Travel guide to Berlin | An insider guide to the Bear City

To truly experience local life, you need to read this fantastic travel guide to Berlin!

Since the fall of the Wall, Berlin has become one of Europe’s most exciting cultural centers. Artists, hedonists, history buffs, and hipsters have moved into cheaper neighborhoods, making them fabulous places.

The city is teeming with art spaces and has exciting nightlife. 

Berlin is also a family-friendly city, with pretty parks, bike paths everywhere, and sparkling lakes.

There is no longer an East and West Berlin, but a city of a thousand faces that welcomes, pampers, and sets you free.

Travel guide to Berlin | The city at a glance
  • Berlin Airports – At the moment Berlin has one international airport:  Berlin-Schönefeld.
  • Time zone – Berlin, Germany (GMT+2).
  • Currency – Berlin’s currency is the euro (€).
  • Where to change money – The best way to change money is to go to an official bank. You can also change money in ATMs or at the airport, but with higher fees.
  • Official language – The official language is German, but most Berliners also speak English.
Travel Guide to Berlin | Public transport in Berlin

Berlin’s public transport is divided into three fare zones: AB, BC, and ABC. Fare zone AB includes the urban area up to the city limits. Zone ABC includes the surroundings of Berlin and Potsdam Station (Potsdam Hauptbahnhof).

With a valid ticket, you have access to all public transport: S-Bahn (surface train), U-Bahn (subway), buses, streetcars, and ferries. The fare depends on the area and the period of validity of the ticket.

Fares for a one-way ticket
  • Fare AB: €3, reduced ticket: €1.90.
  • Fare BC: €3.50, reduced ticket: €2.40.
  • ABC fare: €3.80, reduced ticket: €2.70.

Reduced tickets are valid for children from 6 to 14 years old.

You can also purchase a short-distance ticket (Kurzstrecke) that can be used for 3 S-Bahn and subway stops.

If your vacation in Berlin lasts more than one day, we recommend buying group tickets or a seven-day ticket to save money and get around freely.

Berlin travel guide | 5 hotspots you shouldn’t miss

Before embarking on your trip to Berlin, read about the must-see attractions and find out all their secrets.

1. Take your own picture with the Brandenburg Gate in the background

Berlin travel guide: pictures

The Brandenburg Gate is the most important monument in Berlin and dates back to the 18th century.

This neoclassical gate was built at the behest of Frederick William II after the temporary restoration of order during the Batavian revolution.

While visiting Berlin, don’t forget to take a souvenir photo at this monument!

Tips: To make your photos more impressive, we recommend that you visit this attraction at night.

Address: Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin, Germany

2. Visit Berlin Reichstag Building (Parliament House)

Reichstag: visit Germany

The Reichstag is a building that houses the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament.

The building was inaugurated in 1894 but was heavily damaged after the fire of 1933.

Although it was no longer used during the Third Reich, it was considered a symbol of Germany, so much so that it was seized by the Red Army at the end of World War II in 1945.

The Reichstag returned to be the seat of the German parliament in 1999.

Tips: To be admired is the interior of its dome made of glass to cancel the difference between external and internal place.

Address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany.

3. Get to the Museum Island

museum island: berlin

The northern side of Spree Island is called Museum Island because of the large number of world class museums in the area.

All museums on the island belong to the Berlin State Museums group of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz.

In 1999, UNESCO added Museum Island to its list of World Heritage Sites.

You should know that in the Alte Nationalgalerie there are many works by Caspar David Friedrich!

Address: Museum Island, Berlin, Germany.

4. Cross the Checkpoint Charlie

Things to do in Berlin: unmissable sights

During the Cold War, Checkpoint Charlie was the crossing point between the West and the East.

Following the fall of the Wall, the checkpoint was demolished and the guardhouse removed.

What you see today on Friedrichstraße is only a replica of the guardhouse.

Good to know: The original guardhouse is currently in the Allierten Museum.

Address: Friedrichstraße 43-45, 10117 Berlin, Germany.

5. Reach amazing Potsdamer Platz

potsdamer platz: views of the city

Potsdamer Platz is located near the Reichstag and is one of the most important squares of the German capital.

This square has had a very complex history and, after being devastated by the war, was renovated in the 1990s.

Although it is separated from the city center, it is made up of splendid buildings that are emblems of contemporary architecture.

Address: Potsdamer Platz, 10785 Berlin, Germany.

Other must-see attractions
  • TV Tower
  • The Jewish Museum
  • Holocaust Memorial
  • Potsdamer Platz
  • East Side Gallery
  • Street Art
  • Concert Hall.

Berlin

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