48 hours Berlin!
Posted on March 25, 2023
Did you know you can be in the centre of Berlin in just seven hours from the Netherlands? Take the train, binge your favourite Netflix series or do some overdue online work and before you know it, the train will be pulling into Hauptbahnhof Berlin! Ready to enjoy 48 hours in Berlin? With this guide you are!
Accommodation & public transport
There are numerous hotels around Potsdamerplatz, Alexanderplatz and Kurfürstendamm. For instance, we stayed at the Scandic Hotel Potsdamerplatz. Want to look for something ‘local’? Then look for an Airbnb in Kreuzberg.
The BVG card is the public transport card used in Berlin. The card can be used on the metro, tram, bus and S-Bahn (city train) in Berlin. There are different types of BVG cards available, depending on the length of stay in Berlin and the zones you want to visit. The most popular option is the Berlin Welcome Card, which is available for 48 hours, 72 hours, 4 days, 5 days or 6 days. Download the BVG’s app on your phone before you arrive.
Day 1: All about history!
Berlin has a complex and tragic history. The city was the centre of Nazi Germany during World War II and was heavily bombed. After the war, Berlin was divided into East and West Berlin, with the Berlin Wall symbolising the Cold War. In 1989, the wall fell and Berlin was reunited, marking the beginning of a new era for the city.
Berliner Unterwelten
Our first day in Berlin is quite rainy, so we decide to dive underground and learn more about Berlin’s history. We do this with the organisation Berliner Unterwelten. We book Tour M and learn more about the escape attempts of East Berliners to West Berlin. Highly recommended as far as we are concerned! After the tour, we check out the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer and take a short walk into the Mauerpark.
Time for coffee
A cosy coffee shop near the Mauerpark is Krone Berlin! Allergies? Ask the staff for the allergens menu!
East Side Gallery
We have a taste for more and want to see more of the wall! We decide to travel by public transport to the other side of the city, to the East Side Gallery! 1.3 km of the wall is painted with the most beautiful murals by street art artists from all over the world.
A visit to the Reichtstag
The Reichstag is the German parliament building, located in the heart of Berlin. It is one of the city's most iconic landmarks and also an important symbol of German history and democracy.
The original building was built in 1894. After World War II, when Berlin was divided, the building fell into disrepair and was abandoned for a long time. After the reunification of Germany, the building was renovated and expanded in the 1990s by British architect Sir Norman Foster. One of the most striking features of the Reichstag is its glass dome, which offers stunning views of the city. Would you like to visit the dome? Please register in advance via this website.
Spreegold
We end the day with dinner at Spreegold! Spreegold has several locations in Berlin and focuses on vegetarian and vegan food! Would you rather have meat? This is also on the menu!
Day 2: All about highlights!
Like us, do you only have 48 hours in Berlin? Then we recommend visiting the following highlights on day 2! More time? Then also discover districts such as Kreuzberg and Charlottenburg.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is a historic location in Berlin known as the former border crossing between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. It was an important symbol of Berlin’s division and tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States. Today, you can visit the old border post and its museum to learn more about its history and the Cold War.
Gendarmenmarkt
The Gendarmenmarkt is a beautiful square in Berlin’s historic centre and one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. The square is named after the Gendarmerie, an elite unit of the Berlin police, which had its headquarters here in the 18th century. During our visit, the square was unfortunately open, however, we have seen beautiful pictures on the internet so definitely don’t skip a visit.
Museuminsel
Museuminsel, or Museum Island in Dutch, is a unique place in Berlin that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on an island in the Spree River, Museuminsel is home to five world-famous museums. The five museums are the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. Each museum has its own speciality, ranging from Egyptian art and classical sculptures to Byzantine art and Islamic art. Unfortunately, we ourselves had little time to dive into any of the museums. Do you have longer in Berlin? Then be sure to visit one of the museums.
Berlin Cathedral
Berliner Dom, also known as Berliner Stadtkirche, is an impressive Protestant cathedral located on Museum Island in Berlin’s historic centre. The cathedral looks fantastic from the outside! Curious about the inside too? Tickets are on sale from €9.
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is an iconic landmark in Berlin and one of Germany’s most famous monuments. You will surely recognise the gate from social media posts! Built in 1791, the gate was originally intended as a symbol of peace and prosperity. During World War II, the gate was badly damaged, but after the reunification of Germany, it was restored and reopened in 2002.
Holocaust monument
The Holocaust Monument, also known as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, is a memorial erected in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. You will find the monument next to the Brandenburg Gate. The memorial consists of a field of 2711 concrete blocks, which have different heights and are placed in a grid pattern. Very impressive!
KaDeWe
KaDeWe, in full Kaufhaus des Westens, is one of the largest and most famous department stores in Europe! Founded in 1907, it offers a range of high-quality products, from luxury fashion and jewellery to food and drink. For the Dutch among us: kind of like Bijenkorf but 100 times more extensive!
Berlin Symbols: The Trabi & The Berlin Bear
A Trabant, also known as Trabi, is a car produced in the former GDR (East Germany) between 1957 and 1991. It was a popular car in East Germany because of its affordable price and availability. Curious about the cars? Visit Trabi World!
Besides trabis, you can also sport the Berlin bear at several places! The Berlin bear is a symbol of the German capital Berlin. It is a bear that stands upright and holds up its front paws, like a greeting or an embrace. The bear represents strength and independence and has been used as a symbol of Berlin for centuries.
Topographie des Terrors
The “Topographie des Terrors” (Topography of Terror) is an open-air museum dedicated to the history of Nazi terror. The museum is located on the site where the headquarters of the Gestapo, the SS and the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA), the main Nazi agencies of repression and persecution, once stood. You will find impressive photos here!
Going out in Berlin
We ended our second day in Berlin with a visit to Kreuzberg! First we ate a delicious pizza at Il Pizzaiolo! Then we continued our way to Aunt Emma's for some drinks! A cozy tent with lots of atmosphere! Then we took a dance in one of Berlin's most famous techno clubs: Watergate! Highly recommended, even if, like Iris, you don't like techno!
Other well-known techno clubs are: Berghain, Tresor, KitKatClub and Salon zur Wilden Renate. Take into account a stricter door policy than you may be used to in your own country!
