Berlin is a city where you will never be bored. It will inspire you with its history, captivate you with its architecture and lure you with its multicultural atmosphere, which is also reflected in the local cuisine. Join us for an itinerary of what to see in Berlin in 2 days.
Is it possible to visit Berlin in 2 days?
Berlin is a big city, and while it doesn’t have the sights of Paris or Rome, it still has plenty of things to see.
If you’re coming to Berlin for the first time, 2 days is the perfect base to catch the highlights in and around the city centre – Brandenburg Gate, East Side Gallery, Museum Island or TV Tower.
With more time, you can venture further afield and explore the surrounding neighbourhoods, hidden corners, walk along the River Spree or take a trip to Potsdam.
Quick Guide to Berlin
How to save money: Berlin WelcomeCard is a tourist card that allows you to travel around Berlin without restrictions and get discounts on sights and attractions in the city. It includes almost all the well-known attractions, including the TV Tower, AquaDom & SEA LIFE Berlin and Charlottenburg Castle.
Where to stay: Hotel AMANO (stylish hotel near the train station), Hotel Schulz (popular hotel at a good price), Ibis budget Berlin Potsdamer Platz (budget hotel)
How to get around the city: Berlin is well served by the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and trams. You can buy tickets easily via the BVG app or take advantage of unlimited free transport with Berlin WelcomeCard.
2 days in Berlin – route map
On the map you will find a marked itinerary of what to see in Berlin in 2 days. The route can be largely walked on foot, or. you can use the local transport, which works great in Berlin.
The itinerary is just a sample and includes all the iconic places you shouldn’t miss in Berlin.
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you will find a detailed map with an itinerary of what to see in Berlin in two days. Click at the top left of the map to see separate layers with highlighted locations. You can hide and show the different layers or click on the icons on the map to see the names of the places I mention in the itinerary for 2 days in Berlin, Germany. If you want to save the map, star it. For a larger version, click on the icon in the upper right corner.
WHAT TO SEE IN BERLIN IN 2 DAYS
2 DAYS IN BERLIN – ITINERARY FOR 1ST DAY
Morning: Brandenburg Gate
On the first day of our itinerary we start at the Brandenburg Gate, an iconic landmark in Berlin. During the Cold War it was a symbol of division, today it is a symbol of unity and peace.
Everyone wants to see the Brandenburg Gate when they visit Berlin, so the crowds are already piling in in the morning. In the morning, enjoy the sight of the symbol of German reunification with just a few others.
Practical information: U5 (metro) and several S-Bahn lines stop right at the Brandenburg Gate.
Reichstag
Just a few minutes from the Brandenburg Gate is the Reichstag building, home to the German Parliament. The building is particularly interesting because of its glass dome, which was built as a symbol of the transparency of the local government. In addition, you can enjoy a great view of the centre of Berlin.
The dome is accessible free of charge, reservation in advance is required. It is open daily from 8:00 am until late into the evening. It may be closed for maintenance on selected days, please check with your reservation for specific details.
You can also explore the Reichstag area, where there is a park and landscaped waterfront, including the modern Chancellery building.
Jewish Memorial
Just a few minutes south of the Brandenburg Gate lies the Jewish Memorial. It consists of variously sized rectangles representing Jews who perished during World War II. It is a place to reflect on the horrors that took place during the Second World War.
Morning: Unter den Linden
There are several major boulevards in Berlin. The most beautiful is Unter den Linden, which connects Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island.
It is flanked by embassy buildings, the historic Babelplatz square and the Neue Wache memorial, inside which is a statue of a mother embracing her dead son as a reminder of the suffering of the wars.
You can take a short detour to the Gendarmenmarkt, which is considered the most beautiful square in Berlin. Moreover, it is perfectly symmetrical, with the French and German cathedrals on either side and the concert hall in the middle.
If it’s lunchtime, head to the Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt for traditional German cuisine in pleasant surroundings. Or how about hot chocolate at the Rausch Schokoladenhaus? For more tips on where to eat in Berlin, see our previous article.
HOTELS IN BERLIN 😴
Afternoon: Museum Island
We will spend the afternoon on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located at the end of Unter den Linden, it is a self-contained island that is home to some of the most important art museums in Europe.
Two days in Berlin is not enough time to visit all the museums, but if you have time, I recommend visiting at least one of them. The collections are also set in beautiful spaces, so even if you’re not interested in history and art, there’s plenty to see.
The most popular museum used to be the Pergamon Museum, where you could see a replica of the famous Babylonian Ishtar Gate. However, it is closed until at least 2027 due to extensive reconstruction.
Neues Museum
We really liked the Neues Museum, where you can find an extensive Egyptian collection and especially the bust of Nefertiti and the scrolls of the Book of the Dead. And the premises themselves are beautiful.
Admission to Neues Museum is €14. It is open daily except Mondays from 10:00-18:00. The collection is spread over several floors, so you can spend a good part of the afternoon here. Refreshments and toilets are provided.
