Weekend in Berlin: What to See

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When my Canadian cousins once asked what the most important city in Europe was to visit, my brother and I both said Berlin in unison. Apologies to Paris, London and EU HQ Brussels but the German capital’s influence on Europe, particularly the 20^th Century, is substantial.

A weekend in Berlin (or any other length of time) is a wonderful way to understand Europe as a continent. Here I list the top sites to see along with essential travel information. But first, to put the city in context, here’s a brief history lesson.

BERLIN HISTORY

Berlin’s history is integral to its identity. For the sake of brevity and for relevance to the sites listed below, Berlin’s history from the 18^th Century onwards will be outlined here.

Berlin was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia before Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck unified it with the remaining Germanic states in 1871. Berlin remained the capital of the new German Empire. Long before Bismarck’s rule, Berlin had been the epicentre of enlightenment thinking since Frederick II, aka Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786.

The end of World War I in 1918 saw the end of the German Empire and the beginning of a new democratic Germany with Berlin remaining as the capital. The new German constitution was formulated in the town of Weimar which is why Germany 1918 – 1933 is often called the Weimar Republic.

Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 marked the start of the Third Reich which ended in utter devastation in 1945, dividing Germany and Berlin in two. The Cold War had begun, with Berlin at its epicentre.

August 1961 saw the construction of the infamous Berlin Wall which sealed-off democratic West Berlin from the remainder of communist-controlled East Germany. Defection to the west was now virtually impossible.

Some confusion over the relaxation of border crossings in a television press conference on 9^th November 1989 effectively led to the end of the Wall. Berlin was free and on 3^rd October 1990 the city once again became the capital of a unified Germany.

BERLIN’S TOP SITES

THE WALL:

Very little of the most infamous piece of grey concrete in history is still standing but the East Side Gallery near the Ostbahnhof railway station not only shows the dimensions of the barrier but showcases clever and thought-provoking murals by artists.

BRANDENBURG GATE:

The 18^th century triumphal arch is now the iconic symbol of Berlin. It was here that US President Ronald Reagan gave his famous “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” speech in 1987.

UNTER DEN LINDEN:

Every city has their grand street and Unter den Linden is Berlin’s, having the added bonus of the Brandenburg Gate at its west end. The boulevard’s Hotel Adlon became the high society watering-hole of pre-WWII Berlin whilst its 21^st century re-build continues the tradition in fine style.

REICHSTAG:

This 19^th century construct, subject to an arson attack in 1933, is home to the German parliament, the Bundestag. It’s possible to access the building but tickets need to be booked well in advance.

GDR MUSEUM:

This interactive museum shows what life was like behind the Wall of East Berlin and the Iron Curtain of East Germany. And yes, there’s a Trabant car on display which you can sit into.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL:

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe near the Brandenburg Gate looks like a straightforward display of over two thousand concrete slabs but it is only when you walk through the display does the undulating floor create a sense of unease and claustrophobia.

TOPOGRAPHY OF TERROR:

This aptly-named exhibition is an honest display of the persecution the institutions of Nazi and Cold War Germany inflicted not only on their own people but on the continent of Europe.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE:

The most famous crossing point of the Berlin Wall connecting East Berlin with the American sector of West Berlin.

TIERGARTEN:

Continue through the Brandenburg Gate from Unter den Linden and you will arrive in Berlin’s answer to New York’s Central Park.

BEBELPLATZ EMPTY BOOKSHELVES:

Bebelplatz is a public square surrounded by stunning regal-type buildings. However, the beauty of such architecture is swiftly counteracted by the stark empty bookshelves art installation by Israeli artist Micha Ullman. It consists of a glass window set into the ground allowing a view of subterranean empty bookshelves.

The realisation that this was the site of the infamous book burning in 1933 leaves one utterly deflated. Beside the installation is a plaque with the following prophetic words from 1820 by German poet Heinrich Heine: “That was but a prelude; where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people as well.” As our dependence on the internet grows this is a reminder of the importance of books in society. Go visit it.

OTHER BERLIN RECOMMENDATIONS

Berlin’s nightlife is as legendary and as creative as its arts scene. The city’s long-time tolerant and liberal attitude has led Berlin to become one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world – Readers of my earlier work will know this from my Tolerance Tourism post on LGBT travel. 

Food-wise, a currywurst is a must. Its simplicity is its beauty – sausage with tomato ketchup and curry powder.

Berlin and I are good friends and an article I wrote some years ago on the city was published in The Irish Times. I’m always looking for an excuse to return to this utterly unique and fascinating city.

History aficionados will love Berlin. Artists and those in the creative industry will equally embrace the city. But given its significant role in European history everyone will identify with a part of Berlin. You simply cannot escape its past when walking the streets.

With historical gravitas, stunning architecture, creative vibrancy and a friendly local population, you will not regret spending a weekend in Berlin.

BERLIN TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Built on the River Spree, Berlin is located in what was East Germany and is approximately 100km from the Polish border.

ACCOMMODATION:

Berlin is technically two cities in one and therefore has a large selection of accommodation choices to suit all budgets and tastes. Booking.com is always my first port of call for accommodation.

GETTING TO BERLIN: 

You’ll hear three airports mentioned in relation to Berlin: Brandenburg, Schönefeld & Tegel. On 31st October 2020, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) opened and is now the main airport for the city.

Schönefeld will operate as Terminal 5 of Brandenburg and will use the code BER. Details on how to transfer between Brandenburg and Schönefeld can be found here. Tegel closed on 8th November 2020. The Berlin Airport website covers all Berlin airports.

The Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf / Main Railway Station) is one of Europe’s largest stations and is an excellent transit point to pretty much most of Europe. Berlin’s U-Bahn (underground rail) and S-Bahn (suburban rail) systems come recommended so for convenience try to stay near a U-Bahn or S-Bahn station if your accommodation is located outside the main city centre.

GETTING FROM BERLIN AIRPORT TO CITY CENTRE:

S-Bahn lines S9 and S45 are the best option for travelling from all three terminals to Berlin city centre. 

The Berlin Airport Express trains (FEX, RE7 & RB14) and regional trains serve Terminals 1 and 2 only. 

I highly recommend downloading this map of Berlin’s rail system.

If you are looking for further train options from Berlin Brandenburg Airport then I suggest searching on Deutsche Bahn’s website. Take note that the airport can be written as Flughafen BER on DB’s site and a Hauptbahnhof will be abbreviated to Hbf.

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM STAY IN BERLIN:

2-3 days to cover the main sites in the city centre only. Allow more days for day trips outside the city.

Take a look at my Germany Travel Tips post for further travel information and advice.

RESOURCES

DOCUMENTARY:

Journalist Matt Frei’s documentary about his home city of Berlin is the documentary to watch to get an insight into this extraordinary city and a crash-course into it’s extensive history.

FILM:

The suffocating environment of Cold War Berlin is fictionalised in the Oscar-winning film The Lives of Others. It tells the story of a Stasi agent (East Germany’s Secret Police) tasked with carrying out a surveillance operation to discredit a playwright. An astounding film, it works on every level from a technical, emotional and historical perspective.

TV:

The Deutschland series (83, 86, 89) is predominantly set in Berlin and is excellent for a little armchair travel prior to your visit. I consider it one of the best European TV shows ever made.

LITERATURE:

Such is Berlin’s depth of character as a city, it has equally inspired plenty of fiction writing. Two which stand out for me are John Le Carré’s espionage classic The Spy who came in from the cold, and Douglas Kennedy’s The Moment which uses Cold War Berlin as a backdrop to a story of self-discovery and romance.

Author’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.