Berlin Travel Guide
Berlin's sights spread across neighbourhoods that can easily fill a day each. The government district, Museum Island and a Thursday evening at Markthalle Neun need different plans. Book the free Reichstag visit in advance, and keep the closed Pergamonmuseum separate from the open Panorama attraction.
Example spending plans
Use these room and meal budgets to plan a day. They are spending choices, not average prices or available room offers. Replace the room amount with your full booking price, including tax. If sharing, divide only the private-room cost. Airport and intercity travel are extra.
These are separate spending choices, not price or quality rankings. The alternative plan may have a lower total when its room, meal or activity allowances differ.
Simple stay
€82 / day
A bed, simple meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €40
- Food and drinks
- €30
- Local transit
- €7
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €5
Private room
€163 / day
A private room, meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €100
- Food and drinks
- €45
- Local transit
- €10
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €8
Alternative private room
€252 / day
A second private-room spending plan. Compare the five allowances before choosing.
Editorial planning estimate: 11 Sep 2026
A spending estimate, not a live price quote.
See the five allowances
- Room or bed budget
- €160
- Food and drinks
- €65
- Local transit
- €15
- Sightseeing and entry
- €0
- Miscellaneous
- €12
This example sets aside €40 for one bed or a simple stay, €30 per person for food and drinks, €7 for local travel and €5 for small extras. Sightseeing covers a reserved free Reichstag visit, subject to the maintenance calendar. These are spending choices, not measured averages or available room offers. Replace the stay allowance with your full booking price, including tax and cleaning. Divide only a shared private room; meals and tickets remain per person. Add airport and intercity travel separately.
At A Glance
- Currency
- EUR
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Walkability
- High
- Best value season
- Compare spring and autumn dates outside major events
The free Reichstag visit needs a booking
Register through the Bundestag for the free dome and roof-terrace visit. Use every visitor’s correct details and bring the original identification requested. A commercial tour is not required to make this booking.
The dome closes for maintenance on 14–18 September, 28 September–2 October and 19–30 October 2026. The roof terrace can still be visited during those dome closures. Decide whether the terrace alone suits you before building the day around it.
Do not book the wrong Pergamon experience
The Pergamonmuseum reopening notice gives 4 June 2027 as the reopening date. In 2026, choose an open collection or the separate Panorama attraction for what it actually offers. A similar name does not mean admission to the closed museum.
For the evening, Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg offers Street Food Thursday from 5pm to 10pm. This is a food outing, so give it time and choose the dishes you want. On Friday or Saturday, the larger regular market gives a different reason to visit the hall.
Use the Berlin transport-zones guide to choose AB for journeys within the city or ABC for BER Airport and Potsdam, and to compare current single, four-trip and 24-hour fares.
Top sights and admission costs
Admission choices, ticket prices and practical advice for your visit.
Reichstag Dome
€0.00Booking and rates: Register with the Bundestag. Dome maintenance closures: 14–18 September, 28 September–2 October and 19–30 October 2026. The terrace remains visitable during those listed closures; check your date and confirmation.
Ways to save: Admission is free with registration. Bring the identification required by your booking confirmation.
Check current pricesPergamonmuseum. Das Panorama
Ticket optionsBooking and rates: Book the separate Panorama exhibition near Museum Island through the museum’s ticket shop. Choose the venue and visitor category to see the payable price. The main Pergamonmuseum remains closed, with a partial reopening planned for 2027.
Ways to save: Concessions and free-entry categories have their own conditions; obtain the required ticket and bring proof.
Check current pricesWhere to Stay
Mitte suits a first visit with several central bookings. Kreuzberg can suit an evening-led stay, while a room near a useful U-Bahn or S-Bahn stop may matter more than a fashionable postcode. Trace the ride to your first morning appointment before booking.
Getting Around
Use public transport between neighbourhoods and walk within them. Select a ticket covering your whole journey, especially on airport day. Do not buy the Deutschland-Ticket simply because Berlin is large; count the travel days and subscription months first.
Airport transfers
View the airport transfer guide
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
DB FEX / RE20 (Train)
€5.00About 23 minutes to Berlin Hbf via Südkreuz and Potsdamer Platz. FEX and RE20 together run about four times an hour until December 2026. Adult ABC single €5, valid for one direction within two hours. Validate unstamped paper tickets. Check the planner before travel.
Check current pricesS-Bahn S9 (Metro)
€5.00S9 serves Alexanderplatz and other central stops. The 45-minute figure is approximate to Alexanderplatz; other destinations take longer. Adult ABC single €5, one direction within two hours, with changes allowed. Check current times and validate an unstamped ticket.
Check current pricesEating for Less
Markthalle Neun at Eisenbahnstraße 42/43 runs Street Food Thursday from 5pm to 10pm. The larger regular market is on Friday and Saturday. Choose a meal from the stalls rather than assuming the Thursday event is the cheapest way to eat.
Worth Paying For
The Neues Museum is an open Museum Island choice for ancient collections. Its standard adult ticket is €14, compared with €24 for the Museum Island day ticket. Choose the wider ticket only if you want another included collection and have time for it.
Skip / Save Your Money
The Reichstag dome and roof terrace are free with registration. Book directly with the Bundestag and bring the required original ID. Dome maintenance closures can still leave the roof terrace open, so read the confirmation for the visit you will get.
Common Tourist Traps & Money Mistakes
The Pergamonmuseum remains closed in 2026, with reopening scheduled for 4 June 2027. Pergamon. Das Panorama is a separate attraction. Confirm which building a ticket names before expecting to see the Pergamon Altar.