Germany · On a budget · 2 days · 12 stops
Berlin on a budget: 2 days, mostly free
Berlin's most important history sites charge no admission: the Reichstag dome, the major memorials and several exhibitions on the divided city. Day one follows them from Mitte to Bernauer Straße; day two crosses Kreuzberg to the old airfield and ends at the painted Wall on the Spree. Meals come from the park bench, the snack stand and the bakery.
In short
- Length
- 2 days, 12 stops
- Highlights
- Reichstag dome, Topography of Terror, Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Palace of Tears
- Where to stay
- Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg
- Getting around
- Berlin is too big to walk everywhere.
- Best time to go
- May to September is best: long evenings, beer gardens and parks.
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Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. YesTrip editorial team · Updated: .
Day 1
Mitte and the Wall
Reichstag dome
Visiting the dome is free – you just need to register online with the Bundestag in advance. An audio guide explains the view.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Reichstag domeabout 5 min on foot
Brandenburg Gate
Free and right on your way. The gatehouse on the north side holds a small Room of Silence.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Brandenburg Gateabout 5 min on foot
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Both the field of slabs and the information centre below are free. Expect a security check downstairs.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europeabout 15 min on foot
Palace of Tears
The old border hall at Friedrichstraße station shows how farewells between East and West played out. Free admission.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Palace of Tearsabout 15 min on foot
Lustgarten
Grab rolls from a bakery and sit on the lawn in front of the Altes Museum, with the cathedral right beside you.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): LustgartenWalk to Weinmeisterstraße U-Bahn station (about 15 min), then U8 to Bernauer Straße, about 5 min.
Berlin Wall Memorial
The open-air site, the visitor centre and the viewing tower are all free. Walking the whole length of Bernauer Straße takes a good two hours.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Berlin Wall Memorial
Day 2
Kreuzberg, Tempelhofer Feld and the Spree
Topography of Terror
The exhibition on the Gestapo and SS is free, and a long stretch of the Wall stands outside. Allow a good hour.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Topography of TerrorWalk to Kochstraße U-Bahn station, then U6 to Paradestraße, about 15 min.
Tempelhofer Feld
Walk or cycle down the old runways of the former airport. Entry is free; the park closes at night.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Tempelhofer FeldHead for the Platz der Luftbrücke exit, then one stop on the U6 to Mehringdamm, about 20 min.
Curry 36
A currywurst stand on Mehringdamm, usually with a queue. You'll leave full without spending much.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Curry 36about 10 min on foot
Viktoriapark
Climb the Kreuzberg hill to the national monument and its view over the city. In summer an artificial waterfall runs down the slope.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): ViktoriaparkWalk to Mehringdamm U-Bahn, U6 to Hallesches Tor, then U1 to Warschauer Straße, about 25 min.
East Side Gallery
About 1.3 kilometres of painted Wall, open to everyone. Walk from Ostbahnhof towards the Oberbaum Bridge and the evening is yours.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): East Side Galleryabout 5 min on foot
Oberbaum Bridge
From the bridge you watch the U-Bahn cross the Spree on the upper deck. Both banks have cheap snack bars for the evening.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Oberbaum Bridge
Good to know
Day ticket over singles
If you take more than two rides in a day, the AB day ticket usually pays off. Compare at the machine or in the BVG app.
Bus 100 as a city tour
Route 100 runs from the zoo past the Victory Column and the Reichstag to Alexanderplatz – on a normal ticket instead of a paid sightseeing tour.
What's worth paying for
If you pay for one thing, make it the Neues Museum with Nefertiti or the view from the TV Tower.
For the best time to go, public transport and where to stay, see the 3-day plan for Berlin.
Your plan
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Berlin on a budget: frequently asked questions
What is free in Berlin?
The Reichstag dome (with registration), the Berlin Wall Memorial, the Palace of Tears, the Topography of Terror, the Holocaust Memorial, the East Side Gallery and parks like Tempelhofer Feld.
Where can you eat cheaply in Berlin?
At snack stands selling döner or currywurst, in market halls and at bakeries. Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Friedrichshain have the most choice.
More plans for Berlin
- One dayBerlin in one day: Reichstag to the cathedralFrom the Reichstag along Unter den Linden to Museum Island and on to Hackescher Markt at night – all on foot.
- WeekendA weekend in Berlin: Friday to SundayThe dome on Friday night, museums and Friedrichshain on Saturday, the Wall and a flea market on Sunday.
- 3 days3 days in Berlin – a ready-made itineraryThe government quarter and Museum Island, traces of the Wall and an evening in Kreuzberg.
- 5 days5 days in Berlin with a day in PotsdamMitte, Museum Island, the old West, the Wall and Kreuzberg – and a whole day at the palaces of Potsdam.
- With kidsBerlin with kids: zoo, dinosaurs and playgroundsA day of zoo and aquarium, a day of dinosaurs, a children's farm and playgrounds – with short journeys.
Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. Coordinates checked with Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap (Photon). Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. More in Sources & licences. YesTrip is a trip planner, not a travel agency – nothing is booked.
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