The 12 most beautiful places in Berlin you must see in 2023!
Berlin - the city that never sleeps, inspires us with exciting places full of history and culture and with green oases in the middle of the city. Explore the Tiergarten, the green lung of the city, or lose yourself in the modern diversity of Potsdamer Platz.
Berlin is a mosaic of past and future, of green spaces and urban flair. Every district, every corner shows a different face of this unique metropolis. Follow us on a journey of discovery to the most beautiful places in Berlin.
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At a glance: The most beautiful places in Berlin
Gendarmenmarkt: the most beautiful square in the city from an architectural point of view- Prenzlauer Berg: district in Pankow with lots of bars and cafés, one of the hippest areas in the city
- Nikolaiviertel: the oldest settlement area in Berlin, replica of a historic old town
- Hackesche Höfe: Germany’s largest enclosed courtyard area, absolutely worth seeing
Gendarmenmarkt: the most beautiful square in the city from an architectural point of viewThis was just a small taste of the beautiful and exciting places that await you in Berlin. At the end of the article you will find our map with the most beautiful places in Berlin.
Here you will also find an overview of the best things to do in Berlin.
1. Gendarmenmarkt
For us, the Gendarmenmarkt, with its imposing buildings all around, is the most beautiful square in Berlin from an architectural point of view. In addition to Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s Schauspielhaus , which is used as a concert hall, the German Cathedral and the French Cathedral tower into the sky. You can also visit the concert hall. You can register for a guided tour on the website. The tours last 45 minutes and cost 3 euros.
The German Cathedral houses the parliamentary history exhibition of the German Bundestag. The Huguenot Museum is located in the French Cathedral. Even if you’re not interested in culture: Gendarmenmarkt is perfect for your Instagram feed! No other place in the city is as reminiscent of Berlin as the Gendarmenmarkt. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Paris.
2. Prenzlauer Berg
Welcome to Prenzlauer Berg
Here we enjoyed an avocado toast at Kaffee Käthe
A weekly market is held on Kollwitzplatz every SaturdayWhere do you absolutely have to go in Berlin? To Prenzlauer Berg, of course. Don’t worry, of course you don’t have to climb a mountain. “Prenzlberg” is a district in Pankow and one of the hippest areas in the city.
In the leafy streets with the typical Wilhelminian-style old buildings around Kollwitzplatz , one café follows the next. And although the prices in the cafés, bars and restaurants are on a par with Munich, you’ll hardly get a seat here on a sunny day. We can recommend Kaffee Käthe (Kollwitzstraße 38), Café Anna Blume (Kollwitzstraße 83) and Café Neue Liebe (Rykestraße 42).
On Saturday there is also a huge weekly market on Kollwitzplatz. You can also sip a glass of wine here.
Not far from Kollwitzplatz, between Knaackstraße and Schönhauser Allee, is the Kulturbrauerei with its restaurants and clubs. Nearby you will find the Pratergarten, Berlin’s oldest beer garden.
The park by the water tower is also beautiful, a green oasis in the middle of the city and a popular meeting place for Prenzlberg residents. There is a hill in the middle of the park from where you have a great view. It’s especially romantic up here on a mild summer evening.
3. The Nikolai quarter
The Nikolai quarter near Alexanderplatz is a very special place for us. At the center of Berlin’s oldest settlement area is the Nikolai Church (now a museum), which was destroyed in the Second World War and later reconstructed.
An ensemble of historic town houses (unfortunately only adapted prefabricated houses) was built around the church. Today you will find some lovely cafés and restaurants here, such as the Zille-Stube or the rustic Georgbraeu brewery.
Unfortunately, there is no historic city center or real old town in Berlin after the destruction of the Second World War. In the east of the city in particular, much of the historic building fabric was destroyed during the GDR regime.
A guided tour of the Nikolai Quarter at night is very worthwhile (book a ticket*).
