This whirlwind tour takes in Berlin’s trophy sights from the glass dome crowning the Reichstag to a classic saunter down the Unter den Linden boulevard. After a brief detour to Ancient Greece at the Pergamon Museum, you can catch a memorable sunset by the River Spree and toast your first day with a glass of Berliner Kindl beer in Zum Nussbaum. START: U-Bahn to Bundestag.
Reichstag. Start your day with a visit to the Reichstag (Germany’s parliament) for a captivating view over the city. An elevator takes you up to architect Norman Foster’s striking glass cupola. There’s nothing like the moment you step inside the kaleidoscopic shell and come face-to-face with the 360° panorama of Berlin. Check the website for details on guided tours and book in advance. 
20–90 min. Platz der Republik 1. 
030-227-0. www.bundestag.de. Free admission. Tours daily 10:30am, 1:30, 5:30 & 6:30pm when parliament is not sitting; advance booking essential. U-Bahn: Bundestag.
Brandenburg Gate. In 1987, Ronald Reagan stood at this spot and cried: “Mr Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” And 2 years later, he did. Just a few paces from the Reichstag, the sight of the Brandenburg Gate, with its rooftop goddess of victory charging forth on her chariot, will stop you in your tracks. Conquering French Emperor Napoleon took a fancy to the feisty goddess in 1804 and whisked her off to the Louvre in Paris; rather fittingly, she now stands triumphant above Pariser Platz (Paris Square). Return here at dusk to see the neoclassical landmark at its most photogenic. 20 min. Pariser Platz 1. U-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This life-size jigsaw puzzle pieces together Berlin’s troubled past. Peter Eisenman, born in New Jersey in 1932, completed this monument to commemorate the murdered Jews of Europe in 2005. Enter the concrete labyrinth at any point and you soon feel lost; row upon row of curving stelae (upright stone slabs) appear to ripple off to infinity. On a gray winter’s day, it is chilling yet beautiful in its austerity. Be sure to visit the Ort der Information (Information Center), particularly room 3, which reveals the identity of many Holocaust victims. 30 min. Cora-Berliner-Strasse 1. 030-26-39-43-36. www.holocaust-mahnmal.de. Free admission; donations welcome. Information Center Apr–Sept Tues-Sun 10am–8pm; Oct–Mar Tues-Sun 10am–7pm. U-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor.
Unter den Linden. Watch daily life unfold as you stroll along this monumental avenue. Flanked by linden trees—which Germans nickname Bäume der Liebe (trees of love) because of their heart-shaped leaves—this is Berlin’s showpiece boulevard. Look for the marble facade of the Russian Embassy, the vine-clad courtyard of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library), and Humboldt University, where Einstein taught. 45 min. U-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor.
Gendarmenmarkt. Take a right off Unter den Linden onto Berlin’s grandest square and try to figure out what’s unusual—you may soon realize you are seeing double. Gendarmenmarkt is dwarfed by the baroque Deutscher Dom and Französischer Dom, two churches that are the mirror images of each other (both built in 1705). At the center of the square, German poet Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) stands proudly in front of the columned Konzerthaus. The square is fringed by cafes and glorious Art Nouveau townhouses (number 38 is a fine example). When the evening sun hits the cobbled streets it’s as if they are, quite literally, paved with gold. 45 min. Gendarmenmarkt. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.
Pergamon Museum. This cavernous treasure-trove presents an antiquities-laden panorama of ancient Greece, Rome, and Babylon. Though the museum’s scale is overwhelming, some of the most impressive exhibits are located in one area. Start in the Antiquities Collection, which harbors the original, reconstructed Pergamon Altar, and catapults you back to 160 B.C. Greece with its frieze of gods doing battle with the Titans. Steep marble steps lead to the Altar Court, where sacrificial rituals took place in the 2nd century B.C. If you can tear yourself away from Athens, head next door to Babylon to marvel at a gate fit for an Assyrian goddess—namely, Ishtar—with glazed tiles depicting mythical creatures. 1½ hr. Am Kupfergraben 5. 030-20-90-55-77. www.smb.spk-berlin.de. Admission 12€ adults, 5€ students, free for children under 18. Daily 10am–6pm, Thurs until 8pm. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.
Located within the Deutsches Historisches Museum, the galleried Café im Zeughaus fuses old and new with its high ceilings, vibrant floral motifs, and antique-styled chairs. Enjoy coffee and cake or well-prepared German specialties like beef goulash with dumplings. Open in summer, the terrace affords prime views of the Berliner Dom. Deutsches Historisches Museum, Under den Linden 2. 
