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Sightseeing
Historical and Government Sights
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The first place on your list of things to see in Berlin should be the Brandenburg Tor, Plaza de 18 Mars, which was the old East-West crossing point of the Berlin Wall. Don't miss the angelic-looking statue of Quadriga. After viewing the gate walk over to the the Reichstag, Germany's current parliament building. Plan to arrive early in the morning if you want to go up the famous dome by architect Norman Foster. Be sure to admire the view of the green Tiergarten.
After your visit to the Reichstag, walk over to the Wall Victims Memorial, which commemorates almost 200 people who died trying to cross the Berlin Wall. Walk a bit further south and you will find the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe for the Holocaust. Don't miss the Book-Burning Memorial at Bebelplatz on Franzosische Strasse.
The most interesting and well-preserved section of the Berlin Wall is located at the East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain. It's about a mile long with interesting graffiti and caricatures of former political leaders. Visit the famous Check-point Charlie at the corner of Friedrichstrasse & Zimmerstrasse.
To see Hitler's Former Bunker head to Voss Strasse, and for a shocking account of the occurrences at SS Headquarters go to the Topographie des Terrors, Neider-kirchner Strasse. It is not for the faint-at-heart. Don't miss the Jewish Museum at Lindenstrasse 9-14, for a history of German-Jewish history and the holocaust.
Culture and Arts
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Check out the House of World Cultures, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, for visual art exhibits from around the world. They also host theater and dance performances every-so-often. If you are interested in architecture visit the Bauhaus Archive, Klingel-hoferstrasse 14, for interesting relics of the Bauhaus school. Movie-lovers should check out the Film Museum at Postdamer Strasse 2.
Fans of classical music should see the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra play at Herbert-von-Karajan Strasse 1.
Things to Do
Berlin's most popular monument is the TV Tower, visible from almost anywhere in the city. Nicknamed by the locals as the Death Star, it is located at Alexander Platz. One of the best times to climb the 368-meter-tall building is in the evening while the sun is setting.
