Berlin – a city that you can love or hate, there’s no way in between. It has a feeling of roughness, a dark vibe, but is at the same time beautiful. My dear friend referred to Berlin as “beautifully ugly” and I honestly think this definition applies to it the most.

A weekend getaway to Berlin is always a good idea!

Travelling to Berlin is convenient if you are from Europe – last year I got a return plane ticket to the German capital for just 20€ on Ryanair sale.
Once you have already been to Berlin, you make your own agenda of things you want to see.
I have been running through it for days straight but still left with a list of things I’d like to see.

So here are things you can do in Berlin to get the most of it in just 3 days.

  1. Take a Free Walking Tour

As cliche as it might sound – taking a walking tour when you are visiting a city for a short period is usually the best decision ever!
The guide will take you on a walk throughout the city and show you all the touristic points of it.
Since the people who work for free walking tours are paid only by tips, they usually do their best to show you around and explain you the history of the city.

I visited Berlin during winter when I took the tour and it was freezing! But I saw and learned so much in those two hours, that it was worth it at the end.

There are also thematic walking tours that you can apply for on their site, but I would recommend taking the Free Tour of Berlin to get to know the city, and then explore it further by yourself.

What have we visited by free walking tour?
We took a long walk through the city and saw Museum Island, the Berlin Cathedral, the statue of Friedrich the Great, the Infamous Berlin Wall, walked past Einstein & Humboldt University, TV Tower, Reichstag & Tiergarten, we were standing on top of Hitler’s former bunker, and had a moment of silence at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
The tour guide was a girl who moved to Berlin from England, with an exceptional knowledge of history, so she did not only show us the must-see places of the city, but explained the story of Berlin buddy bear, what is the meaning of Checkpoint Charlie, how and why did they build Brandenburg Gate, and more…

Yes, you could research these online and visit them by yourself, but nothing beats having a good, local guide who explains them in their own way, adding salt and pepper with his/her own view and anecdotes.

Est. time of the walking tour: 2H

  1. Visit The Wall Museum

The Wall Museum is one of the most important parts of Berlin, it is the connection between darkness and light, between painful past and hope for the future.
I think everyone should visit it. Additionally – it is completely free.

Est. time of the visit incl. taking pictures: 2H

  1. Visit a museum

There are many museums in Berlin that are worth seeing, but being there for just 3 days, it is best if you determine upfront which you would like to see (you can always change your mind later –on the walking tour they also show you where are the main historical museums).

I visited the Museum of Spies, because I wanted to do something fun and light-hearten. Aaand… I loved it! From showing the history of spying to testing my spy abilities it was a fun way to finish the trip.

Other museums in Berlin are:

  • Bauhaus Archives – Museum of Design – a must see for all design and architecture enthusiasts!
  • Topography of Terror – one of the most visited centres of remembrance in Berlin is held in the same building where Secret State Police, the SS and the Reich Security Main Office were during “Third Reich”
  • The Jewish Museum – besides exploring the history, it has special exhibitions, workshops and programs that are worth checking out! (Kid friendly)
  • DDR Museum – If you have ever wondered how life in communism was like…

Let me just put it out there – there are 170 museums in Berlin! Therefore, finding one that will blow your mind is easy!

Est. time of visiting the Spy museum: 3H

  1. Go Clubbing

Berlin’s nightlife is crazy, and you can always find a club to go to – especially during the weekend.
I’ve visited Berlin on weekdays, and guess what? The clubs were open as well.

Just be aware that the door policy of most clubs is strict, so inform yourself before visiting and make plan B and C just in case you don’t get in the first one.

Just some of the most popular clubs are:

Est. time of visiting a club: Don’t forget to go home

  1. Go for a beer in the typical bar

If you are a beer lover, you will enjoy drinking it in Berlin. One thing I noticed about Berlin is that all the best places are kind of “hidden” – they are there but at the same time tourists don’t know they exist. This is what makes Berlin beautiful – its mysteriousness. As much as it is friendly to the tourists it is also cold – making an explorer want to try harder to find the hidden fun-places that everyone talks about.

Two of the typical bars in Berlin are Das Hotel Bar and Klunkerkranich (a rooftop bar).

But I was impressed the most from the Raw area in Berlin, which as a lot of bars and street art… I highly recommend to check it out!

Of course, you can also opt for Pub Crawl and then tell me what have I missed out on.

Est. time of having a beer: From 1h to all night

  1. Try Curry-wurst – the typical Berlin food

You can find it at almost every corner and eat it on the go or sit down – whichever way to prefer.
Tip: It goes really well with beer as well.

Est. time of waiting for food: 10 min

Just writing this article made me want to book a ticket for Berlin.
I hope that you are getting inspired to visit it too!

Check out some photos of Berlin here!