The viewpoints to remember
- The most complete: the TV tower, at 203 metres, for the 360° view over all of Berlin.
- The best free one: the Reichstag dome, by registration.
- The best for photos: the Victory Column, facing the axis of the Brandenburg Gate.
- The most original: Teufelsberg, for the view over the forest and the radomes.
In the centre
The Alexanderplatz TV tower
The platform is at 203 metres. The Standard ticket costs from €20 online and the price varies by time slot; it is higher at the box office. Entry is only possible during the booked slot, and the visit to the platform is limited to 45 minutes. Book online, several days ahead at weekends. The tower is open daily until 11pm: an end-of-day slot lets you see the city in the evening light, then lit up. All the details are in our page on the Berlin TV tower.
The Reichstag dome
The visit is free but requires prior online registration on the Bundestag website, with photo ID from age 16. Entries take place every quarter of an hour; the last is at 9:45pm. The spiral ramp climbs inside the glass dome, with a view over the government district, the Spree and the Tiergarten. Choose a slot close to sunset. The dome sometimes closes for maintenance: check the dates (it is closed from 19 to 30 October 2026, while the roof terrace remains accessible). See the Reichstag page.
The Humboldt Forum
The roof terrace of the Humboldt Forum costs €3 and is booked by time slot on the museum's ticket office. It looks over Museum Island, the cathedral and the TV tower. The Humboldt Forum is closed on Tuesdays.
Berlin Cathedral
The Berlin Cathedral sells a €15 ticket that includes the climb to its dome gallery: you see Museum Island up close and the Fernsehturm across the Spree. This is the one to pick if you also want to visit the church and its crypt. On Sundays it only opens at noon.
The Panoramapunkt on Potsdamer Platz
The Panoramapunkt, in the Kollhoff tower, costs €9 and is open daily from 10am to 7pm (last ascent 6:30pm). The lift takes 20 seconds to reach the 24th floor, where an unglazed terrace looks over the Tiergarten, the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate.
In the Tiergarten
The Victory Column
The platform of the Victory Column is at about 51 metres, reached by a staircase of 285 steps, with no lift. The ticket costs €4.50 and is paid in cash only, at the box office at the foot of the column. The view runs straight east, along the Straße des 17. Juni, to the Brandenburg Gate, with the TV tower on the horizon: it is the best view for photos. The platform opens at 9:30am; in winter it closes at 5:30pm. See the Victory Column page.
Outside the centre
Teufelsberg
The rubble hill in western Berlin offers a 360° panorama above the Grunewald forest, from the roofs of the former American listening station. Admission costs €12; last entry is one hour before closing, at 7pm in October and 4:30pm in November and December. Allow half an hour's walk from Heerstraße or Grunewald stations. More details on our Teufelsberg page.
The Grunewaldturm
The 55-metre brick tower on the Havel has a platform at 36 metres, reached by 204 steps. The view takes in the forest, the Havel and the Wannsee. Entry is paid, a few euros: check the price. See the Grunewald forest.
Tempelhofer Feld
There is no lookout, but Berlin's largest open space offers an unobstructed horizon, especially at sunset, and the terrace of the THF Tower lets you see the field from above (entry €5, check the dates). See the Tempelhofer Feld page.
Viktoriapark
The hill of Viktoriapark, in Kreuzberg, is a free lookout over the south of the city, beside its cast-iron monument and its waterfall. See our Viktoriapark page. Roof terraces and rooftop bars, often free to enter but with a minimum spend, are gathered in our guide to Berlin's rooftops.
Comparison table
| Viewpoint | Height | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV tower | 203 m | From €20 | Online slot recommended |
| Reichstag dome | Roof of the building | Free | Registration required |
| Victory Column | About 51 m | €4.50 (cash) | No |
| Panoramapunkt | 24th floor | €9 | No |
| Humboldt Forum, terrace | Roof | €3 | Slot recommended |
| Berlin Cathedral | Dome gallery | €15 | No |
| Teufelsberg | Hill of about 120 m | €12 | Online or on site |
| Grunewaldturm | 36 m | A few euros | No |
| Viktoriapark | Hill | Free | No |
When to go
- At sunset: the Reichstag dome and Teufelsberg have the best light, but book the dome in advance.
- On a small budget: the Reichstag dome, Viktoriapark and Tempelhofer Feld cost little or nothing.
- If it rains or the sky is low: skip the platforms; the view is hidden. See our guide on what to do in Berlin when it rains.
A route linking three viewpoints in a day
Start at the opening of the Victory Column (9:30am), then walk through the Tiergarten to the Brandenburg Gate. Go up the TV tower in the middle of the day (S-Bahn to Alexanderplatz), and finish with the Reichstag dome at sunset. For more photo ideas, see our best photo spots in Berlin and our Berlin in 4 days programme.
