10 tips when visiting Berlin, the capital of Germany

Berlin is a very beautiful and cultural city and perfect when you want to go on a citytrip. With a large amount of historic attractions, Berlin is an impressive and interesting city to visit. In this article I’ll give you some tips about what to do and see during your time in the German capital.

1. Let the Berlin Wall impress you.
Absolutely at number one of things to see in Berlin is the Berlin Wall. Do I need to say more about this one? Especially when you go there with a guide, he or she can tell you all about the history and why this memorial is so imposing. The Berlin Wall Memorial is located in the middle of Berlin and it extends 1,4 kilometres. The wall shows us how, back before 1989, Berlin was divided in East- and West-Berlin. In November 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall took place: Berlin became one city again. This memorial contains the last piece of the Berlin Wall with the preserved grounds behind it. Nowadays, it is used as an open air piece of art.

2. Walk through the Holocaust.
The Holocaust is a very impressive monument, a memorial that honours the up to six million murdered Jews in Europe during the Second World War. You can find the memorial in the city centre, close to the Branderburger Tor and Potsdamer Platz, where I will talk later about in this article. You can walk through the Holocaust by dwelling on the background and historic story about the memorial.

3. Take a look at the impressive ‘Der Verlassene Raum’.
Another impressive monument from the Second World War, is der Verlassene Raum (the abandoned room). At the monument you can have a quick look, while getting lost in the history of Germany. The impressive story of the monument makes this one of the most interesting things to see in Berlin.The monument is located in the former, Jewish district Koppenplatz and shows a table and two stairs, from where one stair fell down. It shows a room where from the residents suddenly disappeared. The Jewish residents are caught by the Germans.

4. Go through time in the museum ‘The story of Berlin’.
A last, but not least attraction about the history of Berlin is the museum ‘The story of Berlin’. Berlin is such a historic city, which is very beautiful in my opinion. The museum is located at Kurfürstendamm and in the museum you will be walking through 800 years of Berlin history. If you love history, it is definitely worth a visit.

5. Enjoy an amazing view across Berlin on the rooftop of the Reichstag.
The Reichstag is such a beautiful building from the in- and outside. It is designed by the architect Paul Wallot in 1894 and is the home of the German parliament. When you decide to visit the Reichstag, you should really consider going inside the building as well. You can even visit the room of the Bundestag, but going into the Reichtagscupola is more impressive, because you get an amazing view across the entire city. This amazing view can also be seen on the rooftop, next to the cupola. Just one tip: when you decide to go inside the Reichstag, you have to reserve in advance on the internet (www.bundestag.de).

6. Get lost in KaDeWe.
The KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens) is, after Harrods in London, the biggest warehouse of Europe with more than 380.000 different kinds of products. Most of the products are very luxurious and therefore most of the time too expensive for many people. Just, walking through the warehouse and to see all the beautiful departments is already an amazing experience. Another tip: The KaDeWe is located in the street Tauentzienstraβe, what is also thé shopping street of Berlin. In this street you can find all the well-known shops and it is the perfect place to do some shopping.

7. Potsdamer Platz and her many theatres and cinemas.
Potsdamer Platz is one of the most well-known squares in the city centre of Berlin and also an important intersection. The square is well-known for her many theatres and cinemas. It is not required to go the movies or to the theatre, but the square itself is already a beautiful place to visit and to look around if you love modern architecture. The square is called to a city nearby Berlin: Potsdam. If you do want to go to the movies, you should try one of the two IMAX-cinemas where you can find the biggest cinema screen of Germany.

8. Capture a moment with the Brandenburger Tor and set your eyes on the street performers.
One of the well-known tourist attractions is the Brandenburger Tor. Because this is a popular attraction, you can guess it is always very crowded at the place. Nevertheless, it is still a place worth the visit. The Brandenburger Tor is a beautiful gate that was built in 1788. The gate is located on the Pariser Platz, which is also a very cozy place where you can set your eyes on different kind of street performances; you can have a lot of fun and will never be bored. You will see living statues, dancers, story tellers and lots of other street performers. The Pariser Platz features a very sociable ambiance.

9. Enjoy a boat trip across the waters of Berlin.
During my trip to Berlin, I did a boat trip across the waters of the city and I absolutely enjoyed it. You can actually see a lot of beautiful buildings and hotspots you recognize from the internet. A boat trip is perfect when the weather is good; you can enjoy the weather and at the same time you can enjoy the view and take some excellent pictures! Absolutely a recommendation.

10. Take a look at all the beautiful wall paintings and graffiti in the city.
Berlin is a very cultural city! Back in time, in the 1920s, Berlin’s tourist board was already promoting the capital as the ‘City of music and theatre’ on their publications and posters and Berlin can still show it! The city offers lots of museums, theatres, other cultural attractions and art. All around the city you can find wall paintings and graffiti. So big, so beautiful and so cultural! I love it when you can keep looking at those huge, creative paintings. They are, most of the time, so photogenic.

Author: Tamara

This article is part of the GPSmyCity iOS app. You can download it, read this article offline and obtain travel directions (by foot, car or bicycle) to the places mentioned in this article. Click here to download it.

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