Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin

Gain an in-depth insight into the contemporary history of Berlin on a guided walking tour of historical sights. Choose from a group or private walking tour and discover notable landmarks such as the German House of Parliament, the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, and Checkpoint Charlie. Meet your guide in front of the Brandenburg Gate, the site of many changes in 20th-century Berlin. Learn about the chaotic days of the Second World War and hear how the gate came to be a symbol of reunification in Germany after 1989.  Hear the story of the curious Reichstag Fire of 1933 as you pass the German House of Parliament. Delve deep into the events that took place after the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1933, and what happened to the building since the fall of the wall in 1989. Continue your tour by heading to the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, where you’ll have the chance to examine some examples of Soviet military hardware. Walk to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a poignant dedication to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. See the site of Hitler’s Bunker and then make your way to Hermann Göring's enormous Ministry of Aviation building at the Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus, which was the site where the GDR (East Germany) was founded in 1949. Then, see the former headquarters of the notorious SS and Gestapo. Contemplate life on both sides of the Berlin Wall while gathering around a 200-meter-long stretch of the former barrier. Despite the wall falling 30 years ago, standing here allows you to absorb the still palpable history of the city. Round off the walk with a stop at Checkpoint Charlie, where your guide will finish the tour with anecdotes about the infamous American versus Soviet tank standoff and the final hours before the wall fell, leading to the reunification of Germany.

Explore Berlin and learn about the city’s history and sights via audio commentary, available in several languages. Experience the beauty of the forests, parks, gardens, rivers, and lakes that cover nearly a third of the city. This city has witnessed many groundbreaking historical events. See the corresponding sites, as well as the city's most famous streets and squares, with your ticket for this hop-on hop-off tour. The Classic Route gives you the chance to see all the main sights of the city, including the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the East Side Gallery, to name just a few. The Trendy East Berlin & Wall Route gives you the chance to explore Rotes Rathaus, Oranienburger Strabe, East Side Gallery and much more! Classic Tour Stops: 1) Tautzienstrasse 2) KaDeWe 3) Lutzowplatz 4) Potsdamer Platz / Hist. Ampel 5) Gropiusbau 6) Checkpoint Charlie 7) Gendarmenmarkt 8) Neptunbrunnen 9) Alexanderplatz 10) Lustgarten 11) Unter den Linden / Friedrichstrabe 12) Brandenburger Tor 13) Reichstag 14) Hauptbahnhof 15) Siegessaule 16) Zoo / Elefantentor 17) Cafe Kranzler 18) Kurfurstendamm 236 Trendy East Berlin & Wall Tour 1) Rotes Rathaus (Neptune Fountain) 2) Oranienburger Strabe / Krausnickstrasse 3) Bernauer Strabe (Cafe Bar Central) 4) Mauerpark, Bernauer Strabe 45 5) Park Inn Hotel, Alexanderplatz 7 6) Karl-Marx-Allee (Computerspielemuseum) 7) East Side Gallery (Mercedes-Benz Arena) 8) Ostbahnhof (Intercity Hotel) Choose the Tour of Lights bus tour to enjoy the city's annual light festival and enjoy a tour aboard an open-top bus with live commentary.

