How many days do you need in Berlin?

The top 8 places in the centre take about 2 days at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 4 days for the top 20 places within walking distance.

What are the top things to do in Berlin?

Highlights: Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Pergamon Museum, Fernsehturm Berlin and Berlin Zoological Garden. The map has 31 things to do in total.

How do you get from the airport to Berlin city centre?

Berlin Brandenburg (BER): FEX airport express ≈ 30 min

Which MICHELIN-starred restaurants are in Berlin?

According to the last known data there are 7 starred restaurants: Rutz (3 stars), Tim Raue (2 stars), Facil (2 stars), Horváth (2 stars), Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer (2 stars) and 2 more. Check the MICHELIN Guide before you go.

Do you tip in Berlin?

Tip 5–10%; tell the server the total when paying rather than leaving it on the table.

Things to Do in Berlin (2026): Walking Itinerary & Map

Berlin travel guide

31 things to do in Berlin, where to stay, airport transfers, 7 MICHELIN-starred restaurants. Pick places on the map and get a day-by-day walking route from your hotel with steps, kilometres and minutes.

Top things to do in Berlin

Berlin Wall — barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic, enclosing West Berlin (1961–1989) (visit ≈ 60 min)
Brandenburg Gate — triumphal arch in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 60 min)
Pergamon Museum — museum building in Berlin, part of the Museumsinsel, presents the Vorderasiatisches Museum, the Museum für Islamische Kunst and parts of the Antikensammlung (visit ≈ 120 min)
Fernsehturm Berlin — television tower in Berlin (visit ≈ 40 min)
Berlin Zoological Garden — zoo in Germany (visit ≈ 150 min)
Berlin Cathedral — main lutheran church in Berlin (visit ≈ 35 min)
Potsdamer Platz — square in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 15 min)
Reichstag Dome — Glass dome of the parliament building: walk the spiral ramp for views over Tiergarten; free advance registration. (visit ≈ 60 min)
Führerbunker — subterranean bunker complex used by Adolf Hitler in 1945 (visit ≈ 60 min)
Charlottenburg Palace — Baroque palace in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
Alexanderplatz — square in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 15 min)
Neues Museum — Name of one of the museum buildings on the Museum Island in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
Berlin Palace — former residence of the Prussian kings, seat of the Humboldt Forum (visit ≈ 90 min)
Siegessäule — classical triumphal column in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 15 min)
Altes Museum — antiquities museum in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
Bode Museum — art museum in Berlin (visit ≈ 120 min)
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche — church in Berlin (visit ≈ 30 min)
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe — Memorial in Berlin for the Jews murdered under the National Socialist regime (visit ≈ 15 min)
Gemäldegalerie Berlin — art museum in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
Alte Nationalgalerie — art museum in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
Berlin State Opera — German opera house in Berlin (visit ≈ 20 min)
Bellevue Palace — official residence in Berlin for the President of the Federal Republic of Germany (visit ≈ 90 min)
Großer Tiergarten — park in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 45 min)
St. Hedwig's Cathedral — Roman Catholic cathedral in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 35 min)
Pariser Platz — town square in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 15 min)
Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science — natural history museum in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)
New Synagogue Berlin — synagoge in Berlin (visit ≈ 30 min)
Gendarmenmarkt — square in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 15 min)
Marienkirche (Berlin-Mitte) — church in Berlin (visit ≈ 30 min)
Deutsches Historisches Museum — museum of German history in Berlin (visit ≈ 120 min)
German Museum of Technology — museum in Berlin, Germany (visit ≈ 120 min)

2-day Berlin walking itinerary

Starting point: Mitte. The top 8 places at a normal pace (up to ~10 km of walking a day), in this order. Change places or your hotel on the map and the route is recalculated; distances are estimates with a street allowance.

Day 1 (≈ 7.0 km · 9,410 steps · 1 h 34 min on the way): Pergamon Museum → Reichstag Dome → Brandenburg Gate → Führerbunker → Potsdamer Platz
Day 2 (≈ 9.4 km · 12,710 steps · 2 h 5 min on the way): Berlin Wall → Fernsehturm Berlin → Berlin Cathedral

Hidden gems and overlooked spots in Berlin

East Side Gallery — The longest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall along the Spree, covered in world-famous murals. (visit ≈ 45 min)
Mauerpark — Park on the former wall strip that comes alive on Sundays with a flea market and open-air karaoke. (visit ≈ 90 min)
Markthalle Neun — Historic Kreuzberg market hall with local producers and a street-food night on Thursdays. (visit ≈ 45 min)
Berlin Underworlds — Wartime bunkers and underground tunnels explored on guided tours. (visit ≈ 90 min)
Hackesche Höfe — Historic complex of eight interlinked Art Nouveau courtyards with shops and a cinema. (visit ≈ 30 min)
RAW-Gelände — Former railway repair yard in Friedrichshain with graffiti-covered sheds, a climbing wall and weekend market. (visit ≈ 60 min)
Schlachtensee — Clear, swimmable lake in the Grunewald forest with a lakeside path of about 5 km. (visit ≈ 120 min)
Berlinische Galerie — Kreuzberg museum of modern art, photography and architecture made in Berlin. (visit ≈ 75 min)
Tempelhofer Feld — The runways of a closed airport turned into a vast open space for cycling, kites and picnics. (visit ≈ 90 min)
Nikolaiviertel — The city's oldest core on the Spree: narrow rebuilt lanes around the Nikolaikirche. (visit ≈ 45 min)
Berlin Botanical Garden — One of Europe's largest botanical gardens, in Dahlem, with a huge tropical glasshouse. (visit ≈ 120 min)
Neue Nationalgalerie — 20th-century art in Mies van der Rohe's glass-and-steel masterpiece, reopened after renovation. (visit ≈ 75 min)
Urban Nation Museum — Free museum of street art in Schöneberg; nearby façades are covered in huge murals too. (visit ≈ 45 min)
Boxhagener Platz — Friedrichshain's leafy square, with a Saturday market and a Sunday flea market, ringed by cafés. (visit ≈ 45 min)
Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum — Humboldt University library whose terraced reading hall is a photographers' favourite; look in quietly. (visit ≈ 20 min)

