Berlin is a city full of attractions and in order to get to know it in depth you will need more than 2-3 days. Having more time in your hands, you can visit the wonderful Charlotenburg Palace in West Berlin, the Sony Center entertainment multi-space or take an excursion to stately Potsdam. The Kedewe mall, on the other hand, will add quality to your day, while monumental locations such as Checkpoint Charlie or the Treptower Park will fill you with much historical knowledge. Attractions in Berlin are plenty. You only need to have time and willingness…

Discover 10 more attractions in Berlin…

Charlottenburg is located in West Berlin and served as the royal family’s cottage, as the official palace was located in Potsdam. The features that steal the show when it comes to its exterior are the cyan dome and its impressive gate! And once you step inside, you can’t help but notice the baroque style and golden traits that compliment the whole space. There are about 70 rooms, of which you can have a tour, filled with intricate pieces of furniture, wall paintings, murals and fabrics. In the palace’s west wing, there is a collection of ancient and prehistoric objects, while the new wing hosts King Frederick the Great’s luxurious, private premises. You can also admire the royal crowns and jewels, as well as a large collection of Japanese porcelains. The palace, and especially the new wing, was completely obliterated during the Second World War, but it was reconstructed with great care and detail. If visiting the palace is on your schedule, make sure you take a walk through the gardens also, which look nothing close to those of Versailles, but at least make for a wonderful retreat away from the city’s constant buzz. Tickets for each sector of the palace are sold separately, but visiting the gardens is free of charge.

Suggested visit time: 2.5-3 hours (along with the gardens)
Open: April-October, Tuesday-Sunday 10.00-18.00 & November-March, Tuesday-Sunday 10.00-17.00 Closed: Mondays & December 24th-26th
Cost: Palace only: Standard ticket 10€, reduced ticket 7€. All sectors: Standard ticket 12€, reduced ticket 9€. Gardens: Free

 The know-it-all says: The palace obtains the largest collection of 18^thcentury French artworks (after France, of course)!

The Sony Center is an entertainment multi-space, located in Potsdamer Platz. It hosts numerous shops, restaurants, cafés, cinemas, a Cinema Museum and is also home to Sony’s headquarters (that’s where it got its name, by the way). One of the building’s most exciting attractions is LEGOLAND, the place where all of our childhood nostalgia comes to life in the form of some awesome LEGO structures! Children and “children” of all ages line up to pose for pictures next to these pop culture artifacts. The Center provides various activities for you to choose from; you can eat, drink coffee, see movies or just sit near the large fountain and gaze at the people passing by. Just make sure you don’t trip and fall inside, ending up being the star of the next viral video! The building’s glass dome will certainly catch your eye; at night, it appears even more impressive, due to all the lights’ different colors that change constantly. If you happen to be around during the Christmas holidays, you will have the chance to enjoy the place festively decorated, with a wondrous tree hovering in the center, dozens of smaller trees decorated in shimmering lights and, of course, Santa Clauses, sledges and little snowmen made out of LEGO pieces! During the holiday season, the Sony Center also hosts a stand serving delicious sausages and mulled wine.

Suggested visit time: 1-1.5 hours
Open: Shops’ and cinemas’ working hours
Cost:  Free

 The know-it-all says: The building’s dome symbolizes Fujiyama, Japan’s holy mountain!

This 3.3 kilometers long street is Berlin’s busiest and most commercial one. Even before War World II, it was a boulevard well-known for all its expensive shops and hotels. Nowadays, Friedrichstraße attracts thousands of customers due to its bounty of stores. You can find lots of the most famous brands and chain stores for clothes, jewelry and beauty products, but you also have the option to enjoy some coffee or food in one of its numerous cafés and restaurants. Take a walk through it either during the day or at night to do some shopping or just take a stroll in one of Berlin’s most cosmopolitan areas.

Suggested visit time: 1-1.5 hours
Open: Shops’ working hours
Cost:  Free

 The know-it-all says: The building standing on Friedrichstraße no.61 and the Bahnhof Station are two of the few buildings that have remained intact since 1900!

