Berliner Dom Museum Island, Berlin, Germany / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Beny Shlevich

We can never get away from the fact that Berlin is in central Europe, therefore you are not going to be tanning it up on any beaches (even though it is landlocked, it does have a man-made beach!) or sipping cocktails in the sun all of the time, so it’s worthwhile noting the numerous excellent museums that the city has to offer. There is something for everyone, be it art, architecture, music or the history of the city itself.

There aren’t many cities in the world that can boast a place called Museum Island, but Berlin certainly can and it houses five of them. Situated in the middle of the Spree River, the island is home to the Altes and Neues (Old and New) museums, a national gallery and the Bode museum, which displays an excellent sculpture collection amongst other fine art. The jewel in the crown however, is the Pergamon Museum which shows off huge reconstructions – some life size – of different architecture of the last 3,000 years. It is truly a sight to behold.

Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, Germany / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by dalbera

If you like your art more pop than classical, then a good place to visit is the Hamburger Bahnhof. Set in a disused railway station, this huge space is home to works of some of the greatest contemporary artists including Warhol, Lichtenstein amongst many others. Fans of Joseph Beuys will be especially happy, as an entire wing of the gallery is taken up with some of his rarer works.

If the moving image is more your thing, then the Kinemathek museum – just off the Potsdamer Platz – should be your first stop. Everything from scripts to props is available to see, from the beginnings of German cinema, through the Weimar era and the war propaganda up to the present day.

Even if you’re not a fan of the New York punk legends The Ramones, you will be amazed at the expanse of the collection on show at this museum dedicated to Joey, Dee Dee and the boys. Crudely basing the museum frontage on the famous CBGB’s club in New York, owner-curator Flo Hayler started his collection with a couple of pin badges and a ticket stub after seeing the band live in the city a generation ago, and now the museum is filled with all things Ramone.

Ben Gallivan is a well-travelled Welshman with an appreciation for the finer things in life, including museums, music, and currywurst. He writes for One80 Hostel in central Berlin.

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Brandenburger Gate, Berlin, Germany / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Bernt Rostad

Brandenburger Gate

Located near the boulevard of Unter den Linden, the Brandenburger Gate was built around 1780 serving as an entrance to part of an old wall that once surrounded the city. Today the gate is the only remnant of the former wall. Designed to resemble the gate entrance into the Acropolis of Athens, the Brandenburger Gate has been the setting of much history. After being damaged by WWII bombings, the historical gate structure was later the scene of much celebration and peace in 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The Holocaust Memorial

Constructed in 2004 to remember the genocide of six million Jews by Hitler and his Nazi regime, the memorial is situated in close distance to both the Brandenburger Gate and the remains of Hitler’s bunker. The memorial is built with 2,711 slabs of stone, all designed in a wavering, unstable pattern to reflect the insecurity of the Nazi era.

Museum Island

A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Museum Island is located near the Spree River. The Museum Island is composed of a group of five museums that began with the Altes Museum in 1830. The other museums include the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Neuses Museum, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. These museums feature recreated villages, reconstructed buildings and many ancient artifacts such as the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate, the Altar of Zeus and the bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. Museum Island is in close proximity to quality dining, shopping and apartments in Berlin.

Berliner Dom Museum Island, Berlin, Germany / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Beny Shlevich

Berlin Wall

First erected in 1961 by the Russians as a barbed wire fence and later replaced by the high wall, the Berlin Wall was built to serve as a barrier between communist East Germany and democratic West Germany. The decline of communism resulted in the fall of the wall in 1989 with cheers from around the world. Most of the wall has since been demolished with some sections still surviving in different locations where people can visit such as at Reichstag and Checkpoint Charlie. With many Berlin accommodation rentals nearby, visitors can feel right at home during their stay in Berlin.

Reichstag

Constructed in 1894, the Reichstag building contained the German Parliament until it was heavily damaged by a fire in 1933. Left in disuse after World War II, the building was later reconstructed to once again house the German Parliament in 1999. With Reichstag located in the heart of the city, visitors can find quality places to stay in Berlin apartments.

There are many different places to stay when travelling round Europe.  A lot of companies offer short term accommodation rentals in Berlin, Rome, London and you can even rent apartments in Paris.

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