What to See in Berlin in 3 Days

In this article, we propose an itinerary that will allow you to make the most of your time in Berlin.

You can take this tour with a local guide by booking our free tour of the must-see Berlin. Get ready to immerse yourself in the history and culture of this city.

Day 1: Discover Berlin’s Historical Richness

To organize what to see in Berlin in 3 days, we thought to dedicate each day to a specific theme. For this reason, we will spend the first day learning about the history of the city, and nothing surpasses all that is related to the Berlin Wall and the remnants of the Cold War.

Checkpoint Charlie

 

During the Cold War, it was the most used border crossing point controlled by the Americans to move from East Berlin to West Berlin and vice versa. Today, a replica of the sign warning “You are leaving the American sector” is installed at the site.

Many tourists visit Checkpoint Charlie to take photos and visit the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. To do the same, just walk to Friedrichstrasse 43-45 and make sure you have enough memory on your phone.

Bernauer Strasse

 

Although there are fragments of the wall scattered around the city, there are two sections that have been best preserved. The first is on Bernauer Strasse; it is a 70 m stretch and is the only section that maintains a watchtower, the two walls, and the remaining infrastructure used to separate East from West.

Additionally, at the Berlin Wall Memorial site, you can visit the Documentation Center, the Window of Remembrance, and the Chapel of Reconciliation, all for free. Believe us when we say that in no other place can you perceive the level of cruelty that the Berlin Wall represented.

You can experience this with a guide on the Free Tour Berlin Wall and Cold War.

Topography of Terror Museum

 

We continue our tour by heading to the Topography of Terror Museum. This place has a permanent exhibition dedicated to Nazi terror. The building was the headquarters of the SS and the Gestapo and is one of the most visited museums in Berlin. This museum is located next to the Groupius Bau and near Potsdamer Platz.

Brandenburg Gate

 

This immense 26 m high gate was already an important symbol of the city since 1791, but with the fall of the wall, the Brandenburg Gate became an icon of German reunification.

One of the most memorable moments that occurred at this site was when U.S. President Ronald Reagan asked Gorbachev to open the gate and tear down the wall.

Holocaust Memorial

 

It is crucial for you to understand that the Holocaust Memorial is not the typical tourist attraction where you go to take smiling photos. On the contrary, this monument, composed of 2,711 concrete blocks, is a moving tribute to the Jews murdered by the Nazi regime.

During your visit, show respect, remain silent, and reflect on what happened. You can learn more stories and details about the Brandenburg Gate, as well as this and many other monuments, on the Free Tour of Must-See Berlin.

Jewish Museum Berlin

 

The Jewish Museum Berlin is one of the largest dedicated to this theme in all of Europe. It houses various works of art and a series of everyday objects that narrate the history of Jews over more than 2,000 years.

The place is overwhelming, especially because the building manages to convey the void left by the Berlin Jews who were victims of the Holocaust. The Holocaust Tower and the Garden of Exile are also structures belonging to the museum that will help you empathize with the horror experienced by the Jewish people.

Day 2: Urban Art, Alternative Spaces, and Shopping

While on the first day we were very close to places like East Side Gallery and Mauerpark, it will be on our second day in Berlin when we dive fully into the alternative Berlin. Let’s go!

Hackescher Höfe

 

These are courtyards that opened in front of the Hackescher market in 1906. As in other inner courtyards in Berlin, the buildings are occupied by a mix of offices, factories, and residences. It is one of the main points of interest in the Jewish quarter of Berlin.

Since the fall of the wall, after its renovation, the eight courtyards of Hackescher Höfe, located between Rosenthal and Sophienstraße, house more than 40 companies, cultural associations, and residences. Additionally, the entire area is an important commercial zone, with restaurants, bars, and clubs that are references of Berlin nightlife.

Dead Chicken Alley

 

Dead Chicken Alley is an alley located in the historic center of Berlin dedicated to street art. It is a kind of open-air museum, driven by a group of young artists known as “The Dead Chickens.”

This place is not easy to find, but you can get to know it in-depth with a Spanish guide on the Free Tour Jewish Quarter of Berlin, where you will also learn about the inner courtyards of Hackescher Höfe and Heckmann-Höfe.

As you can imagine, the walls of this alley are filled with graffiti, sculptures, and other manifestations of street art. You will also find a couple of museums, Monsterkabinnett (gallery of monsters) and Anne Frank: hier & heute (dedicated to the fictional diary of Otto Heinrich Frank), as well as a couple of bars with a lively Berlin atmosphere.

Oranienstraße

The Oranienstraße neighborhood is one of the wildest and most authentic in Berlin. Among Berliners, it is the preferred place when it comes to food, especially Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, or Mexican cuisine.

On Oranienstraße, you will find trendy spots, iconic stores like Planet Modulor, Coledampf’s & Companies, Depot 2 (a paradise for sneaker lovers), as well as renowned bars and clubs like the legendary SO 36 club. Don’t miss the second-hand market, Flowmarkt, and the urban garden, Prinzessinnengärten.

New Synagogue Berlin

 

The New Synagogue is one of the most striking and beautiful buildings in Berlin, a city where historical buildings are a rarity. Located on the famous Oranienburger Strasse, just a few steps from Hackescher Markt, the 19th-century New Synagogue was built in the neo-Arab style and is distinguished by its enormous Moorish dome lined with gold.

