Berlin skyline ()

With its notorious nightlife, world-class museums and intense identity, Berlin is so much more than just a crumbling wall and a chariot-topped gate. Here are three themed days to help you explore the many facets of this German city.

Logistics

If possible, find a centrally located hotel near Hackescher Markt. Much of Berlin is walkable from here, but it is helpful to download one of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe apps (www.bvg.de) ahead of time for easy subway (U-Bahn) tickets, transit schedules and even bike and scooter rentals. If you drive to Berlin, I recommend that you use the park-and-ride service to keep your car outside the S-Bahn-Ring, a circular train line that defines the low-emissions zone. Only cars with green environmental badges are permitted inside the zone. Visit www.visitberlin.de/en/car-parks for parking details.

Click here for a Google Map with additional Berlin wall locations, Christmas markets and more.

CONTEMPLATE THE HISTORY

Take one day of your Berlin trip to acknowledge its dark WWII and Cold War legacy. Start with a visit to the interactive DDR Museum, where you can learn about daily life in East Germany. From there, walk along the famous Unter den Linden to the free Tränenpalast housed in an old border-crossing station. Further along the Spree River is the Reichstag, home to the German parliament (Bundestag). In 1933, a fire at the building gave the Nazis an excuse to claim more power. You must register at bundestag.de/en ahead of time.

Nearby is the city’s most famous site: the Brandenburg Gate. Previously inaccessible and located within the restricted area, the gate is now a symbol of German reunification. Next, walk south to the Holocaust Memorial where 2711 concrete slabs and a subterranean space honor the lost Jewish individuals and families. A block away is an information panel at the former site of Hitler’s Bunker. Continue south to the former Gestapo headquarters where a section of preserved wall surrounds the free and extensive Topography of Terrors exhibit of Nazi crimes. If you are interested, detour to the Berlin Story Bunker which has a re-creation of Hitler’s bunker. Lastly, wander east to Checkpoint Charlie, for a picture at this former border-crossing.

For more East German history, take the U-Bahn to the Stasi Museum, housed in the former headquarters of this secret intelligence agency, and visit the creepy Stasi Prison. Or tour the old air raid shelters at Berlin Underworld. Otherwise, spend the rest of the day decompressing in the green space of the Tiergarten where there are playgrounds, trails and the fabulous Café am Neuen See. Alternatively, have a meal at the diverse Mall of Berlin food court and roam around for some shopping therapy. If it’s holiday time, try the Christmas markets in Potsdamer Platz and Gendarmenmarkt.

SEE THE MASSIVE MUSEUMS

Dedicate one day to the island of museums: Museumsinsel. Set within the Spree River, this UNESCO World Heritage Site hosts five huge museums. The most famous is the Pergamonmuseum which houses large architectural treasures from ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East such as the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, brought to Berlin during Germany’s archaeology heyday of the 1920s. The Neues Museum displays prehistoric artifacts like a Neandertal skull and Egyptian finds like the famous bust of Nefertiti. Ancient Greek and Roman artifacts are housed in the Altes Museum, coins and sculptures reside in the Bode-Museum and fine art is on display in the Alte Nationalgalerie.

Though fascinating, museums can become exhausting. Break up the day at the museum cafes, visit the Berlin Dom or wander across the river to the Berliner Kunstmarkt for some fresh air at this local art bazaar. Museum tickets go on sale four weeks in advance at smb.museum/en. You can buy individual museum tickets, or entry to all museums with a 19 euro combined ticket (under 18 are free). Be sure to book free entry timeslots for children and combined tickets.

EXPLORE THE MODERN SIDE

Berlin is a bustling diverse place, so spend a day exploring its nooks and crannies. Begin with an exploration of the art nouveau courtyards and walkways that make up the shopping and dining experience that is Hackesche Höfe. Just up the block, another small painted alley leads past Haus Schwarzenberg and into an ever-changing outdoor street artist palette. From there it’s a 10-minute walk to the Berliner Fernsehturm, the tallest building in Europe. Completed in 1969, this TV tower has a viewing platform and bar 203 meters in the air, plus a revolving restaurant. Book your timeslot well in advance.

For the afternoon, choose your adventure. There are nearly 200 museums in Berlin, and some of them are quite unusual like the Disgusting Food Museum, the Lipstick Museum and the Computer Games Museum. Search for your interests at www.visitberlin.de/en/museums-berlin. If the weather is nice, take the U-Bahn to Templehofer Feld and rent a bike to pedal around this former Berlin Airlift airport. Guided tours of the buildings are also offered at thf-berlin.de/en. For more street art, head to the East Side Gallery where international artists painted 1.3 kilometers of the former Berlin Wall. If you like shopping, you must visit continental Europe’s biggest department store, the famous KaDeWe or try the boutique and pop-up brands at the Bikini Berlin mall before taking in some of Berlin’s notorious nightlife.

FAMOUS NIGHTLIFE

For a walkable and relaxed atmosphere, stay near Hackescher Markt, where a variety of bars, clubs, theaters, and late-night restaurants line the streets. You could visit the Palast Berlin for the ARISE Grand Show, a spectacle of music, dance, acrobatics and wild costumes with a vague plot. For more options, the area around Simon-Dach-Strasse has something for everyone. There are bars ranging from casual to trendy, plus Berlin’s best assortment of global food restaurants sure to please any taste. Near the uniquely repurposed industrial area by the train tracks are cutting-edge nightclubs and live music. Berlin is known for its techno scene and the city has no curfew, so you have plenty of time for some of the most famous clubs in the world like Berghain or Tresor. Just be sure to mind the dress codes and be prepared for waits during peak times (1-3:00 a.m).