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.

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.

Although it's a complete tourist trap, when in Berlin, yes, I recommend visiting the Berliner…read moreFernsehturm. You cannot avoid seeing it from anywhere in Berlin. There is only one entrance, and you can purchase tickets on site. It cost $34.50 Euros for a standard ticket, which I felt is a little pricey. They search for weapons before you get in the elevator. If you look up while going up in the elevator, you get an interesting view of the interior. Once you get out of the elevator, you are allowed to roam all around and get a view of all of Berlin. There is also a bar, where I purchased a Latte Macchiato and Salzige Brezel. Even though my drink was machine made, it wasn't bad. The salted pretzel, however, was the driest pretzel I've ever eaten. The bartender was friendly, but a little slow. Seating is very limited. Only a handful of stools. After heading down in the elevator, I perused the gift shop. Didn't purchase anything though.

Berliner Fernsehturm is one of those Berlin landmarks. Pretty much, wherever you look from around…read morethe city, you will see this towering piece of architecture. Basically, this is a radio and TV broadcast tower. But, more than just that, it is a large tourist attraction. It terms of this structure as a tourist attraction, the way this place works is that you go inside, you find your way to the ticket counter, you buy tickets, you take an elevator, and you go upstairs. Once on the top levels, you can walk around, take pictures, and do all of that kind of stuff. They also have a café on the upper level. I had a rather interesting experience at this place. My wife and I were there, and we had purchased two lattes, another couple arrive shortly after us, and purchased something that was created quicker than our lattes were created. Me, I had gone to sit down at one of their chairs at the bar area that is located in this cafe, and was holding the second chair for my wife. This other couple walks up, and the wife of the pair, looks at me and literally screams at me and tries to pull the chair away from me. The chair I was holding for my wife. I mean, I've literally never had an experience like that in my life. Where somebody walks right up to my face and screams at me because they want the chair that I'm holding for my wife. I pointed to my wife, who was at this point walking over with the lattes. And, the husband pulled his wife away from me. Literally, pulled her off of me. What an experience! Something I would never want to go through again. This is just something to keep in mind at the kind of people you may encounter at this location. Other than that, VERY BAD EXPERIENCE, if you want to look around and view the all of Berlin, and maybe take some photos of the cityscape, this is the place to do it.

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.

I like to put my energy in things that matter. It includes people as well. So I have learned from…read moremy second time in Europe. I got to reflect and needed it. That's what I did, here. The old school style of Berlin, Germany, can be found here in this neighborhood. Tucked away from the Main Street and filled with local restaurants, cafes, and so forth, it was pleasant to be in the mode of what I call, "peace in mind." It was a good pace to simply be.

If you want to get away from the busy wasteland of consumerism and tourism that is Alexanderplatz,…read morethe Nikolaiviertel is a refreshing piece of Berlin history. Founded in 1200, this is the original old Berlin (Alt-Berlin, if you will). And though it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Alex, the architecture and the overall ambiance are totally different. Granted, this is also a popular destination for visitors, but it manages to still retain a bit of charm. Truth be told, Nikolaiviertel is best experienced on a weekday afternoon in the spring. Stroll around the cobblestone streets, admire the buildings, peek into shops, or grab a beer and sit alongside the river. While it's never a destination, whenever I find myself here, I can't help but enjoy it.

I love museums, but this museum is pathetic…read more The main history museum is closed, and only one odd display called " the road, not taken" is open in the more modern building. We made the mistake of purchasing combo tickets for both the history component and the nature component of the museum. The nature component of the museum is simply one of the worst, most logical, and pathetic museums I've ever encountered. Until the big history museum is reopened, simply skip " the road, not taken" and visit the topography of terror. The topography of terror presented much deeper history and it's free. Cost for both museums was €10 per person. Coat check and bag storage is on the ground floor. No cost for coat check and bag storage. Clean restrooms on ground floor. A water bottle filling station is available on the ground floor but no water fountains. Be sure to bring your own water bottle. Free Wi-Fi available

This is a lovely building. It is 5 euros per person if you want to do both exhibits. The main…read moreexhibit is not worth 2.5 euros, it should be free because it is disjointed and odd. 1star but the potato display was the best! Skip that exhibit and do The roads not Taken exhibit if you want an overview of German history and even then I would almost say skip it. 3 stars. Free WiFi, toilets are clean, and coat check available.

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

Came across this piece of art when walking around Berlin and thought it looks pretty cool and…read moreinspirational. Great piece to add to a city that's still growing and the culture it holds.

Stunning fountain. Detailed, beautiful sculptures…read more The Roman god of sea, Neptune, is in the center. Beautiful and inspiring. Near Alexanderplatz.

Neptunbrunnen (1891, Reinhold Begas) is a breathtakingly beautiful fountain and piece of public…read moreart. God of the sea Neptune is in the center surrounded by water, sea creatures and four women who portray the rivers of Prussia - Rhine, Elbe, Oder and Vistula. Definitely worth a visit to marvel at such beauty and take a few photos.