While visiting Friedrichstraße, make sure you walk up to Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous of all three checkpoints that were built during the construction of the Berlin Wall. It is a landmark that symbolizes Germany’s geographical and political status quo ante that divided the nation for 30 years. The booth that stands there today is a replica, as the original one was transferred to the Allied Museum. Nowadays, it serves as a well-known and greatly visited tourist site and it is apparently loved by many film directors, as it appears in many movies, like Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. Furthermore, next to Checkpoint Charlie stands the Mauermuseum, where you can learn lots about the events that took place during that time period, the escape attempts, as well as the history of the Wall.

Suggested visit time: 1-2 hours (along with the museum)
Open: Always. Museum: Everyday 09:00-22:00
Cost:  Free. Museum: Standard ticket 12.5€, reduced ticket 9.5€.

 The know-it-all says: The building standing on Friedrichstraße no.61 and the Bahnhof Station are two of the few buildings that have remained intact since 1900!

Walking a bit down the road from Checkpoint Charlie, you will come across the Jewish Museum. It is definitely not your ordinary museum, as the building itself stands as an exhibit. The museum’s special architecture tries, in its own way, to narrate the social and cultural history of the Jewish people, with its exterior features as much as its interior. It is manifested through a series of empty, dark and inclined rooms that many times lead to a dead end. This interpretation is meant to describe to the visitors the feelings of uncertainty, asphyxiation, horror, sadness and the emotional void that the Jewish people suffered during the Nazi regime. The experience is completed with various sounds and even cold currents of air, so as to give the sense of shiver, isolation and fear. In our opinion, the most impressive part of the museum is the room with the “fallen leaves”, whose floor is covered in metal masks that stand for all the human lives that perished during the Holocaust. If you have some time on your hands and are interested in learning more about the Jewish history in an alternative kind of way, this museum is certainly worth visiting.

Suggested visit time: 1-2 hours
Open: Monday 10:00-22:00, Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-20:00
Cost:  Standard ticket 8€, reduced ticket 3€, free for children under the age of 6. Audio guide costs 3€.

 The know-it-all says: The lines on the building’s front are not random at all.. They represent actual addresses of German and Jewish residents that are all interconnected!

Kaiser Wilhelm’s Memorial Church stands out as an attraction because of its history and architecture. It was built in 1895 in neo-Romanesque style and its highest point reached as high as 113 meters, so it could be seen from a long distance. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during WW II and the only part left is the church’s half-destroyed front tower, which the Germans call the “hollow tooth”. Its reconstruction was discussed over and over, but, ultimately, it was decided to remain this way as a symbolic reminder of the war’s destructive force. You will notice two modern buildings next to it that constitute the new church; an octagonal building and a separate hexagonal belfry. You should visit both churches, in order to compare and contrast the new to the old one, but also admire their different but nonetheless wonderful architectural styles. In the evening, the new church looks astonishing both inside and out, due to its colorful stained glass windows. We have to admit that it is one of the most beautiful churches that we have ever visited.

Suggested visit time: 1-2 hours
Open: 09:00-19:00
Cost:  Free

 The know-it-all says: A model of the original church in a 1:10 scale is located in the city of Wernigerode, in East Germany!

Treptower Park spreads along Spree River, near the East Side Gallery, and is one of the largest soviet war monuments in Berlin. It is also the largest of the three cemeteries where 5,000 out of 80,000 soviet soldiers were buried. What mostly draws everyone’s attention is the statue of the Russian soldier, holding his sword in one hand and a little girl in the other, while he stomps on a broken swastika, symbolizing the fall of the Nazi regime. Behind the soldier’s statue, on both sides, there are 16 cenotaphs, put down for the 16 democracies of the Soviet Union. You can see more statues, monuments and murals all around that narrate the events of the Second World War. Although we were a bit spooked by the whole concept, we enjoyed a wonderful walk in natural scenery, away from the city’s noise. And now that we said spooked, it’s worth mentioning that inside the park stands the abandoned Spreepark (check out our tip). Many manage to get in, but only few of them live the experience to the fullest! Don’t expect to encounter any paranormal activity, though; it’s just that it is prohibited to go inside and many rascals hack into it anyway, but only few succeed going unnoticed by the guards’ watchful eye.