4. Hackesche Höfe
A visit to the Hackesche Höfe is simply a must
Of course there is an Ampelmann store here
At Aseli you can get “Berliner Mäuse”, delicious foam rubber miceBerlin would not be Berlin without its (often intricate) backyards. I myself grew up in Berlin. Our apartment was in one of these backyards. You live in the middle of the city and still have the peace and quiet of living in the countryside.
The Hackesche Höfe in Mitte, Germany’s largest enclosed courtyard area, is one of the most popular tourist attractions.
In Hackesche Höfe and the adjacent Rosenhöfe you will find stores and craft businesses, as well as a cinema and the Chameleon variety theater.
Insider tip: The Heckmann-Höfe at Oranienburger Straße 32 are less well known. You can browse through small stores in a relaxed atmosphere. There are also restaurants and an art café.
You can find out about even more hidden courtyards and detailed information on a guided tour of Berlin’s hidden courtyards*.
5. Großer Tiergarten
The “pregnant oyster” is an exciting photo motif
The Schleusenkrug is always well attendedThe Großer Tiergarten, with the famous Victory Column in the center, is a huge park in the middle of Berlin. In the green lung of the city, there are numerous memorials as well as extensive green spaces. The Soviet memorial is well worth a visit. The memorial was built in 1945 to honor the soldiers of the Red Army who died in the Second World War.
The House of World Cultures, known as the“pregnant oyster“, is located near the Chancellery. The House of World Cultures was a gift from the Americans to friendly West Berlin in 1957. The Pregnant Oyster is an architectural masterpiece and has been copied all over the world.
Bellevue Palace is located on the northern edge of the city park. The palace was once built as a summer residence for the Prussian Prince August Ferdinand and has served as the first official residence of the German Federal President since 1994. Unfortunately, you can only admire the castle from the outside.
In addition, the zoo is of course a huge recreational area. You can cycle, jog or simply relax on one of the many meadows here. And in summer, the Tiergarten is probably the largest barbecue area in the world.
Tip: The Café am Neuen See has one of the most beautiful beer gardens in the city. From spring to late fall, you can also hire a boat and explore the Neuen See (tha means “new lake”) from the water. And from mid-November, curling is offered on the real ice rinks.
Tip 2: Another nice beer garden is the Schleusenkrug near Zoologischer Garten station. The pitches directly on the canal are particularly popular. Of course, vegetarians also get their money’s worth at the Schleusenkrug.
6. Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz, the hub of the Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale), is always worth a visit.
The Sony Center is home to the Museum of Film and Television. Outside, you can walk along the Boulevard of Stars, which is reminiscent of the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California.
The historic Kaisersaal is located in the Sony Center. The hall is the only relic of the Grand Hotel Esplanade, which was destroyed in the Second World War. The Kaisersal is now home to Frederick’s restaurant and bar.
Want to experience Berlin from above? Then there is the Panoramapunkt at Potsdamer Platz (book your ticket here without queuing*). You can reach the viewpoint via the Kollhof building with the fastest elevator in Europe.
If you’re traveling with children, Legoland at the Sony Center is well worth a visit. Here you can find our article “Berlin with a child“.
7. Alexanderplatz (“Alex”)
Alexanderplatz, or “Alex” for short, the former and current center of “East Berlin”, is the city’s most famous square. With its shopping opportunities, the Alex is a hotspot for Berliners and tourists.
In the middle of the Alex, the Berlin television tower rises into the sky, at 368 meters the tallest building in Germany. From the viewing platform at a height of 203 meters, you have a great view over Berlin. In Bar 203, you can sip a cool drink and soak up the cosmopolitan flair.
The Sphere revolving restaurant is also located at a height of 207 meters. Make sure you reserve a window seat (book your ticket*). Or how about breakfast in the revolving restaurant in the TV tower (book your ticket*)?
