Explore Berlin

The must-see attractions in Berlin are Illuseum Berlin, Neue Nationalgalerie, Jewish Museum Berlin, DDR Museum and Neues Museum.

A Berlin’s past and present meet on the east side of Tiergarten park. This is along the route of the Berlin Wall and dominated by the Reichstag, which is the historic the seat of the German Federal Parliament, caught between east and west after the war. From here you can head along the stately Unter den Linden boulevard to Museum Island, a UNESCO site loaded with internationally important museums and home to Berlin Cathedral.

Generally, nationals of all states outside of the EU need a visa to enter Germany or Berlin. For some states, the EU has lifted the visa requirement. Nationals of these states do not need a visa for visits of up to 90 days.

Berlin’s smallest district is easy to miss, as it’s tucked into the riverbend north of the Tiergarten park. During a search for new social housing concepts in the 1950s the area was chosen for the ground-breaking Interbau development. Some 50 great architects like Oscar Niemeyer, Walter Gropius and Alvar Aalto contributed designs. Now, Hansaviertel is a forgotten treat for any fan of Modernist architecture.

A tightly packed long weekend is enough to get a feel for Berlin. In a day or two you'll cover most of the landmarks, memorials and museums around the central Mitte borough. After that your curiosity will draw you away from the center to the bordering neighbourhoods. Sometimes scruffy but always fresh and full of surprises, these areas will inspire return trips to Berlin in the future. You could easily devote a day to each of Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg and Neukölln.

If there’s a dish that just shouts Berlin, it has to be Currywurst. Arriving in the immediate post-war, this comforting street food is bratwurst in ketchup seasoned with curry powder and served with fries. One possible inventor was the food kiosk owner Herta Heuwer, said to have gotten hold of the curry powder from British soldiers stationed in West Berlin. Berlin also had a hand in developing the world-famous döner kebab. The recipe for this stuffed pita was perfected by Turkish guest workers in the 1970s and adapted for local tastes.

Berlin has excellent public transport, and every part of the city is served by one or more lines of the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Straßenbahn (tram) or bus network. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) has an excellent route planner in English to make life even easier. And with no tall hills, hundreds of kilometers of designated bike lanes and an ever-growing cycle infrastructure, Berlin is also made to be seen on two wheels. In fact, one of the best ways to see the Berlin Wall is via the Mauerradweg, a trail following the course of the barrier and its former border control roads for 100 miles.

Late April and early May are right in the middle of asparagus season, when many restaurants in the city publish special menus for this coveted local delicacy. There is never a bad time to be in Berlin, but at the height of summer the cafe and restaurant terraces, markets, outdoor events and waterways add a little magic to the cityscape. There’s also something memorable about stepping out of a club or bar blinking after the sun has come up.