Right in the heart of the Spree metropolis, history, art, and culture await you at every turn. Berlin is a place where breathtaking experiences are in store. Much of it can be wonderfully explored on foot, and while venturing to the manifold attractions of Berlin, gastronomic discoveries of every kind and for every taste lie almost by the wayside. We take you on a tour of seven Berlin experiences, starting right in the center of the capital with a literal highlight that grants a grandiose panoramic view.
1. Sky’s the Limit: Berlin TV Tower
It’s not only the distinctive “dot on the i” of the Berlin skyline, but also the tallest structure in Germany. In the rather flat city area, it provides a grandiose panoramic view over the city in a maximally comfortable manner. An elevator takes you to the observation deck at the lofty height of 203 meters in a super-fast 40 seconds. Up to 80 kilometers of visibility is possible on a clear day. Here, you experience the thrill of Berlin’s attractions from lofty heights. Not only do info panels explain on site what you see in the unparalleled 360-degree view, a free app takes you on a time journey. Exciting videos show you the divided city and the fall of the Wall, whisking you off to the Berlin of the 1920s.
Fancy a bit more? Then head up one more floor to the “Sphere” restaurant. Our tip: Reserve a window seat. The restaurant revolves around twice every hour, allowing you to relax and enjoy the breathtaking panorama of Berlin from all sides, and to set off well-fortified for further sightseeing. Among the Berlin sights for children, the Berlin TV Tower with its family breakfasts is also a thoroughly successful start in this respect.
By the way, the capital’s residents from both East and West are known for giving clever nicknames to their attractions and experiences in Berlin. The title “Tele-Asparagus” did not come from the Berlin dialect, but was the desired name of the GDR officials who originally wanted to build it as a high-performance transmission mast in the Müggelberge. Good thing an airport was too dangerously close for that. Built in a more central location instead, the Berlin TV Tower is now the internationally known landmark for the entire city, visible from almost everywhere.
2. Walk Through History: Berlin Wall Memorial
Berlin’s history as a divided city is unique. On Bernauer Straße, you can experience it up close with a large open-air exhibition. This memorial is one of the historically significant attractions in Berlin that should be experienced. From here, the famous photo of the border soldier escaping at the last minute went around the world, when the construction of the Wall in August 1961 decided overnight whether people were to live in East or West Berlin. In 1989, the famous “Wallpeckers” took up hand and tool on the night of November 10 to 11, 1989 to “tap off” the wall. Today, the Berlin Wall Memorial is the central place representing the time between 1961 and 1989 impressively and informatively. Here you can see what the German-German border looked like at the end of the 80s. Historical audio and visual material takes you through this moving time in four themed stations.
In short: The grounds of the former border strip are among the experiences that you can only find in Berlin. With a lot of commitment and foresight, a 70-meter-long section of the Wall and numerous remains of the border facilities have been preserved. Areas destroyed by the Wall and border were uncovered again and escape tunnels retraced. Event markers show you where decisive things happened and the “Window of Remembrance” reminds in a very special way of the 130 people who died at the Berlin Wall. Those who want to commemorate them can visit the “Chapel of Reconciliation”, which now stands where the Reconciliation Church, blown up in 1985, once stood. You can delve even deeper into German post-war history from the construction of the Wall to reunification at the Documentation Center on the opposite side of Bernauer Straße. From there, you can also overlook the entire area from a five-story observation tower.
3. Icon of Unity and Absolute Berlin Attraction: The Brandenburg Gate
There’s no way around it. Among the attractions in Berlin, this landmark of the metropolis probably counts the most visitors. Even for famous personalities, a walk through the Brandenburg Gate is a fixed part of their Berlin visits. And not without reason: Since its construction, the edifice with its six columns has provided an impressive backdrop for special events that were significant far beyond Berlin. Near the Wall, US President Reagan spoke his famous sentences in 1985: “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Just a few years later, the former city gate from the 18th century was celebrated as a symbol for the united city. During the times of division, the Brandenburg Gate stood on East German soil and was part of the restricted area in the border strip, inaccessible. Today, the Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous Berlin attractions and a place where history and present meet, and it’s wonderful to stroll under the monumental structure, whether from East or West.
The quadriga of the Brandenburg Gate has its own, highly moving history: The chariot sculpture was not only recast after World War II, but also put back into a state worthy of restoration on New Year’s Eve 1989/1990 during the extensive celebration of reunification. After French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte once abducted it to Paris following his victory over the Prussians, the Quadriga returned to Berlin in a triumphal procession in 1814 after the Liberation Wars. The Brandenburg Gate thus already managed to set signs in German history back then.
The Victory Goddess of the Quadriga has always looked eastward. Those who set their steps in this direction not only have a view of the Berlin TV Tower already. You reach Pariser Platz, one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin. In addition to the American and French embassies, among others, the Academy of Arts and Haus Liebermann frame the square, forming a charming urban ensemble. A stone’s throw away, “Unter den Linden” awaits with the famous luxury hotel Adlon for awe and admiration. Those who head west from the Brandenburg Gate quickly reach the Reichstag building and the Berlin Tiergarten.
