Berlin in Winter: Historic Echoes & Urban Experience

5 Day Tour of Berlin

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Trip Map
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Snowy illuminated Gendarmenmarkt at night in Berlin, Germany

5 Days 4 Nights

Best Time: Jan-Dec

WWII History & Communist Era

Experiencing the Local Scene

This 5-day winter adventure in Berlin combines history and modern culture, allowing you to explore WWII and Communist-era landmarks while enjoying the city's lively winter nightlife and local scene. Visit iconic sites like the Brandenburg Gate and remnants of the Berlin Wall, then check out the dining and nightlife districts of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. Warm up your winter trip with a visit to Tropical Islands, a massive indoor tropical resort complete with beaches and a rainforest. Your journey will be made easy with detailed itinerary instructions provided through our mobile app, and two private guided tours.

See Checkpoint Charlie on a private guided walking tour focused on Berlin's WWII & Cold War history.
Savor the essence of Berlin nightlife and culinary delights in the lively neighborhood of Kreuzberg.
Discover sights like the East Side Gallery and Brandenburg Gate, symbols of Berlin's past & rebirth.
Take a day trip to Tropical Islands and swim at the beach in the middle of winter.
Visit the former West Berlin's cultural landmarks, from the poignantly beautiful Memorial Church.

See Checkpoint Charlie on a private guided walking tour focused on Berlin's WWII & Cold War history.
Savor the essence of Berlin nightlife and culinary delights in the lively neighborhood of Kreuzberg.
Discover sights like the East Side Gallery and Brandenburg Gate, symbols of Berlin's past & rebirth.
Take a day trip to Tropical Islands and swim at the beach in the middle of winter.
Visit the former West Berlin's cultural landmarks, from the poignantly beautiful Memorial Church.

The Brandenburg Gate

Historic Landmarks

The Berlin Wall

Historic Landmarks

Charlottenburg Palace

Castles & Chateaux

Museum Island

Museums & Galleries

Checkpoint Charlie

European History

The Reichstag

Architecture

Must see sights

The Brandenburg Gate

Historic Landmarks

The Berlin Wall

Historic Landmarks

Charlottenburg Palace

Castles & Chateaux

Museum Island

Museums & Galleries

Checkpoint Charlie

European History

The Reichstag

Architecture

Starting from

$999

per person

4.8 (365 reviews)

Not included

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Trip Map & Itinerary

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Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

To Be Determined

Airport Transfer by Taxi or Train

Flying into Berlin you will arrive in the brand new Berlin Brandenburg Airport to the south of the city. Taxis are available at the airport, or you can arrange a private transfer for added convenience. The cheapest and fastest way to reach central Berlin is by train. The Airport Express train delivers you to Berlin's main station (Hauptbahnhof) in the center of the city, from where you can easily hail a taxi.

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

To Be Determined:

Airport Transfer

Mid-Day/Afternoon:

TV Tower & Old Berlin

Late Afternoon/Early Evening:

Courtyards of Berlin

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

To Be Determined

Airport Transfer by Taxi or Train

Mid-Day/Afternoon

The TV Tower and Berlin's East German & Medieval Legacies

The Television Tower and its surroundings in Alexanderplatz are Berlin's main architectural monument to the former East Germany. Despite the high-rent stores and offices that now fill the buildings, you can still detect quite a bit of that old communist character. Somewhat ironically, you'll find the medieval Nikolaiviertel, the oldest residential area of Berlin, just a few steps away. You'll also find nearby the Marienkirche (Berlin's oldest parish church), the displaced Neptune Fountain, the Red Town Hall, statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and the massive Loxx model railway that even non-model train enthusiasts will gasp at.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Exploring Hidden Courtyards & Jewish History

With booming 19th-century population growth, nearly every unoccupied space in Berlin was filled by tenement buildings surrounding small courtyards. The Spandauer Vorstadt neighborhood possesses some of Berlin’s most beautiful courtyards, the Hackesche Höfe, as well as other courtyards which better recall the crowded conditions of industrial Berlin. Here you can discover the partially reconstructed New Synagogue, the former site of the Jewish cemetery, and many hidden reminders of a once vibrant community.

Day 2

Berlin

Day 2

Berlin

Day 2

Berlin

Day 2

Berlin

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Highlights of Berlin Guided Walking Tour

On this 3 hour tour, your guide will show you the highlights of Berlin and help you understand what makes this city so unique. Sites visited will include the boulevard Unter den Linden, the Gendarmenmarkt, Check Point Charlie, remnants of the Berlin Wall, Potsdamer Platz, the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag.

