How to spend one day in Berlin
What to do if you only have one day in Berlin? See my best tips and spots for your perfect day.
Top 12 Main Attractions Of Berlin
To help you know what to expect when you visit Berlin for the first time, I’ll give you a brief overview of the main sights.
1. Brandenburger Tor
Classicist gate on the former border.
2. Reichstag
Historic parliament with glass dome.
3. TV Tower
Landmark with viewing platform.
4. Museum Island
Museum complex in the historic heart of Berlin.
5. Checkpoint Charlie
Former border crossing point of the Berlin Wall.
6. East Side Gallery
Open-air gallery on a remaining section of the Berlin Wall.
7. Jewish Memorial
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
8. Potsdamer Platz
A place in the heart of Berlin’s history.
9. Gendarmen Markt
Historical market place in Berlin.
10. Berlin Cathedral
Protestant church on the Museum Island.
11. Tiergarten Park & Victory Column
Inner-city park and monument.
12. Charlottenburg Palace
Monument in the Charlottenburg district.
One Day Itinerary For Berlin
If you’re not sure where to start or exactly what to do – here’s my one-day guide to Berlin.
I’ve divided it into three sections, morning, afternoon and evening. This is how I plan my trips, and I think it’s the easiest way to get an overview of the day without feeling overwhelmed by all the choices.
Change it up to suit your tastes. I hope it gives you a good orientation.
Morning
The morning ist packed with sight seeing. See the most important landmarks in Berlin.
See The Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is a must-see for any visitor to Berlin. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, it has become a symbol of German unity.
Before that, it stood for the division. After the Wall was built, it was located in the restricted area and could not be visited by people from either the East or West of Germany.
The Brandenburg Gate is owed to King Frederick William II, who commissioned the large sandstone gate to provide a dignified end to the magnificent boulevard Unter den Linden. It is located on Pariser Platz in the center of Berlin, which is one of the most beautiful squares in the city.
Visit The Reichstag
The Reichstag building (German: Reichstagsgebäude) is the seat of the German parliament and also one of the most visited sights in Berlin.
Especially the tour of the glass dome is a popular attraction for Berliners and tourists.
Although this was not even the plan of the original building. The Reichstag building was built from 1884 to 1894 according to the plans of Paul Wallot. The original dome had to be blown up for static reasons. The first reconstruction began in 1957 by Paul Baumgarten. And in a second reconstruction phase starting in 1994, the British architect Sir Norman Foster implemented his designs for the glass dome, as well as others.
The large lawn in front of the Reichstag is also very popular, where Berliners and tourists hang out during the summer months.
Jewish Memorial
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is known by most Berliners only as the Holocaust Memorial for short.
It was opened in 2005 and is located near the Brandenburg Gate. The Holocaust Memorial consists of an undulating field of 2711 concrete steles that can be walked through from all sides.
Wandering between the pillars of different heights and the labyrinthine corridors, visitors may experience a brief moment of disorientation, which is intended to open up space for discussion.
Beneath the memorial is the “Ort der Information” or in English “Place of Information,” which documents the crimes of the Nazi era in themed rooms.
See Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz was redeveloped after reunification. The ensemble of skyscrapers and futuristic new buildings forms a very own city district.
This had great success. The cafés, cinemas, and shopping facilities between the futuristic high-rises are used by Berliners and tourists alike.
The “district center” is Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, which is dominated by the double building of the casino and the musical theater with its large roof (Piano/Kohlbecker).
The vertical division into individual components that end at different heights gives the high-rise a sense of lightness. This is further emphasized by the glass façade and the outer stairwell, which is also encased in glass. In the basement, high arcades open to annexes used for the cafeteria and stores.
Checkpoint Charlie
The former border crossing Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most important and most visited sights in Berlin.
The attraction was a military checkpoint during the time of the German division. Along with the Glienicke Bridge, this was considered the most famous border crossing of the three border points controlled by the Americans.
Checkpoint Charlie was only allowed to be used by foreigners and employees of the Permanent Mission of the FRG in the GDR as well as GDR officials. Other visitors to East Berlin were not processed at this border crossing.
Even though the Wall has long since disappeared and the turnpikes and watchtowers of Checkpoint Charlie have been replaced by replicas, the interest in the former border crossing is unbroken.
In addition, the Mauermuseum (Wall Museum) is located in immediate proximity.
Gendarmen Markt
Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin.
The three monumental buildings German Cathedral, French Cathedral, and the Concert House beautifully frame the square in Berlin-Mitte.
The eventful history of the Gendarmenmarkt can be traced back to the 17th century. Each historical phase has left its architectural traces on the Gendarmenmarkt. It was severely damaged during World War II but has been reconstructed over time.
Today, numerous stores, cafes, restaurants, and hotels can be found around the Gendarmenmarkt. Popular annual events held on the square are the Christmas Market and the Classic Open Air Concert.
Tip:
If you are already tired or just want to relax a little in nature go to “Großer Tiergarten”. Also look at the Victory Column there.
