I recently visited Berlin for 2 days and despite lots of planning, I struggled to fit everything into my time in the German Capital. This is why I have created this quick guide of sights to see within Berlin.
If like me, you are keen to see all of the main sights but you're finding it difficult to plan an itinerary due to the sparse locations of some of the attractions, this is the guide for you. I have grouped together some of the locations that are within the same areas. Please note that Berlin has amazing transportation links which are easy to use, so whether you decide to travel by train, bus, tram or metro, you are sure to be able to visit multiple areas in one day.
Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg gate is arguably one of the most famous monuments in Berlin, being constructed in 1788 and making it a famous, must-see sight within the German capital. Brandenburg gate is Berlin's sole surviving historical city gate and is symbolic of the cold war and a reconciled Berlin. This famous gate is located in Parisian Square (Pariser Platz), making it an easy spot whilst in the city centre.
Holocaust Memorial
A short walk from the Brandenburg gate is the holocaust memorial (also know as Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe). In my opinion, the holocaust memorial is a must-visit when in Berlin. The memorial is dedicated to the Jewish victims of the holocaust and is full of hundreds of cement blocks which are to symbolise the many lives lost during the holocaust. It is a very thought-provoking memorial and is definitely worth a visit during your time in Berlin.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is an extremely famous and popular tourist attraction, known for being a crossing point between East and West Berlin during the cold war. The remains of checkpoint charlie are very limited, however it is an amazing opportunity to see a large part of history and gain a larger knowledge of the past divide within Berlin. Just from a quick glance at the surrounding area, it is clear that Checkpoint Charlie has become a large tourist attraction and there are lots of bars and restaurants around which profit from this. Not far from Checkpoint Charlie is 'Charlie's Beach' which is a small beach area located within a square and filled with street food, sand and sun beds to mimic a day at the beach. Therefore, you will not be short of things to do within this area, if you decide to visit here.
The Führerbunker (Hitler's Bunker)
Whilst you cannot see much of the original bunker, there is a lot of information about the famous bunker located around the area. Führerbunker is located in close proximity to Checkpoint Charlie, making it an easy route to witness a large amount of history in one sitting. I cannot comment on the bunker and whether it is worth a visit as we were short on time and had to skip a visit to the bunker, although if we had more time, it definitely would have been a place for us to visit.
East side Gallery
Visiting east side Gallery was definitely one of my favourite parts of our trip. East side gallery is the remainder of the Berlin wall and lots of information about the wall can be found around the area. I particularly likes east side gallery because of the political drawings that were beautifully painted throughout the wall, showcasing the public's opinion of the wall and its fall. This area is quite a distance from other areas so careful planning will have to be put in place but I truly believe that you will not want to miss this incredible and historic gallery.
Markthaulle Neun
Markthalle Neun (Market Hall Nine), is a large inside market, full of stalls selling mainly street food. However, this large market is also home to some clothing and fruit/veg stalls.
Markthalle Neun is located within the district of Kreuzberg, which is quite far away from the main central points of Berlin, however I would highly recommend a trip here. There are buses and undergrounds that you can get to the area, where you will be met with unique and quirky bars and restaurants as well as this famous market. We spent a while in the market hall whilst Chris decided what he wanted for dinner, from the incredible range of available cuisines. It was getting late by the time we arrived to the market, so unfortunately we didn't leave ourselves much time to explore the area but we did come across lots of cool bars which I would definitely return to, if I was to return to Berlin in the future.
Molecule Man
The Molecule Man is a famous aluminum sculpture located along the Spree River and symbolises the coming together of humans. The sculpture is made up of three humans with holes in their bodies to symbolise the molecules that humans are made up of. I was keen to see this statue, however unfortunately we did not make it here as we were on a tight schedule and the molecule man is quite a distance from the main sights. If you plan to visit the molecule man, I would highly suggest doing so whilst visiting East Side Gallery or Markthalle neun because although it is still around a 25 minute walk from each of these locations, East side Gallery and MarktHalle Neun are also quite far away from the main attractions. Therefore, it would make sense to visit all these sights within the one trip, rather than having to return to the isolate areas later on in your adventures.
AlexanderPlatz
Alexanderplatz is mainly known for being home to the TV tower, however the area as a whole is extremely impressive and is desperate to be explored. You could mistake this area for central Berlin, due to the large variety of shops and restaurants/bars located within the many shopping centres and the famous, large square.
Fernsehturm Berlin is the name of the TV tower, which you will likely be able to see from miles away, due to its large size. This area is easily accessible by train, bus or tram and is located very centrally, therefore you shouldn't have to alter your plans for a visit.
Berlin Zoo
The Berlin zoo was not on our list of things to do whilst in Berlin. However, our hotel was located right next to the zoo and each time we walked past, we would comment on how good it looked, so on our last day we decided to spend a few hours there. Whilst the zoo won't be on everybody's to-do list, I would recommend a trip here if you run out of things to do or have young children that require entertaining. A full review of the zoo will be coming to this blog soon with more information as to what you can expect from a trip. So in the meantime, I will leave you with this picture of a panda, which is just one example of the unique animals you can see at Berlin zoo.
