As part of our extensive Northern European tour, we made Berlin our Christmas Day stop. We flew in from Riga, hopped on the high-speed train transfer from the airport, and got off at Alexanderplatz. The train station is conveniently connected to the airport—just head to the second basement to buy your tickets, then make your way to platform level 3. Remember to validate your tickets at the little red columns on the platform before boarding.
Park Inn
Our stay at the Park Inn by Radisson Alexanderplatz was a major disappointment. Although it’s marketed as a 4-star hotel, it was easily one of the worst places we stayed during our trip. The building, originally constructed by the East Germans, seemed to have been retrofitted into a modern hotel. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were clearly an afterthought. Our room had a bathroom separated from the main area by just a shower curtain, and we couldn’t get consistent hot water in the shower. The temperature randomly swung from scalding to freezing without us even touching the handle.
Room cleaning was an “opt in” instead of an “opt out” system – bad luck if you forget. The pillows were thinner than the duvet, and when we first entered our room, it was sweltering hot—like a sauna. We had to have maintenance disable the heating and open the windows, but it was still uncomfortable.
The staff didn’t seem interested in resolving any issues either. When I asked at the bar where the toilets were, a staff member vaguely said, “They’re opposite,”, When I asked for clarification, I was sent to the main entrance. Finding no facilities there, I asked reception, who told me to take a lift to level 2. There I found the toilets were locked. When I returned to reception, the same person directed me to take the stairs to level 1 and go in the opposite direction! I couldn’t believe that accessing a bathroom from the bar could be so difficult!
We would only rate the Park Inn Alexanderplatz as a 2 star hotel at most. But don’t just take our word for it. Check the reviews!
Alexanderplatz and Fernsehturm
The heart of Berlin seems to be Alexanderplatz, a bustling hub of train, subway, and tram connections, all centred around a large plaza. When we visited, the plaza was home to a charming Christmas market, split right down the middle by tram lines. Also located in the plaza is the iconic World Time Clock, a fun landmark that adds a unique touch to the area.
The Fernsehturm Tower stands tall, dominating not just Alexanderplatz, but the entire Berlin skyline. Built in 1965 by the East Germans to help broadcast TV signals from a high vantage point (since they only had two TV frequencies), the tower reaches a height of 368 meters. It features a restaurant at 207 meters, a bar at 203 meters, and an observation deck. Although we didn’t splurge on the €23.50 entrance fee, we could spot the tower from almost every corner of Berlin—its presence was impossible to miss.
DDR Museum
The DDR Museum wasn’t originally on our must-see list, but we stumbled upon it while on our way to the Brandenburg Gate—and we’re so glad we did! We made our way down to the waterside for entry and bought tickets for €13.50 each. It was packed! It took a little extra time to explore the exhibits with the crowds, but it was a real bonus that all the signs and descriptions were available in English. This made it easy to dive into the history of East Germany.
The DDR Museum was incredibly interactive. Nearly every artefact was either available to handle or required some physical interaction to access information. One of the highlights was a large section designed to resemble an East German apartment. It was complete with displays of the types of food, drink, entertainment, sanitation, and clothing that were available at the time. There was also a small piece of the Berlin Wall, an original Trabant car, and plenty of exhibits about the history of the East/West divide. As a memento, we purchased a small chunks of the Berlin Wall.
Brandenburg Gate
We strolled down the wide Bundesstraße, admiring the stunning buildings and museums, heading toward the iconic Brandenburg Gate. This free-to-visit attraction is only accessible to pedestrians, making it a peaceful spot to take in the surroundings. The Brandenburg Gate is especially significant because it once stood divided by the Berlin Wall, which ran right past it. Built in 1788, the gate is an impressive sight, crowned by a chariot and four horses, symbolizing triumph and unity.
East Side Gallery
This open-air gallery sits on a stretch of the Berlin Wall in Mühlenstraße, near the bustling Ostbahnhof railway station. It’s free to visit, and it’s easy to find your way—just follow the crowds to the main artworks. We walked down the street, soaking in the contrast. On the East side, formal artworks created after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and on the West side, vibrant graffiti. Some of the pieces were commissioned from well-known artists in the late 1990s and have been carefully maintained over the years. It’s a wonderfully preserved and powerful snapshot of Berlin’s post-wall creative spirit.
Among the most iconic artworks displayed here are “Fraternal Kiss,” “Vaterland,” and “Trabant Breaking Through The Wall,” alongside many other impressive pieces. The Berlin Wall, erected in August 1961, was an attempt by East Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West, where life was seen as better. As a result, the most skilled and intelligent people left first, creating a “brain drain” for the East. The Wall began to come down in 1989, but not before 100,000 people tried to escape. As many as 200 people lost their lives in the process. Some of their powerful stories are memorialized on the Wall itself, offering a poignant reminder of the struggles for freedom.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Located on a once barren stretch of land that lay between East and West, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a striking open-air art installation on Ebertstraße. The memorial consists of a field of stelae columns, varying in height, arranged across undulating terrain. While there are signs asking visitors not to run or walk on the columns, many people disappointingly disregarded the rules. The site offers a powerful, thought-provoking experience. The shifting landscape of columns creates a solemn atmosphere to reflect on the horrors of the past.
