The Reichstag’s accessible glass dome offers views of nearby landmarks and the life of the city. There are also parks with a variety of leisure options, viewpoints and places where Berlin’s history comes to life. To help choose your accommodation, start with a simple question: would you like your days to focus more on green spaces, city panoramas, museums or memorial sites?
Parks with different character
Tiergarten is Berlin’s largest and most visited inner-city park. It is ideal for walks, outdoor activities and picnics. Tempelhofer Feld is also a large public park, where activities include picnicking, sunbathing and sports. If you are planning time in the parks, you can weigh up a walk in Tiergarten against the leisure activities mentioned at Tempelhofer Feld.
Volkspark Friedrichshain has sports courts, playgrounds and outdoor cafés; its barbecue area is intended for summer days. Two small artificial hills have a distinctive history: they are made from rubble cleared from World War II bunkers and debris from buildings destroyed in the war. The hills, called Mont Klamott and Kleiner Bunkerberg, offer views of central Berlin. Here, park amenities meet a landscape feature with a historical background.
Viktoriapark, with Kreuzberg hill, is Berlin’s highest inner-city elevation and has a waterfall. Schinkel’s National Monument stands at the summit of Kreuzberg and commemorates the victory over Napoleon. This combines a striking landscape feature with a monument whose purpose is immediately clear.
Cityscape, museums and history
The Brandenburg Gate was built in 1791 and is considered a symbol of German reunification. The Berlin TV Tower offers a different view of the city: built in the 1960s, it is 368 metres high and Berlin’s tallest building. From there, the panoramic view extends 360 degrees. If you enjoy taking in different perspectives while exploring a city, you will find a clear contrast here between a historic landmark and a towering viewpoint.
Berlin’s Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its five museums present collections ranging from prehistory to 19th-century art. At Bernauer Straße, the Berlin Wall Memorial comprises an open-air exhibition, a documentation centre, a memorial to the victims of the division and the Chapel of Reconciliation. An original section of the Wall with a watchtower has also been preserved there. A museum visit and an exploration of the division can thus be considered different cultural focuses for your trip.
Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg is a public park and was once part of the Berlin Wall. A flea market and karaoke take place there on weekends. Since 2009, karaoke has been held in the amphitheatre on Sundays in good weather, from 3 p.m.; visitors can sing in front of an audience. Check the current schedule and programme conditions before your visit.
Choose accommodation based on your travel interests
Think about which of these themes matter for your stay, and base your choice on them. This way, planning starts with the experiences you actually want to make your focus.
A suggested cycling route through central Berlin connects several sights in a circular tour. It offers another way to link visits around the city. If cycling fits your plans, check the latest route details before setting out. When choosing accommodation, you can consider the cycling tour as one possible focus alongside visits to parks, museums and memorial sites.
Discover more destinations: Wilmersdorf, Tempelhof, Marienfelde, Berlin-Reinickendorf, Buckow, Schmöckwitz, Friedrichshain, Tiergarten.
Back to the main travel overview: Berlin.
