2 days in Berlin: The Perfect Itinerary

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Ah, Berlin. You know that wonderful feeling you get when you arrive somewhere and it feels like…home? Even though it’s not home, and even though you don’t live there, and even though there’s so much about it you don’t know…yet somehow it feels comforting, a safe place, a comfortable place. A place you enjoy coming to time and time again because you feel a connection to it. Well, that’s Germany for me, and Berlin in particular. If I had to live anywhere in the world that wasn’t my actual home, it’d be this great city.

You can’t really see all of Berlin in just 2 days, you can’t really see Berlin in a week, or even multiple visits. But you can make a start, and 2 days is better than no days! Though to really appreciate its history, food, culture and people, you need longer. I’ll tell anyone who will listen to spend time in Germany, but I really, really mean it when I say if you can give Berlin longer, do it.

But if you really, really can’t give it longer – here are a perfect 2 days as a tourist in this wonderful city.


  1. Contents
  2. Day 1: The Main Tourist Sites
    1. The Brandenburg Gate
    2. The Holocaust Memorial
    3. The Reichstag
    4. Tiergarten, including the Victory Column
    5. Topography of Terror
    6. Checkpoint Charlie
    7. Eat some traditional Bratwurst for Dinner
  3. Day 2: Delve a little deeper in to Berlin
    1. Gendarmenmarkt
    2. Bebelplatz
    3. Berlin Cathedral
    4. Museum Island
    5. Spree River Cruise
    6. Alexanderplatz
    7. TV Tower for Dinner and Drinks
  4. Have a little longer?

The Brandenburg gate was built in the 18th century, over the location of the initial city gate. It’s one of the most famous landmarks in Berlin, and the best place to start your visit in the city. During the cold war it was on the East side of the wall, with the East German flag flying. It saw reunification in 1990 and is a real symbol of the city. The gate lies at the end of Unter den Linden which is a beautiful, open street, great for shopping.

At the Brandenburg Gate

The memorial to the victims of the Holocaust is thousands of grey concrete slabs, which makes for a really sombre atmosphere – to me it felt like being in some sort of cold, clinical graveyard. I wonder if that was the intention, to represent the organised horrors of the Nazi regime.

Inside the Memorial

This is the place where the German Parliament meet. It’s over 100 years old and has been destroyed by fire and fallen in to disrepair before being restored after re-unification. Its amazing dome is absolutely beautiful from the inside, and you can climb up it on to the roof, and even eat in the rooftop restaurant. Be warned though, this does all take pre-planning if you want to do it as bookings including passport details are required in advance. The view is totally worth it though!

The Reichstag
View from the top

Take a stroll in to the huge park in the city – the Tiergarten. This park is home to the Berlin Zoo, beautiful lakes and walks, and I really recommend Cafe am Neuen See for a spot of lunch by the lake. You probably won’t have time to visit the zoo, but a visit to the Victory Column in the park is a must.

View out over the Tiergarten

The victory column commemorates the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian war of the 1800s, and it also symbolises victories in Austria-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars which followed. The sculpture on top represents the Roman goddess of victory, Victoria. Nowadays, climbing the column is an experience which provides incredible views out over the city.

You can’t come to Berlin and not learn a bit about Germany’s war history, and the Topography of Terror is a good starting point as it only needs an hour or so of your time to get an overview. It’s an outdoor history museum explaining the rise and atrocities of National Socialism in Germany, and is built on the old site of the SS and Gestapo headquarters.

At the Topography of Terror

This is the site where you could cross between East and West Berlin during the times of the Cold War. It is a bit commercialised now (spot the McDonald’s in the background), but still worth a visit. You can even get your passport stamped and photos with the guards (for a fee, of course!)

At Checkpoint Charlie

A German tradition….and an excellent one at that. You absolutely have to eat Bratwurst at some point on your visit. I personally always go for Currywurst and you can’t beat it. There’s even a Currywurst museum next to Checkpoint Charlie if you really want to go all out! Finish the day off with a few German beers and you’ll be ready to collapse in to bed for a good night’s sleep before your next day of sightseeing.

Delicious Currywurst


This is actually my favourite area of town; a beautiful square with stunning buildings like the Concert Hall, and even better when the Christmas markets are on. If you stay at the Hilton on Gendarmenmarkt, you can get a beautiful view out over it. There are some lovely cafes and restaurants nearby as well to grab breakfast or a snack.

Bebelplatz is another picturesque square, which is also incredibly historically significant as it is where the Nazis burnt hundreds of books. There is a plaque in the middle marking the spot which I think is important to acknowledge.

In Bebelplatz

From Bebelplatz head to the iconic Berliner Dom. It’s well worth going inside the cathedral, as well as admiring it from the outside. Built from 1894 to 1905 by order of German Emperor Wilhlem II, the church is the largest Protestant church in Germany and one of the most important dynastic tombs in Europe.

