Jo writes:

“When people travel to Berlin, they usually don't know what to expect. This is different from Paris or London, where you have a general idea of what the city is like. So people arrive in Berlin, not really expecting anything in particular - and they always end up being so surprised and impressed with the city”!

“Berlin has to offer something to everybody: to those interested in history, in architecture, in art, in nature. It's all here!”

The Highlights of Berlin

We would begin in former West-Berlin: the Charlottenburg Castle, the famous Kurfürstendamm, with a stop at the Memorial Church. A short visit to continental Europe's largest department store, the KaDeWe, is a must! Then on to the Victory Column and Tiergarten, the amazing architecture of Potsdam Square, some reminders of Berlin's darkest period: the former SS- and Gestapo Headquarters at the Topography of Terror, and the Holocaust Memorial. From there a walk through the Brandenburg Gate takes us to the Reichstag where we might have lunch in the roof restaurant with a great view! Afterwards, a drive down Unter den Linden, Gendarmenmarkt, and a stop at Museum Island.

Jewish Berlin

If you’d like to focus on Jewish history we would include the Memorial at Grunewald Station where trains departed to Theresienstadt and Auschwitz, the KaDeWe, the Topography of Terror, Stumbling Stones, and the Missing House. But there is much more to Berlin than the reminders of Hitler Germany. There are still a few monuments here that tell of the great history of Jews in Berlin: such as the New Synagogue, the Jewish Museum, and the Jewish cemeteries.

Potsdam

Anybody staying in Berlin for more than just one day should also visit Potsdam: It's not far from Berlin, but it has its own history and unique flair. There is also a lot of history here: Cecilienhof, the last Hohenzollern castle where the Potsdam Conference took place after the War, the old Russian Colony from the early 19th century, one of Germany's most beautiful palaces: Sanssouci and its marvelous gardens, the 18th Century Dutch Town, and much more.

Itinerary 2:

World War II tours

We would begin at Potsdamer Square, the busiest intersection in the 30s. We would then walk down Niederkirchstraße, formerly called Prinz-Albrecht-Straße. This was where the SS and the Gestapo had their headquarters. Today it is an open-air exhibit called "Topography of Terror". Across the street you see the former Aviation Ministry commissioned by Hermann Göring. Though it looks virtually unchanged, it is today Germany's Finance Ministry. A walk along Wilhelmstraße is a walk down the former center of political power - not much of this is left. Most ministries are gone, and especially Hitler's Chancellery disappeared without a trace (we will tell you where the stones have gone). However, the place where Hitler and his closest friends committed suicide is marked. A World War II tour should also include the Reichstag since hardly any other building played such an important role for the rise of the Nazis.

Cold War Tours

There are several places where you can still see remains of the Wall, or even a former Watch Tower: The East Side Gallery is the longest stretch of the wall remaining, whereas the Documentation Center Wall allows you to look at the actual "Death Strip" between the two walls. There is Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, and the GDR-museum. Other possibilities are a visit to the former Stasi-headquarter and a visit to the former prison in Hohenschönhausen which you may have seen in the recent Oscar-winning movie "Life of Others".

Itinerary 3:

For Art & Architects Enthusiasts

For people with special interests such as art or architecture, Jo can put you in touch with the real experts.

Of course, these are only a handful of suggestions to entice you into the heart of Berlin. There are realms of other cultural, culinary, art & architecture, history or plain everyday possibilities to try within Berlin - which we should discuss before you come.