Berlin, Germany travel guide! Itinerary for 3 days

When we talk about the capital of Germany, we think of a very important multicultural metropolis, a place of modernity but also of history, development, agglomeration and opportunities. But, Berlin is also the perfect place for travel, because the city offers tourists a seemingly endless list of attractions. From art, architecture, unique activities and interesting museums, to monuments of less pleasant history, Berlin is a diverse destination suitable for holidays all year round!

Transport

For the fastest and cheapest way you will have to choose the plane to get to Berlin. There are direct routes from both Bucharest and Cluj, and on average the flight will last 2 hours. The prices differ depending on the city from which you will depart: from Cluj the prices are a bit lower, starting from only €40 for a return flight, while from Bucharest the tickets start from €75. You will find the best offers here. 

from Berlin Brandenburg Airport you will be able to reach the city very easily, as there are special transport lines for travelers. So, the most popular option is the train, and you will be able to choose the FEX lines (with departures every 30 minutes) or RE7 and RB14 (departing once an hour). The ticket is very affordable, only €3.80, and the journey takes around 30 minutes. Of course, if it is difficult for you to go with your luggage, you can choose a taxi, but you will pay at least 50€, while the journey time will increase by 15 minutes. 

What do you use in Berlin?

Berlin has a network of public transport very well set up, so don't hesitate to use it to get to the places you want to visit. You will be able to choose from many bus, tram and metro lines, which connects every place in the city. Berlin is divided into 3 zones when it comes to transport: area A (downtown), area B (city areas outside the center) and area C (out-of-town venues), so you'll have to keep that in mind when you buy your tickets. Thus, for the AB zone a ticket costs €3, and a 24-hour subscription €8.80, for the BC zone a ticket costs €3.50, and the 24-hour subscription costs €9.20, and for the ABC zone the ticket costs €3.80, and the subscription €10. You will be able to purchase them directly from the bus, but also from the machines located in the stations. There is Jelbi, which can help you.

Of course, there is also the taxi option, and the rate for one km depends on the distance traveled: if you go less than 7 km, the rate is €2, but if you go more, the rate drops to €1.50 per km. If you prefer more freedom when it comes to transport, you can choose to rent a car, and prices start from €40 per day. You can check the offers here.

Accommodation

Berlin is one of the largest cities in Europe, and this is also reflected in the accommodation offer. Thus, any tourist can find the right place here, whether we are talking about people with a larger or smaller budget, who prefer modernity or elegance, the simplicity of a motel, the freedom of an apartment or the comfort of a 5-star hotel. However, we advise you to choose a centrally located place, to be closer to the city's main attractions. However, because we can't forget the costs, you have to know that the prices here are a bit higher, and a room for 2 people starts from 60€ per night.

Here are some recommendations of places that will not disappoint you:

• EASY Lodges it is the perfect option both for those who want a unique place and for those looking for affordable prices. The complex consists of several individual wooden houses, where tourists can enjoy peace and privacy. Renting a cottage starts from only €65 per night, and you can find out more here.
• Ibis Berlin City Süd it is a very pleasant and welcoming 3-star hotel for those who choose to step on its threshold. The rooms are neat, decorated in a modern style, and the hotel is very quiet. A night here starts from €80 per night.
• Hotel Ludwig van Beethoven, another 3-star hotel, is a very popular place among tourists. The building is elegantly decorated, with very pleasant rooms, and in addition, the location is excellent. The hotel also has a beautiful little garden where you can relax. A room for 2 people starts from 100€ per night, including breakfast.
• If you are up to 6 people and prefer an apartment that gives you more freedom, we have found an offer not to be missed. This little apartment it can be rented for €200 per night and its location is excellent.

Tourist Card

The good news is that Berlin offers those who choose to visit it the option of a tourist card, through which you can benefit from discounts and delightful offers, but also exemption from additional effort. Through Berlin Welcome Card you will be able to enjoy the transport public free in the AB area, CityGuide, over 180 discounts (between 25-50%), but also free entrances to over 30 popular attractions.

