Berlin is one of my favourite European cities. It’s somewhere that I think I could visit again and again and never get bored. When I visited for the second time back in January 2019, I had the biggest list of things I wanted to do. We got a lot done, but this is what I believe to be the top 5 things to do in Berlin. We spent the whole weekend exploring and managed to cram in so much thanks to the Welcome Berlin card that I was gifted. This card allowed me to travel on the S-Bahn and U-Bahn and also gave me free entry into some attractions.
The top 5 things to do in Berlin
Walk along the East Side Gallery
Even if history is not your thing (although it’s important you know the history of Berlin if you’re visiting), the East Side Gallery is a must visit. After the wall came down in 1989, parts of it were salvaged and turned into a 1.3km art gallery. Featuring murals by many different artists, there’s something for everyone. We loved wandering along the wall and seeing the different styles and learning the different meanings behind each piece. We took the S-Bahn to Warschauer Straße and I used my Welcome Berlin Card to travel.
Go up the TV Tower
Berlin’s TV Tower is the city’s tallest building standing at 368m tall. Going up the tower was something that I really wanted to do, however I didn’t know whether to go up during the day or at night. In the end, we decided to go up on the Sunday night which was a good choice. When we arrived, there was no queue and we managed to go straight up. The views over the city are amazing and I would like to see it in the daylight as well one day. Standard tickets are 16.50€ per adult. I got discounted entry with my Welcome Berlin card.
See the pandas at Berlin Zoo
Berlin Zoo was right at the top of my Berlin bucket list. Mainly because they have pandas – an animal I have never had chance to see in the flesh before. Berlin Zoo is the most species rich zoo in the world! We visited in the afternoon of our first day and had a couple of hours wandering around before the zoo shut. I got to see pandas and a polar bear for the first time as well as so many more animals. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and we could have spent a lot longer there if we’d had the time. I’ll definitely be visiting next time I’m in Berlin.
Visit a museum or two
One thing I absolutely love doing, is visiting museums. With two archaeology based degrees, it’s no surprise that I’m a bit of a history nerd. I wanted to visit the Neues Museum because they have something that I have always wanted to see – Nefertiti’s bust. Ever since we studied Ancient Egypt at school when I was 7, I have been fascinated with the era. Seeing Nefertiti’s bust in real life was a dream come true and one of the highlights of my trip. Entry to the Neues Museum was free with my Welcome Berlin card. The price of an adult ticket is 12€ for just Neues Museum or 18€ for all museums on Museum Island.
Reichstag Dome
The Reichstag Building is one of Berlin’s most famous landmarks and is also one of my top 5 things to do in Berlin. It is the place where the Bundestag (Federal Assembly) meet. The current building was finished in 1894, however unfortunately a fire destroyed most of the building in 1933. It was also heavily damaged by bombs during the Second World War. Between 1961 and 1964, the building was rebuilt. The dome however was not added until 1999; this was designed by Norman Foster, the same man behind London’s famous Gherkin building.
Today, you can enter the Reichstag building to learn more about German politics. Bookings need to be made in advance on the Bundestag website. You’ll need to give your full name and date of birth. Upon entering the Reichstag, you have to show ID and go through a scanner like you do at an airport. It is completely free and there’s a lot to learn once you’re there. I’d definitely recommend you visit if you want to learn more about German politics and history. You’ll need to put aside a couple of hours, however you can walk around the dome at your own pace.
