2 Day Itinerary For Berlin, Germany
Can you see Berlin, Germany in two days? Fortunately, the answer is yes and today I’m going to show you how.
Of course, this is just a suggested itinerary! No matter how long you’re staying it’s easy to work off of this as your base.
If you have three days, use the third day to book in at one of our favorite museums or spend the afternoon at Treptower Park.
Day 1:
For Day 1, I suggest a walking tour that hits most of the major sites in Berlin. Bring comfortable shoes!
📍Starting Point: Reichstag
Platz der Republik 1
Start your trip strong with a trip to the Reichstag. But please note, you cannot just walk in here! You must book your (free) ticket ahead of time online. You must also remember to bring your ID and all the documents they send you online. (Digital is fine but I’ve learned this one the hard way. They send you something that you think is a ticket but is really just a receipt.)
Once you’ve gotten in, take your time walking around the beautiful renovation by Norman Foster Architects. I’ve done this both with and without the headset. There’s enough stuff to read inside that you don’t really need the audio tour, as well. This one also offers stunning views over Berlin, so have those cameras ready.
Brandenburger Tor
Pariser Platz
The nearby Brandenberg Tor is worth a look. But there’s no big tourist center here! Just a chance to take a look and snap some photos. And perhaps a coffee to fuel you for the next stop.
Memorial To The Murdered Jews Of Europe
Cora-Berliner-Straße 1
The Holocaust Memorial is one of the most powerful monuments to the past. Take a stoic walk between the blocks then dip downstairs for the free museum. It is an important place to visit but also very heavy emotionally.
Usually, there’s no queue so you can walk right up and purchase your ticket at the door.
After your visit, you might also want to visit the much smaller Memorial to Homosexuals persecuted under Nazism, across the street.
Lunch/Coffee Break
The area around Potsdamer Platz used to be pretty terrible, as far as food goes. However, things have changed greatly in the last few years.
Here are a few solid choices:
Dip into the Mall of Berlin for some solid food-court options (including the vegan option Vedang (Leipziger Pl. 12) Or grab a burger at Burgermeister (Potsdamer Platz 1)– well-known as Berlin’s most popular burger chain.
For a proper German experience (or a beer!) try, the Lindenbräu am Potsdamer Platz (Bellevuestraße 3-5,).
For something completely different, I suggest Mabuhay (Hafenpl. 6), a tiny imbiss selling delicious Indonesian fare.
Topography of Terror
Niederkirchnerstraße 8
Now that you’ve properly refuelled, make your way over to the nearby Topography of Terror.
The Topography of Terror gives you some more insight into the events surrounding World War II. Just be warned, it’s a lot of reading! (It takes about an hour if you read the outside exhibition. That doesn’t even include the stuff inside!) But you can walk through at your own pace and read the parts that interest you the most.
Checkpoint Charlie
Friedrichstraße 43-45
A few blocks away lies the famous Checkpoint Charlie. No need to bother with the museum here, unless you’re really into the history here! For most, it’s good enough to see the “You are now leaving the American Sector” sign and maybe even take a photo with one of the “guards”.
Gendarmenmarkt
Gendarmenmarkt 1
Now for a vibe shift! From here, head north up Friedrichstrasse.
Gendarmenmarkt is a gorgeous square, set off by two different churches (one German and one French) and a concert house. This is the perfect place to take a break, either at one of the outside bars or restaurants. Or keep it casual, grab some snacks and drinks from a store, and sit either on the stairs of the Konzerthaus or on the grass.
(At the time of writing, 2024, this square is going under some serious renovations so skip it for now.)
Shop: Ritter Sport
Französische Str. 24
For a great souvenir, hit up the Ritter Sport Factory store around the corner. Here’s where you can make your own custom Ritter Sport or buy some varieties that aren’t available anywhere else/
Dinner
If you’re ready to eat again before you head back to the hotel, there are a few options in this area.
Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt (Charlottenstraße 55) offers a classic German beer hall experience (if you didn’t get that at lunch).
