Berlin travel guide
Germany’s federal capital, Berlin is one of the most dynamic and exciting cities of Europe, attracting visitors from around the globe.
The city’s most visual symbol, the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), stands at its heart, rather than marking the division between East and West as it did more than two decades ago. Read more about the culture and history of Berlin...
Unmissable experiences in Berlin
• See the old divided city along the Berlin Wall
• Marvel at the mix of architecture at the grand Reichstag
• Experience the raucous fun of the Cabaret
• Celebrate the lifestyle of the former communist GDR with the Ostalgie movement
Places to visit in Berlin
Visitors to Berlin who knew the city 20 years ago would no doubt be astounded by the shifts in the personalities of the various Bezirke (boroughs). Located in the eastern part of Germany, less than 100km (62 miles) from the Polish border, Berlin is buffered by the leafy Grunewald forest and the Havel river to the west.
The Spree river crosses the centre of the city and is a main inland waterway; the city is also criss-crossed with many canals. The centre of Berlin is Mitte, where the major cultural institutions are located. Tiergarten with its leafy park is to Mitte’s west and leads to Charlottenburg, which is upscale, if less prominent since the fall of the Berlin Wall. South of the centre is Kreuzberg, home to many of the newer landmarks and a neighbourhood legendary for its alternative youth culture and large Turkish population. Schöneberg sits just west and is more gentrified, with a prominent gay scene. Meanwhile, northern district Prenzlauer Berg has transformed from a grey, poor district into a trendy hub of café culture and boutiques.
Berlin is a wonderfully green city, with a heritage of parks and open spaces only equalled by those of Potsdam, the regal little city just to the west where princes, kings and emperors built their palaces in a glorious setting. Potsdam is the capital of the Land of Brandenburg, a quiet countryside of sandy soils, pine forests and slow-moving rivers.
Read more from the travel guide to Germany
