Berlin is still among the best-value cities in Europe but, those euros can begin to include up after days of museum-hopping and nights of clubbing. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stretch your financial allowance further by experiencing some top freebie attractions.
1. The Reichstag dome
The Reichstag is home to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, and a free lift ride to the roof terrace offers spectacular views over Berlin and close-ups from the glass dome, designed by Norman Foster. Get a totally free audio guide and learn about surrounding sights, the building and also the workings of the parliament while moseying in the dome's spiralling ramp. Book well in advance or hope for no-shows at the time of your visit.
2. East Side Gallery
A colorful memorial to freedom, the East Side Gallery sits across the Spree River and is a long remaining section of the Berlin Wall. Soon after its fall in November 1989, more than 100 artists from all over the world turned it into an open-air gallery covered in declarations of peace and other, often politically minded murals.
3. Museum Island
Museum Island is complex of 5 museums – Pergamonmuseum, Bode-Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie and Altes Museum – that collectively enjoy Unesco World Heritage status. While you'll need to pay entry to peruse artefacts within, strolling the island to take in the magnificent architecture costs you nothing.
4. City panoramas
For the price of a glass or two, rooftop bar Klunkerkranich sits atop a multi-storey car park in Neuk”olln, offering beautiful views and delicious refreshments. For a more idyllic setting, take a walk up the hill at Viktoriapark and enjoy a sprawling view from atop the peaceful waterfall, or make the trek out to Teufelsberg, a man-made hill made of the rubble leftover from WWII which was utilized by the Americans like a Cold War listening post.
5. Hackescher H”ofe
A charismatic warren of eight beautifully restored courtyards in central Mitte, the Hackescher H”ofe is the perfect place for an afternoon coffee, perusing indie Berlin fashion and design, taking several Instagram pics using the eclectic street art.
6. Berlin's comedy scene
The stand-up comedy scene in Berlin has exploded recently. While many shows are relatively cheap, some open mic nights are simply nearly as good with a donation-only cover charge, so you can pay whatever you want. Take a look at beloved stand-up hubs like Bar Inside a Jar or Comedy Café to see what's on offer.
7. The 100 bus
Many of Berlin's guided bus tours are affordable, but to save a few pennies you are able to go ahead and take trusty 100 bus, that is included in regular transit tickets and travels through many of the key sites and attractions such as the Siegess”aule, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Zoologischer Garten, and Alexanderplatz.
8. Free walking tours
To get some insight around the city in the experts, many free walking tours can be found focusing on specific districts, interesting areas of the city's history, or Berlin's iconic street art scene. The tours are free, but it's likely to provide a tip to the guide if you enjoyed the knowledge.
9. Picnic in a park
In summer Berliners flock to their favorite parks to tan, picnic and knock back several beers. The Tiergarten is the sprawling central city park with lots of paths, ponds and romantic corners. For something unconventional, head to Tempelhofer Feld, an old airport turned public park. Grab a disposable BBQ and grill your bratwursts next to the former runway. Mauerpark, which was forged from the area once dividing the two Berlins, is yet another popular hangout, especially on Sundays when a flea market and outdoor karaoke start action. Be prepared for a capacity crowd cramming to the bleachers of an outdoor amphitheater to cheer and clap for that brave singing souls performing within the "pit".
10. Food markets
Check out what gets cooked up in local kitchens if you take in the gourmet delights at a farmers market. Among the best is artisanal Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg, on Thursdays and Saturdays. The colorful Turkish Market is held on Tuesday and Friday across the canal in Kreuzberg. Nearby, Markthalle Neun is really a historic market hall that hosts produce vendors on Fridays and Saturdays but is most fun on Thursday evenings when fashionable foodies invade for a celebration of international street food.
11. Street art
Berlin is one of the world's street art capitals with lots of international players having left their mark on local facades, including Blu, Pure Evil, ROA, JR and Os Gemeos alongside local talent like El Bocho and Alias. Keep an eye out as you walk around, particularly in eastern Kreuzberg, around Boxhagener Platz and the RAW Gel”ande in Friedrichshain, Kastanienallee in Prenzlauer Berg and Haus Schwarzenberg in Mitte.
