One day in Berlin

East Side Gallery

The longest surviving stretch of the Wall, 1316 metres along the Spree in Friedrichshain, with more than 100 paintings made after 1989. It is free and open around the clock.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Walk it early in the morning, before the crowds, when the murals are easier to see and photograph.

Open around the clock.

Source: visitBerlin (Berlin tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

A field of concrete slabs of different heights on uneven ground, with an underground information centre. The field is open at all times and the centre is free.

1 h 15 visitAlways open

Come early, when few people are between the slabs. Queues at the centre depend on the day, and entry goes through a security gate.

The field is open at all times. The information centre is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission 45 minutes before closing. It is closed on Mondays, from 24 to 26 December and from 16:00 on 31 December, and opens at noon on 1 January.

Source: Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas, checked October 5, 2026

Brandenburg Gate

A neoclassical gate at the west end of Unter den Linden, built between 1788 and 1791. It stands on Pariser Platz and can be visited at any hour with no entry fee.

40 min visitAlways open

Go at sunrise or after dark. By day the square is full of tour groups and every photo has them in it.

Open at all times.

Source: visitBerlin (Berlin tourism board), checked October 5, 2026

Reichstag Dome and Roof Terrace

The seat of the German parliament, with a glass dome and a roof terrace open to the public. Entry is free but needs registration in advance, and ID is checked at registration and at the entrance.

1 h 40 visitHours not confirmed. Check the official site.

Pick a slot around sunset, so you see the city in daylight on the way up and lit on the way down.

Register online before your visit with the full name and date of birth of every visitor. If places remain, you can register at the service centre on Platz der Republik at least two hours before your visit. Visitors aged 16 or over need original photo ID.

Admission is every quarter of an hour, with the last at 21:45. The dome is closed for cleaning and maintenance on 19 to 30 October 2026, but the roof terrace stays open. Both are closed on 24 December and from 16:00 on 31 December.

Source: Deutscher Bundestag, checked October 5, 2026

Topography of Terror

An indoor and outdoor exhibition on the SS and the Gestapo, on the ground of their former headquarters beside a surviving stretch of the Wall. Admission is free.

1 h 40 visitOpen 10:00 am–8:00 pm

Go at midday or later, when you have energy. The exhibition is dense with text and rewards a slow visit.

Open daily 10:00 to 20:00. The outdoor areas stay open until dusk, and no later than 20:00.

Source: Stiftung Topographie des Terrors, checked October 5, 2026