Borchardt (Französische Str. 47,)is one of the most upscale restaurants in town and has the celebrity clientele to match. (Brad Pitt, anyone?) It also turns up a small club experience on Friday nights. (They also have vegan schnitzel.)
Braufactum Hausvogteiplatz (Hausvogteipl. 3-4,) is a great choice for everything wurst.
If wine with a view is what you’re after, head to the rooftop bar at Hotel Du Rome (Behrenstraße 37) — one of the best spots in the city for a glass during the sunset. (Also great food!)
Day 2:
📍Starting Point: Alexanderplatz
10178 Berlin
Alexanderplatz is mostly a public transit hub, not a tourist destination. However, it’s the perfect start for this day. Also, many times throughout the year there’s a market happening (Oktoberfest, Christmas, etc.) Depending on the time of year, it might be worth lingering around!
Berliner Fernsehturm | TV Tower
1 Panoramastraße 1A
The TV Tower (Fernsehturm) is an iconic symbol of Berlin! I’m of the firm opinion that you don’t need to pay for a ticket and go to the top.
If you truly want to look out over Berlin, give it a shot! Or for something less expensive and less crowded, you can also take in views of the city at the nearby Park Inn hotel at Alexanderplatz.
Berliner Dom
Am Lustgarten
On the other hand, in my opinion, the nearby Berliner Dom is definitely worth the ticket price. Just be sure you’re in the mood for walking up a lot of stairs. Beautiful cathedral, a nice view at the top, and a creepy basement mausoleum. What else could you ask for!
Museum Island
As you might have guessed, Museum Island is full of museums. You can wander through here right after visiting the Berliner Dom and perhaps even stop in to a museum of your choice. Take your pick between the Altes Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Bodes Museum, and Neues Museum. (My personal favorite, the Pergamon Museum is currently closed for renovations.)
If museums aren’t your thing (or you’re just overstimulated) you can also just walk around and take in the beautiful views. Museum Island is UNESCO-protected and you can see a lot of war-era damage on the buildings to this day. Linger around here at sunset for some extra Berlin magic.
Bonus Tip:
After your museum visit or walk around Museum Island, I suggest stopping at Strandbar Mitte (Monbijoustraße 3B)for a drink overlooking the Spree and the beautiful Bode Museum.
Transit
After you’re done with Museum Island, make your way to the S-Bahn station at either Alexanderplatz or Hackescher Markt and take the S5, S7 or S9 heading east towards our next stop, Warschauer Str.
The ticket machines have an English setting and they usually take cards. Or alternatively, buy your tickets online with the BVG app.
East Side Gallery
Mühlenstraße
No trip to Berlin is complete without taking in a bit of the history surrounding the Berlin Wall. This is one of the best places to do it. The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining piece of the wall, at 1.3 km. However, it was converted into an open-air art museum in 1990 and features pieces from artists from around the world. Don’t forget to grab your selfie in front of “The Mortal Kiss” by Dmitri Vrubel.
Dinner
After you’ve worked up an appetite strolling the gallery, choose your next pit stop:
Holzmarkt 25 (Holzmarktstraße 25) offers a unique Berlin experience, set on the Spree. There are several casual restaurants and bars inside to choose from. Grab whatever suits you. Then hunt for a table or seats with a view, where you can watch the sun go down with the locals.
The Michelberger (Warschauer Str. 39-40) is the quintessential Berlin hotel with a cafe, wine bar, and restaurant. You can take advantage even if you’re not a guest by grabbing a glass of wine in the courtyard or some modern German eats in the restaurant.
Zola Pizza (Mühlenstraße 70-71 )- Zola consistently makes one of the best pizzas in town. Grab a table here overlooking the Spree to fuel up and watch the world go by.
Alternatively, wander over to Boxhagener Platz (Grünberger Str. 75), a buzzing square filled with restaurants, bars, and boatloads of Berliner vibes.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for your 2 day Berlin itinerary! Enjoy your stay!
Need a hotel? Check out our list of most unusual Hotels in Berlin!
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