Views out from the top of the Cathedral

The Cathedral sits on Museum Island, which is another must visit when in the capital. Now, Museum Island is full of amazing museums. And on one trip to Germany, I spent a full day in just the German Historical Museum, and another day visiting The Pergamon. But you don’t have time with only 2 days in the city, so pick one and limit yourself to a couple of hours:

  • The Pergamon – Anyone with an interest in ancient history needs to visit this museum, which focuses on the history and lost treasures of the ancient East. The museum today consists of three wings housing the Antiquity Collection, the Islamic Art Museum, and the Middle East Museum.
  • German Historical Museum – this museum tells the story of Germany from ancient time to the present day; which is quite a story – from Holy Roman Empire, to 2 world wars, to the Cold War, to re-unification. As I did, you could easily spend the entire day here.
  • The Altes Museum – A collection of classical antiquities, its main floor provides an impressive panorama of the art of ancient Greece from the 10th to 1st century BC. 
  • The Neues Museum this collection houses two galleries; the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, and the Museum of pre-history and early history, which displays a selection of European and Asian archaeological pieces dating from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.
  • The Alte Nationalgalerie – The one to choose if you’re in to art, housing over 2,000 paintings and almost as many sculptures.
  • The Bode Museum – which exhibits sculpture collections and late Antique and Byzantine art collections.
On Museum Island

After the museum overload, relax and take a Spree river cruise. Board one of the boats from Nikolaiviertel and then enjoy the sites of Berlin from the river. It’s a lovely way to relax and see the city from a different perspective.

Fun bridges on the river

You may not have time for this stop if you’ve gone crazy in the museums, but Alexanderplatz, named after the Russia Tsar Alexander I, is a large public square and according to some studies the most visited area of Berlin. Whilst here, grab a snack, or do some shopping, check out the Rotes Rathaus (city hall), Nikolaiviertel (Nikolai Quarter) and then head up the TV tower, our next stop.

At Alexanderplatz

Whenever I visit a city, I always like to go up high. Which is no good when my better half is terrified of heights. I have to find glass panelled, secure places for him to venture skywards. The TV tower is one such place – providing panoramic views out over the city. There is also a restaurant up there, which makes for the perfect spot for dinner and drinks to watch the sunset whilst slowly rotating around Berlin’s skyline. The perfect treat to end your stay.


I’ve seen itineraries that put most of the above in to one day, but it’s honestly just not physically possible. There is so much to do in this city, and there is no point rushing it all to the point you don’t enjoy any of it or take it in. If you have the bonus of longer than 2 days then here are some of the things you could do:

  • Explore more in the city – this could be more museums (such as the Jewish Museum, Currywurst Museum or DDR Museum depending on interest), a food tour, a walking tour, or a trip to the famous East Side Gallery.
  • Take a trip to the historic Olympic Stadium -home of Hitler’s Olympics in 1936 where Jesse Owens won his gold medals, and in 2009 where Usain Bolt ran 9.58 to break the world 100m record. It’s worth half a day of your time.
  • Visit Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp – this is a full day trip 30 minutes outside the city centre to visit one of the first Nazi concentration camps.
  • Visit Potsdam – another full day trip outside of the city to an historic city home to Prussian palaces and WW2 treaty signings.

Thank you for reading and I hope you’ve found this post helpful if you’re planning a trip to the German capital. Stay safe and happy travelling!

40 responses to “2 days in Berlin: The Perfect Itinerary”

  1. This sounds like an amazing itinerary, I’m bookmarking this! My fiancé can’t wait to go back to Germany. One question… are you able to easily walk/take public transit for this whole itinerary?

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    1. Hi Diana – ahh I’m so glad you like it 🙂 Yes it’s all completely walkable and I’ve made the itinerary so it’s a day in an area at a time. So day 1 is about a total of 2 hours walking. The farthest point is the victory column which is about 30 minutes from the Reichstag. On day 2 everything is close so it is probably only an hour or so of walking. If you pick a hotel in Berlin ‘Mitte’ you will be within easy access to everything. Some well located hotels include the Adina apartments @ checkpoint charlie, The Hilton Berlin and Hotel NH Collection. Hope that helps and I hope you have a great trip! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Perfect, thanks! Not sure when we’ll make it over to Europe again but hopefully it won’t be too much longer before international travel becomes safe again 🤞🏻

        Liked by 1 person

  2. A very well put together guide Hannah. German sausage is where my heart is too! One of these years I’m going to have to get round to publishing my own Berlin files.

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    1. Thanks so much Leighton. For sure, German sausage is the best and I can’t wait to get back there post lockdown! I look forward to reading your Berlin files 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Great sharing Hannah!

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    1. Thanks so much Jyothi!

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  4. I was in Berlin a few years ago and did a pretty similar itinerary actually! I’d like to go back with more time to explore a bit more the galleries and museum and definitely including some day trips like the ones you mention!

