Berlin travel guide
Berlin Tourism | Berlin Guide
You're Going to Love Berlin
With 3.43 million inhabitants, Berlin is the most populous city in Germany. It is the most popular tourist destination in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Berlin has to offer.
Where to Eat in Berlin
Mitte is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Berlin. These include popular favorites such as PeterPaul (Torstr. 99), Pantry (Friedrichstr. 120) and Brasserie am Gendarmenmarkt (Taubenstr. 30). If you’re looking for affordable options, Katz Orange (Bergstr. 22) and Night Kitchen (Oranienburger Str. 32) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Oh, Panama (Potsdamer Str. 91) and Kopps (Linienstr. 94) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Berlin.
When to visit Berlin
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Berlin in July, when the average temperature is 64.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 71.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 26.6 °F, with an average temperature of 32 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 2.8″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Berlin, with an average rainfall of 1.3″.
How to Get to Berlin
Plane
When flying to Berlin, you’ll arrive at Berlin Brandenburg (BER), which is located 12 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Berlin from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 10h 15m.
Train
FlixTrain is the most popular train carrier serving Berlin, followed by Deutsche Bahn. The train journey from Berlin to Leipzig takes 1h 11m and costs around $8 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hamburg, expect to pay about $10 for a 1h 51m trip. Located 1.7 miles from the city center, Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the busiest station in Berlin. Another popular train station is Berlin Südkreuz, located 4 miles from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Berlin is to pick up a car rental from Hamburg, which is about 158 miles from Berlin. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Ok Mobility, among others, in Hamburg.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Berlin, including FlixBus, Regiojet and STUDENT AGENCY. From Leipzig, the bus ride to Berlin takes 120 miles and will cost you around $13. From Rostock, the ticket costs about $27 for a journey of 150 miles. The most popular bus station is Berlin Central Bus Station (ZOB), located 6 miles from downtown Berlin. Berlin Alt-Tegel is also a commonly used station, and is 7 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Berlin
Where to stay in Berlin
From 5-star hotels such as the Hotel Luc, Autograph Collection to great affordable options like the Intercityhotel Berlin Ostbahnhof, Berlin offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $98 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $268 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Waizenegger and Pension Messe am Funkturm. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Berlin, with prices from $28 to $354 per night. Pankow is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Berlin are about 21% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Kreuzberg - In Berlin’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Hotel Ludwig van Beethoven, acama Hotel+Hostel Kreuzberg and Holiday Inn Express Berlin City Centre.
Mitte - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as The Circus Hotel, Club Lodges Berlin Mitte and Adelante Boutique Hotel. The average nightly price for a double room in Mitte is $29.
Friedrichshain - Schulz Hotel Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery, Hampton by Hilton Berlin City East Side Gallery and Holiday Inn Berlin - City East Side have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Friedrichshain will cost you about $27 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Berlin
Most booked hotels in Berlin
Renting a car in Berlin
Renting a car in Berlin costs $40 per day, on average, or $121 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Sixt and Dollar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Berlin is the Dollar branch at Melli-besse-ring 1, which is 11 miles from the city center.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 6% more expensive than at Berlin Brandenburg.
Expect to pay $7.42 per gallon in Berlin (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $89.03 and $118.71. The most frequently booked car type in Berlin is Compact (Volkswagen Golf or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Fiat Ducato or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.