4 Days in Berlin Itinerary - Hannah Tooley Travel and Lifestyle Photographer

Berlin.

A city of tumultuous history, a thriving music scene and flourishing arts. This 4 day itinerary describes what myself and The Wenf did during our first trip to Berlin. The goal was to see the main tourist attractions, eat delicious food and learn the history of the city and as always, take all the photos.

Fantastic for taking photos of:

People, urban, city life, street art, architecture, famous landmarks.

The map below gives you a sense of the proximity of each location.

The grand Reichstag building was home to Germany's lower parliament. A German flag can be seen on top, flying in the wind.

Reichstag Building, home to the German Parliament

Day One

Getting Around

Flights from London Heathrow to Berlin-Teigal Airport took 2 hr 4 minutes.

Following a 20 minutes taxi (booked via Uber from the airport), we arrived at the Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof Hotel based in Berlins City-West, on Kurfürstendamm around 7 pm . Known colloquially as Ku’damm, this avenue is famed for shopping. We chose the Pullman based on its central location, easy access to bus routes and close proximity to the nearest train station, Berlin Zoologischer Garten. Train station = ‘bahnhof’ in German.

Berlin Zoo is a 4 minute walk and there was a tasteful zoo-theme at the Pullman, its tall ceilings adorned with cascading lights and the legs of a huge giraffe greeting you through the entrance from the main street to reception.

We headed straight out to dinner which we’d booked at Oh, Panama; known for its wine list and situated within a quiet courtyard just off Potsdamer Straße (Strasse), a 20 minute walk from the historic square Potsdamer Platz.

Many of the city landmarks are relatively near to each other and walking gives you time to soak up the atmosphere however, walking around all day I appreciate won't suit or be convenient for everyone. Good news then, that Berlin has great railway connections, a subway, many bus stops and an abundance of taxis throughout the city. Taxis can be booked via apps like Uber and Lyft or directly through the hotel. You can also find a list of numbers for licensed taxi's on the official Berlin website.

A man jogs past the Reichstag building. It is raining and looks cold. The building has tall stone columns and a railing outside, preventing crowds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scene is empty of people except for the one lone jogger

Day Two

Main Tourist Attractions

We caught a bus from nearby the hotel and within less than 30 minutes including a coffee stop we were outside the Reichstag, home to the German lower parliament. We didn’t go in however it is possible to visit. There is a glass dome at the top offering 360 degree views of the city, free of charge.

It did rain. All day. But we’re British so that didn’t stop us from having a lovely time.

A man dressed in black walks in the rain past the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus. It is a large glass building with light reflections across the Spree River

Wenf walking by the River Spree opposite Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus

We headed to the River Spree and walked along the embankment, soaking (literally) in views of the city. Across the river is Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus, this modern architectural structure is another parliamentary building with a War memorial open to the public.

There’s a number of glass buildings around this area, great if you like to shoot geometric shapes, bridges and reflections.

Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus

Jakob-Kaiser-Haus

Marschall Bridge runs horizontally across the frame with a view of the Berlin TV Tower. It's rainy and hazy in the distance, with the TV Tower appearing washed out by the haze. A cold looking River Spree can be seen in the foreground

Marschall Bridge and the Berlin TV Tower

Onward to the Brandenburg Gate.

Berlin.de describes it as “Berlin’s most famous landmark. A symbol of Berlin and German division during the Cold War, it is now a national symbol of peace and unity.”

The gate is a neoclassical building made from sandstone. Towering columns soar high, overlooking the Pariser Platz.

Used often as a place for events where thousands of people can unite, during a combination of a rainy day and COVID times, it was eerily quiet and free from many tourists.

This gave us a special chance to appreciate its magnificence without the crowds.

A man dressed in black stands in front of the Brandenburg Gate. It is raining and he has his hood up and face down, away from the camera

We walked down the main road, Ebertstrasse towards Potsdamer Platz. En route, the sign of The Big Dog caught our attention. We ducked in for a beer, loaded fries and a hotdog, thankful for a good lunch and respite from the rain.

From the main road, 2711 concrete slabs of varying heights are visible. This is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. A place of quiet contemplation, you are able to walk within the sobering labyrinth. It specifically says not to climb on the memorial, the topic of which has been debated extensively during conversations about visitors conduct at memorial sites. Below is an underground information centre for further learning and reflection of the past. Images can be taken within the information centre, provided there is no flash.

