A Quick Orientation of Berlin
Berlin is a sprawling city built around the River Spree. Many of the popular tourist sites can be found in four areas: Mitte, Charlottenburg, Tiergarten and Kreuzberg. Mitte is the central part of Berlin and features a number of historical monuments, buildings and attractions such as the State Opera, Gendarmenmarkt and Museum Island. In West Berlin, Charlottenburg was largely rebuilt after being devastated by bombings during the war and is now a busy area with shops, bars, cafés and restaurants.
Tiergarten is the name of a district and one of Berlin's huge, famous parks. The Brandenburg Gate lies at the eastern end of the park and just south of it is Potsdamer Platz. Kreuzberg has a large Turkish community and a bohemian feel. The area is home to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and the Jewish Museum.
Nothing remains of the infamous wall, but a few souvenir blocks have been retained and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum offers the best glimpse into this part of history that most Berliners would rather forget.
Tourists will be particularly interested in the Museum island - a collection of five excellent museums clustered together in a convenient precinct.
Germany Map
Berlin Map
Useful Berlin Links
Guide to Berlin - detailed travel guide to Berlin, Germany
Berlin Schönefeld Airport (SXF) - Guide to Berlin (SXF) Airport
Berlin Tegel (Otto Lilienthal) Airport (TXL) - Guide to Berlin (TXL) Airport
Berlin Tempelhof Airport (THF) - Guide to Berlin (THF) Airport