Things to do in Berlin for self travelers
Enjoy self-guided audio tours with included attraction tickets in one appTop sights in Berlin
All self-guided activities
Explore The Upside Down Berlin, an interactive experience with nearly 20 creatively designed rooms. See the colorful Berlin Bear, perform on the Wintergarten stage, and learn about Germany's history at the Wallpit. Enjoy interactive fun and optical illusions throughout the rooms. Afterward, visit The Upside Down Hangout & Karaoke. It's a lively spot to relax with friends, enjoy food and drinks, and have some fun.
Dive into Berlin's layered history with this Self-Guided Audio Tour, perfect for those keen on uncovering the city's past from espionage to monumental ruins. Your ticket to the German Spy Museum is included, setting you on a path right from espionage's intriguing world to the pinnacles of German history. (!) Please note that while the ticket to the German Spy Museum is included, an in-app audio guide for this museum is not provided, inviting you to fully immerse in the ambiance of the artifacts and stories therein. The tour begins at the German Spy Museum, located at Leipziger Platz, a site that symbolizes the epicentre of Berlin’s historical division and the fault line of the Cold War. From there, you will make your way through various landmarks, including Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten Park, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building, and many more. The tour concludes at the Red City Hall of Berlin, a historic building that reflects the city’s medieval origins and its evolution over the centuries. Along the way, you will experience the vibrant and modern urban landscape of Potsdamer Platz, the peaceful retreat of Tiergarten Park, and the somber reflection of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. You will also witness the iconic Brandenburg Gate, the historic Reichstag Building, and the majestic Berlin Cathedral.
This self-guided audio tour reveals Germany’s largest Protestant church and Berlin’s historic grandeur, inviting you on an enlightening stroll through time. Your ticket and audio guide to the Berlin Cathedral are included, setting the stage for an exploration rich in culture and history, perfect for enthusiasts of architecture. Walking under the dome of the Cathedral, you will see the most sumptuous interior that a Protestant church has ever had. You will learn about one of the most important dynastic tombs in Europe – the grim yet noble Hohenzollern Crypt lying underneath the Cathedral, and admire the richly decorated Imperial Stairs leading to the Imperial Box created for the Kaiser and his wife. The tour will guide you through the fearsome years of two World Wars and tell the story of the phoenix risen from the ashes. You will also climb 270 steps to the observation deck, enjoy the city landscape, and feel the lively vibe of Berlin’s bright present and future. After your visit to the cathedral, this tour takes you on an enlightening path through Berlin's tumultuous history, culminating at the enchanting Gendarmenmarkt square. Along the way, marvel at the regal beauty of the Brandenburg Gate and the legislative transparency embodied by the Reichstag's glass dome. This tour not only educates but also allows you to feel the pulse of the city.
Discover the grandeur and stories of Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin’s largest and most magnificent royal residence, on this self-guided audio tour through its interiors and gardens. Once the summer retreat of Prussian kings and queens, Charlottenburg takes you through Baroque splendor, Rococo elegance, and Neoclassical refinement. As you explore the palace rooms, you’ll learn how the House of Hohenzollern rose to become one of Europe’s most powerful royal dynasties in the 18th and 18th centuries. The tour reveals not only political ambition, but also the rulers’ personal passions for art, music, philosophy, and architecture—reflected in the priceless objects that once shaped their daily lives. Beyond the palace walls, the experience continues in the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens. Walking through the landscaped park, you’ll encounter key landmarks of the estate, including the Large Orangery, the Mausoleum, the Belvedere, and finally the New Pavilion, a secluded royal retreat and the last stop of the tour. Designed to be enjoyed at your own pace, this audio tour blends historical insight with vivid storytelling, letting you experience both the palace highlights and the calmer corners of the park. Note: This tour is not affiliated with Charlottenburg Palace and is provided by an independent creator. Admission tickets are included for your convenience at no extra cost.
Dive into Berlin's vibrant heart with complimentary access to the Hamburger Bahnhof included in your adventure. (!) Note that while the tour includes an entrance ticket to Hamburger Bahnhof, an audio guide inside the museum is not provided. The route begins outside the Hamburger Bahnhof, with its late Neoclassical grace, and concludes amidst the tradition and authority of the Red City Hall of Berlin. Along the way, travelers will span the grand boulevard Unter den Linden, pause at significant landmarks including the Humboldt Forum and the Berlin Cathedral, and encounter iconic symbols such as the Reichstag Building and the Brandenburg Gate. Each point on the tour offers a vivid exploration of Berlin's transformations over the centuries. Participants will immerse in sensory experiences like the reflective glass of the Futurium, the historical echoes within the Reichstag’s glass dome, and the triumphant view from the Berlin Cathedral. The narration through Berlin's vibrant story is punctuated with moments of reflection on Germany's unique history, offering an insightful journey for those who walk its streets.
