There’s SO much to do and see in Germany’s capital city that it’s tough deciding which sites to visit first. Here are the top 10 attractions in Berlin that you HAVE to see! These are historically significant sites that show you the best of Berlin.
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Berlin boasts a little of everything — good food, beautiful landmarks, lush parks, a vibrant nightlife, and a fascinating history that stretches back nearly 800 years. Because of this, figuring out what to do and see first can feel like a monumental task.
Since moving to Germany in 2019, I’ve written all about Berlin’s hidden gems and have poured my intimate knowledge of the city into countless guides in an effort to help readers like you discover the city’s lesser-known nooks and crannies.
So I know firsthand how rewarding it can be to head off the beaten path and discover the “locals-only” sections of the city, but the top tourist attractions in Berlin are the top attractions for a reason!
If you’re visiting Berlin soon and can’t decide what sites to add to your itinerary, start with the city’s most famous attractions. These are the top 10, can’t-miss, most iconic things to see in Berlin that you HAVE to experience at least once in your life!
Table of Contents
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Where to Stay in Berlin
If you plan on visiting Berlin’s top 10 sites, I suggest booking a hotel that’s centrally located. Look for accommodations near the central train station or in the neighborhoods of Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, or Kreuzberg.
- Budget: easyHotel Berlin Hackescher Markt and B&B HOTEL Berlin-Mitte.
- Mid-range: Motel One Berlin-Alexanderplatz and TITANIC Gendarmenmarkt Berlin.
- Upscale: NH Collection Berlin Mitte Friedrichstrasse and Meliá Berlin.
Otherwise I suggest using Booking.com to search for the best hotel deals in the city.
Alexanderplatz (+ TV Tower)
No visit to Berlin is complete without seeing Alexanderplatz, a busy transportation hub that was once the beating heart of East Berlin. The Soviet-era TV Tower soars high above the bustling square, and a quick ride to the top of the tower will reward you with a breathtaking view of the city.
Before ascending the TV Tower, crane your neck to admire the futuristic silver ball at the very top. The East German government designed the TV tower to resemble Sputnik, the Soviet space satellite that was launched in 1957 during The Space Race.
The TV Tower wasn’t just designed to look pretty, though! It also had one very practical purpose: to control the TV networks in the East. (The East German government couldn’t have their citizens watching “bad” TV from the West, now could they?)
In addition to the TV Tower, be sure to visit the following attractions at Alexanderplatz:
- World Clock — Built by the East German government in the ‘60s to showcase all 24 time zones. There’s a model of the solar system on top of the clock, and the clock’s chime is powered by an old Trabant engine (the Trabant was the primary car sold in East Germany).
- Red City Hall — Berlin’s city hall. You can pop your head in to look around for free.
- Neptune Fountain — A lovely fountain in front of the city hall.
- St. Mary’s Church — A red brick, Gothic-style church with a 15th century fresco preserved in its entrance hall.
I have a detailed guide to Alexanderplatz that provides even more suggestions for things to do in the area, as well as where to eat and the seasonal attractions that crop up on the square throughout the year. This is one of the most iconic places to visit in Berlin, so don’t skip it!
Claire’s Tip: If you plan on visiting the TV Tower, I highly suggest booking a Fast Track Ticket in advance so you can skip the line and head straight to the top for the epic view.
Museum Island
Known as Museuminsel auf Deutsch, Berlin’s Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s home to five world-renowned museums:
- Altes Museum — Dates back to 1830 and was the first museum built on the island. It originally showcased the royal art collection but now houses the city’s collection of classic antiquities.
- Alte Nationalgalerie — (My top pick!) The building itself was built in the style of a Greek temple. The museum features paintings and sculptures from the time of the French Revolution to World War I.
- Neues Museum — Displays a unique blend of ancient Egyptian artifacts and papyrus, as well as pieces from the Museum of Prehistory and Early History and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. This is where you can view the bust of Nefertiti.
- Bode Museum — A gorgeous building housing sculptures from the Middles Ages through the 19th century, Byzantine art, coins, and selected paintings from the 13th through 18th centuries.
- Pergamon Museum — Closed until spring 2027 for renovations. This popular museum displays collections from the Museum of the Ancient Near East and Museum of Islamic Art, plus pieces from the Collection of Classical Antiquities.
You can purchase a combined ticket that lets you into all the museums, which is a good option if you’re traveling on a budget. However, there’s no way you can visit all five museums in a day!
Also located on Museum Island is the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom). It’s the former court church to the Hohenzollern Dynasty, and the interior is as spectacular as the exterior.
A visit to the cathedral includes access to the nave, crypt (closed for construction until spring 2025), and the viewing platform on top of the dome. The view of Berlin from the top is my all-time favorite in the city!
