Things to do in Berlin - 48 hours in Berlin, Germany
Updated: Aug 6
Berlin - The heart of Germany welcomes people from all over the globe and it has the capacity to absorb the uniqueness and diversity of each person from different races, cultures, traditions, and values.
The city has its own unique history, culture, and openness that’s quite different from other German cities. Berlin is famous for its architecture, festivities, and nightlife.
We have lived in Berlin for 6 months. To be honest, a weekend is not enough to explore Berlin but if you don’t have enough time, we would like to suggest a list of things which you should do in 48 hours in Berlin. It covers the top tourist spots.
If you are curious to discover and explore Berlin like a true Berliner, check out our other blog.
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Things to do in Berlin in 48 hours:
1. Alexanderplatz:
2. Berlin TV Tower:
3. Hackescher Markt
4. Cruise in Spree
5. Museum Island
6. Berlin Dome
7. DDR Museum
8. Brandenburg Gate
9. Memorial of Murdered Jews of Europe
10. Reichstag (German Parliament)
11. Madame Tussauds Berlin
12. Berlin Wall Memorial
13. Victory Column
14. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
15. Kurfurstendamm
16. Gendarmenmarkt
17. Friedrichstraße
18. Checkpoint Charlie
19. Potsdamer Platz
20. East-side Gallery
21. Kottbusser Tor
Let's check out the things to do in Berlin in detail:
1. Alexanderplatz:
In the heart of Berlin, you can visit Alexanderplatz- it’s one of the most crowded squares with a World Clock in the center. The Alexanderplatz Platz is in the center of Berlin and has a wide variety of shopping brands, shopping malls, and restaurants. The square has always some festivity or party going on.
It’s highly recommended to spend some time in the square and enjoy the diversity and environment of the city.
There are also lots of offices located nearby the area. I would also suggest some nice restaurants The Reed, Indian Village, Esra for falafel.
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2. Berlin TV Tower:
For the panoramic view of Berlin, I would also suggest visiting Berlin TV Tower called ‘Fernsehturm’. The ticket costs € 16.50 for adults. You can check the latest prices on their website.
In order to save time in waiting in the long queue, it’s always better to buy the ticket from their website and you can go with the fast track with no waiting time.
If you are a student, don’t forget to take 20% off with your student ID. You can also reserve your table at the restaurant in the Berlin TV Tower and enjoy a romantic dinner with your loved ones with mesmerizing view of the city.
3. Hackescher Markt:
Hackescher Markt in Berlin is famous for its small local designer shops rather than big brands. It’s a place where you can find true Berlin flavors. It also has restaurants and outdoor cafés. The open-air fresh market is also located here from where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Cruise in Spree:
River Spree flows through Berlin and provides majestic views of this beautiful city. The Spree is flowing just 200 meters away from the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station. You can take a cruise trip from there and enjoy the beautiful city and landmarks by cruising in the river.
There are many cruise service providers in Berlin with their small ticket booths on the bank of the river. The total cost is Euro 15 and it takes around 1 hour and has an audio guide explaining the significance of the landmarks in Berlin. You can also take the Cruise from Nikolaiviertel or Friedrichstrasse.
Along the spree near Hackescher Markt, there are many café, restaurants, beach bars, and Shisha cafes where you can enjoy the best sunset.
You can also sit in the park along the Spree and enjoy the amazing view with THE hustle and bustle of people.
5. Museum Island:
Museum Island is a centrally located island in the heart of Berlin and has the largest cluster of Museums In Berlin in one place.
Museum Island is located right next to Hackescher Markt. It’s located on the Northern half of an Island in the Spree River. It includes five of the best internationally recognized Museums.
The Altes Museum, The Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Bode Museum & Pergamon Museum are must-visit museums during your Berlin Trip.
It's highly suggested to buy the ticket online in order to avoid the waiting time to buy the tickets on the spot and don't forget to buy a Berlin Card to get discounts on several attractions in Berlin.
6. Berlin Dome:
Berlin Dome is also located in Museum Island and it’s a unique Church with Prussian style.
The Church has a huge courtyard right in front of it for its visitor to sit and observe the beauty of the Church.
7. DDR Museum:
The famous DDR Museum is also located just a few miles from the Dome and is a must-visit Museum that put light on life in Old Berlin.
The museum depicts the lifestyle of Former East Germany. You can get the opportunity to experience how was life back at that time by trying DDR clothes and using Typewriters as well.
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8. Brandenburg Gate:
Brandenburg Gate has symbolic importance in German History. It is a sign of unity after the unification of East and West Berlin.
Before that, it was a division between East and West Germany.
9. Memorial of Murdered Jews of Europe:
It’s a memorial for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and it's located on the South of the Brandenburg gate.
10. Reichstag (German Parliament):
The Parliament is just a few miles away from the Brandenburg Gate. It used to be the Parliament of West Germany before the unification of Germany. The official reunification ceremony took place in 1990 here.