Discover the architecture of Museum Island and get to know the Old Berlin of the Spandauer Viertel with the help of this self-guided audio tour. The city of Berlin is marked by a turbulent history that included both periods of great prosperity and devastating conflict. However, despite the many changes Berlin has undergone over the years, there are still places that preserve the spirit of Old Berlin. The Spandauer Quarter is one of them. Start your journey at the heart of Berlin's cultural life – the world-famous Museum Island. Learn more about its history and find out the true meaning behind its magnificent architectural details. Then make your way off the traditional tourist track to explore the historic neighborhood of the Spandauer Vorstadt, revived after Germany's reunification. Stroll along its beautiful streets, examine hidden courtyards, and discover its blooming art scene. Explore Berlin's Jewish Quarter – the historic district which once was the vibrant center of Jewish life in the city. Admire the majestic architecture of the Neue Synagogue and learn more about the history of the Jewish community in Berlin. In the end, examine the iconic art-deco building of the Hackescher Höfe. Get to know Berlin from a new perspective that many visitors don't get to experience and learn more about its history guided by this in-app audio tour.
Explore the Egyptian collection of the Neues Museum and the streets of Berlin with this self-guided audio tour, which includes a ticket to the Neues Museum. The tour begins at the Neues Museum, where you will meet face to face with some of the treasures of ancient Egyptian art guided by this insightful in-app audio tour, which introduces you to the very highlights of the Egyptian collection. Admire the timeless beauty of Egyptian art and get to know more about everyday life millennia ago. See the star of the collection – one of the symbols of ancient Egyptian civilization – the splendid bust of Nefertiti. Explore the world of ancient Egyptian tombs. Discover how the mummies were made and learn about mysterious rituals conducted to ensure the well-being of the deceased in the afterlife. After you finish exploring the museum, the tour will navigate you through Berlin's heart, where you'll experience the architectural beauty of the Berlin Cathedral and the solemnity of the Holocaust Memorial. Walk past Humboldt University, where great minds once gathered, stand before the iconic Brandenburg Gate, and delve into chilling history at the site of the former Führerbunker. Each stop reveals a piece of Berlin's complex story, concluding at the bustling Gendarmenmarkt square. Note! This tour is not affiliated with the Neues Museum but is provided by an independent creator. The ticket is included for the customer's convenience at no additional cost.
Visit IKONO Berlin for a different kind of activity. Spend around an hour exploring over 14 rooms, each designed for interactive participation. Bring your imagination and companions for a shared experience. Create unique moments in each room. Encounter unexpected spaces that will leave you astonished. Share these experiences with others as you explore this unique destination.
Get the perfect introduction into the history of Berlin, a city between past and future, with the help of this insightful self-guided audio tour. A true European capital, the city of Berlin is known as one of the most dynamic and multicultural cities in the continent. However, to understand this open and vibrant city you should look closely to its turbulent past. This comprehensive audio tour will give you this opportunity and help you to discover top landmarks and must-see places at your own pace. Start your journey in front of the iconic Red City Hall and walk along the charming streets of Berlin. You will discover the most famous tourist attractions of the German capital such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Cathedral and the Museum Island. And visit some of the lesser-known places that will help you to better understand the unique history of Berlin. Along the way you will get to know the origins of Berlin as the free trade city on the Shpree River and will learn how it became the capital at first of the Kingdom of Prussia and then of unified Germany. You will also see the scars the devastating evens of the 20th century left on the face of Berlin, exploring the dark legacy of the Third Reich and the Cold War, and will get to know how Berliners address their past: their victories and their mistakes. The tour gives a chance to look at the world-famous sights from a new perspective and to grasp what they mean not just for Germany, but for Berliners.
Visit one of Berlin’s iconic cultural venues, the Neue Nationalgalerie, and get to see its impressive collection of the 20th century art. Located in the stunning Modernist building designed by the famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Neue Nationalgalerie is one of the highlights of the Kulturforum in Berlin. Its extensive collection of Classical Modernism boasts masterpieces from all major art movements of the 20th century. Discover masterpieces of some of the biggest names in art from the last century. Experience the cubists experiments of Pablo Picasso, and delve into surreal fantasies of Salvador Dali. Trace the origins of abstract art in works of Paul Klee and Vasyli Kandinsky. See the vibrant emotions on the canvases of German Expressionists. Question the norm with unconventional approach of Dada Classics. Explore the art of the 20th century in the halls of Neue Nationalgalerie.