Claire’s Tip: Even if you don’t have the time or budget to go into the museums, you should still visit Museum Island to enjoy the atmosphere. While you’re there, find a spot to lay out on the grass in front of the Dom (called the Lustgarten). Everyone does it!
Unter den Linden (+ Brandenburg Gate)
Berlin’s grandest boulevard stretches 1.5 kilometers from the Berlin Cathedral to the Brandenburg Gate. It originally connected the royal palace (now Museum Island) to the royal hunting grounds (now the Tiergarten).
As you walk down Unter den Linden, you’ll pass the following attractions:
- Royal Opera House (Staatsoper) — One of the top concert venues in the city.
- Bebelplatz — Inset within the very center of this gorgeous square is the memorial to the Nazi book burnings that took place during WWII.
- Humboldt University — Located across the street from Bebelplatz.
- Neue Wache — Formerly a guard house. It now houses a memorial to the victims of war and dictatorship.
- German History Museum — Formerly the city’s arsenal building. The museum is free to enter and provides an excellent overview of Germany’s (vast) history.
At the end of Unter den Linden, you’ll find the best-known attraction in Berlin: the Brandenburg Gate.
During the Cold War, West Berliners could look down into East Berlin from the viewing platform of the Brandenburg Gate. And in 1987, US President Ronald Regan uttered the words “Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall!” in his famous speech in front of the gate.
What was once a mere gateway meant to impress visitors to Berlin’s famous Unter den Linden boulevard has become so much more since its completion in 1791. It’s without a doubt one of the top 10 things to see in Berlin!
Claire’s Tip: After you’ve snapped some photos at the Brandenburg Gate, walk down the street to pay your respects at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
Reichstag
One of the most famous attractions in Berlin is the Reichstag building, which houses the German Bundestag (the lower house of Germany’s parliament).
The imposing Neo-Renaissance building is topped by a steel-and-glass dome, which was installed after the fall of the Berlin Wall upon the reunification of Germany. The see-through glass is meant to represent democratic transparency and fair legislation in the post-Cold War era.
Touring the Reichstag is a must for anyone visiting Berlin. The building is free to enter, but you have to book tickets in advance and bring an internationally-recognized form of ID with you (I brought my passport). A self-guided tour of the Reichstag includes access to the glass dome as well as a free audio guide that details the history of the building and Germany’s parliament.
There are also guided tours of the Reichstag and surrounding government district that you can attend. Again, book your tickets in advance!
Claire’s Tip: Most people try to visit the Reichstag during the day, but I’ve also visited just before closing. Since it was dark outside I didn’t get a good view of the city, but I loved seeing the dome lit up at night from above!
Gendarmenmarkt
Note: Gendarmenmarkt is currently undergoing construction work until the end of 2024.
Gendarmenmarkt is one of Berlin’s best known — and prettiest! — squares. It’s famous for the three buildings on site: the German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom), the French Cathedral (Französischer Dom), and the Concert Hall built by Carl Friedrich Schinkel.
The square dates back to 1700 and it was once a site of refuge for the French Protestants that fled to the Prussian capital. Today, the German Cathedral houses a free exhibit on the history of the German parliament.
The stunning architecture and unique history of Gendarmenmarkt makes it one of Berlin’s top 10 attractions and somewhere I happily take any friend or family member who visits me!
Claire’s Tip: There are lots more free museums in Berlin besides the German Cathedral. Check out the guide I linked if you’re traveling to Berlin on a budget!
Checkpoint Charlie
One of the most famous attractions in all of Berlin is Checkpoint Charlie. It served as an entry point to East Germany and was heavily guarded during the Cold War.
In October 1961, a tank standoff between American and Soviet forces took place at this checkpoint. Neither side wanted to back down, and there was a legitimate fear that the standoff would spark World War III.
When visiting Checkpoint Charlie, you can take photos in front of a reconstruction of the checkpoint and visit the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (formally called the “Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie House”). The museum isn’t a must-see attraction for me, but the checkpoint itself is historically significant and is absolutely worth visiting.
Across the street from Checkpoint Charlie is Die Mauer Panorama (“The Wall Panorara”) by German artist Yadegar Asisi.
The multi-story panorama utilizes light and sound to transport you to West Berlin in the 1980s. It feels as though you’re looking over the Wall into the Death Strip, and beyond that into East Germany.
Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Straße
Located near popular Mauerpark (“Wall Park”), The Berlin Wall Memorial is an open-air exhibition that explains the history of the Wall and its impact on the former residents of Bernauer Straße.
In addition to the East Side Gallery (also mentioned in this guide), this is one of the best places to see an unbroken section of the Berlin Wall. The portion of the Wall at this memorial stretches 1.4 kilometers.
