Berlin is a lively, welcoming city with plenty to see and do. The TV Tower, the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate are all essential sites, and Berlin also has lots of museums and one of the most vibrant pub scenes in Europe.
Numerous tours lasting either a day or a half day are available. They usually take in the main sites listed above, as well as a section of the Berlin Wall, the infamous barrier that used to separate the communist east of the city from the capitalist west. If you prefer to go at your own pace, then a hop-on-hop-off bus tour is available, which stops at all of the main sites and gives you a discount to some attractions when you purchase your ticket.
Many of the tours are walking and coach tours. However, it's worth noting that Berlin is a very cyclist-friendly city. Versions of most guided tours are available on bikes, which allow you to see more than you would from a coach and cover more ground than you would be able to on food. There's also a Segway tour available.
Of course, you might prefer to take it easy and join a cruise on the River Spree. Both daytime and evening cruises are available, with drinks and food available on both. These are very good fun and a relaxing way of sightseeing in Berlin.
Berlin's history has left it with numerous attractions and places of interest. If you're interested in a specific period, then you should be able to find a tour to suit. If you're interested in life under Communism, then visit Checkpoint Charlie, the former Stasi Prison, Sachsenhausen, and you can join a walking tour of Cold War bunkers.
Those who are interested in the Second World War can join one of the Berlin tours that covers sites associated with the Third Reich, including air raid shelters, the former Jewish ghetto, memorials and buildings that remain destroyed after air raids and the Soviet occupation of Berlin. There is also a tour that covers Jewish life in Berlin - this is not specifically about the Second World War, but obviously events in the 1930s and 40s are a key part.
Of course, Berlin has a grandiose history as a major European capital that predates the totalitarianism that marred the city in the 20 th century. For grandeur, go to Potsdam. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is just outside the city. It's famous for its beautiful and ornate palace, which used to be the home of the Prussian royal family. It is easy to visit on a day or a half day trip from Berlin.
If you would like to experience how Prussian aristocrats lived, rather than just visiting their palaces, then spend an evening at the Charlottenberg Palace. As well as seeing the magnificent palace itself, your visit will include a candlelit three course dinner and a concert. This is one of the most popular tours in Berlin and needs to be booked well in advance.
