—motorists don’t brake for bicyclists (and bicyclists don’t brake for pedestrians). Fortunately, many roads and sidewalks have special red-painted bike lanes. Don’t ride on the regular sidewalk—it’s verboten (though locals do it all the time). Better yet, to get out of the city on two wheels, rent a bike, take it on the subway (requires extra €1.90 ticket) to the pleasant Potsdam/Wannsee parkland area west of town, then ride through forests and along skinny lakes to the vast Grünewald park, then back into the city. (During the Cold War, Grünewald was the West Berliners’ playground, while East Berliners communed with nature at the Müggelsee, to the east.) Bike shops can suggest a specific route.
The majority of Berlin hotels rent bikes to guests, which could be your easiest choice (ask when you book). But for a more serious bike, consider the following options.
Fat Tire Bikes rents good bikes at two handy locations—in the east (at the base of the TV Tower near Alexanderplatz; see map on here), and in the west (at Zoologischer Garten—leaving the station onto Hardenbergplatz, turn left and walk 100 yards to the big bike sign; see map on here). Rates are the same at both locations (€14/day, cheaper for 2 or more days, trekking and e-bikes available, free luggage storage; Zoologischer Garten location open daily May-Sept 9:30-20:00, April and Oct until 18:00, shorter hours or by appointment only Nov-March; Alexanderplatz location open daily March-Nov and sporadically off-season; tel. 030/2404-7991, www.berlinbikerental.com).
In central Berlin, Take a Bike—near the Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn station—is owned by a knowledgeable Dutch-German with a huge inventory (3-gear bikes: €8/4 hours, €12.50/day, €19/2 days, slightly cheaper for longer rentals, more for better bikes, includes helmets, daily 9:30-19:00, Nov-March closed Tue-Thu, Neustädtische Kirchstrasse 8—see map on here, tel. 030/2065-4730, www.takeabike.de). To find it, leave the S-Bahn station via the Friedrichstrasse exit, turn right, go through a triangle-shaped square, and hang a left on Neustädtische Kirchstrasse.
Bike Rental Berlin is a good option if you’re sleeping in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood (€10/day, €16/2 days, helmets-€1, kids’ bikes and child seats available, daily 10:00-17:00, often closed off-season—call ahead, Kastanienallee 55—see map on here, tel. 030/7153-3020, http://bike-rental-berlin.de).
Simple Rent a Bike stands are outside countless Berlin shops, restaurants, and hotels. Most charge €10-12 a day and are super-convenient, given their ubiquitous availability—but these bikes don’t come with the reliable quality, advice, helmets, or maps offered by the full-service rental shops listed above.
Berlin lends itself to a bus-tour orientation. Several companies offer essentially the same routine: a circuit of the city with unlimited, all-day hop-on, hop-off privileges for about €20 (two days for a few euros more, check for WelcomeCard discounts). Buses make about 15 stops at the city’s major tourist spots (Potsdamer Platz, Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and so on). For specifics, look for brochures in your hotel lobby or at the TI, or check the websites for the dominant outfits: CitySightseeing Berlin, a.k.a. Berlin City Tour, runs red buses and yellow-and-green buses (www.berlin-city-tour.de). City Circle Sightseeing, a.k.a. BEX, runs yellow-and-black buses marked with a “Grayline” logo (www.berlinerstadtrundfahrten.de).
Running from the Berlin Zoological Garden to Alexanderplatz, Berlin’s city bus #100 laces together the major sights in a kind of poor man’s self-guided bus tour. Since a basic, single bus ticket is good for two hours of travel in one direction and buses leave every few minutes, hopping on and off works great. Bus #100 stops at Zoologischer Garten station, the Berlin Zoo, the Victory Column, the Reichstag, Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate, the Pergamon Museum, and Alexanderplatz.
Here’s a quick review of what you’ll see: Leaving from Zoologischer Garten, you’ll spot the bombed-out hulk of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, with its jagged spire and postwar sister church. Next, on the left, the elephant gates mark the entrance to the venerable and much-loved Berlin Zoo and aquarium. After a left turn, you cross the canal and pass Berlin’s embassy row.
The bus then enters the Tiergarten city park and loops around the Victory Column (Siegessäule; with the gilded angel). A block beyond the Victory Column (on the left) is the 18th-century late-Rococo Bellevue Palace, the residence of the federal president (if the flag’s out, he’s in).
