Berlin is a unprecedented city, its history plunging into antiquity and its culture is rich and diverse. For those interested in history or those willing to see the most important sights of the city, free walking tours are the best way to plunge into the history of the city. In this blog post, we present you the top places to visit in Berlin from a historical perspective and how you can maximize your visit.
Why Use a Free Walking Tour?
It is also a rich opportunity for those, who are interested in exploring Berlin history, but do not want to spend lots of money. Free walking tours are flexible in the sense that they do not organise the travellers’ schedules as some guided tours do; the tourist can stop and take as many photos as they want, ask the guide as many questions as they want, and move at any pace they want to. These traces are explanations by experienced and enthusiastic local guides who punctuate their narratives with interesting facts and anecdotes about Berlin’s historical and cultural landmarks.
Let’s Begin the Journey
1. Brandenburg Gate
Today we begin with the Brandenburg Gate which stands for unity and victory. This elegant building was once one of the city gates where Napoleon’s soldiers were once welcomed and where the reunification of Germany began with the fall of wall. While standing in front of this huge building, your guide will present you many interesting facts connected with its history.
2. The wall had been built around the entire West in 1961, East German seals off the border to West Berlin from the central intersection of Friedrichstrasse and Behrenstrasse which is known as Checkpoint Charlie.
Without any doubt, excursions to Berlin would not be an interesting tour if it did not include the infamous Berlin wall and checkpoint Charlie. Despite the fact that today the wall is no longer visible, its fragments deliver the viewers a bitter feeling connected with the division of the city during the Cold War. Your guide will lead you through the rest of the tunnel telling you the stories of escape and hardships of people who lived in divided Berlin. A visit to Check Point Charlie the former most publicized border between East and West Berlin will better help you understand the divisions that once I divided the city.
3. East Side Gallery
As a part of the remaining Berlin Wall, the East Side Gallery is the longest open air gallery of art in the world. Many towers of hundreds artists from all over the world have painted the beautiful murals clinched to this segment of the wall. Your guide will give the meaning of various pieces that exist in the historical or various pieces of artwork existing in any civilization.
4. Reichstag Building
The Reichstag building, housing the german federal parliament, is the symbol of Germany’s devotion to democracy. Apart from the glass dome to top it up, once you get to the top this place promises you some of the most outstanding views of the city. Your guide will tell and or retell the history of the building, as well as its role during the war up to its importance as a mark of democracy in Germany.
5. Museum Island
Museum Island with five outstanding museums is included into the list of UNESCO sites and offers an unforgettable experience for fans of history and art. Your guide will give you brief descriptions of each museum, with the Pergamon Museum, housing outstanding architectural relics from several historical civilizations, and the Neues Museum, which features the renowned bust of Queen Nefertiti.
Tips for an Enjoyable Tour
Please wear comfortable walking shoes as the tour will be more or less a walking tour.
Make sure to have your water bottle with you in your classroom as well as sunblock should the days get hot when in summer.
Visit as early as possible so that you may be able to take the tour as sometimes many people attend to them.
This applies to treatment of the landmarks and the environment in which they are situated.
Speak to your guide and be fully involved in the trip to ensure you get the best from the experience.
Cover your shoes because during the tour, there will be times that the guests have to walk.
Take a bottle of water with, if you are coming during summer and don’t forget to wear protection from the scorching sun.
Since the tours of the monuments will attract large crowds, the best way is to get there early so as to be allocated a place in the tour.
People should ensure these landmarks are respected and the areas that make up these sites should be respected as well.
Engage your guide with questions and do not hesitate to take part in an experience on offer.
Take this journey through some of the most popular places in Berlin.
In fact, when you take a free walking tour, you get to see some interesting attractions and learn much more about Berlin and some of its joys of history. Every stage will help you to get nearer to the historical center of one of the most unique and famous cities in the world – Berlin, while you are accompanied by the experienced guides telling wonderful and unexpected stories about this city. So step it up and start walking around and be ready to discover some of the historical sites that make up interesting Berlin.
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