Days 1 to 3: the heart of Berlin
Follow Berlin in 3 days: the Reichstag district and the Kulturforum, Museum Island and Alexanderplatz, Kreuzberg and the East Side Gallery. This itinerary gives the bookings to make in advance and the closing days. If you have a rainy day, swap the days using our guide what to do in Berlin when it rains.
Day 4: Potsdam and Sanssouci Palace
Potsdam is half an hour by train from the main station. You need an ABC zone ticket (see transport in Berlin). Sanssouci Palace, the summer residence of Frederick II, is the first goal: book an entry slot in advance. Sanssouci Park is big enough to fill the day; bring good shoes.
If you like grand settings, our guide Potsdam from Berlin details the other sights of the town, and palaces and castles of Berlin and Potsdam compares the visits.
Day 5: the west, from Charlottenburg to Spandau
Morning: Charlottenburg Palace
Start with Charlottenburg Palace, the largest palace in Berlin; give it the morning, with its garden.
Afternoon: the Olympiastadion
Continue to the Olympiastadion, in the west: you can visit the 1936 stadium on your own or with a guide, except on match or event days. Check the stadium's calendar before going.
On Thursdays, late in the day: Spandau Citadel
Spandau Citadel is the last possible stop of this day in the west, by the U7. It closes at 17:00 (last entry 16:30) except on Thursdays, when it is open from 13:00 to 20:00: on other days, go there in the afternoon instead and put the stadium in the morning with Charlottenburg. If you prefer a darker day, replace Charlottenburg and Spandau with the Sachsenhausen memorial, which takes a full half-day and is one of the visits not to improvise.
Making the itinerary work
- Group by area: each day has its zone, which avoids back-and-forth on the metro.
- Book Sanssouci and the museums that require it, and check the Monday closing days.
- Ticket: an AB ticket for the city, ABC for Potsdam. For a five-day stay, compare the 24-hour ticket and the tourist card (see transport in Berlin).
- If you have one day less, see Berlin in 4 days.
