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 Dae Mon (Monbijouplatz 11). If you’re looking for affordable options, Katz Orange (Bergstr. 22) and Kopps (Linienstr. 94) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Oh, Panama (Potsdamer Str. 91) and Schneeweiß (Simplonstr. 16) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Berlin.
Most popular restaurants 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 19 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Berlin from the United States departs from New York and takes around 7h 40m.
Train
FlixTrain is the most popular train carrier serving Berlin, followed by Deutsche Bahn. The train journey from Berlin to Hannover takes 1h 26m and costs around $23 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Hamburg, expect to pay about $19 for a 2h 03m trip. Located 2.7 km from the city center, Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the busiest station in Berlin. Another popular train station is Berlin Südkreuz, located 6 km from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Berlin is to pick up a car rental from Hamburg, which is about 255 km from Berlin. You’ll find branches of Ok Mobility and Wheego, among others, in Hamburg.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Berlin, including FlixBus, Regiojet and Union Ivkoni. From Leipzig, the bus ride to Berlin takes 193 km and will cost you around $22. From Dresden, the ticket costs about $32 for a journey of 209 km. The most popular bus station is Berlin Central Bus Station (ZOB), located 9 km from downtown Berlin. Berlin Alt-Tegel is also a commonly used station, and is 12 km 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 $92 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $275 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Pension Messe am Funkturm and Club Lodges Berlin Mitte. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Berlin, with prices from $22 to $363 per night. Pankow is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Berlin are about 9% 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, Adelante Boutique Hotel and Grimm's Berlin Mitte. The average nightly price for a double room in Mitte is $22.
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 $19 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 $43 per day, on average, or $130 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 Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg, which is 18 km from the city center.
Expect to pay $7.50 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 $89.94 and $119.92. The most frequently booked car type in Berlin is Standard (Volkswagen Tiguan or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Ford Fiesta or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.