48 Hours in Berlin, Germany: The Ultimate Berlin Itinerary

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Last Updated on December 27, 2023 by sydabroad

Want to know how to spend the perfect 48 hours in Berlin? Well, this is the itinerary you don’t want to miss

Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a city full of art, creativity, history, and of course, beer. Berlin isn’t like the typical European cities of Barcelona, Florence, Paris, or Rome. This city has a very industrial vibe. Some people love it, and others don’t.

I think It’s a city full of life and a perfect place for a weekend getaway. If you have 48 hours in Berlin and don’t know where to start. I’m going to share how to spend the perfect weekend here in this guide.

Looking for more Western European guides?

• The Ultimate London Bucket List
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This post is all about how to spend 48 hours in Berlin, Germany.

48 Hours in Berlin – The Basics

Currency = Euro

The currency in Berlin is the Euro (EUR)

1 USD = .90 Euro

Many places in Berlin will accept card payments but I find it helpful to keep some cash for small purchases. Cash on hand is really helpful if you are out to dinner and plan to split the bill with others. In many European cities, restaurants will not split the bill with card payments.

Having small bills is also helpful if you are negotiating prices at a local market. There are plenty of ATMs throughout the city.

Language = German

Although German is the official language, you will find that many people do speak English. It is helpful to have the Google Translate app downloaded on your phone. If you don’t speak German, I suggest having a few basic phrases prepared just to be polite.

Phone & Internet

From my experience, I never had a problem with the phone and internet service. I found that many restaurants and cafes had fast, reliable wifi, and my accommodation did as well. If you are a digital nomad and will need a reliable internet connection during your trip, I would double-check that your hotel or hostel has good wifi.

Daily Budget

I think a good backpacker’s budget for Berlin is about 50 to 70 euros. This will be enough to stay in a hostel, eat meals at local markets, participate in activities, and grab a beer or two. More of an average to mid-range budget for this city would be around 100 euros.

Tipping in Berlin

Tipping in Berlin is not obligatory yet is it pretty common to leave a tip if you had great service. Anywhere from 5% to 10% should be perfect. However, make sure to always tip your guide on a free walking tour.

Can You Drink The Tap Water

Yes, tap water is safe to drink in Germany.

Best Time to Visit Berlin

The best time to visit Berlin is May through September. I visited Berlin in June, after traveling throughout Greece, Croatia, and then Vienna. I thought this was a great time to visit because the weather was perfect and I didn’t find Berlin too crowded. We got to enjoy activities and of course, many restaurants and cafes.

Why You Should Include Berlin On Your Itinerary

Okay, hear me out. Some people will say to skip over the city of Berlin when traveling through Germany. Well, I suggest staying at least 48 hours in Berlin. Yeah, it’s not the prettiest city in Europe but it has so many historic sites to see and so much to learn about.

Not to mention the nightlife is not only some of the best in Germany but in the world. Berlin’s nightlife is something I missed out on. Because of the pandemic situation, I wasn’t quite sure what was going on in the bar scene. But I know you can always find a party in Berlin.

48 Hours in Berlin – Itinerary

Berlin’s Top 5

1. Brandenburg Gate
2. Prater Biergatren
3. East Side Gallery
4. Mauer Park
5. Typography of Terror

Arrival Day

DEUTSCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUM

Once you arrive in Berlin, get settled into your accommodation, pick up some lunch, and head to the Deutsches Historisches Museum. We grabbed brunch at Kaffee Kathe and it was delicious. This was the best way to start our 48 hours in Berlin, and it was great to learn a bit more about the city.

The Deutsches Historisches Museum is a German history museum that covers prehistory to the present day. There were some pretty fascinating things to read about in there. I also loved the architecture of the building!

After the museum, we grabbed a mid-day pick-me-up from Yiak Coffee and a sweet treat from Spooning, a cookie dough bar. It was so tasty!

ALEXANDERPLATZ AND FERNSHETURM TV TOWER

After our little snack, we went to explore the city. Our first stop was the popular square, Alexanderplatz. This is a great place to shop and people-watch. Alexanderplatz is also where the famous TV tower is, which has an observation deck for great views of Berlin.

After we explored the city we ate dinner at Kong Vegan 385 and then went back to our hostel for an early night because we had an early wakeup call the next morning.

Day 1: 48 Hours in Berlin

BRADENBURG GATE

Arguably Berlin’s most iconic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate is located right in the heart of the city. During the Cold War, the gate was located in no man’s land behind the Berlin Wall. When the wall fell, everyone celebrated here at the gate and now, it symbolizes a unified Germany.

This was our first stop in the morning, mainly because we wanted to get photos with no crowds. If you are looking to get photos here I highly suggest arriving early in the morning. Once the afternoon rolls around this place is crowded with so many people.

BERLIN CATHEDRAL (BERLINER DOM)

We wanted to see Berlin’s iconic Cathedral with few crowds as well, so this was our next stop in the morning. The Berliner Dom is a gorgeous structure and something you can’t miss during your 48 hours in Berlin! This is a great place to snap some photos, have a picnic, or just chill out front.

WALKING TOUR OF BERLIN

Next, we headed over to Alexanderplatz to meet up for our free walking tour of Berlin. I HIGHLY recommend doing a walking tour. Not only did we learn so much and see many famous landmarks, but we also got the best recommendations from our guide and met great friends as well!

During the walking tour, we saw some of Berlin’s most famous landmarks including Check Point Charlie, The Reichstag building, Berlin’s massive square, Gendarmenmarkt, and The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

I learned so much on this walking tour and our incredible guide gave us great recs for the rest of our time in Berlin. At the end of the walking tour make sure to tip your guide and don’t forget good walking shoes.

