Germany’s capital has spent the last three decades rebuilding itself into one of Europe’s most dynamic cities, layering world-class museums and a famous nightlife scene over the physical scars of a divided 20th century.
Why visit Berlin
The Brandenburg Gate, once stranded in the no-man’s-land beside the Berlin Wall, is now the symbolic centre of a reunified city. Remnants of the Wall survive at the East Side Gallery, a 1.3km open-air gallery of murals painted directly onto the concrete. Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the Spree river, holds five major museums including the Pergamon, while the wider city is packed with green space, from the Tiergarten park to the lakes on its outskirts.
Getting to Berlin by train
Berlin Hauptbahnhof is one of the largest and most modern rail hubs in Europe, with direct high-speed connections to Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Prague, and international services reaching across Central Europe.
Top things to do in Berlin
- See the Brandenburg Gate and walk along the East Side Gallery
- Explore Museum Island’s five museums, including the Pergamon
- Visit the Reichstag building and its glass dome, with views over the city
- Walk through the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
- Browse the boutiques and markets of Prenzlauer Berg or Kreuzberg
- Take in the view from the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) at Alexanderplatz