Suggested visit time: 2-2.5 hours
Open: Always
Cost:  Free

 The know-it-all says: Inside the park, you can find the Archenhold observatory, which hosts the world’s largest moveable, refracting telescope!

KaDeWe, Berlin’s huge seven-story mall is located south of the Berlin Zoo and it’s the perfect place to go and practice your money-spending skills! It hosts the most famous clothing/footwear brands, chain restaurants and generally has the answer to your every need! The choices are infinite and service in every store is immediate and highly professional. As you might suspect, prices are in perfect alignment with the stores’ general image…out of this world! Apart from the plethora of food products available, the cleanliness of the place was something that left a really good impression on us. If you decide to visit it, it’s worth taking a walk in the mall’s dark (?) 7th floor to enjoy some coffee, a glass of champagne (!) or have a taste of some of the many delicacies and food products offered! Lastly, if you happen to be visiting Berlin during the Christmas holidays, you should probably upgrade the KaDeWe Mall into your Do Do List, as both the festive decorations and the events that take place will amaze you.

Suggested visit time: 2-2.5 hours
Open: Always
Cost:  Free

 The know-it-all says: It has the largest delicatessen sector in Europe (located inside a mall), covering 7,000 m² and offers around 34,000 different products? Try not to find something in there!

The impressive Olympic Stadium is located pretty far from the city center, in Berlin’s west side. It was built on Adolf Hitler’s command, in order to host the 1936 Olympic Games and with the intention of establishing the “Aryan race” as a universal superpower. That year’s Games are seen as a historical landmark, as three important events took place. The torch race was included for the first time in the Games’ ceremony. They were also the first Olympics to be broadcasted on television, for propagandistic purposes, of course. And lastly, the African-American athlete Jesse Owens gained four gold medals in track, bringing down the notion of a superior race. The Stadium’s architecture is interesting, as it was built according to the ancient standards, having the two entrance columns stealing the show. When looking at it from the outside, you feel that it loses some of its glamour, as it is partly underground. Aside from sporting events, many concerts and guided tours are held in the Stadium.

Suggested visit time: 1-2 hours (if you visit its interior, as well)
Open: Every day (except days when games or other special events take place). November-March 10.00-16.00, April-October 09.00-19.00 & August 09.00-20.00
Cost: Adults 7€/ Reduced ticket 5.5€/ Children aged 6-14 4€

 The know-it-all says: In 2002, while maintenance services were being conducted, they unearthed a forgotten, 250 kg (!!) WWII bomb, buried under the bleachers!

If you have some time on your hands and are in the mood for a little adventure, Potsdam is the place to be! It’s the capital of the German state of Brandedburg and is located 26 kilometers outside of Berlin. It is mostly famous after its historic charm, parks and royal palaces, the most distinguished of all being Sanssouci, with its reputable reception halls and its gorgeous gardens. Walk around the historic center, stroll through the old market and admire the Brandenburg Gate (the second one in the same city, not so original but still impressive!). When you enter the Dutch district, it feels like stepping into a neighborhood in Amsterdam. Don’t miss out on exploring at least one of the following parks: Sanssouci, Neuer Garten, Babelsberg and Glienicke. Apart from Sanssouci, we also visited Babelsberg, which is much prettier, in our opinion. Castles and turrets standing in the winter landscape, along with the view of the river Havel, make for a dreamy scene, perfectly fit for walking and relaxing. We should mention, though, that Potsdam’s beauty truly unravels during the months that everything is green and blooming (not so much during the winter). Click here to find out about the different ways you can get to Potsdam.

Suggested visit time: 5-6 hours
Open: Always
Sanssouci Palace: November-March 10.00-18.00 & April-October 09.00-17.00. Closed on Mondays and December 24th-25th
Cost: Palace: Adults 12€/ Reduced ticket 8€

 The know-it-all says: ¾ of Potsdam are covered in greenery and the urban landscape takes up only ¼ of the area!

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