Capital of the Germany since 1999, Berlin it is a phoenix risen from the ashes of World War II. Today the city has regained a position that attracts architects, designers and restorers from all over the world, as well as artists, musicians and intellectuals. A trip to Berlin is a journey into reconstruction understood as a global condition that embraces both the architecture of the city and the collective feelings that, probably, have made the strength of Berlin, rediscovered and much loved by the world especially since the 90s, in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall. To visit Berlin on a budget, we recommend the Berlin Welcome Card which entitles you to many benefits.
See also: 3 day itinerary in Berlin
What to see in Berlin
1 Berlin places of interest: Brandenburg Gate
The most recognizable symbol of Berlin is certainly the Brandenburg Gate, a majestic monument located between the neighborhoods of Mitte e Zoo. Built in 1791, it witnessed key events in German history. Berlin Brandenburg Gate. East of the door is located Parisian Square, which for some years has regained its pre-war splendor and the status of one of the most prestigious areas in the city. On the north side the historic one has been rebuilt French embassy, while on the opposite side theArt Academy.
Berlin places of interest
2 Berlin: Holocaust Memorial
South of Pariser Platz, 150 m from the Brandenburg Gate, stands the Memorial to the Jewish victims, which tells the historical and social events of the city very well and deserves time to dedicate to its vision and discovery. This monument, also known as Shoah Memorial (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas), was completed in 2005 by the architect Peter Eisenman, initially caused quite a bit of controversy due to its bare design and the exclusion of non-Jewish victims, but today it enjoys the favor of the city's public opinion. The attraction can be visited for free from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 20.00.
Berlin what to see
3 Berlin what to see: Reichstag
This imposing late nineteenth-century building has recently returned to being the heart of German political life. Its gorgeous glass domeDesigned by N, is undoubtedly the symbol of the current history of the city. To admire the magnificent panorama from the top of the building, endless queues form, it is in fact advisable to arrive early or in the evening. The complex can be visited for free every day from 8.00 to 24.00.
What to visit in Berlin
4 Potsdamer Platz and Charlottenburg
Once squalid due to its proximity to the Wall, today Potsdamer Platz it is a city within the city, full of skyscrapers, cinemas, embassies and interesting museums (also greedy museums). In this area you can breathe the wind of contemporaneity, however the charm of the times remains unchanged Berlin castles, first of all the Charlottenburg Castle, with adjoining park. Built as a summer residence for the queen Charlotte from her husband Frederick I, was subsequently enlarged with baroque and rococo additions in 1701.
5 Berlin Wall
There are many visitors to Berlin who look for the historian's traces Wall which from 1961 to 1989 divided the city in two. Although only a few pieces remain, it is not difficult to get an idea of the concrete snake that separated it West Berlin from the surrounding GDR. The route of the Wall, which can be traveled on foot or by bicycle, is 160 km long and completes the complete circumnavigation of the entire East Berlin, which was the capital of socialist Germany. Along the well-signposted route, you will find maps and information tables in multiple languages to help you orient yourself. There Street of the Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauerweg), actually a pedestrian and cycle path, is divided into 14 stages, each easily reachable by subway and urban and suburban railway.
Things to see in Berlin
6 Museums Berlin
In Berlin, cultural spaces are concentrated above all on Museum Island (Meseumsinsel), which offers an exceptional concentration of first-class art galleries. The complex was entered byUNESCO among the World Heritage sites.
- Il Pergamum (Pergamon Museum) is a unique museum of its kind: here, in fact, the original size of the monuments found by German archaeologists dating back toancient Greece andancient Persian empire. In the museum you will find the famous Pergamon Altar, which gives its name to the museum, the Ishtar Gate, Also called Gate of Babylon and many other historic monuments.
- THEOld museum, built in 1830 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, is the oldest on the island, and houses collections of ancient art. The main attraction of the museum is the Greek statue Betende Knabe, carved in Rhodes and depicting a boy with raised arms.
- Il Bode Museum known for the art collection it houses, dedicated to sculpture, applied arts and numismatics, it is also located on Berlin's Museum Island.
Other noteworthy museums include the Neus Museum,Altes Nationalgalerie, GDR Museum and the Jewish Museum.
