Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
I'd give Berlin three nights and at least two full days, and spend them this way:
Day 1:
Begin your day getting oriented to this huge city. For a quick and relaxing once-
over-lightly tour, jump on one of the many hop-on, hop-off buses that make a two-hour nar-
rated orientation loopthroughthecity.Usethebusasyoulike, tohopoffandonatplaces of
interest(suchasPotsdamerPlatz).ThenwalkfromtheReichstag(reservationsrequired),un-
der the Brandenburg Gate, and down Unter den Linden. Tour the German History Museum,
and cap your sightseeing day by catching the one-hour Spree River boat tour (or pedaling a
rented bike) along the parklike banks of the Spree River from Museum Island to the Chan-
cellery.
Day 2:
Spend your morning touring the great museums on Museum Island (Pergamon
Museum and the Egyptian collection at the Neues Museum—timed-entry tickets required
for both, and Romantic German art in the Old National Gallery). Dedicate your afternoon to
sights of the Third Reich and Holocaust: After lunch, hike via Potsdamer Platz to the Topo-
graphyofTerrorexhibitandalongthesurvivingZimmerstrassestretchoftheWalltoCheck-
point Charlie. You could also head up to the Berlin Wall Memorial for a more in-depth sur-
vey of that infamous barrier, or swing by the Jewish Museum. Finish your day in the lively
East—ideally in the once glum, then edgy, now fun-loving and trendy Prenzlauer Berg dis-
trict.
Berlin is huge, with 3.4 million people. The city is spread out and its sights numerous, so
you'll need to be well-organized to experience the city smartly. The tourist's Berlin can be
broken into three main digestible chunks:
1. Eastern Berlin
has the highest concentration of notable sights and colorful neigh-
borhoods. Near the landmark Brandenburg Gate, you'll find the Reichstag building, Pariser
Platz, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Brandenburg Gate, the fam-
ous Unter den Linden boulevard runs eastward through former East Berlin, passing the Ger-
man History Museum (a history lover's favorite) and Museum Island (Pergamon Museum,
Neues Museum, and Berlin Cathedral) on the way to Alexanderplatz (TV Tower). The inter-
section of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstrasse has reclaimed its place as the center of the
city. South of Unter den Linden are the delightful Gendarmenmarkt square, most Nazi sites
(including the Topography of Terror), some good Wall-related sights (Museum of the Wall
at Checkpoint Charlie and East Side Gallery), the Jewish Museum, and the colorful Turkish
neighborhood of Kreuzberg. North of Unter den Linden are these worth-a-wander neighbor-
hoods:OranienburgerStrasse(JewishQuarterandNewSynagogue),HackescherMarkt,and
