History · Berlin · Germany
8 historic sites to see in Berlin
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ansgar Koreng, CC BY 3.0 de
Quick answer
Start with Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and its glass dome and Museum Island. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–14 hours across 3 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 11–14 hours
- Areas
- Mitte, Museum Island and Friedrichshain
Historic sites in Berlin
Landmark · Mitte
1.Brandenburg Gate
It faces Pariser Platz and the Unter den Linden boulevard on one side and the Tiergarten on the other.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- After dark
- Photo spot
Architecture · Mitte
2.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.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Architecture
- History
Museum · Mitte
3.Museum Island
The Lustgarten lawn in front is a good place to rest.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Museum Island
4.Neues Museum
Rebuilt by David Chipperfield in 2009 while keeping its war scars, the Neues Museum holds the 3,300-year-old painted bust of Queen Nefertiti, Egyptian papyri and sculpture, and prehistoric treasures including the conical golden Berlin Gold Hat.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Historic site · Mitte
5.Berlin Wall Memorial
The Documentation Centre has a viewing platform over the preserved border installation.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Iconic
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Historic site · Friedrichshain
6.East Side Gallery
Murals include Dmitri Vrubel's fraternal kiss between Brezhnev and Honecker.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- History
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Historic site · Mitte
7.Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
The underground Information Centre documents the lives of individual victims and families.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Museum Island
8.Berlin Cathedral
A walkway around the outside of the dome, reached by 270 steps, gives a view over Museum Island and Unter den Linden.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Views
- History
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Mitte | Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and its glass dome, Museum Island, Berlin Wall Memorial and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe | 30 minutes + 1–1.5 hours + Half a day to a full day + 1.5–2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| Museum Island | Neues Museum and Berlin Cathedral | 2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| Friedrichshain | East Side Gallery | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 1 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for Reichstag and its glass dome and Neues Museum. The longest visit is Museum Island; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Reichstag and its glass dome: Entry is free but requires advance online registration with the names of all visitors; slots fill days ahead.
- Neues Museum: Timed tickets are recommended, especially at weekends.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Mitte): Brandenburg Gate → Reichstag and its glass dome, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Mitte): Museum Island, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Mitte): Berlin Wall Memorial → Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Museum Island and Friedrichshain): Neues Museum → Berlin Cathedral → East Side Gallery, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- March: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Chilly early spring, with the first sunny café terraces and blossom late in the month.
- November: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Grey and damp, but the Christmas markets open late in the month and the clubs are in full swing.
- January: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold, dark and grey with occasional snow; museums and clubs are the main draw, and hotel prices are low.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Mitte — The historic centre: Unter den Linden, Museum Island and the Hackesche Höfe courtyards
- Prenzlauer Berg — Restored 19th-century tenements, leafy squares, cafés and young families
- Friedrichshain — Socialist boulevards, the East Side Gallery and the city's best-known clubs
More of Berlin
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Berlin?
Brandenburg Gate. Completed in 1791 and topped by the Quadriga chariot, this neoclassical gate was stranded in the no-man's-land of the Berlin Wall from 1961 to 1989 and became the symbol of reunification.
+Which of these are free in Berlin?
Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and its glass dome, Berlin Wall Memorial, East Side Gallery and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.