Unfortunately, nothing remains of the original construction. Today, the interior is a museum (not very interesting). Still, it is a beautiful place. If you are a lover of neo-Arab architecture, you will enjoy stopping inside while walking through Mitte.

Mauerpark

 

Before the unification of the country, Mauerpark was a border between the two Germanys. Today, it is a lovely park where you can find 300 m of the wall painted with street art.

Mauerpark is also known for its Sunday flea market (Flohmarkt), and every Sunday, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, a very nice gentleman sets up karaoke where many people go to sing along the river.

East Side Gallery

 

The longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall is the East Side Gallery. After its fall, more than 100 artists from various countries expressed their art on this section, turning the place into the largest open-air gallery in the world.

To contemplate the 1.3 km of this gallery wall, we need to head to the Friedrichshain neighborhood or participate in the Free Tour Berlin Wall and Cold War.

Oberbaum Bridge

 

The Oberbaum Bridge connects Schlesisches Tor and Falckensteinstraße with the southern area of Friedrichshain near Warschauer Brücke and Revaler Straße. After the territorial reforms of 2001, the bridge became a symbol of unity between the two Germanys, thanks to the creation of the new district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.

To explore this area of Berlin well, we recommend taking a look at the Free Tour Alternative Berlin, where you will visit key places in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg with a guide.

Regularly, the residents of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain organize fun battles to remember the old rivalry between neighborhoods. Also, if you want to enjoy a peaceful sunset, it’s an excellent spot.

Day 3: A Little Bit of Everything

It’s the third day in Berlin and there’s still so much to do, places to visit, and foods to try. So it’s time to stop the nonsense and go all out to explore the city. Put on your comfiest shoes and get ready to make the most of your last day in Berlin.

Alexanderplatz

 

Alexanderplatz is the most important square in Berlin and one of the most well-known places in the German capital. The place was named in honor of Tsar Alexander I of Russia, who visited the city on October 25, 1805.

When you’re at Alexanderplatz, you’ll quickly notice that it is divided into two parts. On one side is the commercial area, where you’ll find the U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations, the Fountain of Friendship, the World Clock, and other grand constructions from the Soviet era. On the other side are the Television Tower and the Rotes Rathaus (Berlin City Hall).

It’s one of the places to explore on the Free Berlin Must-See Tour.

Museum Island (Museumsinsel)

 

In the center of Berlin, on the Spree River, we find Museumsinsel or Museum Island. The palaces that today house various museums were originally a residential area dedicated to art and science by King Frederick William IV of Prussia. Since 1999, the complex of buildings has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, if you visit the island, you’ll find the Old Museum (Prussian art), the New Museum (Egyptian and prehistoric collections), the Old National Gallery (art from the 19th and 20th centuries), Bode Museum (ancient sculptures and Byzantine art), Pergamon Museum (home to entire buildings from different eras), and the James Simon Gallery (the new entrance to the island).

Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island

 

The gigantic Berlin Cathedral is also located there, another must-see visit.

Bebel Platz

 

The beautiful Bebelplatz is sadly famous for being the site of the book burning in 1933, when the Nazis threw works of universal literature by authors like Heinrich Mann, Thomas Mann, Erich Kästner, Stefan Zweig, Heinrich Heine, Karl Marx, and Kurt Tucholsky into the flames.

Bebelplatz is located on the south side of Unter den Linden, the main avenue of the city. Nearby are the State Opera and Germany’s oldest Roman Catholic church, St. Hedwig’s Cathedral.

Potsdamer Platz

 

This square has always been one of the busiest in Berlin. After being devastated during World War II, the Berlin Wall split it in two! Fortunately, it has regained its splendor and is once again the nerve center and one of the most modern areas of the city.

Today, significant buildings like the Sony Center and the Daimler Chrysler Quartier surround Potsdamer Platz. When you visit the Brandenburg Gate, you can take advantage of its proximity to check out Potsdamer Platz.

Points of Interest Outside Berlin

If you have more than three days to enjoy the German capital, you might wonder what to see near Berlin. If you keep reading, we suggest a couple of places that can be of great interest.

New Palace of Potsdam

 

The New Palace of Potsdam is the main attraction of that small city, but it’s not the only thing to see there. If you have time, spending a day in Potsdam can be an excellent plan. The suburban trains (S-Bahn) will take you from Berlin to Potsdam in just 40 minutes.

In 1990, UNESCO included it in its list of World Heritage Sites as part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam. The palace was built between 1763 and 1769, is one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe, and was the site of the famous Potsdam Conference.

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

 

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was one of the most important in Nazi Germany, but after the war ended, the Soviets continued to use it until 1950. Ironically, it was the place chosen by the Soviets to confine lower-ranking Nazis after the conflict ended.

If you’re interested in learning about the history of World War II, a visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp must be included in your itinerary.

You can do it on your own by taking the S-Bahn to Wannsee-Oranienburg or join a free tour from Berlin. It’s a super comprehensive experience lasting six hours.

Whether you’re a history buff, an art enthusiast, a gourmet, or a nightlife lover, Berlin has something for everyone. We hope this itinerary helps you make the most of your visit.

 

Enjoy your trip to Berlin!