Our evening meal was a birthday dinner for the Wenf. We’d budgeted to splash out on a 10-course fine dining experience at Nobelhart & Schmutzig. Named one of the worlds best restaurants by Worlds 50 Best, they pride themselves on serving local food and provide background information about the farmers and producers. It is by no means cheap and was a luxury dinner for us, the kind of experience we have once a year for a special occasion. There is a strict no-camera rule here, including phone photos. We enjoyed this rule, it meant we could fully immerse ourselves in the culinary experience, watching the chefs at work from the bar. The restaurant is not visible from the street, so if you notice the cheeky stickers on a very nondescript door, know that you’re in the right place.

A large yellow bear with a red crown invites you into The Big Dog hotdog restaurant, on his chest, it says

...The answer is yes

You'd never know what was behind this door

Check-point Charlie in Berlin, a famous landmark within the city which was an old border crossing separating East and West Berlin. A large photograph of a solider is visible behind a white hut, upon the hut a sign reads 'US army checkpoint'

Our evening concluded with a nighttime stop off at Check-Point Charlie, a 4 minute walk from Nobelhart & Schmutzig.

The significance of Check-Point Charlie comes from its history as the crossing point dividing the borders of East and West Germany during the Cold War and more recently, before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

An image of an American Soldier, photographed by Frank Thiel can be seen displayed near the hut. An app called Cold War Berlin can be downloaded, to talk you through the history of the checkpoint.

We didn’t visit the museum however, Haus am Checkpoint Charlie is home to documents of those who attempted to get across.

Day Three

We took a train from Berlin Zoologischer Garten railway to Hackescher Markt, a transport hub and within the central borough of Berlin, Mitte. Winding through courtyards we made our way to Lustgarten, a public park and garden manicured neatly in front of Berlin Cathedral and the Altes Museum, which displays Roman and Greek artefacts.

Berlin Cathedral

Berlin Palace Humboldt Forum

Across the river, secluded from the hustle and bustle of modern city life is Nikolaikirche also know as St Nicholas Church. Surrounded by pastel buildings housing cafes, bookstores and antique shops, the church itself is now a museum and concert venue.

A round sign advertising beer handing outside a pub in Berlin. A yellow building can be seen inthe background, echoing the yellow in the drawing of the beer

A green building sandwiched between two pink buildings. The green one is a library reading 'Gedenkbibliothek'on the front in large black letters

Outdoor seating with orange furniture in a pub courtyard in Berlin, Germany

Bratwurst and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes on a table in a pub in Berlin

We dipped into Zum Nußbaum (Nussbaum) for a lunch stop, filling up on bratwurst, potatoes and sauerkraut before heading to a weekend street market by the River Spree to browse jewellery, artwork and a selection of clothes made by independent sellers.

Back at the hotel, we were given two complimentary glasses of prosecco at the Pullman. They had also placed a card, balloons and a delicious chocolate tart in our room. A lovely touch for The Wenfs birthday. I had snuck off to ask the previous day to ask if there was anything they could do as a surprise for him. Always worth asking if you're away for a special occasion.

To celebrate another year around the sun it was dinner and cocktails at Crackers, based in Mitte at the same location previously held by the Cookie Club, once a classic of the Berlin club scene. No clubs were open during our stay due to COVID but usually, Berlin is well known for its techno, house and electro nights.

Day Four

On our final full day, we were blessed with glorious sunshine. After a train ride to Jannowitzbrücke station, we got off a stop early before arriving at our first destination; the East Side Gallery. Already we were starting to see street art covering walls.

En route we stumbled across Holzmarkt 25, a bohemian-style market with food stalls, bars and independent shops. Embellished with a large outdoor disco ball and decorated with murals, this was a great spot for a quick pint next to the river whilst appreciating the creativity of the artists whose work decorates the walls.

An billboard advert of a senior lady wearing sunglasses below a street artists work of a blue and purple-faced man. The woman in the advert and the street artists cartoon are looking in the same direction, as if they are looking at the same things

Black and white paint covers the walls of a building, it's painted with triangular shapes, lines and curves. In the centre there are steps leading up to a door covered in stickers and graffiti tags

Wooden arcade joy stick game at Holzmarkt 25 with a wooden stool in front of it. There is a red and yellow vintage looking sign next to it, saying 'arcade'

Buildings in Holzmarkt 25 showing casing artists work, a large bird with coloured feathers and a giraffee have been painted onto a yellow building

Image from the East Side Gallery by artist Kani Alavi titled It´s Happened In November. A man in a red top stands facing away from the camera admiring the painting. The painting is of many faces rushing through a wall with a blue, sea-like background

If coming from the main city, there is a closer train station (Ostbahnhof) and bus stops to the East Side Gallery. We walked from Holzmarkt towards The Wall Museum but you can also start the walk from the other end near Rudolfkiez.

