Il simbolo più inconfondibile della Germania non è così grande come molti visitatori si aspettano, ma la sua storia è ricca e affascinante. Costruita nel 1791, la Porta di Brandeburgo è ispirata all’ingresso dell'Acropoli di Atene. La statua della Quadriga in cima alla Porta, progettata dallo scultore Gottfried Schadow, rappresenta Vittoria, la dea della pace, in sella a un carro a quattro cavalli. Questa era una delle 14 porte originarie di Berlino, ma l'unica testimonianza rimasta delle altre porte sono i nomi delle stazioni della metropolitana, come Kottbusser Tor e Schlesisches Tor. La Porta di Brandeburgo e Pariser Platz sono state al centro di numerosi e turbolenti eventi storici. L'ala sud ospita un ufficio informazioni turistiche.
Quando si pensa a Berlino, la prima parola che viene in mente è probabilmente il Muro. Dopo l'abbattimento non è rimasto molto del Muro di Berlino. La sezione più lunga del Muro che non fu abbattuta, pari a 1,3 chilometri, corre parallela al fiume Sprea tra Kreuzberg a ovest e Friedrichshain a est. Nei mesi successivi alla caduta del Muro, nel 1989, 118 artisti di tutto il mondo accorsero qui per rendere il loro omaggio. Il risultato è una galleria d’arte a cielo aperto che contiene una serie di immagini colorate e fantasiose, alcune satiriche, altre scioccanti e altre ancora enigmatiche. Questo sito storico, che rappresenta una parte importante del patrimonio culturale di Berlino, è una delle più grandi gallerie d’arte a cielo aperto del mondo.
Set inside the Erholungspark Marzahn, Gärten der Welt is comprised of beautiful themed gardens. These lovely landscapes are predominantly inspired by the flora of Asia. The first garden to open in the park was Chinese-themed in the year 2000. Stroll through the Japanese, Korean, Balinese, Oriental and Italian gardens and you will be amazed by their unique beauty. From having unique structures using Chinese, Korean and Italian architecture depending on the respective themes, to astounding fountains and artistic statues, the park is an engineering marvel. Ideal for going on a picnic with family, the park has a strict no pets and bikes policy.
The botanical garden and botanic museum's large and sedate park in the southwest of Berlin provides the perfect respite to a hard day's slog through the hectic inner-city. One can admire the English gardens and a collection of flora from all over Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The many greenhouses here are home to many rare plants from around the globe. Visitors shouldn't miss the unique Botanical Museum at the entrance.
Treptower Park was designed in 1880 and is nowadays split in two by the Puschkinallee which runs through its centre. One side of the park contains the imposing Soviet Memorial and the Archenhold Sternwarte, an observatory with the longest refracting telescope in the world. The other side of the park borders onto the river Spree, where there is a quay for boat trips on the river. Further along the Spree, the Eierschale café is a good spot to stop and relax.
The Sachsenhausen is a concentration camp that lies twenty minutes north of Berlin, in the town of Oranienburg. It was used as the central command base for all the concentration camps in Germany and the Nazi-occupied territories during World War II. During this time it also witnessed the systematic oppression of the jews and other minorities. It is one of the few concentration camps to have been designed by an architect and while most of the buildings have been demolished and replaced by memorials, the deliberate layout of the camp still recalls the purposefulness of Nazi tyranny. The one thing to remember while visiting this is place is its varying times. Open daily, the Sachsenhausen functions between 8.30a to 6p on March 15th to October 14th and 8.30a to 4.30p on October 15 to March 14.
The Ziegeleisee lake in northern Berlin is a popular outdoor recreation spot among locals for its clear waters, beautiful natural surroundings and white sandy beaches. It is an ideal place for a nice summer swim, boating or simply lazing around in the sun. Mowed lawns with large shady trees provide peaceful picnic spots for families while youngsters can enjoy a game of beach volleyball, soccer or table tennis in the recreation center on the beach. Snacks and drinks are available at stalls and cafes near the lakes.
Berlin 1939-1945 Commonwealth Cemetery was founded in the year 1945. It was the central resting place for prisoners of war and aircrew who laid down their lives in East Germany and Berlin region. Nearly 80 percent of the prisoners of war are buried at Berlin 1939-1945 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery. These were mostly aircrew who died in air raids conducted over Berlin city as well as towns of eastern Germany. This cemetery contains nearly 3595 Commonwealth war burials from World War II. Out of these, 397 could not be identified. Berlin 1939-1945 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery is under the aegis of the British Crown and thus, it is a part of the United Kingdom's territory.
Tucked away in Neukölln, Privatbrauerei Am Rollberg is a hidden gem that every beer-lover should visit. Now, Berlin has its fair share of microbreweries, but this little treasure is one of the finest of the lot. Housed within an old factory, the brewery features a biergarten where you can relax and sip on thoroughbred German beers and ales. Rollberg also has barbecue pits where you can bring your own food to BBQ. Needless to say it makes for a fun experience. Top picks at Privatbrauerei Am Rollberg include their Red and the Pilsner. If you're a beer-lover, you shouldn't miss out on this one!
The Landwehrkanal was completed in 1850 after five years of construction. Designed by master landscape architect Lenné (also responsible for the Tiergarten and Pfaueninsel), the 12km canal was built on the orders of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who wished to link Berlin with a new industrial area in Köpenick. But the building of the canal was also part of a larger scheme—to fight the dramatic unemployment which plagued Prussia at the time. The canal is the perfect place for a Sunday afternoon stroll. Winding through the city, it is lined with trees and parks, and a cycle path follows its route. There are plenty of pleasant cafés along the way (particularly at Paul-Licke-Ufer) where you can stop for refreshments.
Original Berlin Walks is a major tour operator, that carries out customized group tours of the city. Providing a range of guided tours to suit everybody's need, they specialize in four-hour walking tours of Berlin, wherein major attractions of the city are covered. With highly skilled guides on board, you are sure to have a unique experience in whichever tour you choose. Their most famous tour includes the 'Discover Berlin' tour, which acquaints you with iconic places like Hitler's Bunker, The Berlin Wall, Pergamon Museum, Brandenburg Gate et al. To book yourself a group or private tour, please call ahead, or log on to their website to know more.
Fahrlander See is a beautiful lake at 29.4 meter (97 foot) elevation. Sacrow-Paretz Canal is seen flowing through this serene lake. Some popular activities near this lake include windsurfing and kitesurfing. Experts, intermediates as well as beginners can partake in these adventure activities here. This lake is an excellent location for windsurfing beginners. Fahrlander See also provides an ideal setting for flat paddle boating. Weather around the lake remains pleasant during warm summers.