4. Journey Through Time: The World Heritage Site Museum Island
Fancy millennia-old history, art, and culture? Then embark on an expedition across Berlin’s Museum Island with its antique-looking five museum buildings in the middle of the Spree. Here, not far from the Berlin TV Tower, historical and cultural treasures from almost all of Europe and the regions around the Mediterranean are waiting to be discovered. Since 2018, the newly built James Simon Gallery has added another highlight to the museum architecture that should not be missed. Not least because it leads directly to the world-famous Nefertiti. An experience in Berlin that should not be missed.
Already while walking across the Museum Island with its temple-like buildings and colonnades, you get the feeling of taking a leap into past times, away from the bustling city life. Even if the Old and New Museum, the Old National Gallery, Bode Museum, and Pergamon Museum were already created in the 19th century and count as a unique ensemble to UNESCO World Heritage: Today these houses are modern museums for young and old, presenting their sights in a particularly contemporary way for children. On rather cloudy and cool days, they score with exciting attractions and instructive experiences in Berlin.
If you haven’t had enough and want to embark on an expedition to even more distant cultures, you can stroll past the Berlin Cathedral to the Humboldt Forum opposite. A hot tip: The Berlin Museum Sunday on the first Sunday of each month. Then it’s “free admission” for everyone in all Berlin museums.
5. Immersive Adventure: Berlin’s Odyssey
Virtual Reality makes it possible: In the Berlin TV Tower you can experience nine centuries of Berlin city history in a breathtaking time journey as if on the fly. From the Middle Ages, through the Empire to the recent past as a divided and reunified metropolis, it goes through the epochs in hyper-realistic animations. In the second VR film, the Berliner Fernsehturm Discovery, you dive into the history of the tower construction up close. In front of your eyes, previously inaccessible places of the TV tower are revealed in 3D animations and 360-degree real video recordings. With these virtual journeys, you see the attractions in Berlin in previously unseen details and completely new perspectives.
6. Culinary Delight: Experience Berlin’s Food Scene
There’s something for everyone here: Not only hearty street food classics à la Döner and Currywurst and Berlin specialties such as liver Berlin style or Strammer Max fill you up in the capital. As an international metropolis, Berlin also serves up the latest trends of the food scene from all over the world. From vegan to kosher to star-awarded top gastronomy, Berlin lives up to its reputation as an open city that invites you to try new things, even when it comes to culinary delights. With street food markets, numerous neighborhoods invite you on a delicious and affordable culinary journey around the world. Often you can watch the delicacies being created. In terms of food, the old market halls also count among the Berlin attractions that should be on your gastronomic sightseeing list. If you want it retro: In the east of the city, dishes like Soljanka, spiced meat, broiler & Co. are cooked as in the 70s and 80s of the GDR and served in a style-appropriate ambience. And Berlin is still famous for this: Night owls and late risers can have an extensive breakfast around the clock at almost every corner and awaken their spirits with excellent coffee specialties.
7. An Unforgettable Evening Experience: The Berlin Philharmonic
Musical world class up close and in legendary acoustics: The Berlin Philharmonic and their “home games” in the Philharmonie are a must among the cultural experiences that Berlin has to offer its guests. Hesitations about “high culture” and spontaneous concert visits are completely inappropriate here. Because there is no dress code in the still spectacular, yellow concert building. Even in the evening, guests in jeans and T-shirt are as welcome as all those who dress up for a special cultural treat. This is how the famous “Berlin mixture” works, where students, local culture lovers, and Berlin tourists meet. The event actually starts three quarters of an hour before each concert. Then the presenters of the Philharmonie welcome their guests in the foyer and give knowledgeable and entertaining introductions to the upcoming concert program.
Not only with their music did and do the Berlin Philharmonic set standards. It’s unique to sit in the big concert hall. Because no seat is further than 30 meters from the centrally located stage. The tent-like house completed in 1963 by Hans Scharoun became world-famous with this revolutionary concept in which the audience also sits behind the orchestra, which was a revolutionary new concert hall concept at the time and has been copied several times since. It’s one of the Berlin attractions in architecture that also inspired the builders of the Sydney Opera House, the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. So it’s worth taking a look at the temple of culture from the outside alone, which you can also see from the Berlin TV Tower.
A Conclusion Full of Discoveries: Berlin Attractions and Experiences
In the multifaceted metropolis of Berlin, the spirit of discovery is rarely quenched. With a palette of attractions in Berlin ranging from historical monuments to modern experiences, the city remains an inexhaustible source of discoveries. A walk through the Brandenburg Gate, a visit to the Berlin TV Tower, or an immersive adventure in the virtual world (VR), the attractions in Berlin offer a diverse spectrum of experiences. The Berlin experiences are not only visually and culturally stimulating, but also gastronomically convincing. A culinary journey through the Berlin attractions leads through the flavors of the world and is mixed with the experience of traditional Berlin cuisine. Thus, Berlin offers a rich mix of past and present, unique in its ability to convey a sense of history and contemporary life. This makes the German capital an unforgettable place for visitors and locals alike.
