Berlin Things to Do Tips by tvdm

This one really goes without saying. It's a great starting point of your tour: After admiring the Tor, you can go north to the Reichstag, east along Unter den Linden, west to Tiergarten or south to Potsdamer Platz. All great sights in their own right.

The Tor is smaller than what I expected to be. In my mind it had grown into something of mythical proportions; a symbol of the New Europe after the Cold War. In reality, the Tor is beautiful and a more modest symbol than a screaming sign. It used to be in no-mans land during the time of the Berlin Wall and this is explained with plaques around the site.

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Address: Pariser Platz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Unter den Linden, Bus 100

The hub of German political power and (as so many other sights here) the topic for hot controversy. But all historical baggage aside: it's a wonderfully restored building. The exterior and (free) entrance are nothing short of imposing and the views over the city from atop the glass dome are amazing!

Be sure to arrive either very early (9am) or late in the afternoon as things get crowded. It also takes a little while to go through security, so it's best not to be in a hurry.

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Phone: 22 73 21 52
Address: Platz der Republik, Berlin-Tiergarten
Directions: Bus 100

Always a fashionable thoroughfare, this was the showcase of the former GDR. It was only this street, however, that looked imposing, as the immediate sidestreets used to be bleak and dilapitated. Nowadays it has been extensively renovated like all of Berlin. It boasts the überchic Hotel Adlon, lots of embassies, the Humbold university, cultural institutions, big shops. Oh yeah, and it's all very pretty, too!

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Address: Unter den Linden, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Unter den Linden, Bus 100

A magnificent piece of baroque art and that's quite rare for a lutheran church! It's nothing short of imposing but at EUR5 the entrance fee is a bit steep. For art buffs and those interested in the House of Hohenzollern it's a must, though.

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Phone: 202 69 -0
Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt
Website: http://www.berliner-dom.de

Bleak and grim but with a buzz! This was the main square of former communist East-Berlin and it's still a local hotspot. Not much to see, apart from the world clock, but there are many stalls and shops selling everything for cheap! I've been told there are also many cool bars and edgy clubs in the vicinity, so be thankful it's also a public transport hub!

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Address: Alexanderplatz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

I wasn't aware of this little area between Alexanderplatz and the Spree, but the quiant Nikolaiviertel has some of the pre-war cosy German flair that (sadly) so many cities now miss due to the extensive destructions. Nonetheless, here you'll find the old Nikolaikirche, this cute little bear statue and many bars and restaurants to keep you occupied.

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Address: Nikolaikirchplatz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

In the middle of the now ultramodern and flashy Friedrichstrasse you find a striking remnant of the crazy division that once was the Berlin Wall. Checkpoint Charlie was the main gate between the American and Russion zone (although 'gate' would imply it was open - not so!), and its few remainders are now a striking museum. Around the site where the wall crossed the street you'll find wooden crosses in remembrance of those who died in the attempt to flee from East to West Berlin.

The museum itself has lots of historical info, pieces of the original Berlin Wall and lots of GDR memorabilia. It's all very interesting, but at a EUR9.50 entrance fee I couldn't help but feeling ever-so-slightly ripped off...

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Phone: (030) 25 37 25-0
Address: Friedrichstraße, Corner Kochstraße
Directions: U-Bahn: Kochstrasse
Website: http://www.mauer-museum.com

The Gedächtniskirche made a big impression on me. It's war-torn entrance tower (the only original part left standing after British bombing raids) sticks out like a poignant reminder of the horrors of war. The fact that is also in the middle of the Bahnhof Zoo district only heightens the contrast.

For someone so into ecclesiastical buildings but with a preference for the medieval, I was in for a surprise. A modern church that could hardly be more different from the original was built soon after the war and offers a solemn and introspective opportunity to reflect on the horrors of war and the enormity of its destructive power.

The free tour was informative and very well managed. It guides you through the old and new parts of the site and shows many details that you'd so easily miss with a private visit. A must-see!

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Phone: +49- (0)30- 218 50 23
Address: Breitscheidplatz, Berlin-Charlottenburg
Directions: U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten
Website: http://www.gedaechtniskirche.de

It big, it's brash, you can strut your stuff and shop 'till you drop. No wonder this was the showcase of the capitalist West for the communist East! 15 years after the Fall of the Wall, the Ku-Damm is a huge thoroughfare that reminds the traveller of the Champs-Elysées, but with less elan and more pizzazz!

KaDeWe (as Kaufhaus Des Westens) is called) is no Harrods or Lafayette, althought it's huge and the food court is awesome, so you're better off just walking the streets and hop in and out of shops. It's hedonist heaven!

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Address: Kurfürstendamm, B-Charlottenburg/ Wilmersdorf
Directions: U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm

Schloss Charlottenburg is very beautiful and the verdant surroundings are worth a stroll, but the true gem here (I found anyway) is the Egyptian collection. It's not a big museum but the collection is impressive. It boasts many remnants from the Amarna-period; if Ikhnaton and Nefertiti ring a bell, you're OK to enjoy yourself!

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Directions: Across the road from Schloss Charlottenburg, Bus 145 to Zoo stops around the corner or walk 15 mins to the nearest U/S-Bahn station.