030-20-64-27-44. €.
Berliner Dom. This neo-Renaissance cathedral, built in 1895, grabs your attention, its graceful cupolas rising in stark contrast to the Fernsehturm (Television Tower) in the background. A massive 70m (230 ft.) dome rises from the center of the cathedral, and each of the church’s intricate mosaics (depicting Biblical scenes) is inlaid with 500,000 stones in myriad colors. For a different perspective, climb 267 steps to the upper gallery where the view stretches across Museumsinsel to the Reichstag and Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall). 45 min. Am Lustgarten 1. 030-20-26-91-36. www.berlinerdom.de. Admission 7€ adults, 4€ students, free for children under 14. Mon–Sat 9am–8pm, Sun noon–8pm; Oct–Mar closes 1 hr earlier. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.
Nikolaiviertel. Edging south, the laid-back Nikolaiviertel quarter on the banks of the River Spree is a great escape from the central bustle, with cobbled lanes and hidden courtyards to explore. Allow at least an hour to walk around its cafes and boutiques. For unique teas, visit Teeladen. Note the enamel signs above many shops: A pipe for the tobacconist, a pretzel for the baker. Dominating the square is the twin-spired, 13th-century Nikolaikirche (Go to Page, ). 45 min. U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz.
Zum Nussbaum. Once the sun starts to set, kick back with a beer on the nut-tree-shaded terrace at one of Berlin’s oldest watering holes. Right opposite Nikolaikirche, this bar oozes historic charm in rooms filled with chatter and whiffs of Berliner Eisbein (pork knuckles). Am Nussbaum 3. 030-242-30-95 €.
On your second day, make an early-morning date with Rembrandt, explore boutiques, and be drawn to the glinting Moorish-style dome of the Neue Synagoge. Take in the pop art at Hamburger Bahnhof before a leisurely afternoon in Tiergarten, where you’ll discover landmarks recalling Berlin’s regal past as capital of Prussia (1701–1918). START: S-Bahn to Potsdamer Platz.
Gemäldegalerie. Housing works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Vermeer, and Rubens, this vast repository of European art is like a who’s who of Old Masters. Get here early and target the biggies, such as Jan Vermeer’s emotive The Glass of Wine (1658) and Jan van Eyck’s Madonna in a Church (1437–39). In the center of the gallery is an octagonal room dedicated to the handsome brushwork of Dutch Golden Age master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–69). Among his 16 paintings is Susanna and the Elders (1647), which took a staggering 10 years to complete. 1 hr. Matthäikirchplatz 4/6. 030-266-42-30-40. Admission 10€ adults, 5€ students, free for children under 18. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm, Thurs until 8pm. S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.
Potsdamer Platz. Potsdamer Platz is Berlin’s version of midtown Manhattan, the city’s commercial hub with a bevy of new skyscrapers and round-the-clock buzz. Prominent sights are the redbrick Kollhoff, boasting Europe’s fastest elevator Go to Page; the crescent-shaped Deutsche Bank building; and the spinning Mercedes-Benz sign. The most eye-catching building, though, is the crystalline Sony Center, housing restaurants and a cinema beneath a tent-like glass roof. For a taste of how the square looked when divided (before 1989), check out the graffitied fragments of the Berlin Wall in front of the S-Bahn station. 1 hr. S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.
Hackeschen Höfe. A snippet of turn-of-the-20th-century Berlin, these interlinked courtyards are ideal for strolling, boutique shopping, and people watching. Art Nouveau-style Hof I is the most attractive, with ornamental mosaic walls and curvaceous windows. Roam the other courtyards to bag unique gifts from handmade soaps to vintage jewelry. By night, discover vibrant bars and theaters such as the Chamäleon Varieté. 1 hr. Hackesche Höfe. www.hackesche-hoefe.com. S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt.
Anatre. Grab an espresso and snack at this cafe, taking a seat in the patio facing the prettiest courtyard in Hackesche Höfe. The ciabatta sandwiches and antipasti are delicious. Hof I. 030-28-38-99-15. €.
