Berlin is a city of both, the past and the future, - managing to perfectly combine old Prussian traditions and the pulsating trends of a modern metropolis. Historical landmarks, such as the Reichstag (House of Parliament), Brandenburg Gate, the Red Town Hall, the Fernsehturm (television tower) have a story to tell. Additionally numerous parts of the city such as the ‘Unter den Linden' boulevard, Alexanderplatz, Museum Island, Potsdamer Platz with the Sony-Center or the Hackeschen Höfe (boutique courtyards) attract tourists from every part of the world.

City tours

Leaving from the Zoo station, busses with the numbers 100 and 200 are a great way to gain initial first impressions of the city. Tip: depart the bus at the Brandenburg Gate and walk along the ‘Unter den Linden' boulevard to the Gendarmenmarkt - weather permitting, it is an invigorating experience.
Guided city tours are provided by a number of reputable companies, and start every 15 minutes in the peak tourism season. Starting points include the Kaiser William Memorial Church at the Kurfürstendamm and the ‘Unter den Linden' boulevard on the corner of the Friedrichstraße.
The tour takes around 2 hours and prices range between 15 and 25 € per person depending on the tour company in question.
Another popular way to see Berlin is by boat. River tours depart from the jetties on the Cathedral/Museum Island, Jannowitz Bridge and the Palace Bridge.
Prices start at 6 € per adult
CityTourCard: Valid for public transportation throughout the nation's capital, Potsdam and surrounding area* as well as discounted entry for around 50 attractions. Includes information on the city's public transportation system.
*Potsdam and surrounding areas require an ABC type CityTourCard

Shopping

Potsdamer Platz Arcades: over 100 stores and boutiques spread over 3 floors
Friedrichstraße: exclusive shopping in Quartier 205 or 206 Quartier 207 home of the Galaries Lafayette
Kurfürstendamm: KadeWe - the Kaufhaus des Westens enviably located at the Wittenbergplatz with its famous connoisseur level on the 5th floor
Tauentzienstraße: Europacenter; Niketown - New York-style shopping - sport fashion spread over 3,500 sqm
Hackescher Market in Berlin-Mitte: mostly small, quirky stores and boutiques
Gendarmenmarkt: Fassbender & Rausch - internationally renowned chocolatiers which is home to over 500 types of handmade pralines, truffles and sweets housed within the world's longest praline counter

Museums

Kulturforum at Potsdamer Platz: New National Gallery, Gemäldegalerie (Art Gallery), Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of decorative art), Kupferstichkabinett (Print Room), Kunstbibliothek (Art Library), Music Instrument Museum, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart (Museum for Contemporary Art)
Museum Island Berlin: the Old Museum, Old National Gallery, Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Central Archives, Friedrichswerdersche Church
Museum Dahlem: Ethnological Museum, Museum of Indian Art, Museum of East Asian Art, Museum of European Cultures, Institute for Museology
Charlottenburg: Egyptian Museum and papyrus collection, Museum Berggruen, Museum for Pre- and Early History, Museum of Photography
Köpenick: Schloss Köpenick (Museum of Decorative Art)

A wander through the capital's museums

Berlin is the city of museums. Over 170 museums in Berlin keep the history, art and knowledge of the city alive and form a unique museum scenery - a dynamic landscape that is growing in breathtaking speed.
Many of the museums also form the city's memory banks if you will. Among other things, they document the Kingdom of Prussia, the city's turbulent role in two world wars and the affects of the Iron Curtain.

German Historical Museum

Located in the old arsenal which is in fact the oldest building on the ‘Unter den Linden' boulevard, the museum documents Germany's history from the Middle Ages to the present. The new building behind the old arsenal houses a comprehensive schedule of exhibitions and was designed by the sought-after architect, I. M. Pei.

The Story of Berlin

An amazing journey along the city's 800 year long timeline - from its founding during the Middle Ages to its important international role in the 21st century. The time-tunnel and the theme rooms utilises state-of-the-art technology to transform those present from simple visitors into historical participants. One of the highlights is a tour of the original atomic fallout shelter under the Kurfürstendamm.

Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie

Established in 1962 right at the legendary crossing into what used to be Soviet East Berlin: Checkpoint Charlie. The museum is dedicated to the history surrounding the famous wall and includes original implements used by those that managed to climb it, tunnel under it or fly over it. The museum is also engaged in various peaceful activities supporting the cause for improved human rights around the world.

Allied Museum

Located in the former ‘Outpost' cinema setup by the US-Army, the museum documents the role of the Western powers after WWII and the lives of the allied military personnel stationed in Berlin.

Jewish Museum Berlin

Housed in an ultra-modern zigzag-shaped building from the drawing board of Daniel Libeskind, the Jewish Museum Berlin documents two millennia of German-Jewish history from Roman times to the present.

Museum of Natural History

Mineralogy, palaeontology, zoology. One of the world's leading natural history museums and home to the world's largest mounted dinosaur skeleton - Brachiosaurus.

German Museum of Technology

Dedicated to industrial technology with a focus on rail developments of the last centuries, the museum also has a science centre called Spectrum. With exhibits covering a total area of 26,000 sqm, the museum is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Raise the curtain - culture in Berlin

Berlin is one of the nation's genuine cultural hot spots. The capital is home to more than 150 stages that host the classic works of famous international playwrights, modern performances by up-an-comings, enthralling children's theatre, boulevard and experimental theatre - and not only in German. Chanson or spoken cabaret, hit-to-be or established classic - the list goes on and on. Maritim is always happy to assist guests when booking a performance of their choice:

Concerts: Konzerthaus (Concert Hall) am Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin Philharmonic
Operas: State Opera Unter den Linden, Deutsche Oper (German Opera), Komische Oper (German-language opera specialists)
Operettas/musicals: Theater am Potsdamer Platz, Theater des Westens
Varieté and Revues: Friedrichstadtpalast, Varieté Chamäleon, Admiralspalast, TIPI am Kanzleramt, Spiegelzelt Bar jeder Vernunft
Cabarets: Cartoon, Die Distel, Die Stachelschweine, Die Wühlmäuse
Theater: Deutsches Theater, Maxim Gorki Theater, Brecht-Theater