I spent 4 days in Berlin, but it only took a couple of hours to fall in love with the city. Hopefully I’ll get to go back soon and finish my extensive list of things to do! We did manage to cram a lot in though so here are our recommendations for free things to do in Berlin.
Awe at the architecture of Museum Island
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Museum Island but it’s pretty much what it says it is! We wandered all the way across Unter den Linden and realised we were actually stood on the island right there. Have a wander around the outside of each museum and take some snaps – some of the buildings are extraordinary!
Wander the East Side Gallery
We ended up walking pretty much everywhere in Berlin, so if you do too I’d recommend getting the S-bahn to Ostbahnhof (where the gallery ends) or starting from the beginning at Warschauer Straße. The wall gets pretty busy with tourists so you might find yourself waiting for a clear picture of the art, but it’s worth the visit to see the real thing.
Visit the Reichstag Dome
Here’s a tip to make sure you don’t end up queuing 3 hours for tickets like we did – register online for free passes to the dome at least 1-2 months before you go. It saves you a tonne of time (and a very irritating wait with hundreds of other tourists.) The dome itself is great to photograph, and you learn a lot about the history of the Reichstag and other buildings around the area if you pick up an audio guide.
Spend a Sunday afternoon in Mauerpark
If you’re brave enough to give the bearpit karaoke a go, a sunny Sunday afternoon in Mauerpark is the perfect background to ‘your song’. If not, watch from the safety of the amphitheatre style seating surrounding the ‘bearpit’ and stroll through the park with a bratwurst to go.
Photograph the Holocaust Memorial
I hadn’t realised that the memorial was right next to the Brandenburg Gate and parallel with a busy street. I’m actually not sure why I thought it wouldn’t be? Out of all the free things to do in Berlin, the memorial is the one that’ll make you think, leave you silent for a bit and have you snapping away at all the angles for ages.
Alternative Berlin walking tours
This free Berlin subculture tour lets you pay as much as you want in tips at the end. The guide takes you around Berlin’s most famous neighbourhoods, including artist squats and multicultural areas, indoor skateparks, urban art projects and abandoned sites. Make sure you take plenty of spare memory cards to photograph all the graffiti, murals and street art!
What are your favourite free things to do in Berlin? Comment below!
Bearpit karaoke image via toolmantim
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