Local Tourism Notes for Berlin

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Local Tourism Notes for Berlin

The staff at most tourist offices and information stores speak English. They are usually very helpful with all tourism questions as well as questions regarding public transport and are always worth asking if help is needed.

Tourist offices are able to provide general information on the area including information regarding local fairs, markets, concerts and other events. This information is often helpful for residents as well as visitors.

To find listings of all local tourist offices in Berlin and the surrounding areas:

• See The AngloFILE for Tourist Offices & Information
• The main Berlin Tourist Information website offers detailed information on accommodation, sightseeing, concerts and other events: Click here

Berlin's information stores can be found at the following locations:

• Central station (Hauptbahnhof)
  At: North entrance, Europa Platz 1, 10557 Berlin-Tiergarten
• Neues Kranzler Eck
  At: Passage Kurfürstendamm 21, 10719 Berlin-Charlottenburg
• Brandenburg Gate
  At: South gate, Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
• Berliner Pavilion next to the Reichstag
  At: Scheidemannstrasse, 10557 Berlin-Tiergarten
• See the official Berlin Infostores website

Berlin Airport Contacts

To find out about the airports serving Berlin, flight information, access and lost luggage:

• See the AngloINFO INFOrmation page for Berlin Airport Contacts

To find out about airlines flying to the region:

• See The AngloFILE for Airlines, Scheduled Flights & Charter

Where to Stay

From luxury five-star hotels to self-catering holiday accommodation, there are various types of accommodation available in Berlin.

• Find out more from the AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Holiday Accommodation in Berlin
• See The AngloFILE for Hotels & Holiday Accommodation

Days Out in Berlin

There is a great variety of places to visit.

• For information see The AngloFILE for Days Out: Trips & Tours

Berlin for Children

There are a number of activities for children in the Berlin area.

• For information see The AngloFILE for Children: Days Out for Kids

Main Tourist Attractions

Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor)

A neoclassical structure built from 1788 to 1791, the Brandenburg Gate is situated on Pariser Platz and used to mark the divide from East to West. Today, the Brandenburg Gate is the central tourist attraction of Berlin. 

• For information on the Brandenburg Gate from the Berlin City website: Click here

Tiergarten and the Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten)

Located in the centre of Berlin within the district of the same name, the Tiergarten has many lakes, streams and meadow areas and is a popular spot for Berliners during the summer months. At the edge of the Neuer See lake there is a café with outdoor seating and boats are available for hire. The park also has many monuments to famous German poets and composers.

• Tiergarten
  At: Strasse des 17. Juni, 10557 Berlin-Tiergarten
  Access: S-Bahn Tiergarten or Bellevue, U-Bahn Hansaplatz; Bus 100, 265, 343

The Zoological Garden, one of the oldest zoos in Germany, is set within the Tiergarten. Features include an aquarium, monkey house, hippopotamus pool and large terrarium.

• Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten)
  At: Hardenbergplatz 8/Budapester Str. 34, 10787 Berlin
  Access: S-Bahn Zoologischer Garten, U-Bahn Zoologoscher Garten; Bus 100, 109, 145, 146, 149, 245, 249
  Website

Potsdamer Platz

Constructed on the former "No Man's Land" this newly-built district houses big corporations such as Sony and has venues for cinema, theatre, dining and national symphony. The Potsdamer Platz shopping arcade has stores selling gifts, clothes and international foods. In the winter, there is an ice rink under the tented roof and the Christmas market sells delicacies from around the country.

• For information on the Potsdamer Platz: Click here

Checkpoint Charlie

Formerly the only portal in the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin, the remains of the crossing point include the original guard's house and some remnants of the wall. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Haus am Checkpoint Charlie) provides insight into individual escapes from East Berlin.

• Information on Checkpoint Charlie can be found on Wikipedia: Click here
• For the official Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Haus am Checkpoint Charlie) website: Click here 

TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

Built in the 1950s, this 365m tower is referred to by locals as the "Toothpick" (Telespargel). The second-tallest structure in Europe, the tower has a viewing platform and rotating restaurant.

• Fernsehturm website

Reichstag

The parliament building stood empty during the cold war and now houses the current government. Built in 1871, the Reichstag was the main governing chamber for the German Empire until 1918. The Weimar constitution then took over the house as the supreme legislative body of Germany. In 1933 a fire destroyed a large part of the building and Adolf Hitler, blaming the communists, used this as a means to gain a majority in the government with his national socialist party (the Nazis). The new dome-shaped roof was designed by Norman Foster and provides a location for visitors to observe parliamentary sessions through the open skylight.

• Reichstag website

Kulturforum

Kulturforum is a cultural centre in West Berlin mostly built between 1961 and 1987. It includes several museums, including the Gemäldegalerie, and the Berlin Philharmonic concert hall. The Gemäldegalerie collection includes works from all the major European schools of art and is known for the high quality of the paintings.

• For information on the Gemäldegalerie: Click here

Further Information

• Berlin Tourist website
• Official German Tourist website
• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Holiday Accommodation in Berlin