There are 3 packages offered:

• the classic package (the price starts from €25 for 48 hours, respectively €35 for 72 hours)
• the package that also includes Museum Island (only available for 72 hours, costing €53)
• the all inclusive package (89€ for 48 hours, or 109€ for 72 hours)

You can read more, and even purchase your card, from official website

Tourist attractions Berlin, Germany

If you want to make the most of your time here, it's best to leave with a well-established plan of what you want to see. For this reason, I have prepared a suggested itinerary for 3 days spent here, which you can follow. The city also has its own tourism website, which may be useful for your trip: https://www.visitberlin.de/en. 

Day 1

Museum Island (Old Museum, New Museum, Bode Museum, Old National Gallery, Pergamon Museum)

The most suitable place from which you can start your holiday in Berlin is right Museum Island, a museum complex located in the historic heart of the city on the river Spree, home to 5 of the most important museums in Germany, which you must visit.

Old Museum it is the first museum to be built here, and it presents to tourists collections of art and sculptures from antiquity (from ancient Greece and the Roman Empire), and it also houses the largest collection of Etruscan art.

After him he was born New Museum, which presents a journey into the cultural history of peoples around the world.

Bode Museum it also holds significant pieces of art from Europe, but its main attraction is its coin collection, with over 4,000 pieces (among the largest collections of its kind in the world).

The Old National Gallery it is the perfect place for those who want to admire the currents that stood out in art, having works in classic, romantic, renaissance, impressionist and, of course, contemporary art, signed by artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir or Carl Blechen.

Last but not least, probably the most visited museum here is Pergamon Museum, composed of 3 parts: the Ancient Collection, the Museum of the Near East and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Its exhibitions are as remarkable as possible, amazingly reconstructing the history of cultures even through monumental buildings, such as the Pergamon Shrine, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon or the Market Gate of Miletus. The fact is that each museum must be visited, so reserve enough time for them. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 and 18:00, and tickets for each cost between €10-12.

Berlin Cathedral

Also on Museum Island is Berlin Cathedrala fascinating building, but also an important cultural monument. The building dates back to the 19th century and is designed in Baroque and Neo-Renaissance style, with spectacular architectural features such as its famous dome from where tourists can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Berlin.

The crypt containing the graves of members of the Hohenzollern royal family is also housed here, as well as a small museum. The place of worship can be visited daily between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (at the weekend, however, the program is shortened until 4:00 p.m.), and there is a €9 fee to enter the dome and the museum.

Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin's central square

Then head to Gendarmenmarkt, the city's central square, considered the most beautiful market in Germany. Around it are remarkable historical buildings, which deserve a few moments to admire their every detail. In addition, you will find here many places where you can rest.

Brandenburg Gate

Walk 15 minutes to end your day at Brandenburg Gate, a famous monument among tourists, and one of the most symbolic places in Berlin. The gate was built in the 18th century as a symbol of peace, and then it became an emblem of peace, but also of unification, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, being on the former border that separated East Berlin from West Berlin. 

Day 2

German Parliament Building (Reichstag)

Start your day with a visit to German parliament buildings, also known as law Reichstag. The construction is impressive, and you will even be able to visit its richly decorated interior. Its main point is the glass dome, which attracts many visitors every day. For this reason you will need to make a reservation (you can do it here https://www.bundestag.de/en/visittheBundestag/dome/registration-245686), and the best time is right at opening time (8:00), when it is not very crowded. Where else do you put the fact that the entrance is free.

Checkpoint Charlie

Dedicate the rest of the day to the attractions dedicated to the tragic events of the 20th century, which left a strong mark on the city. Stop at the monument first Checkpoint Charlie, former border crossing point of the Berlin Wall during the Cold War. Currently, the border cabin is being remodeled here, as well as a line of bricks marking the wall, along with 2 photographs of an American soldier and a Soviet soldier. Artists, photographers or actors often come here and stage symbolic activities.