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About Berlin
The best tours in Berlin are:
The best tours to do in Berlin with kids are:
The best indoor tours in Berlin for rainy days are:
The must-see attractions in Berlin for a first visit are:
Insider tips for visiting Berlin
Sergio Clementini2023If you ask me where I go after dark in Berlin, I usually point people to Kreuzberg first, especially the stretch around Kottbusser Tor and along Oranienstraße. When I visit Berlin, that’s where I find the city at its most unfiltered: late-night bars packed with locals, tiny DJ sets in back rooms, and excellent döner or gözleme at 2 a.m. Neukölln is my close second, around Weserstraße, for a slightly more laid-back but still stylish scene. In any travel guide Berlin nightlife can look overwhelming, but for me these are the real things to do in Berlin if you want Berlin beyond the polished postcard version.
I always recommend wandering Berlin alone on foot, especially from Hackescher Markt through the courtyards to Museum Island and then across to the Spree. For solo visitors, it’s one of the most rewarding things to do in Berlin because the city reveals itself in small details: street art tucked into alleyways, secondhand bookshops, and cafés where nobody minds if you linger with a coffee. When I’m in Berlin, I like stopping at Monbijou Park to people-watch before heading into Mitte. Among the many tours in Berlin, I still think self-guided wandering is best if you want to feel what to see in Berlin beyond the obvious attractions in Berlin.
I usually tell friends to stay in Prenzlauer Berg if they want a comfortable base with real neighborhood life. In my own travel guide Berlin notes, it’s the area I come back to for leafy streets, good cafés, and easy tram links into central Berlin without the constant noise of Mitte. Around Kollwitzplatz and Helmholtzplatz, you can start the morning at a bakery, browse small shops, then head out for some of the best things to do in Berlin. If it’s your first time to visit Berlin, Kreuzberg is more energetic, but for sleeping well and still feeling connected to Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg is my pick.
When I want to show a quieter side of Berlin, I take people to the courtyards at Haus Schwarzenberg, the peaceful St. Matthäus-Kirchhof cemetery in Schöneberg, and the little village feel of Alt-Stralau by the water. These are the kind of attractions in Berlin that locals stumble on rather than plan around. In Berlin, I also love Teufelsberg early in the day, when the wind cuts across the old listening station and the city feels far away. If you’re deciding what to see in Berlin beyond the obvious, these corners stay with you longer than most big sights. Even among all the tours in Berlin, these spots still feel personal.
When I visit Berlin, I always tell people to look beyond the clichés, but yes, currywurst and döner are part of the city’s DNA. In Berlin, the better experience is knowing where and when to eat them: a döner after midnight in Kreuzberg, or currywurst from a no-frills stand where locals eat standing up. I’d also add Königsberger Klopse, Turkish gözleme, and flaky börek, because Berlin’s food scene reflects the city’s layered history more than one single dish. If I were writing a travel guide Berlin food chapter, I’d say tasting this mix is one of the most honest things to do in Berlin when you visit Berlin properly.
I usually send families straight to Tempelhofer Feld. For me, it’s one of the smartest things to do in Berlin because kids can run freely on the old airport runways while adults actually enjoy the space too. When I’m in Berlin with families, I suggest bringing snacks, renting bikes nearby, and heading there in the late afternoon when the light softens and the city feels relaxed. It’s more than one of the usual attractions in Berlin; it shows how Berlin uses its history in everyday life. If you’re deciding what to see in Berlin, this beats many formal tours in Berlin for families who want room to breathe.
In my travel guide Berlin advice, I always say the U-Bahn and S-Bahn are the easiest way to move around Berlin, but the real trick is combining them with walking. When I visit Berlin, I use trains for longer hops, then explore neighborhoods like Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, or Charlottenburg on foot, because that’s where Berlin starts to make sense. The BVG day pass is usually worth it, and locals know the tram is especially useful in the eastern parts of Berlin. For shorter distances, I often grab a bike, especially along the Landwehr Canal. It’s one of those practical things to do in Berlin that also helps you feel the city properly.
When I want a break from central Berlin, I head to places just beyond the usual map: Potsdam for the gardens around Sanssouci, Köpenick for its old-town waterfront, or Pfaueninsel for a slow afternoon among peacocks and wooded paths. I know the brief says attractions in Berlin, but some of the most memorable moments around Berlin are these half-day escapes that locals actually make. If you’re wondering what to see in Berlin beyond the center, I’d also suggest Müggelsee in warm weather for swimming or a boat ride. Even compared with many tours in Berlin, these nearby corners feel calmer and far more lived-in.