Berlin is a city of powerful contrasts—imperial grandeur, avant‑garde art, Cold War scar tissue, and a culinary scene that has reinvented “German food” for the 21st century. You’ll move from Prussian boulevards to graffiti-bright canals, from solemn memorials to infectious dance floors, and you’ll leave with a deeper sense of Europe’s modern story.

Founded in the 13th century, Berlin rose as the capital of Prussia and later of a unified Germany. The 20th century made it a crucible: devastated in WWII, divided by the Berlin Wall, reunited in 1990. Today it’s a hub for culture and tech, where museums, clubs, and cafés share the same neighborhoods.

Expect an efficient transit system (BVG), card-friendly payments, and a lively mix of neighborhoods—Mitte for landmarks, Kreuzberg for creativity, Prenzlauer Berg for leafy streets, Friedrichshain for nightlife. Pack layers: weather changes fast, and you’ll be outside a lot. Come hungry; Berlin’s food scene runs from currywurst stands to Michelin-star dining.

Berlin

Berlin rewards curiosity. Start with the icons—Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Museum Island—then detour into courtyard cafés, riverside parks, and repurposed spaces like Tempelhofer Feld, an airfield turned public playground. Street art isn’t a sideshow; it’s part of the city’s voice, led by the open-air East Side Gallery.

• Top sights: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag dome, Museum Island, East Side Gallery, Holocaust Memorial, Berlin Wall Memorial (Bernauer Str.), Gendarmenmarkt, Unter den Linden.
• Local flavor: Mauerpark flea market (Sundays), Turkish Market on Maybachufer (Tue/Fri), canal strolls along Kreuzberg/Neukölln, sunset at Tempelhofer Feld.
• Dining snapshot: From traditional German at Zur Letzten Instanz to modern plates at Katz Orange, vegetarian fine dining at Cookies Cream, and desserts-as-dinner at CODA.

Where to stay (handpicked + bookable):

• Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin (5-star literal steps from Brandenburg Gate; old-world service, iconic breakfasts): Check availability
• Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz (eco-minded, bright Nordic rooms, great for families): Check availability
• Motel One Berlin-Hackescher Markt (value-boutique in buzzing Mitte/Hackescher Markt): Check availability
• Motel One Berlin-Alexanderplatz (sleek, central, easy transit): Check availability
• Novotel Berlin Mitte (solid midrange near Museum Island; family rooms): Check availability
• MEININGER Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof (budget-friendly steps from the main station): Check availability
• The Circus Hostel (design-forward hostel with private options; great café/bar): Check availability

Browse more stays: Hotels.com Berlin search: See all hotels | VRBO apartments/lofts: See apartments

Getting to Berlin (BER): Within Europe, compare flights and trains on Omio (flights) and Omio (trains); Berlin is ~1h45 by air from London/Paris and ~4–4.5h by train from Hamburg (1h45), Munich (4h), Prague (4h20), Amsterdam (~6h). Buses can be great value: Omio (buses). Flying from outside Europe? Compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. From BER to the center, take the FEX/RE/S-Bahn (about 30–40 minutes). Use the BVG app for live routes and current fare zones (choose ABC if you include airport/Potsdam).

Day 1: Arrival, Museum Island glow, and a hearty Berlin dinner

Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Shake off the trip with a gentle walk along Unter den Linden toward Museum Island; step into the Lustgarten and admire the Berlin Cathedral’s dome. For a first coffee, try Father Carpenter (courtyard haven, silky flat whites) or The Barn (third‑wave pioneer) in Mitte.

Evening: Classic Berlin dinner choices: Zur Letzten Instanz (since 1621; pork knuckle, potato dumplings, sauerkraut) for tradition; or Katz Orange (slow-roasted meats, seasonal veg, candlelit courtyard) for modern Berlin. Sweet tooth? Rausch Schokoladenhaus does elaborate chocolate desserts and a Brandenburg Gate made of cacao. Nightcap options: Buck & Breck (intimate speakeasy, reservations recommended) or rooftop Klunkerkranich in Neukölln for sunset city views.

Day 2: Icons of Berlin by foot, then a Spree river cruise

Morning: Join the Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour (about 4 hours) to cover the historic core—Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, and more—with context that makes the city click.

Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour

Insider note: If you want to ascend the Reichstag dome (free but ID required), pre-book a timeslot; sunrise/sunset slots are gorgeous.

Afternoon: Grab lunch Berlin-style. For currywurst comparisons: Curry 36 vs. Konnopke’s Imbiss. Craving döner? Mustafas Gemüse Kebap draws lines for a reason; or try Rüyam Gemüse Kebab for a quicker queue. Then see Berlin from the water on a 1‑hour narrated cruise—architecture, bridges, and a totally different angle on the city.

1-Hour River Cruise with Tour Guide. Bilingual (Ger/Engl)

Evening: Explore Kreuzberg’s dinner scene: Markthalle Neun (rotating vendors; if it’s Thursday, the Street Food market is a feast), Mogg (smoky house‑cured pastrami in a former Jewish girls’ school), or chef’s counter at Nobelhart & Schmutzig (hyper-local tasting menu; book ahead). Classic cocktail spots nearby include Green Door (ring the bell) and Becketts Kopf (elegant, low-lit). If you still have energy, check gig listings at Lido or Astra Kulturhaus.

Day 3: East Side Gallery, food tour flavors, and neighborhood wandering

Morning: Start at the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall covered in politically charged murals—don’t miss “The Kiss” and “Test the Rest.” Cross the Oberbaumbrücke for river views, then refuel at Five Elephant (roastery; lauded cheesecake) or Bonanza in Kreuzberg. If it’s Tues/Fri, stroll the Turkish Market along Maybachufer for gözleme, spices, and produce.

Afternoon: Dive into Berlin’s multi-cultural food scene on a small-group tasting walk—8+ bites that trace the city’s flavors from traditional to global, with stories to match.

Berlin Center Food Tour with 8+ Authentic Local Tastings

Afterward, head to Bernauer Straße for the Berlin Wall Memorial’s preserved border strip and watchtower, or browse the courtyards of Hackesche Höfe for indie shops and galleries.

Evening: Choose your flavor of Berlin night: Cookies Cream (hidden vegetarian fine dining; inventive dishes), CODA (two-Michelin-star dessert tasting menu—savory-sweet ingenuity), or Lokal (seasonal, locally sourced). For something casual, Henne fries up legendary crispy chicken in a wood-paneled tavern. Nightcap at Monkey Bar overlooking the zoo, or slip into ORA (a restored apothecary bar) for classic cocktails. If it’s Sunday, drop by the Mauerpark flea market and open-air karaoke before dinner.

Day 4: Potsdam palaces in the morning, farewell Berlin in the afternoon

Morning: Cap your trip with Prussian elegance in nearby Potsdam. Join a guided excursion that includes Sanssouci Palace’s gardens and key sights, with transport and guiding handled so you can relax and soak it in.

Potsdam Tour from Berlin With Guided Sanssouci Palace Visit

Prefer DIY? Take S7 from Berlin Hbf to Potsdam Hbf (~40 minutes), tram to Sanssouci, stroll the terraced vineyard and the Neues Palais, then loop via the Dutch Quarter for coffee.

Afternoon: Return to Berlin for departure. If time allows, pick up pastries at Zeit für Brot (legendary warm cinnamon buns) or have a quick sit-down lunch near the river at Ständige Vertretung (Rhineland classics, Kölsch on tap) before heading to BER. Use Omio trains to check the quickest regional connection back to the airport if you’re not using the FEX.

Practical tips:

• BVG day and multi-day tickets are great value; choose AB for central Berlin, ABC if you’ll visit the airport or Potsdam. Check the BVG app for up-to-date fares and platform info.
• Many museums are closed Mondays; the Neues Museum (Nefertiti) and Alte Nationalgalerie are highlights on Museum Island. Time-slot reservations save waits.
• Berlin is card-friendly, but small kiosks/imbiss stands may prefer cash. Tipping: round up or add ~5–10% at restaurants.

How to book your transport: Within Europe, compare and book on Omio (flights in Europe), Omio (trains), and Omio (buses). Long-haul options from outside Europe: Trip.com flights and Kiwi.com.

In four days, you’ll have walked the grand axes of Prussia, stood where the Wall once split families, eaten your way through today’s Berlin, and tasted palace life in Potsdam. Berlin doesn’t just show you history—it lets you feel the city remaking itself in real time.