Topography of Terror

Nearby you will also find the museum Topography of Terror, which commemorates Nazi atrocities through texts, books, photographs and interactive digital materials. In addition, the museum is located in the very building that housed the Nazi security headquarters during Hitler's time. It is definitely a place that will make you feel strong feelings! It can be visited daily between 10:00 and 17:00 and the entrance is free.

The Holocaust Memorial

An equally exciting place is also The Holocaust Memorial, which commemorates the approximately six million Jews killed in World War II. The memorial consists of 2711 concrete monoliths, located on an area of approximately 19,000 m², along which you can walk quietly, contemplating.

You can also go to the Information Center if you wish to learn more about the tragic events the Jewish people were subjected to. It is open 24 hours a day and admission is free. 

Berlin Wall Memorial & East Side Gallery

Last but not least, because we cannot forget the familiar Berlin Wall, you can spend the rest of the day looking for traces of the existence of this tragic construction, which divided Germany. We recommend you stop at The Berlin Wall Memorial (can be freely visited daily between 08:00 and 22:00), where you will not only be able to see the remains of the building, but you will also be able to delve into its history, finding out extraordinary information.

It is also interesting East Side Gallery, the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall, where, on a length of 1.3 km, you will see more than 100 wall murals by artists from all over the world, many of which convey powerful messages. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, artists from all over the world began to create works of art on the remaining section of the wall, thus the East Side Gallery was born, created as a symbol of freedom and unity.

Day 3

Charlottenburg Castle

Start early in the morning to the western end of the city to visit the majestic Charlottenburg Castle. Built in the 17th century, the castle belonged to the former kings of Prussia and then to the German emperors, and is the perfect place to admire the sophistication of the Rococo and Baroque style through its lavishly decorated rooms, which also hide real artifacts. A visit here will make you feel part of the old aristocracy! The castle can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 and 16:30, and a ticket costs €12. 

Potsdamer Platz

Then explore Potsdamer Platz, an extremely modern shopping center, with spectacular skyscrapers, and a decor as if from New York. The area is all the more interesting because everything was built only 30 years ago, before it was a place devastated by war. 

Alexanderplatz & TV Tower

And if you like to explore the streets of the city you can also visit Alexanderplatz , an important center in Berlin, in the middle of which it stands  The television towerone of the largest structures in Europe, with a height of 365m. At 203m there is an observation point offering stunning views (a ticket costs €22.50 and can be visited daily between 10:00 - 22:00), and at 207m there is a restaurant.

Zoo

A place you should not miss is also Zoo of Berlin! It is the oldest and best-known zoo in Germany, having been opened in 1844, and currently it covers an area of over 35 hectares. Moreover, here you will find the largest variety of animal species in the world, including some creatures that you will not find in any other zoo, so you will surely be enchanted by this place! It is open daily between 09:00 and 16:30, and the entrance costs €17.50

Tiergarten park

End your trip with a few moments of relaxation and tranquility in Tiergarten park, a gigantic park, covering over 210 hectares. Stroll through its picturesque alleys, and look for the monuments hidden among its trees for important monuments, such as the Bismarck Memorial and the Victory Column.

What we ate in Berlin

Berlin is a multicultural city, and this can also be seen in its gastronomy. You'll find international dishes here, from hamburgers to pasta and Chinese food, so everyone will find options to their liking here. We cannot forget the traditional dishes of the Germans, which give pride of place to meat, fish and locally produced vegetables. You can try Eintopf (a type of stew), Spaetzle (looks like pasta) and Currywurst (pork sausage). And of course, we can't forget the popular Black Forest Cake!

Some restaurants and places we recommend are: Hackethals (restaurant with traditional specifics), Upper Burger Grill (for delicious burgers at affordable prices), Monsieur Vuong (a very popular place with Asian dishes), Ristorante A MANO (perfect for those who want a more refined experience and Mediterranean food) and Easy Restaurant (a restaurant with 2 Michelin stars, original dishes, but also slightly higher prices).

〰️

It's impossible for a tourist to be bored in Berlin, so don't think twice and plan some story-telling days here! The city is waiting for you to discover its every attraction, and make a foray into history, art, modernity and nature. 

〰️