One of my favorite Christmas markets in Berlin. I would say it's one of the top Christmas markets…read morein Berlin. Perfect example of how a Christmas market should be. It has a cosey and warm feeling to it. Nothing tasteless or cheesy about it. Location is ideal as well. Definitely make sure to explore the community. Beautiful area, it has so much to see. The best time to come to Berlin is during winter for the (Christmas Markets) or during Autumn, Spring, and Summer as well.

This is one of those grand European architectural locations. Once you get anywhere near this area,…read morewhat you will find are great cathedrals, beautiful buildings, and a very large square. The center point of this area is the large square. My suggestion is that you go and stand in the center of it, look around, and study its true uniqueness. What you will experience is one of the best places to view the grandeur of historic Berlin. Around this very large square, what you will find, (occasionally), is that they will have marketplaces. These marketplaces are usually seasonally orientated. Meaning, if it's Christmas season, you will find a great selection of Christmas orientated items. The main reason you come here is not so much simply to go shopping or dining, of which there are a lot of places to check out around the surrounding area, but to go inside some of the structures, and truly bask in the architectural glory of the statues, the way the buildings were constructed, and all of that kind of stuff. This isn't really a highly-touristy Berlin location. Which, is a good thing. Meaning, you can come here and really bask in a historic Berlin, which is deeply rooted in history. It will provide you with the true flavor and culture of Berlin. Overall, I would suggest that you do go here. You just need to know what to expect. There's not necessarily a lot to do, unless you truly appreciate the finer elements of architecture. But, it's a great place to visit.

Berliner Dom ist sehr groß und schön. We came here on our visit to Berlin. Walking from the Silent…read moreLibrary, on the Humboldt University campus, down Unter den Linden to the historical Cölln district of old Berlin. Given our family members who are clergy, we seem to visit churches wherever we go. But the Berliner Dom is special. It's to the former DDR credit that they allowed for its rebuilding in the 1950-60s. But for me, it's their music program and pipe organs that are most impressive. JS Bach also played here in the early 1700s and his sheet music was on display on our visit. See photos.

Beautiful and the biggest church in Berlin located on the museum island. It is very massive both…read moreoutside and inside...you have to pay for entrance and you can climb to the top to see 360 degree view of Berlin, worth it but it's 267 steps each way..no bathroom so go before climbing. Somehow I was there and there was a mass in German an I stayed 1/2 way and it was lovely. I'm not a church person but do appreciate the service. The building, the decor, the history itself is worth to check it out for sure. There are plenty of crypts within the church so you can check them outs along with shop and café upon exiting.

We thought long and hard about visiting this site…read more But for all the self agonizing, it was all for naught. Since today, it's just a gravel parking lot, for some local apartments. There are some signs you can read, which discuss the events of April 30th,1945. They have also put up some architectural drawings, of what Dear Leader's bunker looked like down below. So feel free to come here and as one Yelper puts it, walk all over his grave. But if may suggest, afterwards... please walk down to the Jewish Memorial (about 50 meters) and offer up a prayer of remembrance for all those who lost their lives. Nie wieder!

The fuhrer bunker is a must see when in Berlin but little to no effort has been put into telling…read morethe story. Many tourists stop here, some in organized groups, but there is really just a simple sign detailing what occurred here. This is all potential and should be improved, however I am mindful that, as a matter of public policy, the government does not wish to appear to be glorifying the issue.

Yelp asks "How would I rate my experience here and how many Stars would I give it?" After a couple…read moreof thousand reviews, I find we were completely speechless here. Later in our Viking trip, we visited both Birkenau and Auschwitz. Those visits and here, are bookends to horrors of hate and the decent into humanities worst period of cannibalisms. I phrase it like that, because the people of that period, consumed and devoured the living nightmare of hate, as if it was to purge the world of group(s) of people they just didn't like, didn't understand and wanted to eradicate. So this place is a memorial of their memory, but also a reminder of what happens, when we allow Hate to devour our humanity and our souls. Five Stars and hopefully, never again! But I/we know better.... Seattle, Christopher Straße Tag...

Another day in Berlin and another museum reminding us all about World War II and the Holocaust…read more It's free, but you have to wait to get in. They let you in in staggered blocks. If you see a long line, just get on it. It moves quickly. Much of the staff is multilingual, too. I saw the young people working the ropes talking to people from all over Europe in their own languages. Outside there is a staggeringly large monument of large grey slabs. Some are leaning, and I'm not sure if it is intentional or due to disrepair and the elements. What I do know is it is a kind of maze which people seem to mainly use to play hide and seek or do parkour on, even though it's a museum dedicated to the Jews murdered in Europe. Kind of sad to witness. Inside is a large multi room museum documenting personal stories with various types of exhibits of the people rounded up, killed, or the few who survived. There are readings of testimonials of survivors of the camps that you can listen to on phones in the wall. It's very depressing but oh so important. And considering how much antisemitism there is in the world today and how trendy it is, it was somewhat moving to see so many people who wanted to come in and get educated on the horrors the Jews went through in World War II Germany. A really important part of history well told. Check it out and then you can walk over and see a bunch of tourist stuff like Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag. You'll probably need a drink, but it is definitely worth checking out. Especially if you have a teenager and especially if you are Jewish yourself.

