Berlin travel guide: neighbourhoods, the Wall and three good days
A city that still carries the scar of the Wall and has built cafés, clubs and parks around it. Berlin is big, flat and easy to fall for in a long weekend.
This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.
Berlin
Photo: Jonas Tebbe / Unsplash
Berlin, the unfinished capital
Sunday morning in Mauerpark. Stalls sell old enamel signs and vinyl, and a crowd sings karaoke in a stone amphitheatre. The strip where the Wall ran until 1989 is now a lawn covered in picnic blankets. That is Berlin in one scene: history everywhere, lived in rather than preserved.
Germany's capital is home to around 3.8 million people. It is flat, green and more spread out than most European cities, so plan one or two neighbourhoods a day rather than trying to cross town for every sight. For the bigger picture, see our Germany travel guide.
Neighbourhoods to know
Mitte
The historic centre: the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and Museum Island. Most of the postcard Berlin is here, so this is where day one begins.
Prenzlauer Berg
Restored 19th-century apartment blocks, wide pavements and a café on every corner. Calm, pretty and popular with families. The Sunday flea market in Mauerpark sits on its edge.
Kreuzberg and Neukölln
Berlin at its liveliest, with Turkish markets, the Landwehr Canal and bars that only fill up after midnight. Not the place for an early night.
Charlottenburg
West Berlin's polished side, home to the palace, the Kurfürstendamm and the KaDeWe department store. Quieter and more grown-up than the east.
Three days in Berlin
Day 1: the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Reichstag dome (book the free slot in advance). Afternoon on Museum Island.
Day 2: the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse in the morning, then the East Side Gallery along the Spree. Evening in Kreuzberg.
Day 3: Mauerpark flea market if it is Sunday, otherwise Tempelhofer Feld, the old airport turned park. Finish in Charlottenburg.
Food and drink
Berlin is not a fine-dining capital in the Parisian sense, but it is a very good city to eat in. Have currywurst once, accept that döner kebab is the real local dish, and seek out the Vietnamese and Lebanese kitchens, which are excellent. In winter the Christmas markets take over, and we have picked the best in Berlin's Christmas markets.
Hotel de Rome
Photo: Hotels.com
Where to stay
Mitte works best for a first visit, Prenzlauer Berg for quiet nights and Kreuzberg for nightlife. Our Berlin hotel guide picks the best hotels neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel de Rome
Good to know
From BER airport, regional trains and the S-Bahn reach the centre in around half an hour.
An AB ticket covers the city centre. The airport is in zone C.
Many clubs have strict door policies and a no-photos rule. It is part of the experience, not personal.
Frequently asked questions about Berlin
How many days do you need in Berlin?
Three days covers the main sights and a night out. Five lets you add more museums and a day trip to Potsdam.
How do I get from BER airport to central Berlin?
Take a regional train or the S-Bahn from the station beneath the terminal. Hauptbahnhof and Alexanderplatz are around 30 minutes away.
When is the best time to visit Berlin?
May, June and September bring mild weather and long evenings. Advent is busy because of the Christmas markets.
Which area is best to stay in Berlin?
Mitte is the most practical first time. Choose Prenzlauer Berg for calm or Kreuzberg to be close to the nightlife.