Driving along the Spree River (on the left), you’ll see several striking national government buildings. A metal Henry Moore sculpture entitled Butterfly (a.k.a. “The Drinker’s Liver”) floats in front of the slope-roofed House of World Cultures. Through the trees on the left is the Chancellery—Germany’s “White House.” The big open space is the Platz der Republik, where the Victory Column (which you passed earlier) stood until Hitler moved it. The Hauptbahnhof (Berlin’s vast main train station, marked by its tall tower with the DB sign) is across the field between the Chancellery and the Reichstag (Germany’s parliament—the old building with the new dome).
Hop off at the next stop (Reichstag/Bundestag) if you’d like to follow my 
Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate Walk (see here). If you stay on the bus, you’ll zip by the next string of sights, in this order:
Unter den Linden, the main east-west thoroughfare, stretches from the Brandenburg Gate through Berlin’s historic core to the TV Tower in the distance. You’ll pass the Russian Embassy (right). Crossing Friedrichstrasse, look right for a Fifth Avenue-style conga line of big, glitzy department stores. Later, on the left, are the German History Museum, Museum Island, and the Berlin Cathedral; on the right is the construction site of the Humboldt Forum (a resurrected Prussian palace/cultural complex). You’ll rumble to a final stop at the transit hub of Alexanderplatz.
Buses come with cursory narration in English and German by a live, sometimes tired guide, or a dry recorded commentary. Try to catch a bus with a live guide rather than a recorded spiel. In season, buses run at least four times per hour (generally April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, last bus leaves all stops around 16:00, 2-hour loop; Nov-March 2/hour, last departure around 15:00).
Before handing over your money, consider following my self-guided “Bus #100 tour” instead (see previous page), which costs only the price of a transit ticket.
Berlin’s fascinating and complex history can be challenging to appreciate on your own, but a good Berlin tour guide makes the city’s dynamic story come to life.
Unlike many European countries, Germany has no regulations controlling who can give city tours. This can make guide quality hit-or-miss, ranging from brilliant history buffs who’ve lived in Berlin for years while pursuing their PhDs, to new arrivals who memorize a script and start leading tours after being in town for just a couple of weeks. To improve your odds of landing a great guide, try one of my recommendations.
Most outfits offer walks that are variations on the same themes: general introductory walk, Third Reich walk (Hitler and Nazi sites), and day trips to Potsdam and the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum. Most tours cost about €12-15 and last about three to four hours (longer for side-trips to Potsdam and Sachsenhausen); public-transit tickets and entrances to sights are extra. For more details than I’ve given here—including prices, specific schedules, and other themed tours—see each company’s website or pick up brochures at TIs, hotel reception desks, cafés, and shops.
With a strong commitment to quality guiding, Original Berlin’s Discover Berlin walk offers a good overview in four hours (daily at 10:30 except no walks on Tue Nov-March, April-Oct also daily at 14:00). They also offer a Third Reich walking tour (Hitler’s Germany), themed walks, and tours to Potsdam, Sachsenhausen, and Wittenberg. Get a €1 discount per tour with this book. Tours depart from opposite the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station, outside the Weihenstephaner restaurant (tour info: tel. 030/301-9194, www.berlinwalks.de).
Specializing in in-depth walks, this company was started by the late, great Terry Brewer, who once worked for the British diplomatic service in East Berlin. Terry left the company to his guides. Led by enthusiastic historians, their city tours are intimate, relaxed, and can flex with your interests. Their Best of Berlin introductory tour, billed at six hours, can last for eight (daily at 10:30). They also do a shorter 3.5-hour tour (free, tip expected, daily at 13:00), an all-day Potsdam tour (Wed and Sat May-Oct), and others. All tours depart from Bandy Brooks ice cream shop at the Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn station (tel. 0177-388-1537, www.brewersberlintours.com).
This well-regarded company runs the full gamut of itineraries: introductory walk (daily), themed and museum tours, as well as Sachsenhausen, Potsdam, and a day trip to Dresden. Their tours have two meeting points: in Western Berlin, in front of the McDonald’s outside the Zoologischer Garten station; and in the Scheunenviertel neighborhood, outside the AM to PM Bar at the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station (tel. 030/692-3149, www.insidertour.com).
Much of Berlin’s history lies beneath the surface, and this group is devoted to what’s hidden underground. Their Dark Worlds tour takes you into a WWII air-raid bunker (year-round). The “From Flak Towers to Mountains of Debris” tour enters the Humboldthain air defense tower (April-Oct only). The “Subways and Bunkers in the Cold War” tour visits a fully functional nuclear emergency bunker in former West Berlin (year-round). Meet in the hall of the Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn/S-Bahn station—follow signs to the Humboldthain/Brunnenstrasse exit, and find Brunnenstrasse 105 (tour times and prices at www.berliner-unterwelten.de).