The 2,710 columns represent the graves of the millions of Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. We wandered through the maze of columns, but didn’t realize there’s also an underground exhibition. Free to enter, it displays letters from Jews and offers a deeper exploration of their stories. It’s an impactful and sobering experience, providing more context and emotional depth to the memorial above.
Later we discovered the Jewish quarter on Große Hamburger Straße. There we came across a Jewish cemetery that had been destroyed by the Nazis. Nearby, we saw walls riddled with gunshot damage, remnants of the brutal history. One of the walls had been used by the Nazis to line up Jews before executing them, a chilling reminder of the atrocities that took place here. The area, heavy with historical significance, offers a sombre glimpse into Berlin’s dark past.
Checkpoint Charlie and Wall Museum
We walked to Checkpoint Charlie, the iconic border between the American sector and the Soviet/East Germany side. Today, the area is ironically surrounded by American fast-food chains and coffee shops. This is something that would have been unimaginable during the Soviet control of the region. In the midst of all this, a small hut, a pile of sandbags, and an art installation featuring photos of a Russian and an American soldier serve as reminders of the past.
Next, we visited the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which costs €18.50 to enter. Located right next to the checkpoint, the museum spans three floors and offers exhibits in three languages: English, German, and Russian. If you’re keen to dive into the history of the Berlin Wall, there’s plenty to read. However, we found the displays to be a bit disjointed, often starting in the middle of a story without much context. This made it difficult to follow the full narrative.
This theme of disjointed storytelling continued throughout the rest of the museum. While there were some fascinating exhibits—like the cars used in real-life escapes, secret escape tools, and even micro-light planes used to flee from East to West—the flow of the displays felt scattered. The timeline jumped from the causes of the Wall, to its fall, and then suddenly to exhibits about the wars in Ukraine and Yugoslavia. It was challenging to follow at times, and the sheer volume of information left us feeling overwhelmed.
Samurai Museum
What a surprising find in Berlin—a Japanese exhibition! But what a delightful one it turned out to be. We made our way to the Samurai Museum, paid the €14 entrance fee (it’s a bit more during peak times), and spent time exploring its two floors. The artefacts on display were stunning, with each cabinet featuring an interactive digital display. These allowed us to learn more about each item in both English and German, including details about its history, materials, and period. There was even a fun children’s quiz for each exhibit, which kept the little ones engaged as they explored the fascinating collection.
In the center of the room stood a large stage, with a clever projection that made it seem like a live performance was happening. The room was filled with full-size mannequins dressed in either original or reproduction armour and clothing—some of which were downright eerie!
On the first floor, we explored displays showcasing swords and the art of sword-making. Alongside this were rows and rows of helmets and intricately designed sword hilts in glass cabinets. It was an unexpected yet fascinating addition to our museum tour in Berlin, and we really enjoyed the experience.
Magic Museum
On our way to the Samurai Museum, we happened upon the Magic Museum and decided to check it out on a whim. It turned out to be quite a surprise, as we had no idea what to expect. The museum is all about the unexplainable, and it’s incredibly interactive—virtually every exhibit requires you to get hands-on. Tickets are €16 each, and upon entering, we were given a booklet of challenges to tackle. The host encouraged us to try solving a handcuff puzzle and even showed us how to rub a sound bowl to create a resonant vibration in the water. It was an unexpectedly fun and intriguing experience!
We wandered through the museum, which was thankfully quieter than some of the other spots we’d visited. As we explored horoscopes and predictions based on Nordic and Chinese calendars, we tackled puzzles and optical illusions. We even learned how to use a pendulum for divination. While we skipped the magic show, we still spent over an hour enjoying the interactive exhibits in the basement. It was a fun and quirky stop!
Alte Nationalgalerie
The Alte Nationalgalerie was a spur-of-the-moment decision. We paid the €24 entrance fee and decided to explore the exhibits from the top floor down. The gallery was primarily focused on paintings, with just a few sculptures scattered throughout. While the collection was impressive, there weren’t any world-famous masterpieces, and many of the works didn’t quite capture our attention. This was probably because we weren’t familiar with the German artists or their historical context.
Berlin Bear
Throughout Berlin, we spotted bears standing tall with their arms raised, scattered all around the city. These bears were created by a pair of German entrepreneurs with the help of a sculptor. First unveiled at an art event in 2001, they quickly became an iconic symbol of the city. You can find them everywhere, and they represent friendliness and optimism.
Ice Bar Berlin
We stumbled upon a quirky little spot down a side street: the Ice Bar. This themed bar has a section that’s kept at a chilling minus 15 degrees. After paying for entry, which included a free drink at the outside bar, we were introduced to the shipwreck-on-an-ice-floe theme.
Once inside, we received vouchers for two drinks—a beer or a spirit shot. The drinks are served in blocks of ice, and there’s a fun rule: if your first drink is a shot, your second must be too. So, we kicked things off with a beer!
Overall, we found Berlin to be a vibrant, bustling city with some intriguing sights and museums. However, it still carries that unmistakable big city vibe. Since we spent most of our time in the East German part, it felt a bit less inviting and charming compared to some of the other places we’d visited. While it’s a fascinating city, it wasn’t our favourite.