Neue Synagoge–Centrum Judaicum. Crowned by a shimmering Star of David, this neo-Byzantine synagogue, originally built in 1866, was inspired by Andalusia’s Alhambra Palace. The building’s trio of bulbous domes feature intricate gold ribbing and appear to glow in the dusk light. The permanent exhibition spotlights Jewish life in Berlin, including the history of the synagogue, while the cupola affords fine views of the hip Scheunenviertel neighborhood, traditionally the city’s Jewish quarter. 20 min. Oranienburger Strasse 28–30. 030-88-02-84-51. Admission 3.50€ adults, 2.50€ concessions. Tues–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–5pm, Sun–Mon 10am–8pm; closes 2pm on Fri Oct–Mar, closed Sat. S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse.
Hamburger Bahnhof. With its twin clock towers, graceful arches, and echoing halls, there’s no hiding the fact that this gallery was once a train station. The superior collection of contemporary art housed here includes works by 20th-century Pop Art stars Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Keep an eye out for Warhol’s silk-screen of Chairman Mao (1975), Joseph Beuys’ classic Tram Stop (1976), and Damien Hirst’s pharmaceutical frenzy The Void (2000), exhibiting hundreds of pills in kaleidoscopic shades of color. There are free guided tours in English at noon on Saturday and Sunday. 1 hr. Invalidenstrasse 50–51. 030-39-78-34-11. www.hamburgerbahnhof.de. Admission 12€ adults, 6€ concessions, free for children under 18. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm, Sat-Sun 11am–6pm, Thurs 10am–8pm. S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof.
Haus der Kulturen der Welt. Whether or not you agree with locals that this arts center built in the 1960s resembles a schwangere Auster (pregnant oyster), there’s certainly something shell-like about it. The venue is best surveyed from the front, where the Spiegelteich pond mirrors the edifice; the rippled reflection gives you the sense of being underwater. Have your camera handy for the shimmering centerpiece—British artist Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture, Big Butterfly (1984). 30 min. John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10. S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof.
Carillon. The oyster’s lesser-known neighbor is this 42m (138 ft.) Carillon (free-standing bell tower) of smooth black granite. Containing 68 bells, the glockenspiel is the world’s fourth largest. Continue your stroll through the adjacent sculpture garden. This serene park is a great approach to the Reichstag (Go to Page, ), as the open surroundings amplify its dimensions. 15 min. Concerts May–Sept Sun 3pm. 030-851-28-28. Free public access. S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof.
On the Buses
Save your spending money with a self-guided city tour on public double-decker bus route 100, running every 7 minutes between Zoologischer Garten and Alexanderplatz. For the price of a single ticket (2.60€ adults, 1.60€ children under 14), you can take in many of Berlin’s most iconic sights, including Tiergarten’s Siegessäule and Schloss Bellevue (see below). Keep an eye out for landmarks such as the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, and Fernsehturm as you trundle through the Mitte district. Grab a seat at the front of the upper deck for the best views. For more ticket information on Berlin’s buses, Go to Page.
Zollpackhof. Cold beer, a chestnut-shaded garden, and some of the finest views of Haus der Kulturen der Welt this side of the Spree keep locals and tourists coming back for more. Elizabeth-Abegg-Strasse 1. 030-33-09-97-20. €.
Siegessäule. The Siegessäule (Victory Column) pops up like a gigantic telescope, and hits you in a “wow-I’m-in-Berlin” kind of way. Its most defining feature is the angelic Victoria, the same figure crowning the Brandenburg Gate, whose golden wings frame the sky. The memorial commemorates victory in the 1864 Danish-Prussian war, with reliefs depicting scenes of this battle and two others: the 19th-century Franco-Prussian and Austro-Prussian wars. Puff up 285 steps to the platform for far-reaching views over Berlin. 30 min. Grosser Stern 1. 030-391-29-61. Admission 3€ adults, 2.50€ concessions, free for children under 6. Apr–Oct Mon–Fri 9:30am–6:30pm, Sat–Sun 9:30am–7pm; Nov–Mar Mon–Fri 10am–5pm. S-Bahn: Bellevue.
Schloss Bellevue. From the Siegessäule it’s a gentle amble to Schloss Bellevue. Manicured lawns guide the eye to this neoclassical palace on the banks of the Spree, which was built as a summer residence for Prince Ferdinand of Prussia in 1786. Today, the German and EU flags flutter in front of the dazzling white facade of the three-winged building, now the official seat of the president of Germany. 30 min. Spreeweg. S-Bahn: Bellevue.
