This is one of those grand European architectural locations. Once you get anywhere near this area,…read morewhat you will find are great cathedrals, beautiful buildings, and a very large square. The center point of this area is the large square. My suggestion is that you go and stand in the center of it, look around, and study its true uniqueness. What you will experience is one of the best places to view the grandeur of historic Berlin. Around this very large square, what you will find, (occasionally), is that they will have marketplaces. These marketplaces are usually seasonally orientated. Meaning, if it's Christmas season, you will find a great selection of Christmas orientated items. The main reason you come here is not so much simply to go shopping or dining, of which there are a lot of places to check out around the surrounding area, but to go inside some of the structures, and truly bask in the architectural glory of the statues, the way the buildings were constructed, and all of that kind of stuff. This isn't really a highly-touristy Berlin location. Which, is a good thing. Meaning, you can come here and really bask in a historic Berlin, which is deeply rooted in history. It will provide you with the true flavor and culture of Berlin. Overall, I would suggest that you do go here. You just need to know what to expect. There's not necessarily a lot to do, unless you truly appreciate the finer elements of architecture. But, it's a great place to visit.

One visits Gendarmenmarkt to take in the local flavor. There are beautiful buildings and sculptures…read moreto view and appreciate. People come here to hang out with their families and loved ones. I especially enjoyed looking at the expressions on the faces of the sculptures within the gates of the church. The artist truly captures a feeling. I walked here from the hotel I was staying at and enjoyed lunch in the immediate vicinity. It is a place to visit when in Berlin.

Beautiful and the biggest church in Berlin located on the museum island. It is very massive both…read moreoutside and inside...you have to pay for entrance and you can climb to the top to see 360 degree view of Berlin, worth it but it's 267 steps each way..no bathroom so go before climbing. Somehow I was there and there was a mass in German an I stayed 1/2 way and it was lovely. I'm not a church person but do appreciate the service. The building, the decor, the history itself is worth to check it out for sure. There are plenty of crypts within the church so you can check them outs along with shop and café upon exiting.

This domed cathedral is the largest in Germany and as we see it today is one of many versions of…read morethis place of worship starting from the mid-15th century. Commissioned by Wilhelm II in 1888 the cathedral broke ground in 1894 over same location as a prior church building demolished the prior year to make room for this new and improved iteration. The design of this monumental structure incorporates details from Italian Renaissance and Baroque styles, notably ornamental mosaics, gold features and trimmings, and the layout of the building with its soaring dome and nave. Construction was completed in 1905, but after major damages during WWII was restored starting 1975 and only completed in 1993. Today it serves as functioning church parish for a German Protestant denomination. Visitors can access the following areas in the building: Preaching Church, Baptismal and Marriage Chapel and Panoramic View via 270 stairs. The crypt below the cathedral is a main attraction though closed for renovation until the end of 2025 or early 2026. Regular musical concerts are held here and programming can be found on their website. Normal visiting hours are Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm, Sat: 9am-5pm and Sun: 12-5pm. Check in advance for holiday hours. Tickets are €10 for adults, €7 with the Berlin Welcome Card, €7.50 reduced (students, disabled, see their website for full list). A single adult can bring up to 3 children in the ticket price. Prices go toward church upkeep which their website lists as €15K per day. Purchases can be made in person or line by credit card only, cash not accepted. Tickets for concerts can be booked at the box office without fee, or by phone or email with fee to mail the tickets.

A powerful site that you can feel the chill running down your spine. Was here on a raining morning…read moreand it was just a site. No names no words but just that...just wow!

Another day in Berlin and another museum reminding us all about World War II and the Holocaust…read more It's free, but you have to wait to get in. They let you in in staggered blocks. If you see a long line, just get on it. It moves quickly. Much of the staff is multilingual, too. I saw the young people working the ropes talking to people from all over Europe in their own languages. Outside there is a staggeringly large monument of large grey slabs. Some are leaning, and I'm not sure if it is intentional or due to disrepair and the elements. What I do know is it is a kind of maze which people seem to mainly use to play hide and seek or do parkour on, even though it's a museum dedicated to the Jews murdered in Europe. Kind of sad to witness. Inside is a large multi room museum documenting personal stories with various types of exhibits of the people rounded up, killed, or the few who survived. There are readings of testimonials of survivors of the camps that you can listen to on phones in the wall. It's very depressing but oh so important. And considering how much antisemitism there is in the world today and how trendy it is, it was somewhat moving to see so many people who wanted to come in and get educated on the horrors the Jews went through in World War II Germany. A really important part of history well told. Check it out and then you can walk over and see a bunch of tourist stuff like Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag. You'll probably need a drink, but it is definitely worth checking out. Especially if you have a teenager and especially if you are Jewish yourself.

Die Hackeschen Höfe is a building complex with eight courtyards located in the Scheunenviertel…read more(Barn Quarter*) between Rosenthaler Straße and Sophienstraße in the Mitte area of Berlin. The building was opened in 1906, with an Art Nouveau facade, and mixed use commercial and residential spaces. After a period of disuse and damage following WWII, a revitalization started in 1993 which included extensive restoration. Today about 40 businesses call this location home--with a similar blend of vendors, including cafes, a theater, residential apartments, and a variety of retailers (apparel, shoes and accessories, home goods and furniture, art galleries, toys, stationery and a salon). For food there are a few restaurants, a couple bakeries and confectioneries, a gourmet food store and a coffee shop. Although the hours on g-maps show 9-10am, opening times for individual stores varies, so check prior to arriving. Especially on weekends when some opening times start closer to noon. When I arrived at 9am on a Sunday morning most places were closed, with the exception of Maison de Souvenirs, which although geared towards tourists, I enjoyed perusing because of the local and regionally made souvenirs they carried. Around 9:30am a couple of other shops started stirring, including a cafe, apparel store and gallery though only the cafe had opened by 9:45am. The courtyards are worth wandering around for 10 minutes to appreciate their unique architecture, though I didn't stay longer since most stores opened later. No parking available close by, they recommend arriving via public transit as it's a very busy area. Hackesche Markt S+U-bahn station is a couple minutes by foot, and a number of trams and buses stop nearby too. No public restrooms unless patronizing the couple of restaurants (and maybe the cinema) in this complex. *apparently in the 17th century this used to be the part of town outside of Berlin city walls that stored hay for animals, kept separate from the rest of the city due to fire concerns.

The store is beautifully appointed. The quality of the product is clear. Alice was exceptional when…read moresharing information and answering questions. Highly recommend stopping in if you are out shopping.

The Brandenburg gate is a must see when visiting Berlin. Lots of history, and it's an icon of the…read morecity. Look for hidden gems near the gate, such as the plaque to Ronald Reagan speech and the Caller sculpture, calling out to the east German side. Even in the off-season and the dead of winter beware of scammers near the Brandenburg gate. The scammers will ask for a signature and pretend to be collecting donations for a charitable cause. These are not bona fide charities, these are scammers working the tourists.

You know how sometimes, there just aren't enough, or maybe any, words to describe something? That's…read morehow I feel with the Brandenburg Gate. All the photos and videos that you've seen of it over the course of your lifetime do not do it justice. The thing is huge. We toured the nearby Reichstag, and were able to look down on the gate, then pass through it as we walked down Unter den Linden boulevard. This is probably the best known landmark in Berlin and is definitely a must see while here. It's mind boggling to see photos before the reunification compared to after and to think that you're standing in the same spot shown in those photos. It's a beautiful monument from top to bottom, and I could have spent hours there, just marvelling at how much history this thing has seen and been in the middle of. I hope I can get back to see it again! 82/2025