Explore Berlin's top sights on a convenient hop-on hop-off bus ticket. Listen to facinating stories about the city with live commentary. Have the freedom to jump on or off throughout the validity of your ticket. Visit top areas like Tiergarten, Gendarmenmarkt, and Potsdamer. One of the stops is the historically significant Potsdamer Platz. In the 1930s, it was one of the most public squares in Berlin. After the Second World War, this was no man’s land, where the Berlin Wall divided the city. Today, seeing the vibrant life and the newly erected towers reminiscent of New York’s urban canyons, you will hardly believe that for years there was nothing here other than the Berlin Wall, spring-guns and GDR soldiers. Also, the Legoland Discovery Center is on Potsdamer Platz. From there, continue to Berlin’s other important historical sites. In the Niederkirchner Straße you can find the city parliament, the Martin-Gropius-Bau, a museum with changing exhibitions, the Topography of Terror, which exhibits the history of the Nazis and of the Jews’ suffering under the Nazis, as well as the Ministry of Finance, which was once the Nazi Ministry of Aviation. After the Gendarmenmarkt it’s on to Alexanderplatz and the TV Tower. The stop for these sights is the Neptune Fountain. This used to be the Berlin City Palace. Here you will also have the opportunity to go shopping. The next stop is Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, in front of the Radisson Hotel. From here you can transfer on to a boat if you wish to experience Berlin by boat as well as bus. From here you can also admire the golden dome of the New Synagogue on Oranienburger Straße. The “Hackeschen Höfe” are only a few minutes away. Next you'll go over the glamorous street Unter den Linden to the Museum Island, Bebelplatz, Humboldt University and to the stops Unter den Linden 36 (Friedrichstrasse) at ZDF Capital City Studios and Unter den Linden 74, where one of Berlin’s most important attractions is located: Madame Tussauds Berlin. From here the ride continues to the Brandenburg Gate. On the way you will see the UK, Russia, France and US embassies, followed by the Holocaust Memorial. The stop there is at Platz des 18. März. The road leads on past the Reichstag and the government district. You will soon reach the new Hauptbahnhof. From here you have the world-famous view of the German Chancellery, the Reichstag and – as a special surprise – Berlin’s “Fujiyama”. Finally you will cross Berlin’s ‘green lung’, the Tiergarten. This park is bigger than New York’s Central Park. The tour then brings you past the Congress Hall to the stop at Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the President of Germany. From here you can also see the Siegessäule with the golden Victoria statue at the top.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Berlin with a flexible Hop On - Hop Off bus tour. Dive into the heart of the city at your leisure on our panoramic sightseeing buses uncovering the treasures of Berlin’s landmarks such as the Museum Island, the Berlin Palace, the iconic Ku'Damm, and witness the historic remnants of a divided city at Checkpoint Charlie. These comprehensive bus routes cover the entire city, offering you the opportunity to visit landmarks like the majestic Brandenburg Gate or the Reichstag with its stunning glass dome. Delve deeper into the city’s secrets and culture with the Essential and Explore options that include a delicious CurryWurst (Sausage with CurrySauce) and the incomparable 1.5-hour Walking Tour focused on the Third Reich. Explore Tickets include as well an amazing Evening Tour that tours past the remnants of the Berlin Wall and shows you the vibrant districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg. You can also top up your adventure by choosing options with the 1-hour boat tour along the Spree river. The stops for the bus tours are: Red Line (Bus) • Alexanderplatz • Rotes Rathaus • Museum Island • Friedrichstrasse • Brandenburger Tor • Reichstag • Hauptbahnhof • Haus der Kulturen der Welt • Bellevue Palace • Siegessäule (Victory Column) • Kurfürstendamm • KaDeWe • Lützowplatz • Kulturforum • Potsdamer Platz • Remnants of the Berlin Wall • Checkpoint Charlie • Gendarmenmarkt Blue Line (Bus) • Alexanderplatz • Frankfurter Allee • East Side Gallery • Ostbahnhof

The Berlin WelcomeCard, available as a 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6-day option, offers a great, cost-effective means to explore the city in-depth. Travel on public transport in fare zones Berlin ABC and receive exclusive discounts of up to 50% with many participating partners. Whether you're taking a city tour or visiting a museum, theater, or restaurant, when you use the Berlin WelcomeCard, you can see all Berlin has to offer at an amazing price. You'll also receive a pocket-size travel guide with lots of tour suggestions and insider tips. Each WelcomeCard includes free transport for up to 3 children between 6 and 14 years old. Children under the age of 6 generally travel for free. Enjoy discounted rates for the following activities and attractions: • Sightseeing tours • Guided city tours • Bike tours • Boat rides • Various attractions • Museums • Theater/stage performances • Palaces • Restaurants & bars  • Shopping & souvenirs • Fun, sport & relax Visit sights and attractions, such as the following: • Berlin Dungeon • Olympiastadion Berlin (Olympic Stadium) • Berlin Dom  • German Spy Museum • Madame Tussauds Berlin • Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin • Tierpark Berlin • Anne Frank Center • Charlottenburg Palace • Comedy tour Berlin • German Opera • Friedrichstadt-Palast • TimeRide Berlin • TV Tower • Botanical Garden • German Historical Museum, German Museum of Technology • Asisi Panorama „Die Mauer“ • Panoramapunkt • DDR Museum • Fork & Walk Tours Berlin • and many more! And of course, you should not miss the following free sights and locations when visiting Berlin: • Brandenburg Gate & Unter den Linden • Reichstag & German Parliament (pre-booking required) • Checkpoint Charlie • East Side Gallery • Gendarmenmarkt • Kurfürstendamm • Potsdamer Platz & Alexanderplatz • Berlin Wall Memorial

See historic Berlin on a walking tour through the city's most significant places. Take an informative, thought-provoking journey that brings the history of Berlin alive. Cover all of Berlin's main sights, from the Berlin Wall to the site of Hitler's bunker. Visit the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Cathedral, Palace Square, and much more. Choose to take either a shorter or longer tour with a private guide to fit your schedule. Your guide’s superb story-telling skills will weave the themes of Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War and 21st-Century Berlin into a detailed narrative, stretching from Berlin’s swampy origins in medieval times. Hear tales about controversies over the design of the memorial, to the tragic story of the murdered Jews of Europe. Along the way, meet characters who have left their imprint on the city, including Albert Einstein, Marlene Dietrich, and JFK. Stand above the spot where Hitler took his life in April 1945, and see where daring escapes took place across the Berlin Wall before its momentous fall in 1989.

