Places to Visit & Things to Do in Berlin
History and art, fashion and architecture – you will never run out of ways to explore Berlin. It’s easy to travel around, by bicycle and public transport, and there are plenty of opportunities for rest in the green spaces, lively cafés, and cocktail spots.
Sights & Attractions in Berlin
Historical sites and buildings abound in the German capital. Museum Island, a UNESCO-listed ensemble of major museums found in the heart of Berlin, combines neoclassical buildings with Byzantium art, classical antiquity with the Prussian Baroque. Even the Unter den Linden boulevard, named for the linden trees that line its perimeters, recalls the city’s Prussian era, leading you right to the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building.
Art, Culture and Museums in Berlin
Museums, galleries and theatres were often duplicated either side of the Berlin Wall as a result of the Cold War division. Since reunification, these sites have now combined efforts, allowing the city to boast such world-famous establishments as Potsdamer Platz’s Kulturforum and the architecturally striking Jewish Museum. The contemporary art museum at Hamburger Bahnhof – a repurposed nineteenth-century train terminus – was situated in a no-man’s land between East and West Berlin, abandoned for decades until it was restored in 1984 to eventually become one of the world’s most significant collections of contemporary art.
The Berlin Philharmonic hosts free lunchtime performances on Wednesdays, the Deutsches Theater puts on plays and films (some with English surtitles), and the Deutsche Oper hosts shows suitable for all ages and interests.
Shopping in Berlin
To take on the city’s thriving fashion scene, you should head over to Mitte. The streets around Alte Schönehauser Strasse, Mulackstrasse, Münzstrasse and Auguststrasse are home to many local fashion and jewellery designers, such as Claudia Skoda, and Leyla Piedayesh’s flagship lala Berlin store. To shop on a larger scale, Galeries Lafayette stocks international fashions and sophisticated accessories on Friedrichstrasse. Over in West Berlin, the heritage-listed Bikini Berlin store is a compilation of boutiques and businesses. Ku’damm, known for its big-name brands like Gucci, Armani and Hermès, is still a reliable source for luxury goods, and Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) remains a top label for the niche brands it has housed for over a hundred years.
Food & Drink in Berlin
Mouth-watering fact: there are 23 restaurants across Berlin with Michelin stars, including Horváth, which is located in a lively district and uses local ingredients to create unconventional dishes. Nobelhart & Schmutzig on Friedrichstrausse combines a love of raw ingredients with a passion for environmental stability. If you’re looking for quicker bites, Berlin hosts a plethora of food markets, some of which have been in operation for well over a hundred years. Markthalle IX offers a range of sweet and savoury treats, as well as fresh ingredients from bakers, butchers and fishmongers. The Sunday market in the Kulturbrauerei runs whatever the weather, hosts a range of food trucks with cuisines from across the world and connects to the FRANNZ Club beer garden.
Unique to Berlin
The key attraction of Berlin is the city’s ability to repurpose old sites for modern purposes. Many of the green spaces that contribute to an atmosphere of creativity and tolerance are reclaimed ‘old Berlin’ sites. Prenzlauer Berg’s ‘People’s Park’ is great for tobogganing in the winter, or for wine tastings of the Berlin Riesling, made from grapes grown in the park by the Berlin Wine Society. The former airfield at Johannisthal is now a nature reserve, with an exercise park and a hiking trail, and where Tempelhofer Park now stands was once a 1920s airport. Tilla Durieux and Henriette Herz parks are named for a popular actress of early-twentieth-century Berlin and a leading female literary Berliner, respectively. Even Mauerpark was originally a border strip of the Berlin Wall but is now home to a regular open-air karaoke venue, a flea market and a petting zoo.
Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR): Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Charge Card Members and Centurion® Members. Platinum Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Platinum Charge Card Members or Centurion® Members, are not eligible for FHR program benefits. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be travelling on the itinerary booked. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property. The US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members travelling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, please call the number on the back of your Card.
The Hotel Collection Terms and Conditions
The Hotel Collection (THC): The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more, with participating properties, made through Platinum Travel Service, Centurion Travel Service or American Express Travel Online (americanexpress.com.au/travel or americanexpress.com.au/thc; Online bookings currently only available to Primary Card Members. Bookings are valid only for eligible Card Members of the following American Express Cards: American Express® Rewards Advantage Card, American Express® Explorer Credit Card, American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card, American Express® Gold Card, American Express® Gold Business Card, American Express® Business Gold Plus Card, American Express® Platinum Card, American Express® Platinum Business Card and American Express® Centurion Card. Excludes Gold Credit Card Members who are not also Australian Rewards Advantage, Gold or Platinum Charge Card Members. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be travelling on the itinerary booked to be eligible for benefits described. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
Travel Resources
Travel Payment Options
Travel Support
Featuring reviews from
Travel services provided by American Express International, Inc. ABN 15 000 618 208. Incorporated with limited liability in Delaware, USA.