Berlin: see also
Berlin to see
7 Berlin what to see: Alexanderplatz
Located east of the museums, Berlin's famous square, affectionately referred to as "Alex“, is a kind of architectural legacy of the old East Berlin. The name was given to it in honor of a visit by the Russian Tsar Alexander I in Berlin on 25 October 1805. Alexanderplatz it is surrounded by several famous buildings, including the Fernsehturm, the TV Tower, the second tallest structure in Europe, the Park Inn Hotel, the tallest habitable structure in the city, and theWorld Time Clock.
Berlin things to see
8 Berlin Zoo and other points of interest
The symbolic animal of the city is thebear which in fact stands out on the flag and coat of arms of Berlin; for this reason you cannot miss a visit to Zoological Garden, the Berlin Zoo. Although the city is huge, sprawling and very lively, you can find a corner to relax in the large green space of Zoo, the park in the center which, especially in summer, welcomes families for picnics and outdoor games.
The churches are also beautiful and worth admiring, among which the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral), Protestant cathedral located on Castle Square. Guide to Berlin. The risk of getting lost or missing some important place is averted thanks to the help of technology: to be able to visit Berlin in complete tranquility it is possible to use audio guides which, thanks to comprehensive explanations, allow you to wander around without ever losing your way and yet in absolute freedom .
A trip to Berlin cannot ignore a visit to Checkpoint Charlie, a clear symbol of the past division of the city and today a tourist attraction.
What to see Berlin
9 What to do in Berlin: the neighborhoods
Berlin is a city to be experienced intensely at all hours of the day and night: life in the clubs, discos and streets of the city is also lively and lively, a container of fashions, trends, arts and open-air entertainment. Berlin nightlife.
A Friedrichshain you can breathe the alternative nightlife, a Charlottenburg the refined and elegant evenings, while Prenzlauer Berg it is the trendiest neighborhood today. However, Mitte it remains the center in every sense, not only of the city as an administration but also for what concerns entertainment or a regenerating break during the afternoons around Berlin. Due to its wealth of beauty and attractions, Berlin is a city that can be visited at any time of the year, although the harsh winter temperatures must be kept in mind which could discourage those who are sensitive to the cold. THE Berlin Christmas markets they become a real attraction during the advent period preceding Christmas and New Year. Not to be missed.
Berlin airport
10 How to get around Berlin
Berlin had two main airports - the international Tegel Airport (permanently closed in November 2020), located 8 km northwest of the center, and the Schonefeld, which is 20 km from the center. The airport Schonefeldand is well connected to the city by a wide bus, train and taxi service, also thanks to the up-to-date mode of exchange between national and international connections called Berlin Hauptbahnhof, inaugurated for the 2006 World Cup. Berlin's main station is Central Station, but there are also three other stations for long-distance trains and others for regional traffic. The extensive urban network is made up of the metro U-Bahn and from the surface line S-Bahn, both active 24 hours a day, however there are also trams and buses on the line MetroNetz. The city is divided into 3 zones: A, B and C.
11 Where to eat in Berlin
In no other German city does one eat as well and as "internationally" as in Berlin. The culinary choice is very wide and varies from places that offer cuisine from all over the world to others that offer traditional recipes with decidedly generous portions. The quality/price ratio is generally correct. For breakfast we recommend theAnna Blume, a very fragrant restaurant-café-florist. If for lunch you want to taste some German specialties such as pork knuckle or tail stew, we recommend the Restoration 1900, a classic hangout for Berliners and tourists. To end the day in the best way, the ideal is certainly a dinner at black raven, a former trattoria restaurant-bar that offers excellent Italian orZur Alten Laterne” (Old Lantern). Do not miss the gourmet museums including the Zucker Museum.
12 Berlin where to sleep
Berlin offers a wide choice of hotels. Berlin hotel. Most of the high category ones are made up of large modern hotels, the top of contemporary design, but there are also more classic and economical accommodations, especially in the areas of Kurfürstendamm, the Tiergaten need Charlottenburg. Mitte e Prenzlauer Berg they host some of the most prestigious hotels in the city.
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