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Afternoon
Lunch Option 1: Berlin Street Food
Lunch Option 2: Traditional German Food
Visit a Museum
It is impossible to visit all of Berlins museums in one day. Maybe even in one yearlink to facts
but to help you with you descision, I listed 5 of hte most popular ones. also see the berliner dome when you are a t museums insel It is impossible to visit all of Berlins museums in one day. Maybe even in one yearlink to facts but to help you with you descision, I listed 5 of hte most popular ones.
also see the berliner dome when you are a t museums insel
Pergamon Museum
The Pergamon Museum houses three museums: the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Museum of Islamic Art, and displays works of art from ancient Greece and Rome. It was built according to the designs of Alfred Messel by Ludwig Hoffmann between 1910 and 1930.
The Great Altar of Pergamon, the magnificent Babylonian Processional Way, the facade of the Caliph’s Palace of Mshatta, and the Market Gate of Miletus are among the most famous exhibits of the museum.
Humboldt Forum
As a cultural city quarter and modern museum, the Humboldt Forum in the City Palace invites visitors to engage in a dialogue between art and science.
The Humboldt Forum will unite various institutions from the fields of culture and science under its roof and function as a new cultural city quarter in Berlin Mitte. The Ethnological Museum, the Museum of Asian Art, the Berlin Exhibition and the Humboldt Laboratory of the Humboldt University will move into the Humboldt Forum.
The concept of the Humboldt Forum thus borrows from the chambers of art and curiosities at the princely courts of the 16th century, in which the fields of nature, art and science were related to each other. All this awaits visitors to the modern Humboldt Forum as well.
DDR Museum
The GDR existed for 40 years, 40 years of living behind barbed wire, walls and with state security.
In the DDR Museum, life in the German Democratic Republic is illuminated in unique diversity. The 45 thematic areas come together to form the largest and most interactive exhibition on the subject.
With the permanent exhibition “Everyday life in a past state at your fingertips”, the museum forms the third building block of the scientific reappraisal of the former GDR alongside the Wall exhibitions and Stasi memorials.
It is designed as a family museum and offers children and young people, in particular, a variety of opportunities to immerse themselves interactively in history.
Deutsches Historisches Museum
In the German Historical Museum, Germany’s history can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Over 7,000 exhibits guide visitors through the different eras. Over 1500 years of history can be traced in the German Historical Museum. The journey into the past is accompanied by artifacts, pictures, documents, film archives and historical objects.
The tour is designed chronologically. It begins with the Middle Ages and ends with the reunification of Germany.
For each epoch, the areas of politics and art as well as religion, everyday life, music, agriculture and technical development are thematized.
But beware: the permanent exhibition will remain closed until probably the end of 2025.
Alte Nationalgalerie
In the heart of the Museum Island, the Alte Nationalgalerie displays one of the most important German collections of 19th century art.
It was built from 1866 to 1876 according to plans by Friedrich August Stüler and is regarded as one of the most important museum architectures of the 19th century.
It displays masterpieces by Caspar David Friedrich, Adolph Menzel, Sabine Lepsius, Franz von Stuck, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir or Auguste Rodin, among others.
Alexanderplatz + TV Tower
The famous Alexanderplatz was already one of the liveliest places in Berlin in the 1920s.
However, not only the square alone attracts many tourists. Attractions such as the television tower, the world clock or the Fountain of Friendship between Nations are located on Alexanderplatz. It is also a good place for shopping.
The observation deck of the TV tower is located at a height of 203 meters.
It even goes a bit higher, because above the floor is a restaurant. If you get a window seat here (reservation recommended), you can sit back and relax and see Berlin from all directions within an hour, because the entire visitor sphere rotates once around itself within an hour.
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Evening
East Side Gallery
Hardly any visitor to Berlin leaves the city without taking a selfie in front of the East Side Gallery.
The 1.3-kilometer-long remains of the Berlin Wall were painted by various artists after the fall of the Wall. Thus, the former gray dividing wall became the longest open-air gallery in the world.
Artists transformed the relic from times of separation into a colorful memorial. They wanted to leave a visible testimony of their joy and the new hopes that had arisen.
Oberbaum Bridge
The eye-catching Oberbaum Bridge connects the districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg and is considered one of the most beautiful bridges in Berlin.
Not only road traffic passes over it, but also Berlin’s oldest subway line.
The supporting structure for the tracks on the mezzanine level was architecturally clad and decorated with ornaments in the medieval style. Otto Stahn thus created a structure reminiscent of a castle in the Mark Brandenburg.
Berlin’s pop culture has settled on both banks. Countless clubs and discos attract the trendy scene. Schlesische Straße on the Kreuzberg side is a heavily frequented paradise for night owls.
Dinner
Soak In The City Vibes
The district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is one of the most popular in Berlin. Especially among artists and party people. It belongs to the most alternative areas in Berelin. Keep your eyes open for street art and surprises at every corner.
Enjoy your Evening
Watch the sunset on the roof terrace of the Klunkerkranich. Cozy up with a drink. Or party in one of the many clubs in Berlin.
Tip:
The sun usually sets early in the winter months (around 4pm) and late in the early summer months (around 9-10pm).
If you come at a time when the sun sets early, I would recommend visiting this part of the city on another day in the morning or afternoon.
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Additional Attractions In Berlin
- Holzmarkt 25
- Berlin Zoo
- Hackescher Markt
- Markthalle 9
- Tempelhofer Feld
Day Trip Ideas:
- Spreewald
- Quedlinburg
- Leipzig
- Dresden
- Potsdam and Sanssouci
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