Where to stay in Berlin

Mitte: Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate and galleries; the most central area.
Alexanderplatz: Major transit hub; many hotels and airport trains.
Prenzlauer Berg: Quiet, leafy and family-friendly with lots of cafés.
Kreuzberg: Multicultural; street food, bars and canal-side life.
Friedrichshain: Clubs and the East Side Gallery; budget-friendly.
Charlottenburg: West Berlin’s elegant area; shopping on the Kurfürstendamm.

Getting from the airport to Berlin

Berlin Brandenburg (BER): FEX airport express ≈ 30 min

Getting around

U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses share tickets; most trips stay in zone AB. Validate your ticket before the first ride.

Classic places to eat

Curry 36: Famous currywurst stand in Kreuzberg.
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap: Chicken döner with grilled vegetables; the queue can be long.
Konnopke's Imbiss: Currywurst under the U-Bahn tracks since 1930.
Zur letzten Instanz: Oldest restaurant, dating to 1621; known for Eisbein.
Lutter & Wegner: Wiener Schnitzel and German wine on Gendarmenmarkt.
Prater Garten: Berlin’s oldest beer garden, open since 1837.
Clärchens Ballhaus: Dance hall since 1913; pizza and beer in the garden.

MICHELIN-starred restaurants

Last known stars; check the MICHELIN Guide before you go.

Rutz — 3 MICHELIN stars, Creative
Tim Raue — 2 MICHELIN stars, Asian-inspired
Facil — 2 MICHELIN stars, Modern
Horváth — 2 MICHELIN stars, Austrian-inspired
Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer — 2 MICHELIN stars, Classic French
Coda — 2 MICHELIN stars, Dessert-led
Nobelhart & Schmutzig — 1 MICHELIN star, Local

Romantic views

Oberbaum Bridge (Sunset): A lit red-brick bridge with towers over the Spree.
Admiral Bridge (Evening): A small canal bridge where people sit and chat in the evening.
Tiergarten (Afternoon): A large park with lakes and tree-lined paths in the city centre.
Monbijou Park (Evening): A park on the Spree facing Museum Island.
Viktoriapark (Sunset): Rooftops of the city from the top of the waterfall.

Football stadiums in Berlin

Berlin Olympic Stadium: Home of Hertha BSC, SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin
Stadion An der Alten Försterei: Home of 1. FC Union Berlin
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark: Home of BFC Dynamo
Sportforum Hohenschönhausen: Home of BFC Dynamo

Good to know before visiting Berlin

Fine: Nazi symbols, salutes and propaganda are illegal, even as a joke.
Fine: Riding without a valid ticket is fined; in some cities paper tickets must be stamped.
Fine: Crossing on a red pedestrian light can be fined and is frowned on.
Warning: Cannabis is legal in limited amounts for 18+, but banned near schools, playgrounds and in daytime pedestrian zones.
Warning: Don't walk on the red cycle lanes; cyclists ride fast.
Warning: Publishing recognisable photos of people without consent can cause legal trouble.

Emergency: 112 (police 110)
Plugs: C/F, 230V
Tap water: Tap water is safe; restaurants usually charge for water.
Tipping: Tip 5–10%; tell the server the total when paying rather than leaving it on the table.

Sources: UK FCDO — Foreign travel advice: Germany, Wikivoyage — Germany, T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı — Türk vatandaşlarının tabi olduğu vize uygulamaları · For information only; rules change, check official sources before you go. Last checked: 2026-10

Berlin travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Berlin?: The top 8 places in the centre take about 2 days at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 4 days for the top 20 places within walking distance.
What are the top things to do in Berlin?: Highlights: Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Pergamon Museum, Fernsehturm Berlin and Berlin Zoological Garden. The map has 31 things to do in total.
Where to stay in Berlin?: Mitte: Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate and galleries; the most central area. Other options: Alexanderplatz, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Charlottenburg.
How do you get from the airport to Berlin city centre?: Berlin Brandenburg (BER): FEX airport express ≈ 30 min
How do you get around Berlin?: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses share tickets; most trips stay in zone AB. Validate your ticket before the first ride.
Which MICHELIN-starred restaurants are in Berlin?: According to the last known data there are 7 starred restaurants: Rutz (3 stars), Tim Raue (2 stars), Facil (2 stars), Horváth (2 stars), Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer (2 stars) and 2 more. Check the MICHELIN Guide before you go.
What is the emergency number in Berlin?: Emergency: 112 (police 110).
Do you tip in Berlin?: Tip 5–10%; tell the server the total when paying rather than leaving it on the table.

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