The Parliament has a unique architecture with a dome glass dome at the top which allows the view of the surrounding cityscape.
The spree is flowing on the backside of the parliament. It’s one of my favorite spots in Berlin to enjoy the view. It's highly recommended to visit the German Parliament from the inside and several trips are planned for each day.
The views from the rooftop of the German Parliament are breathtaking and provide a great opportunity for photography.
11. Madame Tussauds Berlin:
Do you want to meet your Hero, favorite Actors, and fictional characters in Berlin? Then Madame Tussauds Berlin is a must place to visit.
It’s located near Brandenburg Gate on Famous Unter den Linden. The museum has wax statues that look so real. You will be surprised to see that Museum also has statues of Controversial figures like Adolf Hitler to the the great Scientist Albert Einstein, and the great singer of all time Michael Jackson - so just name your favorite personality and it’s over there.
The Best thing is that you are also allowed to click the photographs with Wax Statues.
12. Berlin Wall Memorial:
In Berlin, you can find many places where they have the Memorial of the Berlin Wall. One of the most famous memorials is Gedenkstatte Berliner Mauer. It also has a remembrance window and a visitor center.
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13. Victory Column:
One of the most famous landmarks of the Berlin is Victory Column. Its located in the center of Tiergarten and its standing magnificently presenting the glory of the Prussian military.
14. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church:
The church is located in the famous Kurfurstendamm (near S-bahn Zoologischer Garten). It’s one of the most important churches and the memorial of the war.
During the 2nd World War, the top part of the church was destroyed and it"s still stood like this. There are always open-air stalls near the church where you can get your favorite snacks.
15. Kurfurstendamm:
One of the most happening avenues in Berlin is Kurfurstendamm. There are different avenues leading to other fashion streets. There are streets with Elite brands that look familiar to the Parisian fashion avenues.
It also has many malls and day-to-day brands. It’s a shopping hub and a dream place for shopping lovers.
One of my favorite places for shopping is Bikini Berlin as it has many local brands selling creative and stylish outwear. Bikini Berlin has a modern interior and resembles a shopping mall.
Another famous department store is KaDeWe. It has 8 stores focusing on luxurious goods and brands.
Apart from shopping, it also has a variety of cafés, shisha bars, international restaurants food chains like Hard Rock Cafe, and hotels like Waldorf Astoria.
Berlin's most popular theaters like Theater am Kurfurstendamm and Komodie am Kurfurstendamm are also located here.
16. Gendarmenmarkt:
It’s one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin with a Concert house in the middle and a French dome on one side and a German dome on the other side. The square also has many cafés, bars and restaurants.
It’s also a famous spot for summer open-air concerts and in winter, it"s decorated with Christmas Market. It’s also one of the Elite areas with lots of 5-star hotels like Hilton located in the surroundings.
17. Friedrichstraße:
Friedrichstrasse is one of the most famous streets in Berlin. It’s around 3.5 KM Long Street provides unique shopping with all the national and international brands and dining experiences.
The street offers a lot of entertainment opportunities as it has Friedrichstadt Palast, Berliner Ensemble, and other theatre houses. This Street and Bahn Station have been mentioned in many Hollywood movies.
18. Checkpoint Charlie:
It’s also located on Friedrichstrasse. The most famous crossing point for East to West Germany was Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. On the East side, it was Soviet and the Germans were on the West side.
You can still find the Check Post memorial and you can also stamp your passport and take pictures with the soldiers over there. There’s also an open-air exhibition on the corner representing the stories of the people who tried to escape.
19. Potsdamer Platz:
It’s one of the most famous newly built Boulevard of Berlin after 1990. The area has lots of Skyscrapers and buildings of famous companies like Deutsche Bahn. You can also see the memorial of the Berlin Wall.
There are lots of shopping opportunities as well in the Mall of Berlin and Arkadian Mall. The famous Sony Center is also located there. It has the Biggest IMAX Screen in Europe and is highly recommended to experience the cinematic experience in Sony Center.
The square also has open-air stalls selling traditional food and goods on weekends. You can also find a memorial of the Berlin wall here.
We would also suggest attending the Opera show in Philharmonie located near Potsdamer Platz.
20. East-side Gallery:
It’s a memorial of the Berlin Wall with an amazing open-air gallery of 1.4 Kilometers. The wall is covered with hundreds of paintings depicting the changes in 1989.
The gallery is located along the Spree River. You can also take a cruise trip. There are many boats restaurants and hotels with the facility to stay overnight at affordable prices.
You can also visit Mercedes-Benz Arena where sports and musical events take place and the East side mall for shopping.
The historically famous and most picturesque Oberbaum Bridge is also located near the East side gallery.
The bridge is connecting two famous Berlin districts Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. There are many hotels and offices located nearby in the area.
21. Kottbusser Tor:
It’s one of the most lively places and is famous for its nightlife. Kotti has lots of restaurants, bars, shisha cafes, and clubs. Kotti never sleeps even in the middle of the night, you can find open restaurants.