Last winter we traveled to Berlin, Germany, for a day. One day feels too short to experience everything the city has to offer, but we were able to hit many of the best sites in Berlin! It is such an intriguing city, and I wish that we could have spent more time there!
Here is a video from our Youtube channel of some pictures we took during our travels in Berlin:
We actually went on a three-country trip in Europe. We traveled from the London, U.K., to Berlin, Germany, and finally to Paris, France. This is our first post of our Europe trip, and we can’t wait to share our travels in Paris and London with you in our upcoming posts!
After our flight from London to Berlin, we took a train from the airport to our hotel, a Novotel. It was nearly midnight, so we stayed there overnight to rest for our next day of sightseeing in Berlin.
Checkpoint Charlie
The first place we visited was Checkpoint Charlie. This was the famous crossing point in the Berlin Wall dividing East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. It has been featured in some well-known movies such as Bridge of Spies!
Because Berlin was occupied by four different countries post-World War II, you can see that the sign says, “You are leaving the American Sector,” in four different languages: English, Russian, French, and German. This is one of the few remnants from the Cold War Era and is definitely a must-see when you visit Berlin.
If you look around the checkpoint, you can see that the block of stores surrounding it are mostly American as a remnant of the fact that it used to be part of the American sector. There is a McDonald’s and even a Kentucky Fried Chicken!
There were also a few guards standing next to the checkpoint, and some people were getting their photos taken with them. All in all, it was really cool to see Checkpoint Charlie in person!
Reichstag Building
From Checkpoint Charlie, we took a subway to the Reichstag Building. This is one of Berlin’s most iconic destinations and houses the German parliament. When we got there, the first thing we noticed was the amazing glass dome that tops the Reichstag.
The building is open for visitors; however, you need to purchase your tickets in advance because tickets often sell out on the day. If you have booked your session in advance, you’ll be able to go inside! From there, you can listen to a plenary session or climb up top to the dome and the roof!
Even though we had tried to get to the Reichstag Building as early as possible, by the time we got there, the line for tickets was already super long, so, sadly, we couldn’t go in.
Berlin Central Station
After the Reichstag, we headed to the Berlin Central Station or Berlin Hauptbahnhof to board a train to our next stop: the Berlin Wall Memorial. As its name suggests, Berlin Central Station really is the center of all traffic in Berlin. When we walked in, the first thing we noticed was just how modern and spacious the station was. There were also tons of stores to shop from!
If you’ve ever experienced transportation in New York City, you’ll remember how disorganized and outdated it is. Compared to New York City, the transportation system in Berlin is very well-connected, and every train we had to board was always on time, down to the very minute. Plus, the train station was very new and clean.
Berlin Wall Memorial
The Berlin Wall Memorial is one of the most important historic sites in Berlin as it was preserved in memory of the divided country Germany once was.
The great thing about the Berlin Wall Memorial is that it’s completely free to visit! So if you are interested in Germany’s history, you should definitely add the Berlin Wall Memorial to your Berlin bucket list. The preserved wall strip itself is 1.4 kilometers long and has multiple exhibitions that detail its history.
Berlin Wall Memorial Visitor Center
Across the street from the actual wall strip, there is a visitor center. We first went here to learn more about the history of the Berlin Wall. Inside, there were many exhibitions of photos taken from that time of life with the wall. There were also audio guides available, which gives you insight into what life was like during that time of division.
I found the personal stories to be very intriguing because you can start to imagine how it felt to be in those Berliners’ situation. In school, I’ve learned plenty about the Cold War Era and the Berlin Wall, but the experience at the Berlin Wall Memorial was something I never could have picked up in a history class. I still remember the countless stories I listened to at the visitor center of people trying to escape by jumping from roofs and windows, many of whom were ultimately severely punished or died in the attempt.
Also, if you climb up a few flights of stairs, you’ll reach the visitor center’s lookout tower where you can see the whole of the wall memorial. The day we visited was very cloudy, and it almost seemed to add to the gloominess of the Berlin Wall’s history. Overall, I found the Berlin Wall Memorial to be very interesting and educational at the same time!
Brandenburg Gate
After taking a subway from the Berlin Wall Memorial, we arrived at the Brandenburg Gate! This is probably one of Berlin’s most iconic landmarks. During the Cold War Era, the Brandenburg Gate represented Germany’s division, but today it is said to be a symbol of peace and unity.
As it is such an important symbol, the gate can often become the grounds of protests. In our photos, you can see a crowd of people wearing yellow jackets. This particular protest had carried over from the Yellow vests movement in France.
After we took some pictures at the gate, we decided to grab some food for lunch. Further down the street that the gate was on, we found a bakery, Bäcker Wiedemann. Conveniently, they had great selections for a quick lunch. We got a couple of warm sandwiches and ate them inside the bakery to get out of the cold outside. The sandwiches were quite delicious and warmed us up well for the winter temperatures in Berlin.
Berlin Cathedral
The Berlin Cathedral was our last destination, and it ended up being my favorite place we visited that day!
When you first walk in, your eyes are immediately drawn to the cavernous domed ceiling of the cathedral. The ceiling has many intricate gold detailing and designs.
Since we visited during the holidays, there were plenty of Christmas decorations–Christmas trees, wreaths, and a lot of light that filled up the entire cathedral with its warm glow.
There was also an orchestra playing, so we sat there for a while listening to the music and taking a few pictures.
Later, we decided to climb to the top of the cathedral for the views of the city. There were so many steps (270 steps!), but when we finally reached the top, it was all worth it! By that time, the sun had set, and the sky was mostly dark. I felt the view was the best in the night, though, because of all the lights. Walking around the dome, you get a 360 degree view of Berlin at night. The great view was perfect for taking panoramic photos!
Food in Berlin
After the Berlin Cathedral, it was time for dinner. We wanted to eat somewhere where we could get a taste of traditional German foods. So, near the cathedral, we found a restaurant called Food Lounge Berlin, which was only a short walk from the cathedral. They had outside tables set up as well, but we decided to go inside the restaurant for a table. The interior was quite modern and was very clean.
We ordered 4 dishes: Berliner Currywurst, Bayrische Weisswurst, Soljanka, and Berliner Hühnernudelsuppe. We ordered two sausage dishes because what’s the point of traveling to Germany if you don’t try the würste? Overall, the food was quite delicious; however, it was very filling, so I would warn against ordering too much food.
After a long but satisfying day, we headed back to our hotel. And that concludes our day in Berlin! Next stop is Paris, France! If you’re loving these travel posts, make sure to check our Paris post: Top 10 Sights in Paris!
We would love to hear from you! What was your favorite destination in Berlin? Let us know if we missed any of your favorite Berlin attractions!
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