Day three in Berlin takes you from the elegant boutiques of Kurfürstendamm to edgy Cold War artworks in Friedrichshain. Checkpoint Charlie and the East Side Gallery deserve your undivided attention, as does the highly emotive Jewish Museum. End the day with a spicy Currywurst (curried sausage) and fries in Kreuzberg. START: U-Bahn to Kurfürstendamm.
Kurfürstendamm. Dubbed Ku’damm for short, Berlin’s much-loved shopping boulevard is 3 ½ km (2 miles) of chic boutiques, high-end department stores, and cafes. Go west toward well-heeled Charlottenburg for designer labels from Gucci to Louis Vuitton; east to Tauentzienstrasse for department stores including KaDeWe (don’t miss the 6th-floor food court). Wander the side streets such as Fasanenstrasse and Uhlandstrasse for one-off designs. 1 ½ hr. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.
Checkpoint Charlie. From 1961 until the fall of the Wall in 1989, Checkpoint Charlie was the Friedrichstrasse border crossing between East and West Berlin. A replica hut and a soldier’s post now mark the former U.S. army checkpoint and there’s an open-air exhibition, which gives insight on the Wall and its impact. The adjacent Mauermuseum tells Berliners’ personal stories of separation and reunification. 1 hr. Friedrichstrasse 43–45. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse.
Sale e Tabacchi. Dark wood paneling and old-fashioned service create a charming setting for a cappuccino or light lunch at this Italian trattoria—the 12.50€ two-course menu of the day represents good value. Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse 23. 
030-252-11-55. €€.
Deutsches Currywurst Museum. This hands-on museum is an ode to the humble Currywurst (spicy curried sausage), Germany’s favorite street snack. You can listen to cult songs about the wurst, guess the spices used in the secret curry mix and even get behind the grill yourself. At the front is a snack bar serving—you guessed it—Currywurst. 30 min. Schützenstrasse 70. www.currywurstmuseum.de. Admission 11€ adults, 8.50€ concessions, 7€ children under 13, free for children under 6. Daily 10am–8pm. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte.
East Side Gallery. The name Berlin Wall is a misnomer: In fact it comprised two walls and a corridor, or ‘death strip,’ where GDR (East German) guards patrolled. Where gray concrete and razor wire once bred fear, people now admire the world’s largest open-air gallery. Stretching 1,300m (4,265 ft.) shadowing the Spree, its colorful graffiti artworks range from politically provocative to fun, and many have a Cold War theme. 1 hr. www.eastsidegallery.com. Free admission. S-Bahn: Ostbahnhof.
The 3½–hour, English-language walking tours run by New Berlin are a great introduction to the city. Knowledgeable guides take you through Berlin on foot from the Brandenburg Gate to Museum Island, giving some background on sights including the Reichstag, the former SS Headquarters, Bebelplatz, and Checkpoint Charlie. Tours depart daily at 11am and 2pm in front of Starbucks at the Brandenburg Gate. It’s worth booking ahead online to secure your place. Tours are free, but the guides earn their wages through tips. For more details, visit www.newberlintours.com.
Jewish Museum. With its austere zinc facade, Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind’s acclaimed museum is a sobering marvel that combines the facts of history with artistic expression. Zigzagging tunnels bring you to the Axis of Holocaust, where the spotlight is on the fate of individuals. It’s scary indeed when the iron door closes, trapping you inside the Holocaust Tower. Other poignant creations include Menashe Kadishman’s Shalechet (Fallen Leaves), a triangular void filled with 10,000 screaming iron faces that clank as you cross them. Upstairs traces German-Jewish life from the Middle Ages to the present. 1 ½ hr. Lindenstrasse 9–14. 030-25-99-33-00. www.jmberlin.de. Admission 5€ adults, 2.50€ students, free for children under 6. Mon 10am–10pm, Tues–Sun 10am–8pm. U-Bahn: Hallesches Tor.
Riehmers Hofgarten. Pass through a wrought-iron gate into this Art Nouveau courtyard, a calm retreat in the heart of Kreuzberg. Amble through the chestnut-shaded square to see townhouses draped in vines. It’s particularly magical as night falls, when soft lantern light bathes the cobblestoned courtyard. 15 min. Yorkstrasse, Hagelberger, and Grossbeerenstrasse. U-Bahn: Mehringdamm.
Curry 36. Currywurst is king at this sidewalk joint marked with a red sign. Chow down on your classic Berlin dish with skinny fries or cabbage salad. Be prepared to stand in line with hungry locals. Mehringdamm 36. No phone. €. 
