Berlin, Germany
Berlin was once an imperial capital, but today is a cosmopolitan and diverse city that offers a great range of distractions for a day visitor. From a selection of great museums to historic landmarks, consult our handy guide for the inside line.
Your Berlin Daycation Tips
- Top Class Restaurants – Berlin has a great choice of restaurants, with fare ranging from Spanish to Croatian, Indian and more. Amongst the best is classic German restaurant Altes Zollhaus, vegan fare from Viasko (which offers not just a range of salads but freshly baked cakes too), and Asian-influenced fine dining at Restaurant Tim Raue.
- Brandenburg Gate – The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is one of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks. The restored site dates back to the 18th century, featuring Doric columns and surmounted by the Goddess of Victory. Other landmarks include the Victory Column and the city’s magnificent cathedral.
- Museum Island – Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a quintet of museums dating back to 1830. There’s sculpture and Byzantine art at the Bode Museum, whilst Egyptian aficionados should check out the art at the Neues Museum. The island is also home to some more modern sites, as well as the city’s cathedral.
- East Side Gallery – The East Side Gallery is unique, as its canvas is a remnant of the Berlin Wall. Graffiti daubs the once stark dividing line between East and West Berlin in an artistic celebration of the wall coming down.
Six Interesting Berlin Facts
- Berlin is the largest city in Germany, as well as being the nation’s capital.
- Slavs have had a significant historical influence on the city, with five of the twelve boroughs having Slavic influenced names.
- Before modern Germany existed, the city was the capital of Brandenburg, Prussia, and the German Empire.
- For much of the Cold War, Berlin was divided into East and West, reunifying towards the end of the 20th century.
- Berlin’s Natural History Museum (Museum für Naturkunde) has the world’s largest mounted dinosaur (a Giraffatitan skeleton).
- The Berlin International Film Festival has the largest public attendance of any film festival, with around half a million admission each year.