By rail
Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the ICE hub
Europe · Germany
Berlin, Germany
History, art and famous nights out
Getting there
By air
Berlin Brandenburg (BER), ~20 km
Best time to visit
May to September; December for the Christmas markets
Don't miss
The Brandenburg Gate
The Reichstag
The East Side Gallery
Museum Island
Things to do
The Brandenburg Gate
The East Side Gallery
Museum Island
A Spree river cruise
Where to eat
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
Tempelhofer Feld, an old airport runway turned park
Questions travellers ask
When's the best time to visit Berlin?
May to September, or December for the Christmas markets. Pack layers.
What are Berlin's big sights?
The Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the East Side Gallery and Museum Island. Add a Spree river cruise.
What is Tempelhofer Feld?
An old airport runway that's been turned into a park.
Which Berlin foods should I try?
Currywurst and döner kebab — then browse Kreuzberg's markets.
How do I get into Berlin?
Berlin Brandenburg (BER) airport is about 20 km out, and Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the ICE hub for trains.
About Berlin
- Riverside
Where it is
Berlin, the capital and largest city of Germany, is also one of the country's states, set on the Spree and Havel rivers in the north-east and surrounded by the state of Brandenburg; about a third of its area is forests, parks, rivers and lakes.
History
Berlin grew from two medieval merchant towns, Berlin and Cölln, first recorded in the 13th century, and became the capital of Brandenburg, Prussia and, from 1871, the German Empire. After the Nazi era and the destruction of the Second World War the city was divided and, from 1961, split by the Berlin Wall, which fell on 9 November 1989; Germany was reunified in 1990.
People
Berliners speak German, and the city is home to people from around 190 countries, including a large Turkish community that helped make the döner kebab a Berlin staple. Its culture runs from great orchestras and museums to techno clubs, street art and the Berlinale film festival.
Known for
- The Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag
- The Berlin Wall and the East Side Gallery
- Museum Island
- Clubs and nightlife
- Currywurst and döner kebab
Did you know?
Currywurst, the city's favourite snack, was first sold by Herta Heuwer at her food stand in Berlin's Charlottenburg district in 1949.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.