Stories · Germany
3 days in Berlin
The story I wish I had read before going.
My first time in Berlin, I tried to see everything and mostly saw queues. Now I do it differently: a few places a day, the right ones, in the right order. Here is my 3-day thread.
Day 1 · Museums and culture
Early in the morning, head to German Museum of Technology. Give it a good two hours, and leave before you are full: that is the secret to wanting to come back. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (27,611 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or also check Tiqets.
Late morning, I make my way to Berlin Story Bunker. I always pick two or three rooms rather than seeing everything. You walk out light. 4.7 out of 5 across 7,256 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise go through Tiqets.
Lunch without a plan: the first noisy room you pass is often the right one.
In the afternoon, it’s Wandbilder Berlin. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Keep the evening free. Berlin is a city that tells itself better at night.
Day 2 · The icons
To start, meet me at Brandenburg Gate. Bring water, shoes that hold, and no watch. 4.7 out of 5 across 191,273 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise also check Tiqets.
Around noon, I make my way to Raum Der Stille. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise go through Tiqets.
For lunch, trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
Later, meet me at Potsdamer Platz. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or compare on Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and Berlin does the rest.
Day 3 · The icons
In the morning, I make my way to Panoramapunkt Berlin. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (1,766 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or go through Tiqets.
Then, head to Global Tower Berlin. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
For lunch, trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
After lunch, it’s Tour Berlin Cars. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or also check Tiqets.
Keep the evening free. Berlin is a city that tells itself better at night.
If you’re still hungry
Other places I wish I could have fitted in: East Side Gallery, Berlin Underworlds Under the Berlin Wall Tour, Victory Column, Berlin Cathedral, Tiergarten and French Cathedral. Slip them in wherever a day feels light.
My advice
Walk. Then take public transport: that is where you see the city live.
Book the busiest places the day before: queues have ruined more than one morning.
Keep a little local cash: the best addresses are often the least equipped.
Safe travels. And get lost at least once; that is where Berlin begins.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.