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.
Membership Rewards® Programme
Cardmembers enrolled in the American Express Membership Rewards® programme will earn one additional bonus Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate (for a total of 2 points) for every full £1 spent on flights, prepaid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through the American Express Travel website americanexpress.com/en-gb//travel. Specific Card products or limited time promotions may offer additional Membership Rewards points, please see individual Card or promotion Terms and Conditions for more information. Additional Membership Rewards points cannot be earned on products which are not prepaid but are paid directly to the supplier, including cruise bookings and select hotel bookings. These bookings will not earn two Membership Rewards points for every £1 spent but will be earned at the normal rate of one point for every £1 spent. Full Terms and Conditions apply, please visit americanexpress.co.uk/termsandconditions.
To use Pay with Points, you must book your eligible purchase through American Express Travel and charge to a Membership Rewards programme-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding amount will be issued to the American Express® Card Account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. When paying with a combination of your American Express Card and Membership Rewards points, only the value applied to the Card is eligible to earn Membership Rewards points.
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Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, the Dedicated Centurion® Team or American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/) with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cards. 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 traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. 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 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit. To receive the 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 amont 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 traveling 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, call the number on the back of your Card.
The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/), Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge or the Dedicated Centurion® Team, with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Preferred Rewards Gold Cardmembers, Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Cardmembers, Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cardmembers. 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 traveling on the itinerary booked. 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.
International Airline Program (IAP)
1. Current International Airline Program Partners: Air Europa, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
2. American Express reserves the rights to change these conditions from time to time with 21 days prior notice and/or to discontinue the whole program.
3. Airlines reserve the right to change, cancel or restrict flight operations without notice. IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares may be limited by airlines to certain flights and/or dates (“blackouts”). IAP is subject to the terms and conditions of each participating carrier. American Express does not guarantee that seats or tickets will be available. Cabins of service and discounts vary by airline and route. Discounts are applicable to adult fares however some airlines extend savings to child fares.
4. To qualify for the IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares:
a) Your journey must start and end at the same port as designated by the participating airline and be completed within the period during which your selected carrier participates in the program. You will be advised of any applicable dates at the time of booking;
b) IAP tickets must be purchased through the Platinum Travel Service and must be charged to a valid American Express Platinum Card which is in good standing;
c) The Platinum Cardmember who purchases the ticket(s) must be one of the travellers;
d) IAP tickets are non-transferable and non endorsable.
5. Any travel on non-participating airlines must be ticketed and paid for separately and is not part of the IAP. Certain code share or flights on the worldwide partners of the participating airlines may not apply.
6. Certain IAP airlines or non-participating airlines impose restrictions such as ticketing time limit on advance booking to indicate a timeline for ticketing upon making your reservations. For each individual airline Terms & Conditions, please check with the Platinum Travel Service for details.
7. IAP upgrade offers or specially negotiated fares may not be combined with any other promotion, discount, negotiated or corporate rate.
8. American Express acts only as an agent for travel service providers and does not own or operate any airline or means of transportation. American Express is not liable for service deficiencies on the part of airlines or other service providers, including but not limited to: accidents and injuries; delays; changes in routes or itineraries; loss, theft or damages to possessions. American Express strongly advises travellers to insure themselves against travel risks. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have valid documentation and for complying with the health, customs, currency and other laws of any country they enter or attempt to enter.
9. IAP is available to Platinum Cardmembers from a variety of participating airlines each with specifically designated ports of departure and arrival. Please refer to the Platinum Travel Service for details of participating airlines, applicable routing and timetables and fares in force at any particular time.
10. Other International Airline Program Terms & Conditions may apply.
For full Terms and Conditions for Global Lounge Collection®, please visit our Global Lounge page.
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