What to do in Berlin if you only have one day (Part 2)

Last time I presented the basics on what to do in Berlin if you have only one day. I spoke about location, transportation and main outdoors free attractions.

In this second and final installment, I’ll cover the specific sites and their historical importance, so that you can start getting excited about that day in the capital of Germany!

Oh, and before flying to Berlin, do not forget your German phrasebook!

What to do in Berlin: Museums

After you’ve taken an hour or so visiting these sites, you can head over to Museum Island (to be the first in line!) either by subway or on foot (20 minute walk east)! The area ticket is 14 €.

Neues Museum

If you can, go to the Neues Museum first. It is the one with the most expensive entrance and there is a good reason for that.

It houses a magnificent collection including the Egyptian Museum and the Papyrus collection, the Museum of Prehistory, Early History and Classical Antiquities (just right up my alley!).

But most importantly, it is the home of the glorious bust of Nefertiti and Heinrich Schliemann’s collection from his excavations in Troy. Need I say more?

My recommendation is to go see these first, forget the logical flow of the museum, break into a run and go see Nefertiti first. She’s bound to be surrounded by tourists the later it gets.

Click here for a PDF map.

Pergamon Museum

Built to house some monumental sized pieces, the Pergamon Museum displays a collection of Classical Antiquities, Ancient Near East and Islamic Art.

Among the most important and monumental pieces you can see the Ishtar Gate, the city gate that king Nebuchadnezzar II had built in 575 BC as part of the walls surrounding Babylon.

You can also see the Pergamon Altar, a construction from the city of Pergamon in Asia Minor, which is considered a masterpiece of helenistic art. Click here for a PDF map.

Alte Nationalgalerie

With masterpieces by Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne and sculptures by Auguste Rodin, the Altes Nationalgalerie is a must see for art lovers.

With its gorgeous halls, it’s the best place to see 19^th century art in Berlin. Click here for a PDF map.

Altes Museum

The Altes Museum is the home of the Classical Antiquities Collection, including Greek, Roman and Etruscan artifacts.

Click here for a PDF map.

Bode Museum

The Bode Museum brings together its fantastic collection of medieval and Byzantine art, with an incredible numismatic collection.

Click here for a PDF map.

All the museums in Museum Island suffered severe damages during World War II, but they were rebuilt, restored and their collections were moved to make better use of the space.

What to do in Berlin: Public Squares

After seeing these main museums, you can get on the Berlin City Tour and go through some of Berlins most important squares like:

Wittenbergplatz, built in 1892, today a major shopping area.

Potsdamer Platz, named after the city of Potsdam, it is one of Berlin’s most developed areas, previously destroyed during the wars and forsaken when the Berlin Wall divided it.

Alexanderplatz, named after Emperor Alexander I on his visit in 1805, Berliners call it simply “Alex” or “Alexa”.  The Rotes Rathaus, or Red City Hall, is close by.

Checkpoint Charlie

At the end of the day, if you’re still up for it, you can visit one of the most iconic places in town and its museum is open until 10 pm!

Checkpoint Charlie was the most used crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War and it became its symbol.

The original site was dismantled after the fall of the Berlin Wall later turning into a tourist attraction.

Different guard houses have been added throughout the years to resemble how it originally was during the Cold War.

The Haus am Checkpoint Charlie is located near the guard house and is a private museum dedicated to the stories of people crossing the wall and those who died in the attempt.

Entrance fee is 12.5 €.

As you can see, you will be exhausted after this one day in Berlin, be sure to bring your most comfortable shoes because you will be doing A LOT of walking.

Of course Berlin has so much more to offer, but in one day, I’d say these are some of the must-see highlights of this amazing city.

And as always, you need to travel with an abundance mentality and the certainty that you will come back to see more!

Have you been to Berlin before?
What do you think of my picks for must-see attractions?
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Tags: architecture, art, Berlin, Egypt, Greece, history, Near East, Rome