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On your whirlwind European tour, you’ve managed to carve out two full days in Germany’s capital city. We’re here to save you from the planning with a full guide on what to do in Berlin to make the most of your limited time. From restaurants to historical sites to nightclubs, we have your back. And, if you’re interested in exploring the city like a true Berliner, check out Fotostrasse for all the best spots, as recommended by locals.
Day 1
8:30 a.m. Begin the day with breakfast at Brot & Butter
Located just outside of the famous Tiergarten park, Brot & Butter is a great place to grab an omelet, a few sausages and a cup of coffee. Their wide variety of fresh-baked bread also comes highly recommended.
9:30 a.m. Explore Tiergarten
Not unlike New York’s Central Park, Tiergarten is a beautiful escape full of gardens and statues in the heart of urban Berlin. Strolling the park’s paths is an excellent way to shake off the travel cobwebs and get ready for your adventure.
10:30 a.m. The Reichstag
You’ll exit the park on the northeast side and find yourself at the Reichstag Building. The Reichstag is quite possibly the most important historical site in Germany and registering for a guided tour is the best way to understand the building’s incredible history. Set on fire in 1933 during the Great Depression, bombed 14 times throughout the course of WWII, scaled and graffitied by victorious Soviet soldiers in 1945, and finally rebuilt after the reunification of Germany in 1990, the building tells the story of Germany’s modern history.
12:30 Grab lunch at Käfer Dachgarten
The roof of the Reichstag is modeled in a modern fashion and one of the features is Käfer Dachgarten. Excellent views and some of the best food in the city make this a great opportunity to talk German history and charge up for the afternoon. Call ahead and make a reservation to be safe.
2:30 p.m. Afternoon at Museum Island
A half-hour’s walk from The Reichstag, Museum Island lies on the Spree River in the heart of Berlin. With six museums displaying everything from WWII relics to The Ishtar Gate (originally constructed in 575 B.C. in Babylon), history-lovers, art-lovers, and generally curious minds will be highly entertained.
6:00 p.m. Dinner at Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus
A quick taxi ride west from Museum Island, Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus offers some of the best traditional German food in the city. Heavy meat and potato dishes, sausage and sauerkraut, plenty of beers on tap, and apple strudel for dessert make Alt-Berliner a sure hit.
8:00 p.m. Head back to the hotel and prepare for the night
Head back to your room at the Berlin Intercontinental and prepare for the night. The Intercontinental is located right next to Tiergarten and offers five-star rooms starting in the low hundreds. After a day of exploring Berlin, you need a comfortable place to rest up and the Intercontinental fits the bill. If you’re looking for something in another neighborhood or maybe you want an Airbnb, Berlin offers a wide variety of accommodation options.
10:30 p.m. Go big at Berghain
If you’re looking for the hectic euro techno club scene you’ve seen in the movies, Berghain is your spot. A 15-minute taxi ride from the hotel, this “panorama bar” is the top club in the city and for techno fans, it’s sure to impress.
Day 2
10:30 a.m. Brunch on the lake at Cafe am Neuen See
Nothing like an omelet, coffee, fruit and a lake view to shake off last night.
12:00 p.m. Topography of Terror Museum and The Berlin Wall
Take a taxi ride from the cafe to this museum dedicated to educating the public on the SS and the Gestapo. The subjects are some of the ugliest in German history, yet Germans have made it a priority to educate both the German people and visitors on the brutal strategies of the Nazi regime’s chief weapons of terror. Immediately outside of the museum is the longest stretch of the outer Berlin Wall. After exploring the museum, take a walk along the wall and consider the fact that it essentially divided the world in its near 30 years of existence.
2:30 p.m. Currywurst for lunch
Currywurst, the delicious invention of grilled sausage covered in curry ketchup and curry powder, is the top choice for German street food. We recommend Wurst am Brandenburg right by the Brandenburg Gate.
3:30 p.m. Brandenburg Gate
The final attraction on the itinerary is the most dramatic. The Brandenburg Gate was part of the Berlin Wall and represented the divide in a highly dramatic fashion.
5:30 p.m. Dinner at Boulevard Friedrichstrasse
Take a taxi north and enjoy schnitzel and potato salad at one of the best restaurants in the city. Even if you went for it the night before, another apple strudel won’t do too much damage.
7:30 Head back to the hotel and rest up before your last night out
Energy may be running low so take an hour or two to put your feet up and charge for going out with a bang.
10:30 p.m. Hit the dance floor at Tresor
Another one of Berlin’s highly-regarded techno nightclubs, Tresor is large-scale underground (literally) dance club that attracts the hardest partiers in the city. So go ahead and make it count. Tomorrow you’re flying out.