After making your way through the outdoor exhibit at street level, head into the Nordbahnhof U-Bahn station. Inside the station, you’ll find a free exhibit titled “Border Stations and Ghost Stations in Divided Berlin.”
This particular U-Bahn station was a popular escape point for East Berliners fleeing to the West — many of whom didn’t make the crossing successfully. The exhibit details the many escape attempts that took place at this station and sheds light on the desperation felt by many East Berliners living under the oppressive GDR regime.
East Side Gallery
What was once a stretch of the infamous Berlin Wall is now the longest open-air gallery in the world, making it one of the top 10 places to visit in Berlin. After the Wall fell, 118 artists from around the world came together to transform this 1.3-kilometer section into colorful works of art.
The park that lies between the East Side Gallery and the Spree River (helpfully called “Park an der Spree”) is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Berlin come April. The cherry blossom trees were planted after the fall of the Wall to symbolize peace in a reunited Germany.
Be sure to head into the park to get a glimpse of the two-level, red brick Warschauer Brücke further down the river. This bridge marks the divide between the Former East and West, and was yet another heavily guarded crossing point keeping East Berliners in and West Berliners out.
Claire’s Tip: To fully appreciate the East Side Gallery, I highly recommend booking a walking tour that will give you more details about the wall and what the Gallery represents.
Kurfürstendamm
Called the Ku’damm by locals, the Kurfürstendamm is Berlin’s second most popular boulevard and is one of the must-visit attractions in the city.
The Ku’damm gives visitors an idea of pre-war Berlin’s glitz and glamor. The far end of the shopping boulevard boasts luxury stores like Louis Vuitton and Hermés. As you walk towards Wittenbergplatz, the stores become more affordable chains like Zara and Uniqlo.
Be sure to pop into Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), if nowhere else. Founded in 1907, it’s the second-largest department store in the world!
Another popular site along the Ku’damm is the bombed-out remains of the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church. The damaged church is now a memorial against war, and during Advent one of the city’s best Christmas markets takes place on the square near the church.
Charlottenburg Palace
Completed in 1699, Charlottenburg Palace was originally the summer palace of Queen Sophie Charlotte. There are many refurbished royal rooms on display to visitors, as well as the Silver Vault and the Porcelain Cabinet.
When visiting Charlottenburg Palace, give yourself plenty of time to stroll around the grounds, which I think are just as beautiful as the inside of the palace. There’s a small formal garden area with perfectly manicured trees and flowers, and beyond that is open parkland that has plenty of walking paths winding through it.
In the summer, there are sheep grazing on the grounds; in the winter, the front entrance of the castle is home to one of Berlin’s finest Christmas markets. Charlottenburg Palace is one of the 10 best things to do in Berlin no matter the season! (Book your tickets here.)
Need Help Planning Your Trip to Berlin? Use These Free Itineraries!
If you just read through this list of Berlin’s most iconic places and immediately felt overwhelmed at the thought of stringing them all together into a single itinerary, don’t panic — I’ve got you covered!
I have a super detailed 3-Day Berlin Itinerary, as well as a 1-Day Berlin Itinerary that includes THREE separate routes. So even if you’ve been to Berlin before or simply want to go a little off the beaten path, you have the option to do so.
And if following an itinerary that involves a lot of walking isn’t an option for you, I can highly recommend taking a Spree boat tour to learn about the city while cruising along the river.
Alternatively, you can book tickets for a Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tour. It’s not my preferred way to see Berlin but it’s a great option if you have mobility restrictions, kids to wrangle, or simply don’t want to mess with using Berlin’s public transportation. I’m not the travel police, do whatever you’ll enjoy most!
Excited to Visit Berlin?
Obviously, there are so many more things to do in Berlin, but these are the top 10 activities.
If you have any questions about visiting Berlin for the first time or about the attractions mentioned in this post, leave me a comment below!
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to keep up with my daily adventures in Berlin and beyond!
Comments & Reviews
My first international solo trip was to Germany and I fell in LOVE with Berlin. I agree, it doesn’t get enough attention online.
So glad you loved Berlin, and so happy to hear you’ve traveled solo before! It’s probably my favorite way to travel, although I’ve enjoyed traveling with friends more lately 🙂
I totally agree that Berlin is a fantastic destination that doesn’t get enough attention online. It’s been a while since I’ve been there and thanks to your post, it’s definitely on my list of “places to revisit soon”. Thanks for sharing!
Goya from goyagaleotta.com
That makes me so happy to hear! Yes, a re-visit is in order!
I worked all over Berlin just after the wall came down, I stayed for 5 yrs , I go back at least once a yr, what a wonderful place to be, summer or winter , my personal opinion is, this is a fantastic City , something for everyone.