12. Topographie des Terrors
Right where once stood the most feared government institutions of Nazi Germany, such as the Gestapo headquarters, the Topographie des Terrors exhibit documents the horrific chronology from the Third Reich. From spring to autumn, outdoor panels highlight how daily life changed for Berliners following the Nazi takeover.
13. Sachsenhausen
The horrors of the Third Reich become very real when travelling the Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial, one of the first Nazi-built concentration camps on German soil. The most sobering stop is Station Z using its execution trench, crematorium and gas chamber.
14. Berlin Wall Memorial
Germany's central memorial towards the victims of the Berlin Wall, the Gedenkst”atte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) stretches for 1 mile (1.4km) along Bernauer Strasse, across the actual course of the Wall. This is actually the best spot to understand how all the elements of the hated barrier and "death strip" fit together, how the border fortifications were enlarged and perfected with time, and just what impact they had on the daily lives of people on both sides.
15. Checkpoint Charlie
Although Checkpoint Charlie has mostly degenerated right into a tourist trap, will still be an important place to visit. The main gateway for foreigners and diplomats between the two Berlins, it was here in which the world stood on the point of WWIII when US and Soviet tanks faced off in 1961. A free outdoor exhibit chronicles milestones in Cold War history.
16. Brandenburg Gate
Berlin's most iconic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate, was erected in 1791 as the royal city gate, but spent the Cold War years abutting the Berlin Wall and therefore becoming a indication of the divided nation. Crowned by an elaborate sculpture of the winged goddess of victory piloting a chariot, it now can serve as an potent symbol of German reunification.
17. Holocaust Memorial
The football-field-sized Holocaust Memorial, also referred to as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, is situated between Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. It's made up of 2710 concrete stelae of even width and length, varying only tall. You're liberated to walk your personal route included in this, noticing the way the ground rises and dips along the way. Go to the Ort der Information directly underneath the memorial, which documents the fates of some of the families and people who lost their lives.
18. Schlachtensee
On a warm day, join locals and hop on a train, lugging your swimsuit along with a six-pack of beer, to cool off at a nearby lake. Schlachtensee lies on the fringes from the Grunewald Forest, 30 minutes from the city, with clear water and lots of picnic spots. Just behind the Tegel airport is the beautiful Tegeler See, with its steamboat cruises and row boats services.
19. Clubbing
While many of the nightclubs in Berlin's iconic music scene charge an entry fee, just a little digging can provide several free choices for the budget music fiend. Dunckerclub and Süss war Gestern are normal haunts for dancing on a shoestring.
20. Berliner Dom
Stand in awe from the lavish outside of an italian man , Renaissance-style former royal court church, the Berliner Dom. The inside brims with artworks but admission is just free during services.
Some more tips to save money in Berlin:
- Check out popular hostels such as the Circus Hostel, or look for short-term apartments in cheaper neighborhoods like Moabit, Wedding or Weissensee.
- A steal for culture vultures, the Museumspass Berlin buys admission to the permanent exhibits of over 30 museums for three consecutive days. It is from EUR29 (concession EUR14.50) and is sold at tourist offices and participating museums.
- Shop at discount supermarkets like Aldi, Penny, Netto or Lidl for affordable groceries (as well as beer!) to cook at the apartment or hostel.
- Head to Thai Park for fun on saturday for affordable but delectable Asian food along with a burst of culture.
- Rock up to among the city's many brunch buffets on Sunday for a perfect all-you-can-eat hangover breakfast. Our favorites are at Südblock and Pasternak.
- Berlin's trains and buses system offers a lot of cheap options which are valid across trams, buses, trains and ferries, from the EUR8.2 month ticket towards the EUR34 7-day ticket. Welcome Cards offer countless reduced prices for tourists, and also the monthly 10-Uhr-karte offers a lower cost only allows travel after 10am.
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Highlights of Berlin
How to spend a perfect weekend in Berlin
The 8 best excursions from Berlin
Article first published in September 2013, and last updated in November 2022.
