Berlin tours, sightseeing, things to do

Berlin

Trip Planning & Itineraries

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Of strategic importance since it first straddled the Spree River in the 13th century, Berlin went on to hog center stage in the turbulent 20th century. Today the city has been restored as the nation's capital, and is the focus of a mammoth project of reunification and the barometer of Germany's moods.

Berlin is the heart of Germany, with a stoic beat that echoes through grand public buildings, glorious museums and theaters, urbane restaurants, bustling pubs and raucous nightclubs. The Wall is gone but Berlin is still divided: there's a distinct segue from the glitz of the west to still-shabby East Berlin.

Best of Berlin: Top 3 Must-Do Experiences

Best of Berlin: Suggested Itineraries

Day One: Berlin Tours

Berlin Tours

Get things rolling with a Berlin Sightseeing Cruise on the River Spree. You'll cruise right through the city, passing such famous sights as Potsdamer Platz, the Reichstag, Museum Island and Berlin Cathedral. Then head back to land to see the Berlin Wall and other iconic sights on the Half-Day Berlin Tour. Do a twirl of Berlin aboard the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour, stopping at 15 points of interest including Checkpoint Charlie. Another fun tour to see the city's main attractions is by riding a Segway through Berlin - it's a great way to hear about Berlin life from a local. In the evening, dress up for dinner and a classical music recital at Charlottenburg Palace.

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Day Two: History & Culture Walking Tours

History and Cultural Walking Tours

Berlin is made for walking, and we have all manner of tours highlighting the city's history and culture on foot. Our walking tours take you to infamous Third Reich sites, down into the underground bunkers of WWII and into Cold War civil shelters. Immerse yourself in the days of espionage on a Nest of Spies Walking Tour, bring your camera along on an East Meets West Photography Walking Tour, or get on your bike on one of our cycling tours.

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Day Three: Day Trips from Berlin

Day Trips from Berlin

Former residence of the Prussian kings, Potsdam is an easy day trip destination from Berlin. Morning and afternoon tours combine a comprehensive tour of Potsdam and Sansoucci Palace, the summer home of Frederick the Great. The Potsdam Walking Tour takes you to palaces, castles and icons of the Cold War, and ends at Sansoucci, Germany's version of Versailles. You can also pedal around Potsdam and the palace on a Potsdam cycling tour, taking in the historic city center, gardens and former no man's land between East and West Germany. For a day trip with a difference, take a walking tour of Sachsenhausen, one of Nazi Germany's main concentration camps. Informative and illuminating narrative is provided while you walk.

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Best of Berlin: Top Hotels

In addition to these accommodations, check out the self catered holiday apartments in Berlin from Owners Direct.

Hotel Alexander Plaza Berlin

Hotel Alexander Plaza Berlin

Late-19th-century glamour meets new-millennium comfort in this sophisticated hotel on a quiet side street. The 1887 building brims with such beautiful period details as a well-worn mosaic floor and a floating stairway adorned with floral stucco. Rooms overlooking the courtyard are quieter, but if you want a typical Berlin view, book one facing the historic quarter.

Arcotel Velvet Berlin

Arcotel Velvet Berlin

From chilled street-level lounge to the swank penthouse suites, the Arcotel Velvet is a custom-designed beauty, drenched in an edgy palette of rich red, glossy black and crisp white. The 85 guest rooms are equipped with every modern comfort, and suites have panoramic windows for stunning views. The Lutter & Wegner Restaurant serves local and Austrian specialities, and the Velvet Lounge stocks a wide choice of vodkas.

Louisa's Place

Louisa's Place

Effortless style and grace make Louisa's the kind of place that dazzles with class not glitz. This discreet deluxe hideaway is perfect if you're tired of anonymous big-city hotels - the suites here are huge, the spa is heavenly and the gold-detailed library is nothing short of regal.

Best of Berlin: Top Restaurants

Vau

Vau

Michelin-starred Vau pampers Rolls-Royce diners with fanciful gourmet creations. The dining room is a composition of glass, steel, slate and wood, and a perfect foil for the imaginative cuisine featuring only hand-selected, seasonal ingredients. Reservations essential.

Pasternak

Pasternak

Russian writer Boris Pasternak (of Doctor Zhivago fame) would approve of this antique-filled and chandeliered restaurant. The menu looks like an old family photo album with black-and-white pictures on the left and Russian favorites - borscht to blini and beef stroganoff - on the right.

Margaux

Margaux

It took culinary wunderkind Michael Hoffman only a year to wow the Michelin testers with his cuisine avantgarde classique. This translates into first-rate ingredients, refined flavors and artistic presentation. And somehow, the divine dishes taste better still against those lush, back-lit onyx walls.

Berlin: featured traveler photos
Checkpoint Charlie (Soviet Side)

Photo by: Martin W, United Kingdom

Doing what: Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Walking Tour
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Walking Tour

From USD $22.30

Take a walking tour of Sachenhausen - one of the main concentration camps in Nazi Germany built in 1936.

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