7 days in Berlin

Day by day

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

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

   1. Morning

      Brandenburg Gate

      Mitte · 30 minutes · free.

   2. Late morning

      Reichstag and its glass dome

      Mitte · 1–1.5 hours · free. Entry is free but requires advance online registration with the names of all visitors; slots fill days ahead.

   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. Evening

      Friedrichshain

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

2. Day 2: Museum Island and Berlin Wall Memorial

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

   1. Morning

      Museum Island

      Mitte · Half a day to a full day · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      Berlin Wall Memorial

      Mitte · 1.5–2 hours · free.

   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. Evening

      Kreuzberg

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

3. Day 3: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Gendarmenmarkt

   Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Gendarmenmarkt, then Neukölln in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

      Mitte · 1–1.5 hours · free.

   2. Late morning

      Gendarmenmarkt

      Mitte · 30 minutes–1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Berliner Pfannkuchen

      Bakeries throughout the city.

   4. 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.

5. Day 5: Museum für Naturkunde and Spree river boat tour

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

   1. Morning

      Museum für Naturkunde

      Mitte · 2 hours · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Spree river boat tour

      Mitte · 1–3 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Eisbein

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

   4. Evening

      Schöneberg

      The historic LGBTQ+ bar scene around Nollendorfplatz and Motzstrasse.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Sachsenhausen Memorial

   About 45 minutes by train, then a 20-minute walk each way. Getting there: S1 S-Bahn or regional train to Oranienburg.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Sachsenhausen Memorial

      About 45 minutes by train, then a 20-minute walk (S1 S-Bahn or regional train to Oranienburg); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Sachsenhausen Memorial

      The memorial and museum preserve barracks, the roll-call ground and exhibitions on the camp and its later use as a Soviet special camp.

   3. Evening

      Back in Berlin

      Dinner: try Königsberger Klopse.

7. Day 7: Neues Museum and Berlin Cathedral

   Neues Museum and Berlin Cathedral, then Mitte in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Neues Museum

      Museum Island · 2 hours · mid-priced. Timed tickets are recommended, especially at weekends.

   2. Late morning

      Berlin Cathedral

      Museum Island · 1–1.5 hours · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Königsberger Klopse

      Traditional German restaurants and canteens across the city.

   4. Evening

      Mitte

      Cocktail bars and upmarket venues around Torstrasse and Rosenthaler Platz.

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 7 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 14–19 hours of visiting over 7 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
• 5 days in Berlin

Questions travellers ask