Under the city: bunkers and tunnels
Berlin's underground hides air-raid shelters, escape tunnels and closed metro stations. The association Berliner Unterwelten runs guided tours of these places: everything is detailed in our page on the Berliner Unterwelten. Another wartime bunker, in Mitte, now houses a private collection of contemporary art that you visit by booking: see the Boros Collection.
Teufelsberg, the listening hill
Teufelsberg, the "Devil's Mountain", is an artificial hill in western Berlin, built after the war from the city's rubble. During the Cold War, American intelligence services installed a listening station there, whose white domes still crown the summit. The site, abandoned after 1990, is now covered in graffiti and can be visited, sometimes with guided tours; admission is charged and hours vary: check the official website before you go. The hill is in the Grunewald forest: bring walking shoes and allow for a short walk from the nearest S-Bahn station.
Spreepark, the abandoned amusement park
Spreepark, in Plänterwald in south-east Berlin, is a former East German amusement park that lay abandoned after the 2000s, its roller coaster and Ferris wheel standing still. It has been redeveloped as a leisure and nature park, keeping some of its structures. Check access conditions and guided tours on the official website before you come. It combines easily with neighbouring Treptower Park, on the Spree.
Ghost stations and remains of the Wall
While the city was divided, West Berlin metro lines ran through East Berlin without stopping: the closed stations were nicknamed "ghost stations" (Geisterbahnhöfe). At Nordbahnhof station, a permanent exhibition tells this story. It is right next to the Berlin Wall Memorial, which our itinerary in the footsteps of the Wall explores in detail.
Cemeteries, an airfield and other surprises
Several places of memory are best visited quietly. The Dorotheenstadt cemetery in Mitte holds the graves of figures such as Bertolt Brecht and Hegel; you can walk there free of charge in a peaceful setting. The former Tempelhof airport, now one of the city's largest parks, lets you walk and cycle on the old runways: see Tempelhofer Feld. For lesser-known museums, add the Charité medical history museum, the spy museum or the Stasi museum.
Practical tips
- Book guided tours of bunkers and places closed to the public: places are limited.
- Dress for it: bunkers are cool in every season, and outdoor sites call for good shoes.
- Plan by district: pairing two nearby places saves hours of travel (see our guide to getting around Berlin).
- For more ideas, read Berlin at night and our free things to do in Berlin.
