4 days in Berlin

Day by day

1. Day 1: Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag and its glass dome

   Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and its glass dome and Museum Island, then Friedrichshain in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Brandenburg Gate

      Allow 30 minutes (free). Visit at night when it is floodlit and quiet, then walk two minutes to the Reichstag and the Holocaust Memorial.

   2. Late morning

      Reichstag and its glass dome

      A spiral ramp winds up inside the dome above the debating chamber, with an audio guide pointing out the landmarks around you.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Currywurst

      Imbiss stands across the city, including the long-running stall under the elevated U2 tracks at Eberswalder Strasse and stands around Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg.

   4. Afternoon

      Museum Island

      Allow Half a day to a full day (mid-priced). A Museum Island day ticket covering several museums pays off if you visit two or more.

   5. Evening

      Friedrichshain

      Big-name clubs near the Spree and Ostkreuz, the RAW-Gelände and bar streets around Simon-Dach-Strasse.

2. Day 2: Berlin Wall Memorial and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

   Berlin Wall Memorial, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Gendarmenmarkt, then Kreuzberg in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Berlin Wall Memorial

      The Documentation Centre has a viewing platform over the preserved border installation.

   2. Late morning

      Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

      Allow 1–1.5 hours (free). Walk into the centre of the field, then visit the free Information Centre beneath it; do not climb or jump on the slabs.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Döner kebab

      Kebab shops everywhere, especially in Kreuzberg around Kottbusser Tor and Mehringdamm, where the best-known stands have long queues.

   4. Afternoon

      Gendarmenmarkt

      The German Church houses a free exhibition on the history of German parliamentary democracy, and the square traditionally hosts a popular Christmas market.

   5. Evening

      Kreuzberg

      Bars on Oranienstrasse and around Kottbusser Tor, canal-side venues and clubs by the river.

3. Day 3: Museum für Naturkunde and Spree river boat tour

   Museum für Naturkunde, Spree river boat tour and Neues Museum, then Neukölln in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museum für Naturkunde

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Use the Jurascopes, binocular viewers that bring the dinosaur skeletons to life.

   2. Late morning

      Spree river boat tour

      Longer trips continue along the Landwehr Canal through Kreuzberg.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Berliner Pfannkuchen

      Bakeries throughout the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Neues Museum

      Allow 2 hours (mid-priced). Book a time slot and see Nefertiti early; photography is not allowed in her domed room.

   5. Evening

      Neukölln

      Dive bars, cocktail spots and wine bars around Weserstrasse and Reuterkiez.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Potsdam

   About 25–40 minutes by train each way. Getting there: Regional train or S7 S-Bahn to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Potsdam

      About 25–40 minutes by train (Regional train or S7 S-Bahn to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Potsdam

      The Prussian kings' summer capital has the rococo Sanssouci Palace and park, the vast New Palace, the Dutch Quarter of red-brick houses and the Glienicke Bridge, where Cold War spies were exchanged.

   3. Evening

      Back in Berlin

      Dinner: try Eisbein.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Reichstag and its glass dome and Neues Museum before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Mitte keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Prenzlauer Berg ($$$) suits families, couples, food lovers and quiet stays. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–18 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.7 hours in December to 16.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Berlin
• 2 days in Berlin
• 3 days in Berlin
• 5 days in Berlin
• 7 days in Berlin

Questions travellers ask