Opposite shows The Wenf inspecting It's Happened in November, artwork by Kani Alavi at the East Side Gallery

The gallery is a 1.3km walk by the River Spree, a great place to stop off for a drink by the water in between digesting the numerous artworks on the last remaining portion of the Berlin Wall. The gallery is on the main road Mühlenstraße (Mühlenstrasse), nearby cafes and shops.

Artwork at the East Side Gallery by artist Schamil Gimajew titled Worlds People

You'll notice when walking down this street that there are large pink pipes weaving over and across the road.

A somewhat unusual highlight, splashing Berlin with pops of colour, these pipes are there to drain water away from construction sites into the River Spree.

Two women cross the road in Berlin. They both wear long grey coats + small black rucksacks and have the same auburn colour hair. A green Ampelmännchen can be seen on the lights. The shot is framed by large pink pipes going over the road

Ampelmann, Germanys unique road crossing icon in green can be seen on a traffic light across the road. A main walking past has been captured in the same position, with his legs striding and his arm in front

The traffic light icons are unique to Germany. They feature Ampelmännchen (Ampelmann), the pedestrian crossing man who can be found on souvenirs throughout the city.

Ampelmann, Germanys unique road crossing icon in red can be seen on a traffic light.

Known as a symbol of East German culture that was kept after the reunification of Berlin. Prior to this, East and West Germany had different pedestrian traffic light symbols.

Further down towards The Wall Museum you see Oberbaum Bridge, a double-decker bridge that was featured in Run Lola Run.

Connecting the Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg districts with a subway on top and a road on the bottom, the red brick turrets of medieval-style design juxtapose against the bright yellow buses passing by and industrial buildings on either side.

Making our way towards Kreuzberg, known for its street art, thrift shops and restaurants, we had dinner at Kumpel & Keule Speisewirtschaft, a restaurant that prides itself on a nose-to-tail cuisine and generation of young butchers.

Their staff job titles include Vegetable Styler, Goddess of Barbeque and Sausage Consultant and they also have a meat stall within the Markthalle Neun, an indoor food market.

Google Maps took us to the stall, so make sure you've got the address for the restaurant rather than the market if you're after a sit-down dinner.

On our way home through Kreuzberg, the area was buzzing with people getting late-night ice cream and wandering through the streets.

A person in red trousers walks through the Oberbaum Bridge, their trousers echoing the colour of the brickwork

Our last taste of artistic Berlin was a church, lit up with colourful art projections.

And with that my friends, we closed off our last evening in Berlin, until next time.

View from the Oberbaum Bridge during golden hour. Lots of buildings with cranes in the background can be seen. The river Spree looks glassy and shimmering in the late afternoon sun

The need to know

Getting Around

Many of the landmarks are relatively near to each other and walking gives you time to soak up the atmosphere however, walking around all day I appreciate won't suit or be convenient for everyone. Good news then, that Berlin has great railway connections, a subway, many bus stops and an abundance of taxis throughout the city. Taxis can be booked via apps like Uber and Lyft or directly through the hotel. You can also find a list of numbers for licensed taxi's on the official Berlin website (click here).

Cycle lanes appeared adequate and there were bikes and scooters for hire peppered around the city. Car hire is possible but as with many busy cities throughout the world, parking is difficult and driving often takes longer than alternative transport options. Note that in Germany, driving is on the right-hand side.

For navigation, Google Maps and CityMapper both worked well. Download the area you're visiting on Google Maps so you've got it to hand even if you have no data/WiFi.

Language

German is the official language however, the majority of people we encountered in the service industry could speak very good English. Our German is limited but people seemed to appreciate it when we tried to communicate in the native language, even just a 'please' and 'thank you' goes a long way

Currency

Euros

Plug Sockets

Germany has a supply voltage of 230V and 50Hz, using outlets types C and F with two round prongs.

Have you been to Berlin? Is it on your list of places to visit? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you if you found this itinerary helpful. Thank you for reading, I appreciate it!

Two pints of beer sit fizzing on a wooden table. They look crisp, fresh and inviting. In the background is a lilac coloured flower

Turrets of the Oberbaum Bridge, a double-deck bridge running across the River Spree. Bicycles can be seen against the railings in the foreground and pink metal tubes frame the image