The Sony Center is an architectural wonder…read more It is located only a few yards from the former Berliner Mauer and Potsdamer Platz. There are lots of food options and they even have a Legoland Museum/Store. We came here on our first evening in der Hauptstadt. Sitting back, enjoying our meal and Berliner Brau, while watching the light show above us. Simply the best

The Sony Center was right next to our hotel so we stopped for a drink and some shopping. There is…read morean adorable bookstore inside that I highly recommend. The architecture is beautiful to see even if you don't stop for food or shopping.

Potsdamer Platz is one of those places you can't miss simply because it's in a fairly central…read morearea--if you are into cultural and artistic activities such as museums, memorials, concerts, shopping (like how I threw shopping in there ;) you'll probably catch transportation close by. You'll likely stumble upon this plaza if you're visiting and your hotel is near, or if you're walking between attractions, or simply commuting and transferring between different trains. It's maintained its role as a transit hub since the mid-1800s, when it was the location for a long distance train station. After WWI, Europe's first traffic light was installed at this intersection. The square was destroyed in WWII and subsequently became an area for black market activities where the purviews of the foreign powers coalesced, and further became a demarcation between East and West Berlin when the wall went up in 1961. The area was devoid of infrastructure development until the 1990's once the wall came down, followed by major corporations moving in, and new buildings and highrises going up expeditiously to accommodate the needs for commercialization. While I didn't see anything exciting happening in the area when I was there, other reviews mention a Christmas market and other holiday, performance and community events being staged here. Surrounding the square are a number of retailers including the Mall of Berlin, some restaurants, and a lot of office buildings.

Is this a must stop on your vacation? No. But this seems to be a good part of town with the hotels,…read moremall, and stores in the area. We just so happen to be at a chain hotel in the area and this was our daily stomping ground for 7 day, 6 nights. You will find some pieces of the Berlin Wall on the line marking where The Wall was. There is a major metro stop which was great for getting to everything on our bucket list. They happen to have an Easter Market in the Plaza while we were visiting.

Great FREE place to stop on a trip to Berlin! Great views and lots of history to learn! Would…read moredefinitely recommend. Just so you know - the top gets very hot and there is no air conditioning! Went on a hot day and I was sweating in the dome area.

Touring the Reichstag was one of the greatest highlights of my international travels to date. There…read morewas just something about being in the building that so much history took place in. We were blessed to have a personal guide who was alive during the division of Berlin and who had family members who were separated the entire time of the division of the city and country and who witnessed her father and uncle at last reunited after the fall of the wall. Going through various aspects of the building and hearing stories is chill inducing. But the highlight of the building is the amazing rooftop and its incredible dome. From this roof you can see throughout all of Berlin and imagine the sites and historic events that took place. Then the dome itself is an architectural marvel just inviting you to climb to the top on the spiral ramps that lead up and somehow also lead down without ever crossing. Reservations are needed in advance and passports are required to enter. While all of the "wall" sites are a must when visiting Berlin, this building is the icing on the cake and a must see.

I visited during January so it was a little bit cooler than I liked, but Still had a great time…read moreseeing all the history As a European and being well traveled, I was aware of the pickpocket issue. It's simple don't bring anything flashy keep your phone in your front pocket. I don't even carry a purse when I travel We stayed at Adlon Hotel so the walk was short I am looking forward to a visit in the warmer months.

The Brandenburg gate is a must see when visiting Berlin. Lots of history, and it's an icon of the…read morecity. Look for hidden gems near the gate, such as the plaque to Ronald Reagan speech and the Caller sculpture, calling out to the east German side. Even in the off-season and the dead of winter beware of scammers near the Brandenburg gate. The scammers will ask for a signature and pretend to be collecting donations for a charitable cause. These are not bona fide charities, these are scammers working the tourists.

This venue is free, and very interesting. The architecture is beautiful and there is a huge…read morecircular stairway in the center. There is a lot of material about the history of government and democracy in Germany. Interesting pictures and movies of parliamentary presentations including by Hitler.

AMAZING!!! Took 2 hours to get through the museum. Very hands on so good for families or something…read moreto do on a rainy day. If in Berlin don't leave without stopping here. Avoid Sundays if you can, it gets fairly busy and crowded.

What a beautiful museum with all kinds of displays. Most description cards are in German and…read moreEnglish. Allow at least 3-4 hours. They have a nice cafe too.