Popular Attractions in Berlin, Germany

© Nicole Paschal, All Rights Reserved

Are you traveling to Berlin soon? If so, and you would like advice on what to see, here are my recommendations of the best that Berlin has to offer. Having lived in Berlin with my husband, a citizen of Germany, for nearly 3 years, I have an insider’s perspective on interesting locations for the new visitor. Berlin is a city of celebration, creativity, and liveliness. Come and say, “Guten Tag!”

1. Checkpoint Charlie
Erected in 1961 as part of the Berlin Wall, it was a manned crossing point between East and West Berlin. Today the area is heavily visited by tourists with gift shops nearby. In the Mitte District, next to the subway station Kochstrasse, this is a great sight for those interested in the allied history. Also, don’t fail to visit the “Museum Haus Am Checkpoint Charlie” nearby.

2. Haeckersher Markt
Take the S-Bahn S5, S75, S7 or S3 and at some point they all stop here. This is a place popular for its eateries of every sort, dance clubs, and street performers in the summer. There is never a moment when this area is empty of its tourists and Berliners. Also, and maybe most important to the single guys visiting, it is a popular locale for Berlin’s legal, beautiful, well-dressed, insured, tax-paying, working girls.

3.Kurfuerstendamm ( Ku’damm)
Kurfurstendam is a shopping Mecca. Whether you’re into fashion, pralines, electronics, fine gifts, or just people watching, this is the place to go. Some have compared this area to London shopping districts. Also, during the Christmas season, they host great Christmas markets.

4. Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg Gate is one of the most well-known symbols of Berlin. Located at Unter den Linden and Pariser Platz, Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte walked under this gate. If you follow Unter den Linden on foot towards the gate’s direction, you will see Humboldt University, the Russian Embassy, Komische Opera, and the Reichstag.

5. Dance Clubs/Nightlife
One can’t visit Berlin without taking part in its nightlife. I recommend no specific dance club here because where one ventures to get his groove on is a matter of personal taste. However, as a twenty-something that enjoys dancing, I have some recommendations. Matrix Club is one of the one of the largest, most popular dance clubs in Berlin and the first option for many tourists, however, there are others of the same caliber and without the overcrowding of tourists. Other clubs to consider are below.

Cascade Club- More refined, less crowded and great ambiance.
Knaack Club- For all you rockers out there.
Kitkat Club- Rated R.
White Trash Fast Food- Rockabilly magic.
Soda Club- Hip Hop and top 40.

6. Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz
Sony Center is an entertainment hub housed by amazing, contemporary architecture. Whether one wants to see an English language film, eat at one of the café’s or visit the Legoland Discovery Center, this is the place to be. Also, this area houses the Deutsche Kinemathek, a museum dedicated to film and television with mesmerizing exhibition strategies.

7. Berlin’s Technical Museum ( Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin)
If you’re a technology freak like my husband, this place is for you. The museum boasts exhibitions dedicated to aerospace, rail transport, and navigation. Perhaps the most gratifying part of a visit here would be the actual American WW2 plane that they have on exhibit.

8. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
Built in the 1890’s, the church was heavily damaged in a bombing raid in 1943. The remains of the church were spared and the bottom portion of it converted to a memorial. Half of the steeple is missing. It serves as a small reminder of the disastrous effects of war, while providing a photo opportunity like no other.

9. Tiergarten
Nature lovers will enjoy a walk through Tiergarten. Be careful as not to miss the entrance into the wooded area if you are arriving from the Tiergarten S-Bahn exit. It also houses the Victory Column, where 200,000 Berliners aligned to hear President Obama speak.

10. Nicolaiviertel
At over 770 years old, this is the oldest part of Berlin. However, it has the addition of shops and restaurants over the years. Visitors will have the ability to see how a Germanic medieval town may have looked.