Neues Museum
A beautifully restored museum on Museum Island whose star is the 3,000-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti, alongside a superb Egyptian and prehistory collection. The David-Chipperfield restoration is a marvel in itself.
Berlin
Reichstag Dome
Norman Foster’s glass dome crowning the German parliament, with a spiralling ramp and a 360-degree view over the city. Entry is free but you must register online in advance – do it early, especially for sunset slots.
Fernsehturm (TV Tower)
The 368m TV Tower on Alexanderplatz – the tallest structure in Germany and an East-Berlin icon. Ride up for the best panorama in the city; there’s a (slowly revolving) restaurant near the top. Book a timed slot to skip the queue.
666 Anti Pub Crawl (Alternative Berlin)
A low-key, small-group alternative to Berlin’s rowdy pub crawls – a local guide leads you through the city’s most unusual underground venues: a ping-pong bar (the iconic Dr. Pong), a horror-themed rock bar, an absinthe bar, squat and beach bars and burlesque clubs, ending at a techno or hip-hop party. ~5 hours; free shots and venue entry included. Bring ID and an AB transport ticket.
Stroll Along the Spree
A relaxing ~5 km riverside walk through central Berlin, with a shifting panorama of grand buildings and green space. Easy to reach and leave via S-Bahn, with plenty of places to rest, eat and drink – S-Bahnhof Tiergarten and Friedrichstrasse bookend the route.
Blackriver Store Berlin
The Friedrichshain home of fingerboarding – skateboard tricks done with your fingers, and a surprisingly serious scene with its own World Championships. What began as a workshop for wooden fingerboard ramps is now one of the world’s key fingerboard hubs (they still make skateboards and skateparks too). Tip: try the ramps and desks in-store for free.
Graffiti Wall of Fame
Berliners treat graffiti as an art form, and this wall – on the side of Friedrichshain’s Intimes arthouse cinema – gathers some of the city’s most prominent icons in one dense, colourful spot. A quick, satisfying hit of Berlin street art if you’re short on time.
Mama Bar
A Neukolln institution with the worn-in living-room look of the neighbourhood’s best bars – an easy mix of artsy and mainstream, international and local, with affordable drinks and Balkan/African/world beats. Often packed, so come early for a seat. Tip: the tap beer, including an unpasteurised Czech brew, is the owner’s pride.
Maybachufer
A lovely, vibrant canal-side promenade straddling Kreuzberg and Neukolln – a true Berlin mix of locals, newcomers, families and night-outers strolling past old buildings by the Landwehr Canal. There’s a lively market at weekends and, in summer, everyone spills onto the banks with a beer.
Where to Stay in Berlin: Best Neighborhoods for First-Timers
Where to stay in Berlin? A local guide to the best neighbourhoods, from central Mitte and foodie Kreuzberg to charming Prenzlauer Berg and classic Charlottenburg.