Berlin
Germany's capital, known for Cold War history, major museums, fine dining and nightlife across its 12 boroughs.
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Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city, in the northeast of the country. It is also one of Germany's 16 states, and it is completely surrounded by Brandenburg. The city is best known for its 20th-century history: the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and the East Side Gallery, the largest surviving stretch of the Berlin Wall, covered in murals. Museum Island holds five museums built between 1830 and 1930.
Berlin suits a trip of three to four days for travelers who want history, museums, food and nightlife in one city. Each of its 12 boroughs has its own neighborhoods, so the district you stay in shapes the trip. Summers are warm and sometimes humid, with highs of 22 to 25 °C, while winters are cold and snow falls mainly from December to March. Late spring through early autumn is the easiest season for walking the city.
Berlin in five
- Train from BERThe airport express and regional trains reach the Hauptbahnhof in about 30 minutes. You need an ABC zone ticket.
- Register for the Reichstag domeEntry is free, but you must register online in advance.
- Buy a museum pass for Museum IslandThe three-day Museum Pass Berlin pays off if you plan several museums.
- Carry some cashMany bars and corner shops still prefer it.
- Visit the Berlin Wall MemorialThe open-air memorial on Bernauer Strasse is free and shows the border strip, a watchtower and a documentation center. The East Side Gallery is a long painted stretch by the river.
Things to do in Berlin
See all attractions in Berlin
Need to know
- Airport
- BER, about 30 min to the Hauptbahnhof
- Getting around
- U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams; AB zones for the city, ABC for the airport
- Best base
- Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg
- Emergency
- 112, or 110 police
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh4°Low0°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 58 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Cold, bright daysFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, bright days
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Chilly, bare treesMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 43 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Chilly, bare trees
- AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh14°Low5°Spring, parksAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 32 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, parks
- MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh19°Low10°Lilacs, terracesMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 44 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Lilacs, terraces
- JunePartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh25°Low15°Long light, lakesJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long light, lakes
- JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Warm, lake daysJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, lake days
- AugustPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Warm, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Mild, clearSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 41 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Autumn colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 54 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh9°Low4°Gray, dark earlyNovemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 44 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Gray, dark early
- DecemberCloudy12 rainy daysHigh5°Low2°Markets, coldDecemberCloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 51 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Markets, cold
Average daily high and low in Berlin, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jan transmediale · Feb transmediale · May Berliner Theatertreffen · Jul Lesbian and Gay City Festival · Aug Berlin Atonal · Sep Berlin International Literature Festival · Oct JazzFest Berlin · Nov JazzFest Berlin
Right now in Berlin
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 57%
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 3%
Berlin
08:52 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today10°5°3%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Wed10°5°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°3°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri7°3°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat7°2°0%Saturday: Fog. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun5°0°5%Sunday: Fog. High 5°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 5%.
Updated 08:08 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
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Every year
- Jan–FebtransmedialeBerlin
- MayBerliner TheatertreffenBerlin
- JulLesbian and Gay City FestivalBerlin
- AugBerlin AtonalBerlin
- SepBerlin International Literature FestivalBerlin
- Oct–NovJazzFest BerlinBerlin
Day trips by train
- Potsdamabout 30 to 45 minutes by trainSanssouci park and palaces on the Havel lakes.Read the guide
- Dresdenabout 2 hours by trainThe rebuilt Altstadt and Zwinger by the Elbe; better with a night.Read the guide
- Spreewaldabout 1 to 1.5 hours by regional trainCanals and punt boats in a forest of waterways southeast of the city.Read the guide
Before you go to Berlin
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Rules for Berlin, checked
- Germany is in the Schengen area. Check the Federal Foreign Office website for whether your passport needs a visa before you travel.Source
- Taking a bike on S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams or night buses needs a separate bike ticket.Source
- Validate your ticket in the machine on U-Bahn and S-Bahn platforms, or on board buses and trams, before you travel.
Plan around Berlin
Cities, rail, entry rules and money
Read the guidePotsdamPalaces and parks, a short train ride out
Read the guideDresdenRebuilt old town about 2 hours south by train
Read the guideHamburgThe other big northern city, about 1 hour 45 by ICE
Read the guideEES at the German borderWhat registration involves on arrival
Read the guideTrains, buses and carsGetting around Germany beyond the ICE
Read the guideBerlin FAQ
How many days do you need in Berlin?
Three days cover Museum Island, the Wall memorial, the Reichstag dome and one district evening. A fourth day adds a trip to Potsdam.
Which area is best to stay in Berlin?
Mitte for first visits and museums, Prenzlauer Berg for quiet streets and cafés, Kreuzberg for food and nightlife, and Charlottenburg for the west and easy regional trains.
How do I get from BER to central Berlin?
Take the airport express or an S-Bahn to the Hauptbahnhof in about 30 minutes. Buy an ABC zone ticket, because the airport lies outside the AB zones.
Do I need to book the Reichstag dome?
Yes. Entry is free, but you must register online in advance and bring photo ID on the day. Slots fill quickly in summer.
Is the Museum Pass Berlin worth it?
It pays off if you plan several big museums over three days. For one or two visits single tickets cost less, so check which sites the pass includes before you buy.