The Eastside Gallery is a MUST STOP when visiting the Hauptstadt Berlin…read more If only to come see the mural "My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love" by Dmitri Vrubel. Recently, Berlin foodie stop Curry 61 did a funny parody, see photos. This section of the former Berlin Wall, has over a hundred mural on this lone remaining section on Mühlenstraße along the Spree River.

East Side Gallery is not really what is commonly thought of as an, "Art Gallery." What it is, is a…read morelong section of wall where various artist exhibit their work by creating one of their pieces on the wall. Yes, it is a little bit strange. East Side Gallery is a really a very long wall. There are a lot of artists that have their work showing on this wall. Just like beauty in in the eye of the beholder, so is art. Some of the work along this wall is very good. Others, not so much. All this being said, it is an interesting concept. And, it is something that you should see if you are in Berlin. Just don't get your hopes up to experience something truly revolutionary or cutting edge. Remember, it's just a wall with a bunch of paintings on it.

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.

One visits Gendarmenmarkt to take in the local flavor. There are beautiful buildings and sculptures…read moreto view and appreciate. People come here to hang out with their families and loved ones. I especially enjoyed looking at the expressions on the faces of the sculptures within the gates of the church. The artist truly captures a feeling. I walked here from the hotel I was staying at and enjoyed lunch in the immediate vicinity. It is a place to visit when in Berlin.

A random arch in the middle of a weed patch.read more

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.

One of the more beautiful train stations in Berlin. Emerging from underground and coming out of…read morethis amazing building, and then walking on the square almost feels like going back in time. Love it.

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.

This domed cathedral is the largest in Germany and as we see it today is one of many versions of…read morethis place of worship starting from the mid-15th century. Commissioned by Wilhelm II in 1888 the cathedral broke ground in 1894 over same location as a prior church building demolished the prior year to make room for this new and improved iteration. The design of this monumental structure incorporates details from Italian Renaissance and Baroque styles, notably ornamental mosaics, gold features and trimmings, and the layout of the building with its soaring dome and nave. Construction was completed in 1905, but after major damages during WWII was restored starting 1975 and only completed in 1993. Today it serves as functioning church parish for a German Protestant denomination. Visitors can access the following areas in the building: Preaching Church, Baptismal and Marriage Chapel and Panoramic View via 270 stairs. The crypt below the cathedral is a main attraction though closed for renovation until the end of 2025 or early 2026. Regular musical concerts are held here and programming can be found on their website. Normal visiting hours are Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm, Sat: 9am-5pm and Sun: 12-5pm. Check in advance for holiday hours. Tickets are €10 for adults, €7 with the Berlin Welcome Card, €7.50 reduced (students, disabled, see their website for full list). A single adult can bring up to 3 children in the ticket price. Prices go toward church upkeep which their website lists as €15K per day. Purchases can be made in person or line by credit card only, cash not accepted. Tickets for concerts can be booked at the box office without fee, or by phone or email with fee to mail the tickets.

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.

Ah, the Reichstag. This building has seen a lot since it was finished being built in 1894. The…read moreGerman Empire, the Weimar Republic, the rise of Naziism and Adolf Hitler and now, a reunified Germany. Architecturally, this building suffered severe damage by fire, and then by bombing in WW2. It was finally restored and updated in the 1950's. A visit to Berlin is not complete, IMO, without a visit here. There are a few different tours offered, but if you don't speak German, there are 2: one to see where parliament convenes (only when it is NOT in session), followed by a visit to the dome, and just the dome. All must be booked ahead of time. We took just the dome tour which will take you into the dome atop the building. Besides the magnificent views of the city and the Spree river, the dome contains an exhibition which tells the story of the building from its origins to the present day, along with parliamentary history. There is a spiral walkway that goes to the top of the dome and allows for 360 degree views of the city all the way up and down. You can pretty much stay there as long as you want, but 2 hours seems average, with reading all the information and taking photos. Just behind the building and to the right are the Brandenburg Gate, and the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe. In front of it and slightly to the left is the Berlin Zoo and Bellevue Castle, just to give you an idea of what is in the area. To register and for more information: https://www.bundestag.de/en/visittheBundestag/dome/tours 81/2025

Berlin-Flughafen Tempelhof (THF) is long gone. But coming here, you can almost feel the…read moreTempelhofer Feld history. Berlin Hauptstadt is trying to converted into something incredibly useful for the locals. But mind you, it's still a work in progress. We just enjoyed seeing it and walking around.

What do you do with a decommissioned airport? Make it into a huge park and nature preserve for…read moreeveryone to enjoy. So much history here, but folks from the western world may recall that during the height of the cold war, West Berlin was essentially cut off. This airport was the scene of many airlifted supply runs. There's also a pretty interesting monument in the front of the complex celebrating this.

While we were in Germany for the Berlin Marathon we had a chance to explore and visit the Kaiser…read moreWilhelm Memorial Church. It's over 100 years old and was badly damaged during the WW2 allied bombings. Amazing that it's still standing and is a reminder of such a terrible time in history. There is a newer more modern looking addition that is actively used and we viewed a listing of events and times to attend. We didn't have a chance to do these as we were on a tour with a quick stop here. Just from the outside you can view the remnants of the church, some sculptures, art pieces, and information. Some of the original church was rebuilt and restored and it's a beautiful piece of architecture. Definitely worth a visit if you're a history buff.

This was an amazing place to visit. We did not pay for the guided tour, but we did walk around and…read moreinside the church to see the amazing architecture, including what was destroyed in war and rebuilt. It was very interesting to see the lasting cracks and damage. The inside of the church has information about the church's history that you can read at your own pace for free. We also visited the chapel, which was beautiful.