Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Berlin, a city pulsating with the echoes of history and the vibrant rhythm of modern life, offers a captivating tapestry woven from resilience, artistic expression, and unexpected quirks. More than just Germany's capital, Berlin is a living testament to transformation, a place where the scars of the past serve as a foundation for an intensely creative present. Consider this: Berlin boasts more bridges than Venice. This intricate network of waterways, though perhaps less romanticized than its Italian counterpart, speaks to the city's strategic location and its historical reliance on its rivers and canals for trade and transport. These liquid arteries now offer picturesque routes for boat tours and tranquil escapes from the urban bustle. Another fascinating facet of Berlin's identity lies in its surprising abundance of green spaces. Despite being a major European capital, nearly a third of Berlin is comprised of parks, forests, and lakes. The sprawling Tiergarten, once a royal hunting ground, now offers a vast green lung in the city's heart, perfect for leisurely strolls and picnics. Even Tempelhofer Feld, a former airport, has been repurposed into a unique public park, where runways now serve as cycling and skating tracks, a tangible example of Berlin's innovative spirit. Berlin's artistic soul is undeniable. Beyond the grandeur of Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site housing five world-renowned museums, the city's streets themselves are a canvas for artistic expression. Street art, from vibrant murals to thought-provoking graffiti, adorns countless walls, reflecting Berlin's rebellious spirit and its embrace of alternative cultures. This raw, unfiltered creativity is a constant reminder of the city's dynamic energy. Intriguingly, Berlin has a unique relationship with currywurst, a seemingly simple street food that has become an unlikely culinary icon. This humble sausage, sliced and doused in a curried ketchup sauce, is said to have been invented in West Berlin in 1949 by Herta Heuwer, who traded some gin to British soldiers for curry powder and ketchup. Today, currywurst stands are ubiquitous throughout the city, a testament to a post-war ingenuity that has become a beloved part of Berlin's identity. Furthermore, Berlin's history is etched not only in grand monuments but also in the Stolpersteine – "stumbling stones" – small brass plaques embedded in the sidewalks in front of the former homes of victims of Nazi persecution. Each plaque bears the name and fate of an individual, serving as a poignant and deeply personal reminder of the city's darkest chapter and its commitment to remembrance. Finally, Berlin's allure lies in its palpable sense of freedom and its embrace of individuality. This is a city that has weathered immense change and emerged with a unique character – resilient, open-minded, and fiercely independent. It's a place where history is not just studied but lived, where creativity flourishes in unexpected corners, and where the spirit of reinvention is a constant undercurrent. To visit Berlin is to experience a city that is constantly evolving, a place that challenges, inspires, and leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

What to see in Berlin

Urban Spree Urban Spree Bar Botanischer Garten Botanischer Garten Botanical Garden Bellevue Palace Bellevue Palace Castle Biesdorf Palace and Gardens Biesdorf Palace and Gardens Castle Charlottenburg Palace & Gardens Charlottenburg Palace & Gardens Castle Berlin Cathedral Berlin Cathedral Cathedral Nikolaikirche Nikolaikirche Church Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Marienkirche Marienkirche Church Holzmarkt25 Holzmarkt25 Cultural Centre Dead Chicken Alley Dead Chicken Alley Gallery Prinzessinnengärten Prinzessinnengärten Garden Red Town Hall Red Town Hall Historical landmark Karl-Marx-Allee Karl-Marx-Allee Historical landmark Anhalter Bahnhof Anhalter Bahnhof Historical landmark Nikolaiviertel Nikolaiviertel Historical landmark Oberbaum Bridge Oberbaum Bridge Historical landmark Gendarmenmarkt Gendarmenmarkt Historical landmark Berlin Wall Memorial Berlin Wall Memorial Historical landmark Brandenburg Gate Brandenburg Gate Historical landmark Checkpoint Charlie Checkpoint Charlie Historical landmark Reichstag Building & Dome Reichstag Building & Dome Historical landmark Pfaueninsel Pfaueninsel Island Rummelsburger Bucht Rummelsburger Bucht Lake Müggelsee Müggelsee Lake Schlachtensee Schlachtensee Lake Markthalle Neun Markthalle Neun Market Winterfeldtmarkt Winterfeldtmarkt Market Kollwitzplatz Market Kollwitzplatz Market Market Mauerpark Flea Market Mauerpark Flea Market Market Boxhagener Platz Flea Market Boxhagener Platz Flea Market Market Nowkoelln Flowmarkt Nowkoelln Flowmarkt Market Holocaust Memorial Holocaust Memorial Memorial Gedenkstätte Günter Litfin Gedenkstätte Günter Litfin Memorial Victory Column Victory Column Monument MACHmit MACHmit Museum Alte Nationalgalerie Alte Nationalgalerie Museum Labyrinth Kindermuseum Berlin Labyrinth Kindermuseum Berlin Museum Topography of Terror Topography of Terror Museum Gropius Bau Gropius Bau Museum Museum für Asiatische Kunst Museum für Asiatische Kunst Museum Magicum Berlin Magicum Berlin Museum Illuseum Berlin Illuseum Berlin Museum Filmmuseum Berlin Filmmuseum Berlin Museum Bröhan Museum Bröhan Museum Museum Humboldt Forum Humboldt Forum Museum Anti-War Museum Berlin Anti-War Museum Berlin Museum Museum Otto Weidt's Workshop for the Blind Museum Otto Weidt's Workshop for the Blind Museum Berggruen Museum Berggruen Museum Museum FEZ Berlin FEZ Berlin Museum Museum of Medical History at the Charité Museum of Medical History at the Charité Museum Veterinary Anatomy Theater Veterinary Anatomy Theater Museum Museum of Letters Museum of Letters Museum Lipstick Museum Lipstick Museum Museum Zucker Museum Zucker Museum Museum Anne Frank Center Anne Frank Center Museum Humboldt Forum Humboldt Forum Museum Ephraim-Palais Ephraim-Palais Museum Knoblauchhaus Knoblauchhaus Museum Hohenschönhausen Memorial Hohenschönhausen Memorial Museum Allied Museum Allied Museum Museum German Resistance Memorial Center German Resistance Memorial Center Museum Tränenpalast Tränenpalast Museum Pergamon Museum Pergamon Museum Museum Museum Island Museum Island Museum The Story of Berlin The Story of Berlin Museum DDR Museum DDR Museum Museum Jewish Museum Berlin Jewish Museum Berlin Museum German Historical Museum German Historical Museum Museum German Museum of Technology German Museum of Technology Museum Museum für Naturkunde Museum für Naturkunde Museum Gemäldegalerie Gemäldegalerie Museum Neue Nationalgalerie Neue Nationalgalerie Museum Hamburger Bahnhof Hamburger Bahnhof Museum KW Institute for Contemporary Art KW Institute for Contemporary Art Museum Berlinische Galerie Berlinische Galerie Museum Brücke Museum Brücke Museum Museum Bauhaus Archive Bauhaus Archive Museum Computer Games Museum Computer Games Museum Museum Neues Museum Neues Museum Museum Altes Museum Altes Museum Museum Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg Museum Bode Museum Bode Museum Museum Märkisches Museum Märkisches Museum Museum Museum at the Kulturbrauerei Museum at the Kulturbrauerei Museum Schwules Museum Schwules Museum Museum Museum of Photography Berlin Museum of Photography Berlin Museum Musical Instrument Museum Musical Instrument Museum Museum Museum of European Cultures Museum of European Cultures Museum Museum for Communication Berlin Museum for Communication Berlin Museum German Spy Museum German Spy Museum Museum Urban Nation Urban Nation Museum Köpenick Palace Gardens Köpenick Palace Gardens Palace Monbijoupark Monbijoupark Park Natur-Park Südgelände Natur-Park Südgelände Park James Simon Park James Simon Park Park Körnerpark Körnerpark Park Schlosspark Charlottenburg Schlosspark Charlottenburg Park Humboldthain Park Humboldthain Park Park Grunewald Grunewald Park Luiseninsel Luiseninsel Park Lustgarten Lustgarten Park Tiergarten Tiergarten Park Volkspark Friedrichshain Volkspark Friedrichshain Park Treptower Park Treptower Park Park Görlitzer Park Görlitzer Park Park Mauerpark Mauerpark Park Viktoriapark Viktoriapark Park Park am Gleisdreieck Park am Gleisdreieck Park Britzer Garten Britzer Garten Park Gardens of the World Gardens of the World Park Sanssouci Park Sanssouci Park Park Neuer Garten Neuer Garten Park Babelsberg Park Babelsberg Park Park Tempelhofer Feld Tempelhofer Feld Park Volkspark Hasenheide Volkspark Hasenheide Park Potsdamer Platz Potsdamer Platz Square Unter den Linden Unter den Linden Street Teufelsberg Teufelsberg Tourist attractions East Side Gallery East Side Gallery Tourist attractions