Berlin Travel Guide

Berlin is the capital of Germany and one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.5 million people, it is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union.Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of Rivers Spree and Havel, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has about six million residents from over 180 nations.Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one-third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes,Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945).Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989) and East Germany territory.Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin was once again designated as the capital of united Germany.

Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media and science.Its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research facilities, media corporations and convention venues.Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network. The metropolis is a popular tourist destination.Significant industries also include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, clean tech, biotechnology, construction and electronics.

Modern Berlin is home to world renowned universities, orchestras, museums, entertainment venues and is host to many sporting events. Its urban setting has made it a sought-after location for international film productions. The city is well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts and a high quality of living.Over the last decade Berlin has seen the emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene.

Berlin's history has left the city with a highly eclectic array of architecture and buildings. The city's appearance today is predominantly shaped by the key role it played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments based in Berlin — the Kingdom of Prussia, the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany, and now the reunified Germany — initiated ambitious reconstruction programs, with each adding its own distinctive style to the city's architecture.

Berlin was devastated by bombing raids, fires and street battles during World War II, and many of the buildings that had remained after the war were demolished in the post-war period in both West and East Berlin. Much of this demolition was initiated by municipal architecture programs to build new residential or business quarters and main roads. Many ornaments of pre-war buildings were destroyed following modernist dogmas. While in both systems and in reunified Berlin, various important heritage monuments were also (partly) reconstructed, including the Forum Fridericianum with e.g., the State Opera (1955), Charlottenburg Palace (1957), the main monuments of the Gendarmenmarkt (1980s), Kommandantur (2003) and the project to reconstruct the baroque façades of the City Palace. A number of new buildings is inspired by historical predecessors or the general classical style of Berlin, such as Hotel Adlon.

Clusters of high-rise buildings emerge at e.g., Potsdamer Platz, City West and Alexanderplatz. Berlin has three of the top 40 tallest buildings in Germany.

Best Time To Visit

The city is teeming with life in summer, which can start in May and may continue into October, with its open-air parties and plentiful street festivals. Your second-best bet is the Christmas and New Year season, when you can delight in the seasonal markets, hot wine sold by street vendors and fireworks.

Berlin Transportation

Germans are known for two virtues: efficiency and punctuality, and the two are linked. This applies to their effective BVG transport system, with trains, trams and buses which operate 24 hours a day (remember, Berlin is an all-night party city); a single-ride ticket starts at $1.75.

Berlin Weather

July is the hottest month, with an average high of 64°F (18°C). January is the coldest month, with an average high of 30°F (-1°C).

Know Before Visiting

You may experience some culture shock when you arrive—the city is incredibly permissive, and anything goes. And don’t be put of by the notorious “Berliner Schnauze.” Berliners, especially long-standing natives, can be testy and a bit biting. Don’t let it slow your pace.