If you book a ticket in advance, there’s a staff member outside who will just scan the QR code and you can go straight in. If you do not book your ticket in advance, waiting for a member of staff to let you in is not out of the question.
Alte Nationalgalerie
Also worth seeing is the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), which covers the period from 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, especially German art. Key works include famous German artists, such as Caspar David Friedrich, Adolph Menzel and Max Liebermann, along with international artists (Édouard Manet and Claude Monet).
Admission to Altes Museum is €12. It is open daily except Mondays from 10:00-18:00. Book your tickets in advance and skip the line.
Berlin Cathedral
Berlin Cathedral is located on Museum Island and will amaze you with its monumentality. With a landscaped park, fountain and benches where you can relax after visiting the museums. Inside, it contains marble and onyx decorations with organs and royal sarcophagi.
You can even step out onto the terrace and enjoy the views of the surrounding area for an extra charge. You can’t see as far as you can in the case of TV Tower, but it’s still a nice spectacle.
Full admission to the Berliner Dom is €9. Opening hours are variable – for up-to-date information, visit the official Berlin Cathedral website.
The rest of the afternoon can be spent walking around the river. If you head north from Museum Island, after a while you will reach a nice viewpoint with the Bode Museum in the foreground. There’s a cafe and benches, in nice weather it’s perfect.
Or head south of the island to the small medieval district of Nikolaiviertel, where you can wander past past pastel-coloured houses and St Nicholas Church. The district is really small and even with the journey you will only need an hour.
Evening: Alexanderplatz and TV Tower
Alexanderplatz is an important centre in Berlin. There’s actually not much to see here, and yet it keeps popping up on the not-to-miss lists in Berlin. It’s worth a quick stop especially for the World Clock, which dates back to the 1960s and tells the time in 24 places around the world.
After a short stop at Alexanderplatz, we head straight for the Berliner Fernsehturm (often referred to as the TV Tower), which is just a few steps from the square. Moreover, it is unmissable from many places across Berlin, so it serves as a good landmark.
TV Tower
The TV Tower is a 368 m high television tower, one of the tallest buildings in Europe.
You can see the entrance from the Alexanderplatz side. You can go upstairs via a glass elevator. At the top of the tower, there is a restaurant and 360-degree views that are completely different due to the shape of the tower. The ticket price is higher, but here you pay for the experience. It is open until late in the evening.
How to skip the lines for the TV Tower in Berlin:
Tickets are more expensive on site – there are machines where you can buy them. The wait may be even longer, as many people are hesitant to choose a ticket. Plus, buying a ticket doesn’t automatically mean you get in – when we were there (at the end of the season in the middle of the week), people had to arrive 2 hours after buying the ticket because all the earlier dates were sold out.
On the other side of the Berliner Fernsehturm is a pleasant park where locals meet. Its dominant feature is the beautiful brick town hall.
Where to eat around Alexanderplatz
There are many restaurants, cafés and street food stalls around Alexanderplatz. Here are some tips depending on what you fancy:
- Brauhaus GEORGBRAEU (German cuisine in the Nikolaiviertel district)
- Zur Gerichtslaube (German restaurant with a medieval atmosphere)
- Dolores Mitte (Mexican cuisine, delicious burritos, nachos, fun interior)
- Hofbräu Wirtshaus (the best Bavarian cuisine with a rustic interior)
All tips can be found in the map at the beginning of this article. The map can be downloaded, copied and modified as needed.
Good restaurants can also be found around Hackescher Markt, which is just one S-Bahn stop from Alexanderplatz. Currywurst in Curry 61 is famous and there are queues for it.
While you’re here and have time to spare, explore Hackeschen Höfe, several interconnected courtyards with cafes, shops and galleries.
If you want to experience more of the alternative Berlin, head to Haus Schwarzenberg, which is right next door. The small courtyard features an underground, a bar and a gallery. You can visit the courtyard free of charge.
3 DAYS IN BERLIN – ITINERARY FOR 2ND DAY
Morning: East Side Gallery
The East Side Gallery is a preserved section of the Berlin Wall that has been transformed into a free outdoor street art gallery. Every 10 years, artists are hired to create new paintings.
The gallery is freely accessible. If you want to enjoy it without the crowds, come first thing in the morning.
South of the East Side Gallery, the Oberbaumbrücke bridge connects the two banks of the River Spree. It may not be as popular as Tower Bridge in London, but we think it’s definitely worth seeing.
It is a two-storey red brick bridge connecting the districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, which were formerly divided by the Berlin Wall.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is a border crossing and a significant historical site that connected the American and Soviet sectors in the city in the last century, i.e. western and eastern part of the city.
You used to be able to take pictures with the soldiers here, but the city has banned that.
Next door is the Mauermuseum, where you can learn more about Checkpoint Charlie. Full admission is €17.50, €11.50 for students and €9.50 for children aged 7-18. Book online or pay on the spot by card (no cash). Open daily 10:00-20:00.
Tip: If you head north from Checkpoint Charlie, you’ll see the entrance to the garden with food trucks and stalls on your right. There is a seating area and in nice weather you can relax in the sand on the sun loungers. But the main reason to visit is the House of Burgerz, where they have some of the best burgers in Berlin (and probably not only in Berlin).