Specializing in cutting-edge street culture and art, this company emphasizes the bohemian chic that flavors the city’s ever-changing urban scene. Their basic three-hour tour (daily at 11:00 and 13:00) is tip-based; other tours cost €12-20 (all tours meet at Starbucks on Alexanderplatz under the TV Tower, mobile 0162-819-8264, www.alternativeberlin.com).
You’ll see ads for “free” introductory tours all over town. Popular with students (free is good), it’s a business model that has spread across Europe: English-speaking students (often Aussies and Americans) deliver a memorized script before a huge crowd lured in by the promise of a free tour. The catch: Guides expect to be “tipped in paper” (€5/person minimum is encouraged). While the guides can be entertaining, better ones typically move on to more serious tour companies. These tours are fine, but as with many things, you get what you pay for.
“Free” tour companies also offer pub crawls that are wildly popular with visiting college students (see here).
Berlin guides are generally independent contractors who work with tour companies (such as those listed here) but can also be hired privately (generally charging around €50-60/hour or €200-300/day, confirm when booking). I’ve personally worked with and can strongly recommend each of the following guides: Archaeologist Nick Jackson (mobile 0171-537-8768, www.jacksonsberlintours.com, info@jacksonsberlintours.com, nick.jackson@berlin.de); Lee Evans (makes 20th-century Germany a thriller, mobile 0177-423-5307, lee.evans@berlin.de); Torben Brown (a walking Berlin encyclopedia, mobile 0176-5004-2572, tfbrown@web.de, www.berlinperspectives.com); journalist Holger Zimmer (a cultural connoisseur who also guides my groups, mobile 0163-345-4427, explore@berlin.de); Carlos Meissner (a historian with a professorial earnestness, mobile 0175-266-0575, carlos_meissner@hotmail.com, www.berlinperspectives.com); young British expat Maisie Hitchcock (mobile 01763-847-2717, maisiehitchcock@hotmail.com); Caroline Marburger (a sharp historian who has lived and studied abroad, mobile 0176-7677-9920, caroline@berlinlocals.com, www.berlinlocals.com); and Bernhard Schlegelmilch (the only guide listed here who grew up behind the Wall, mobile 0176-6422-9119, www.steubentoursberlin.com, info@steubentoursberlin.com).
Guides can get booked up—especially in the summer—so reserve ahead. Many of these guides belong to a guiding federation called Bündnis Berliner Stadtführer, which is a great source for connecting with even more guides (www.guides-berlin.org).
Fat Tire offers several different guided bike tours from April through October (most €28, 4-6 hours, 6-10 miles, check schedules at www.fattiretours.com/berlin): City Tour (daily; also available as a more expensive e-bike version), Berlin Wall Tour, Third Reich, evening food tour (€49), Modern Berlin Tour (countercultural, creative aspects of contemporary Berlin), an all-day Potsdam Gardens and Palaces Tour, and private tours for families and small groups. Meet at the TV Tower at Alexanderplatz (reservations smart, tel. 030/2404-7991).
Several boat companies offer €14 trips up and down the river. In one relaxing hour, you’ll listen to excellent English audioguides, see lots of wonderful new government-commissioned architecture, and enjoy the lively park action fronting the river. Boats leave from docks clustered near the bridge behind the Berlin Cathedral (just off Unter den Linden, near the DDR Museum). For better views, go for a two-story boat with open-deck seating. While you have many essentially interchangeable options, I enjoyed the Historical Sightseeing Cruise from Stern und Kreisschiffahrt (mid-March-Nov daily 10:00-19:00, leaves from Nikolaiviertel Dock—cross bridge from Berlin Cathedral toward Alexanderplatz and look right; not all boats have English commentary—ask; tel. 030/536-3600, www.sternundkreis.de).
Andy Steves (Rick’s son) runs Weekend Student Adventures (WSA Europe), offering 3-day and 10-day budget travel packages across Europe including accommodations, skip-the-line sightseeing, and unique local experiences. Locally guided and DIY options are available for student and budget travelers in 13 of Europe’s most popular cities, including Berlin (guided trips from €199, see www.wsaeurope.com for details). Check out Andy’s tips, resources, and podcast at www.andysteves.com.