The museum was founded on October 19th, 1962, shortly after the construction of the Berlin Wall, as a protest against the Wall and to provide assistance to the people seeking help. The Berlin Wall Museum was formed with the purpose of fighting against human rights violations as a result of the wall. Gradually the museum increased its exhibition space and contributed to the fall of the Wall. The museum had a vital role in history and the objects on display in the museum provide evidence of this. They are original artifacts from successful escapes such as a hot-air balloon, a mini-submarine, cars and airplanes. People helping East Germans to flee used the museum as a base from which they planned the escapes and organized resistance to the unjust GDR regime. After escaping, the refugees and their helpers donated their various means of conveyance and other objects to the museum. 

Make the most of Berlin’s top sights and transport connections with a Berlin WelcomeCard (AB). It’s the perfect way to travel, especially if you’re staying in the inner city of Berlin. Journey through the city between transport zones A to B in a cost-effective and stress-free manner. Valid for between 48-hours right up to 6 days, the Berlin WelcomeCard is one of the most flexible all-in-one access cards available. You'll also be given a pocket-size travel guide with lots of tour suggestions and insider tips.  Choose from many participating partner attractions, including Madame Tussauds and the TV Tower and receive exclusive discounts of up to 50%. From theaters and museums to city tours and restaurants, the card lets you experience Berlin’s cultural highlights at amazing prices. Each WelcomeCard includes free transport for up to 3 children between 6 and 14 years old and children under the age of 6 generally travel for free. You can also enjoy discounted rates for the following activities and attractions:     • Sightseeing tours • Guided city tours • Bike tours • Boat rides • Various attractions • Museums • Theater/stage performances • Palaces • Restaurants & bars  • Shopping & souvenirs • Fun, sport & relax Visit sights and attractions, such as the following: • AquaDom & SEA LIFE Berlin • Berlin Dungeon • Olympiastadion Berlin (Olympic Stadium) • Berlin Dom  • German Spy Museum • Madame Tussauds Berlin • Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin • Tierpark Berlin • Anne Frank Center • Charlottenburg Palace • Comedy tour Berlin • German Opera • Friedrichstadt-Palast • TimeRide Berlin • TV Tower • Botanical Garden • German Historical Museum, German Museum of Technology • Asisi Panorama „Die Mauer“ • Panoramapunkt • DDR Museum • Fork & Walk Tours Berlin • and many more! And of course, you should not miss the following free sights and locations when visiting Berlin: • Brandenburg Gate & Unter den Linden • Reichstag & German Parliament (pre-booking required) • Checkpoint Charlie • East Side Gallery • Gendarmenmarkt • Kurfürstendamm • Potsdamer Platz & Alexanderplatz • Berlin Wall Memorial

No need to queue: just jump into your very own Trabant and chug away through Berlin. Join your fellow cardboard-comrades in convoy, and see the capital like you've never seen it before during this Trabi Safari. After a short introduction to the mysteries of the two-stroke engine and manual gearbox, your adventure can begin. Take a trundle back in time, in your much-loved vehicle, over the cobblestones of Berlin. After your second hair-raising corner, you'll have caught the Trabi-fever, and never want to get out again. Though all good things must come to an end, you'll get your very own Trabant driver's license as a souvenir of this unique experience. Pass by popular Berlin sights during your tour, including Potsdamer Platz, the Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, the Berlin Cathedral, the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall), the TV Tower, East Side Gallery, the Oberbaum Bridge, and Checkpoint Charlie. Tip: Why not follow up your tour with a trip to the Trabi Museum at Trabi World.

The new Berlin World Balloon is as unique as the city itself and one of the largest helium balloons in the world. The World Balloon has become something of a second icon of Berlin and draws countless visitors each day. Ascend to a height of 150 meters in total silence in a gondola secured by an extremely strong steel cable. Hover over Berlin from this height and enjoy an unobstructed view in every direction. Exactly in the center of Berlin, the World Balloon floats above Checkpoint Charlie, the buildings around the Axel Springer building, the Sony Center and the Brandenburg Gate. Get a unique look at historic Berlin and an incredible view of the new heart of Europe. On warm summer weekends, you can enjoy the beautifully-lit skyline of the capital after dinner with family and friends.