HOTELS IN BERLIN 😴
Topographie des Terrors
A few minutes’ walk from Chechpoint Charlie lies another historically significant site – Topographie des Terrors, which charts the horrors of World War II.
The exhibition “Topography of Terror” is built on the site where the main instruments of Nazi persecution and terror were located between 1933 and 1945. It was the headquarters of the Gestapo, the supreme command and security service of the SS and, from 1939, the main office of the Reich Security Service.
The exhibition is divided into outdoor and indoor in modern spaces. If you want to learn more about this topic, it’s very well done and detailed. Everything is free of charge with the possibility of renting an audio guide. It is open daily from 10:00-20:00.
☞ Get inspired with our itinerary for 3 days in Berlin.
Afternoon: Potsdam Square
A busy morning needs to be lightened. Potsdamer Platz is ideal for this.
Potsdamer Platz is a modern square with a distinctive Sony Center roof, shops and restaurants…and a great view from the Panoramapunkt.
Panoramapunkt is a relatively new vantage point from which you can enjoy views of the city skyline, including the TV Tower.
The fastest elevator in Europe takes you up to the 24th floor in 20 seconds, where, in addition to the observation deck, there is also a café and toilets.
Admission to Panoramapunkt Berlin is €9. It is open daily from 10:00-18:00. Book your tickets here.
If you’re planning to go shopping in Berlin, Potsdamer Platz is home to one of the largest shopping malls in Berlin – the Mall of Berlin.
Where to eat around Potsdamer Platz
- Döner Kebab Restaurant TERAS (kebab)
- Brammibal’s Donuts (traditional donuts)
- Vedang (vegan fast food in the Mall of Berlin, will taste in non-vegan)
☞ Check out our complete guide to transport in Berlin.
Tiergarten
After Potsdam’s bustling Potsdamer Platz, a stroll in the Tiergarten will come in handy. The park is literally interwoven with trails, with lots of attractions, lakes and the Victory Column in the middle.
If you like views, don’t miss the ones from the Victory Column (Siegessäule). In addition, the entrance fee is only 4 €. There are a lot of stairs, but the view of the park and Berlin is worth it. From Potsdamer Platz you can get here by bus or on foot in about half an hour. There are more lines running here, you can use Google Maps for current connections.
You can’t get through the Tiergarten in an afternoon, so it’s best to set aside the places you want to see.
Kurfürstendamm
Do you prefer the hustle and bustle of the city? Head to the tree-lined Kurfürstendamm shopping street, which is lined with shops and restaurants. Its dominant feature is the memorial cauldron of Emperor Wilhelm, which was damaged during the war and later connected with a modern extension.
Open daily 10:00-18:00. Admission is free. You can also take a guided tour (free, but a donation of €5 is appreciated).
☞ Check out the best hotels and accommodation in Berlin for every budget.
Evening: Kreuzberg
End your stay in Berlin in the Kreuzberg district, one of the most interesting areas in Berlin.
Kreuzberg is known for its vibrant nightlife, diverse food and street art. If you’re looking for a place to eat well, this is a safe bet.
Here are some tips for great places to eat in Kreuzberg (but there are many more):
- Lasan Restaurant (Middle East)
- Maroush (bistro with Lebanese cuisine and a small seating area)
- clánndestino | Tapasbar & Weinhandel (cosy tapas bar with an authentic atmosphere)
- Klas Bäckerei (delicious breakfasts, soups, pastries, gözleme)
- Baraka – Moroccan Restaurant (Moroccan cuisine in an authentic setting)
- Mano Cafe (stylish cafe open until late)
- Kimchi Princess (Korean cuisine)
- Forty Years (a cosy café perfect for breakfast or brunch)
Or visit the Markthalle Neun and sample a variety of cuisines in the indoor market. You can find all the places marked in the map at the beginning of the article.
Where to stay in Berlin in 2 days?
- aletto Hotel: Design, modern hotel in the city centre with excellent accessibility and a roof terrace
- Hotel Schulz: Popular hotel with superior service next to the East Side Gallery, right next to the S-Bahn station for easy access to the city.
- Hotel AMANO: Stylish accommodation near the main railway station in the city centre
- Ibis budget Berlin Potsdamer Platz: Modern hotel in the city centre at a great price
- Space Night Capsule Hostel: Cheap accommodation in capsule rooms with shared bathroom
This was our itinerary of what to see in Berlin in 2 days. Do you have a question? We’ll be happy to answer in the comments below. Have a safe journey!
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More information about Germany
BERLIN: Get inspiration on things to do in Berlin or create your own itinerary for 3 days in Berlin.
This article tells you all about travelling by car to Berlin. Or do you travel by public transport? Here are the options for getting to Berlin by bus and train.
Here is a detailed guide to transport in Berlin. Check out the best hotels and accommodation in Berlin for every budget.
GERMANY: Check out our article for more inspiration on things to do in Germany.
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