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    1. Ah that’s so good you got to visit and see all of these things 🙂 That’s exactly what I’ve done with my subsequent trips – I spent a weekend once just in the galleries and museums, and then on day trips to the surrounding area as there are lots of lovely places to visit nearby. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day Nic 🙂

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  5. A great two day itinerary you’ve put together Hannah. We spent four days in the city one January and I can remember going up The Dome but unfortunately much of the glass was frozen so we couldn’t see out very far despite it being a sunny morning! We still enjoyed it though. Marion

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    1. Thank you so much Marion, I really appreciate your kind words. The Dome in the freezing weather sounds like a unique experience, though what a shame you missed out on the views. Berlin really is a great city – thank you for reading and commenting. Have a lovely day 🙂

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  6. Great guide of the city! I haven’t been to Germany yet, but it’s on my list 🙂

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    1. Thanks Lyssy! I’m so glad it’s on your list, I think it’s a really underrated part of Europe – there are lots of amazing things to do in Germany 🙂

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  7. I haven’t been to Berlin yet and it looks like such a fascinating city. Ahhh, one day….

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    1. Ahh I so hope you get to visit one day soon, it really is a fantastic city. Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day 🙂

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  8. I only had one full day in Berlin and I barely scratched the surface of the massive, German capital. I saw the main sights like the Brandenburg Gate, the Berliner Dom, and remnants of the Berlin Wall, and that was about it. I did, however, try currywurst, which was delicious. I’d hoped to return last May, but unfortunately could not due to COVID. I’ll have to return someday and have a longer stay to take it all in– thanks for sharing your recommendations!

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    1. I really hope you get to revisit soon, it is a wonderful city with so much to do and lots of great day trips nearby as well. Thanks so much for reading and for your lovely comments. Have a nice day 🙂

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  9. Ohh Hannah, this looks absolutely wonderful … if ever we get to this beautiful city, I will certainly remember to take your itinerary with!
    From your post and photo’s, I can see that this is a city with incredible history and astonishing buildings. And the sausages … I remember tasting German sausages for the first time in Hanover and it was delicious!
    Thanks for a wonderful tour through Berlin – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your post!

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    1. Oh I’m so pleased you like it, and thank you for your lovely comments. It is such an amazing city, and the sausages are for sure one of the highlights 🙂 Thanks for reading and have a lovely day.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. This looks like the perfect itinerary!!! I visited on one of my first big trips I planned by myself, and I definitely would love to go back to to hit the things 22 year old Katie missed 🙂

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    1. Thanks Katie, that is so lovely of you to say 🙂 Ooo that is amazing you visited as a solo traveller; hopefully you can go back one day and do some of the things you didn’t get to see 🙂 Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!

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  11. Sounds like an action-packed two days in Berlin. I’ve never been before, but would love to spend some time in Germany. There is so much history here. And the food looks delicious, it all seems like the perfect comfort food.

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    1. Ahh I definitely think Germany is worth a visit, there are lots of beautiful parts of it – well beyond Berlin. Though yes it’s definitely a highlight with so much history and its very tasty sausages! Thanks for reading 🙂

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      1. Sarah

        Thanks for this itinerary, this is one of the best I’ve seen doing my research for a trip later in the year.

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  12. I’ve never been to Berlin, but after I had a chance to visit Munich just before the pandemic crisis started, I vowed to go back to Germany to explore more of its cities, Berlin including. Even with its concrete 70s tower blocks, graffiti, the scars of war and socialism abound in every area, it’s a wonderful city worth visiting. I would love to stop by the Reichstag dome to take in the spectacular views of the parliamentary and government district and Berlin’s sights. Thanks for sharing and have a good day. Aiva 🙂

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    1. I think Germany is very underrated, there are so many beautiful places to visit, from the cities with all their history to stunning castles and countryside. In Berlin the Reichstag is definitely a highlight so I really hope you get to visit one day 🙂 Thanks for commenting Aiva, have a lovely evening.

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  13. It’s been years since we have been there. This makes me want to return again.

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    1. It’s such a wonderful city – I’m glad to bring back some happy travel memories and I hope you can return again one day 🙂

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      1. Yes hope to get back to traveling.

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  14. Great information. Will safe this. Gracias!

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    1. I’m so pleased it’s useful and I hope you get to visit one day 🙂

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  15. Amazing itinerary! I love how you put very famous touristic sites as well as less famous ones! I have never been to Berlin and I’m definitely saving this article for when I go one day!! Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much Juliette, I’m so pleased you think it’s a good itinerary. I tried to make it as varied and well paced as possible – Berlin is a wonderful city so I hope you get to visit soon 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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About the author

Hi! My name is Hannah, I’m a travel blogger from the UK who fits travel around a full time (and full on) job. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and hopefully help you to find some inspiration for destinations, things to do or places to stay. Thanks for stopping by – stay safe and happy travelling.

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