Mid-Day to Late Afternoon

Berlin's Most Iconic Sights

Many of Berlin’s most iconic symbols are found within a short walk of each other. Most famous of all is the Brandenburg Gate. First built as a symbol of peace, it became a symbol of division during the Cold War. A few steps away stands the Reichstag, which was destroyed in the climax of World War II but which has been beautifully rebuilt with a glass dome. Meanwhile, the modernistic Sony Center also symbolizes a revitalized and rebuilt Berlin. Also close by is the sobering Holocaust Memorial, with its more than 2700 concrete slabs creating an ominous impression of loss. Just beyond it is another reminder of Germany's darkest period - the site of Hitler's bunker during the seige of Berlin.

Late Afternoon to Evening

Checkpoint Charlie and the Jewish Museum

The best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War, Checkpoint Charlie was the main gateway between the two Berlins for most non-Germans. Next to it is the Mauermuseum recounting the history of the Berlin Wall, while a few hundred yards away is the Topography of Terror depicting the history of the Nazi regime. Nearby, the Jewish Museum explores the fascinating history of Germany's Jewish heritage in a striking modern building - uneven floors, empty spaces, and sharp zig-zags reflect its turbulent experience in Germany.

Day 3

Berlin

Day 3

Berlin

Day 3

Berlin

Day 3

Berlin

Morning/Mid-Day

Wander the Tiergarten and Climb the Victory Column

Once the hunting ground of the Prussian kings, the Tiergarten is Berlin’s most famous and expansive park. It is a wonderful escape from urban stress located in the very center of the city. You will discover beautiful forests, fields, and ponds, all easily reached through an extensive and well maintained network of trails. Some of Berlin's favorite beer gardens are also located in the park.

Mid-Day to Late Afternoon

Stroll the Kurfürstendamm in West Berlin

In the 1920's the elegant, tree-line boulevard known as the Kurfürstendamm was the center of Berlin's nightlife and leisure scene, attracting writers, film stars, and artists. WWII left it in ruins, and today at the end of the boulevard you'll discover a chilling reminder of that destruction: the purposefully unrecontructed remains of the Memorial Church. During the Cold War, the Kurfürstendamm and its surroundings were central to West Berlin's revitalized identity. This was perhaps best symbolized by the famous KaDeWe, the gigantic department store which served as a symbol of market capitalism lodged in the heart of the Iron Curtain.

Late Afternoon to Evening

The East Side Gallery & Hip Berlin: Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain

Kreuzberg was a rough, poor area in West Berlin until students, artists, and immigrants began moving there for the cheap rents. Over time it became Berlin’s most hip and happening district, filled with cafes, restaurants, and bars. After 1989, Friedrichshain, a grungy, working-class district just across the river in the former East Berlin, began to compete with Kreuzberg as Berlin's trendiest neighborhood. It's also home to the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall.

Day 4

Berlin

Day 4

Berlin

Day 4

Berlin

Day 4

Berlin

Morning to Late Afternoon

Excursion to Tropical Islands Theme Park

The Tropical Islands theme park is a great opportunity for a family escape. It is lots of fun for adults who want to take time out from a busy sight-seeing schedule to experience a tropical climate on their European holiday. Swim in a South Seas lagoon, or lounge on a sandy beach. Explore the biggest indoor rain forest in the world, or let the kids play in the expansive playgrounds. Relax in the saunas and spas (but watch out as the saunas are nude only - it's Germany after all!).

Day 5

Depart Berlin

Day 5

Depart Berlin

Day 5

Depart Berlin

Day 5

Depart Berlin

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Berlin in World War II and the Cold War - A Guided Tour

Berlin hides a turbulent past scarred by Nazism and Communism, and on this 3 hour guided tour you will uncover this fascinating history. You will visit the locations where Hitler’s bunker and the SS and Gestapo headquarters once stood, and see remnants of the Cold War such as Check Point Charlie and sections of the Berlin Wall.

To Be Determined

Transfer to Berlin Airport by Taxi or Train

The most affordable and fast way to reach Berlin Brandenburg airport is by train. The Airport Express train takes only 30 minutes and leaves directly from the main station in central Berlin (Berlin Hbf). Regional and S-Bahn trains also depart from other locations in Berlin. Berlin taxis are generally reliable and honest, so you may wish to take a taxi or Uber, although this is more expensive than the train and puts you at the mercy of traffic. You can also arrange a private transfer. If you are picked up about 3 hours before your departure time, you should arrive at the airport with about two hours to spare, depending on traffic. If you are leaving during rush hour, you may want to budget an extra fifteen to thirty minutes.

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Berlin in Winter: Historic Echoes & Urban Experience

5 Day Tour of Berlin

$999

Secure Your Customizable Trip Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.

Trip Map & Itinerary

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Airport Transfer by Taxi or Train

Secure Your Customizable Trip
Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary
Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.