Be sure to look out for the famous World Time Clock on Alex. On the square you will also find the Berolina, a statue of a woman with an oak wreath, symbolizing the city of Berlin. Of course, a detour to the Red City Hall should not be missed. The Rotes Rathaus is the seat of the mayor and the meeting place of the Berlin Senate.
From the viewing terrace in the Park Inn Hotel at a height of 120 meters, you have a great view of the TV tower and the Alex.
Tip: Bus line 100 is the tourist line par excellence. Line 100 runs between the Zoologischer Garten and Alexanderplatz and serves the same route as many Hop On Hop Off buses.
8. Bebelplatz with the State Opera
One place of particular importance is Bebelplatz on the boulevard “Unter den Linden”. Bebelplatz was the scene of the so-called book burning. On May 10, 1933, the Nazis burned 20,000 books here. A memorial in the floor with empty bookshelves bears witness to this today.
You can’t miss St. Hedwig’s Cathedral with its turquoise round dome. You will also find the Staatsoper Unter den Linden on Bebelplatz.
9. Charlottenburg Palace with palace park
Are you looking for a place of peace in Berlin? Then Charlottenburg Palace, the former summer residence of the Hohenzollern dynasty in the Charlottenburg district, is a must-see.
The castle itself is now a popular museum. Here you can see the porcelain cabinet, the red damask chamber, the golden gallery and the palace chapel.
You will find peace and quiet in the beautiful palace park with the Belvedere, the Mausoleum and the New Pavilion.
You can also listen to the Berlin Residence Orchestra at Charlottenburg Palace (book a ticket*) – or how about a musical dinner in the palace (book a ticket*)?
10. Teufelsberg with radar station
At 120 meters, Teufelsberg is the second highest elevation in Berlin. The leafy hill of rubble is a popular excursion destination in the Grunewald forest in the west of Berlin. From the summit plateau you have a great view over Berlin.
The Teufelsberg is also home to an old American radar station from the Cold War era. Today, you can explore the ruins with a small museum and lots of street art on your own during opening hours. But a guided tour is better! You can book your ticket or a guided tour here.
11. Friedrichshain
The area around Simon-Dach-Straße and Boxhagener Platz in the Friedrichshain district is also an absolute “place to be”. There are countless cafés, bars and restaurants here. As a vegan, you’re in paradise here! The traditional weekly market on Boxhagener Platz every Saturday is highly recommended. A flea market takes place on Sunday.
The notorious RAW site (RAW stands for Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk) is also very close by. The old industrial site is home to some of the city’s hippest bars and clubs, such as the Astra Kulturhaus.
Friedrichshain is also home to well-known clubs such as Berghain and Kater Blau. More Berlin nightlife is not possible.
12. Savignyplatz
A real insider tip for us is the beautiful Savignyplatz. Located very close to the lively City West, the “Zoo”, Savignyplatz is quiet and cozy.
You can simply relax and unwind in the well-kept park. Or pop into one of the nearby cafés and order coffee, a hearty breakfast or delicious cake.
Nearby, at Kantstraße 148, is the Schwarze Cafe, an institution in Berlin since 1978. The café offers breakfast (as well as other delicious dishes) until late at night.
Where to stay in Berlin? Our hotel tips
The aletto Hotel on Postdamer Platz is a good and relatively cheap place to stay (check price*). The location is perfect for exploring the German capital on foot and by bus and train.
Pure luxury awaits you at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski (check price*) directly at the Brandenburg Gate.
One of the best views over the city awaits you at the luxury hotel Waldorf Astoria Berlin (check price*) at the Zoological Garden.
One of the hottest addresses in the city is currently the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin (check price*) on Budapester Strasse in City-West.
We’ve also had a great time at the Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof (check price*), also on Budapester Strasse.
Map with the most beautiful places in Berlin
You can find an overview of Berlin’s most beautiful places on our interactive map:
[mapsmarker map=”316″]
Berlin travel guide
*Werbelink / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
So there you have it, the most beautiful places in Berlin. Do you have any suggestions or further ideas? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!
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