Things To Do in Berlin, Brandenburg Region

Activities, attractions and tours

Brandenburg Gate showing a monument, a city and heritage architecture
Berlin which includes a river or creek and street scenes as well as a large group of people
Berlin Cathedral showing heritage architecture, heritage elements and château or palace
Kurfuerstendamm featuring street scenes
Mitte showing a ferry, a river or creek and a small town or village

Berlin Attractions

Berlin, one of the oldest and most storied cities in Europe, offers a variety of local places, attractions, and activities any tourist can enjoy. The city is full of historical attractions, outside cafes, and a nightlife that's hard to beat.

Because there are so many things to do in Berlin, Expedia recommends you carry a map of the area at all times with you. If you're unsure about where to go, try taking an aerial tour of the city first. The city's main attractions, including the Reichstag, the Parliament and parts of the Berlin Wall, can all be seen from above. Berlin tours from the air also offer an extra audio package for individuals who wish to learn about the city's history at the same time.

After experiencing breathtaking views of the city, a visit to Museum Island should be a must see on everyone's list on their Berlin excursions. While there are many top museums located in this UNESCO heritage site, the Neues Museum, which houses some of the best Egyptian artifacts to date, is a place that cannot be missed.

Germany is famous for its loud-singing and friendly citizens, and there is no other place like Mauer Park where this rings true. Mauer Park is one of the most well-known local spots in Berlin and offers tourists an excellent way to experience some German festivities. Once you're there, however, you will have so much fun you may never want to leave.

There are so many attractions in Berlin that many people often have a hard time figuring out which ones to visit. While many tourists only plan to spend a weekend in this wonderful city, the amount of Berlin activities available will keep you here for much longer than anticipated.


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Top places to visit

1. Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz is a pedestrian and transport hub, including everything from high-end shopping to panoramic views of the city. Named after the Russian Csar Alexander I and later becoming the center of East Germany during the Cold War, today's "Alex" includes all the luxuries of a Western metropolitan center.
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Alexanderplatz featuring a city, a square or plaza and modern architecture

2. Zoo Berlin

Berlin Zoo, or Zoologischer Garten in German, covers 84 acres (34 hectares) in the impressive Tiergarten park in the city center. The zoo opened in 1844 and was almost completely decimated in World War II. Now one of Europe's great zoological gardens, it’s home to nearly 18,000 animals from 1,500 species. It's attracted its fair share of celebrity too. It was here the polar bear Knut became an international star a few years ago, idolized through merchandise and TV appearances, before sadly passing away in 2011.
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Berlin Zoo featuring zoo animals and land animals

3. Kurfürstendamm

Head to Charlottenburg’s famous boulevard to experience the glamour of old Berlin coupled with the style of contemporary cosmopolitan Europe. The historic Kurfuerstendamm is one of the city’s oldest streets and was built as a route to a prominent hunting lodge now on the outskirts of the city. Today, exclusive boutiques, major department stores and luxury hotels line Kurfuerstendamm, or Kudamm as locals sometimes call the street. At its eastern end find a somber reminder of the bombings of Berlin during World War II.
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Kurfuerstendamm which includes street scenes

4. Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz is one of the world’s great success stories in urban renewal. After World War II, when Berlin was divided along political lines, Potsdamer Platz (Potsdam Square) became a no-man's-land. Once the busiest traffic intersection in Europe, it was suddenly stranded between East and West Berlin. When the Wall came down, the reunified city was desperate to return the square to its former glory. Design competitions were held and the entire area became Europe’s largest building site. Today it’s filled with daring architecture, corporate headquarters, residential areas, shopping plazas, cinemas and public spaces. Most importantly it has created a healing link between the once divided city.
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Potsdamer Platz showing interior views, cbd and shopping

5. Brandenburg Gate

The history of Brandenburg Gate – an enormous, sandstone, neoclassical arch – is inextricably linked with the history of Berlin and Germany. Built in 1791 to mark the entrance to Unter den Linden, Berlin's grandest boulevard, the arch was originally created as a symbol of peace. Standing 85-feet (30-meters) high, the Brandenburg Gate was modeled on the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. When Napoleon defeated the Prussians in 1806, he marched triumphantly through the gate into Berlin, before taking the gate’s crowning statue, Victoria, the Goddess of Victory, back to France as a spoil of war. Victoria was later returned and once again sits atop the gate driving her chariot of horses.
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Brandenburg Gate showing a monument, a city and heritage architecture

6. Friedrichstrasse

Lined by some of Germany’s most exclusive department stores and surrounded by major historical attractions, the Friedrichstrasse cultural and shopping precinct in Berlin’s Mitte district has undergone extreme change since the fall of the Berlin Wall. However, at its center find one of the city’s most unusual tourist attractions, throwing you back into the Cold War era. Friedrichstrasse is today one of Berlin’s most visited streets. It is home to Checkpoint Charlie, one of the very few Cold War border crossings between East and West Berlin.
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Friedrichstrasse which includes street scenes

7. Berlin TV Tower

See a bird’s-eye view of of Berlin from Alexanderplatz’s iconic TV Tower (Fernsehturm). The distinctive Berlin landmark reaches 1,207.3 feet (368 meters) into the sky and is the tallest structure in Germany. The tower’s viewing platform offers 360-degree views at 666 feet (203 meters) above the ground. Take in the view while enjoying a meal at Fernsehturm’s revolving restaurant.
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TV Tower featuring a city

What to do in Berlin


Discover the most popular places to visit in Berlin

Explore areas of Berlin

Mitte which includes modern architecture and a city

Mitte

4.5/5(399 area reviews)

Explore the vast Großer Tiergarten park, admire modernist architecture at Kulturforum, and visit iconic sites like Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island. Easily navigate with ample public transport options.

Mitte
Kreuzberg which includes outdoor art as well as an individual femail

Kreuzberg

4/5(41 area reviews)

Gentrified and artsy, Kreuzberg boasts diverse cultural life and alternative lifestyles. Must-visit spots include the Jewish Museum Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, and the annual Carnival of Cultures.

Kreuzberg
Friedrichshain showing outdoor art

Friedrichshain

4.5/5(27 area reviews)

Experience trendy Friedrichshain, home to design and media companies like MTV Central Europe. Enjoy peaceful Volkspark Friedrichshain, riverside walks, and diverse dining options, while shopping at Frankfurter Allee and Ring-Center mall.

Friedrichshain
Prenzlauer Berg showing a city

Prenzlauer Berg

Famed for its vibrant art scene and nightlife, this centrally-located neighborhood boasts prewar architecture, trendy shopping areas, and diverse dining options. Must-see spots include Gethsemane Church, Rykestrasse Synagogue, and Mauerpark.

Prenzlauer Berg
Schloss Charlottenburg which includes heritage elements, a sunset and heritage architecture

Charlottenburg

Kurfürstendamm and Zoo Berlin are top sights in Charlottenburg, and you should be sure to explore the fantastic nightlife. Hop aboard the metro at Richard Wagner Place U-Bahn or Bismarckstrasse U-Bahn to see more sights in the area.

Charlottenburg
Explore the tranquil beauty of Tiergarten in Berlin during autumn with vibrant foliage and peaceful reflections on the water

Tiergarten

Travelers love Tiergarten for its popular shops, and you can see more of Berlin by jumping on the metro at Kurfurstenstrasse U-Bahn or Bundestag U-Bahn. You might spend time checking out top sights like Zoo Berlin and Potsdamer Platz.

Tiergarten

 

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Day trip destinations from Berlin