PRATER BIERGARTEN

Did you visit Germany if you didn’t visit a beer garden? Prater Biergarten is one of Berlin’s oldest and most beautiful beer gardens! This place was full of food trucks selling all sorts of delicious foods and drinks. And a lot of beer too.

It was quite funny because we ended up being here on America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July, and they were having a mini Fourth of July celebration!

TOPOGRAPHY OF TERROR

The Topography of Terror is a museum that sits on the site of the SS Police and the Gestapo’s former headquarters during World War II. What used to be the location where the Nazis committed the majority of crimes, is now a memorial and museum detailing the history of repression under the Nazis.

Walking through this museum and listening to the audio guide was like nothing I had experienced. Of course, I’d learned about World War II in history classes but there truly isn’t anything like being there, right where these horrific events happened.

Although it can be heavy to get through, this was such an eye-opening experience and it’s so important to learn about the history that took place in Berlin, good and bad. Admission is free and it’s open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM.

BEER GARDEN FOR DINNER

After the Topography of Terror, head over to yet another beer garden for some local German cuisine! I suggest trying Bratwurst and Currywurst. We ate at the cutest little beer garden with food stalls and tables & chairs, all on the sand! I’m not sure if this was a temporary beer garden, but I have listed Berlin’s best beer gardens later in the post.

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Day 2 – 48 Hours in Berlin

BREAKFAST + COFFEE

Pick up your morning fuel at Martha Cafe. This was convenient because it was located right near East Side Gallery (our next stop). I had banana bread and a latte, it was the perfect morning snack!

EAST SIDE GALLERY

East Side Gallery is one of the longest open-air galleries in the world and is what’s left of the Berlin Wall. The gallery includes murals painted by artists from all across the world who detail their interpretations of what occurred when the wall came down on November 9, 1989.

I loved wandering to see the incredible art on the remains of the wall. This is a fairly quick activity and you won’t need more than an hour or so here.

MAUER PARK

I LOVED this place! I highly recommend making sure you visit on a Sunday because this is flea market day!

There were seriously some of the cutest stalls with paintings, home decor, clothing, jewelry, and anything you can think of. They also had some incredible food trucks. After shopping through the market, pick up some food and chill in the park. This was the best way to end our time in Berlin. I would have loved to stay longer but we had a flight to catch up to Milan, Italy!

Additional Things to Do in Berlin, Germany

If you have some more time in Berlin, I suggest adding these activities to your Berlin itinerary!

• Museum Island
• DDR Museum
• Treptower Park
• Zoologischer Garten and Aquarium
• Bike tour
• Tigergarten

Nightlife in Berlin

• Hafenbar Berlin
• Sage Club
• Berghain
• Anomalie Art Club

Where to Stay in Berlin

So, here’s a quick story behind our accommodation situation in Berlin (lol). We checked in at the Meininger which I have stayed at in other European cities before.

Well, we checked into our five-person hostel-style room excited to meet new people. There ended up being an old man (like wayy too old for a hostel). Nothing against him but my sister and I simply did not want to share a room with an old man. So we skirted out of the hostel with bags and all, running around the city for a place to stay.

We ended up at St Christopher’s Berlin Mitte hostel which was great! It was in a good location, there was a fun bar scene, and our room was massive (and we had it all to ourselves which was a plus!). Both locations were great we just had an odd experience in the first place.

Booking.com

Transportation in Berlin

How to Get to Berlin

You will likely be arriving in Berlin via train or plane. Berlin’s airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). To get to the city center from the airport, take one of the airport express trains which cost about 3.30 euros each way.

The FEX, RE7, and RB14 run every 30 minutes between 4 am to 11 pm. Berlin Central Station is the city’s main train station and is located in the city center.

Getting Around Berlin

Once right in the city center, it’s easy to walk from place to place. Otherwise, you’ll most likely take the U-Bahn and S-Bahn to get around.

U-Bahn: Berlin’s subway system.

S-Bahn: A network of suburban train lines that mainly run above ground.

public transportation is quick, cheap, and efficient! You can purchase tickets at just about any station and tickets are valid for both transport systems.

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Eat + Drink in Berlin

• Spooning Cookie Dough: a sweet treat
• Kaffe Kath: a yummy brunch
• Yiack Coffee: for coffee
• Martha Cafe: great for coffee and breakfast
• Hackethals: for traditional German food
• Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap: Turkish food

Beer Gardens:

• Prater Beer Garden
• Golgatha Biergarten
• Zollpackhof Biergarten
• Schleusenkrug

Berlin Packing Essentials

• Jean jacket: It can be chilly in the morning
• Good walking shoes
• Camera
• Disposable camera
• Tote bag
• Travel Journal
• Sunglasses
• Calicase: I don’t travel without my CaliCase
• Small raincoat
• Travel adapter
• Portable charger
• Activated charcoal
• Collapsable water bottle
• Travel Insurance
• Berlin guidebook

Safety in Berlin

Berlin is a safe city to visit. Safe for solo female travelers and all. Make sure to be smart like you would in your city. Don’t go into any sketchy areas late at night by yourself and keep your belongings close to you.

Although Berlin has a cosmopolitan feel and is not considered as “pretty” as other quaint German towns, it’s most definitely worth a visit. As always, if you have any questions about 48 hours in Berlin, feel free to DM me on Instagram, comment below, or email me at sydabroad@gmail.com

Recommended Tours in Berlin

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