5 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

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

   2. Late morning

      Reichstag and its glass dome

      Book an evening slot for sunset over the Tiergarten, and bring photo ID for the security check. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   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

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

   5. Evening

      Friedrichshain

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

2. Day 2: Neues Museum and Berlin Cathedral

   Neues Museum, Berlin Cathedral and Berlin Wall Memorial, then Kreuzberg in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Neues Museum

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

   2. Late morning

      Berlin Cathedral

      Climb the dome walkway late in the day for the light on the TV Tower and the Spree. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   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

      Berlin Wall Memorial

      Start at the Visitor Centre near Nordbahnhof and walk east along the outdoor exhibition; it is free and open-air. (1.5–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Kreuzberg

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

3. Day 3: East Side Gallery and TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

   East Side Gallery, TV Tower (Fernsehturm) and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, then Neukölln in the evening.

   1. Morning

      East Side Gallery

      Walk it from the Ostbahnhof end towards the red-brick Oberbaum Bridge, then cross to Kreuzberg. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

      Book a timed ticket online and go on a clear day; sunset slots are the most popular. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Berliner Pfannkuchen

      Bakeries throughout the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

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

   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. Best for first-timers, families, couples and culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in Berlin

      Dinner: try Eisbein.

5. Day 5: Topography of Terror and Jewish Museum Berlin

   Topography of Terror, Jewish Museum Berlin and German Museum of Technology, then Schöneberg in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Topography of Terror

      Allow at least 90 minutes; the indoor exhibition is text-heavy but among the clearest histories of the period. (1.5–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Jewish Museum Berlin

      Walk the underground axes first to understand the building, then visit the main exhibition upstairs. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Eisbein

      Old-style Berlin pubs and restaurants, especially around Nikolaiviertel and in Charlottenburg.

   4. Afternoon

      German Museum of Technology

      Families should allow most of a day and save Spectrum for when attention flags. (3–4 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Schöneberg

      The historic LGBTQ+ bar scene around Nollendorfplatz and Motzstrasse.

Before you go

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

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 19–24 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 4 days in Berlin
• 7 days in Berlin

Questions travellers ask