Where to stay

Many visitors to Berlin make their first stop a visit to the Berlin Wall. Book a hotel in Friedrichshain to be close to the East Side Gallery, an open-air attraction featuring remains of the wall painted with murals. Once a main barrier between East and West Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie is now surrounded by hotels, restaurants and other historic sites in the Kreuzberg neighborhood. Stay in Mitte, the Berlin City Centre, where history covers many ages, from the 18th-century Prussian Brandenburg Gate to Alexanderplatz, an ancient trading spot that became the Russian-controlled government center. Prenzlauer Berg is another great place to stay to view hundreds of historic buildings, many carefully preserved and repurposed to hold boutiques and cafés. Stay in Lichtenberg, where the Stasi Museum offers reminders of the conditions in the former GDR after World War II.

With more than 170 museums and art galleries spread across Berlin's neighborhoods, hotels in any district are likely to be close to interesting cultural sites. Stay in Mitte along Friedrichstrasse near the River Spree to spend days exploring Museum Island, where five world-class museums hold art and architecture from ancient Etruscan and Greco-Roman pottery and sculpture to old masters. On this UNESCO-protected island, the dome of the majestic Berlin Cathedral Church is a good reference point when navigating the city. To the west, Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf are great places to book a hotel to explore the Charlottenburg Palace and Park as well as several museums showcasing varied art styles from art nouveau to romanticism to surrealism. Consider purchasing one of the city's special passes to get discounts on Berlin's cultural attractions.

Some call Berlin the club capital of Europe. Stay in Schoeneberg to enjoy lively cafés and clubs, including many welcoming the LGBTQ community. For techno sounds find accommodations along Oranienburgerstrasse and party into the early morning. On the more classical side, hotels in the Tiergarten neighborhood are convenient for enjoying a night out at the symphony or theater. Book a hotel along Kurfürstendamm to browse stores until early evening and then eat and drink at one of the stylish bars and restaurants along Berlin's favorite shopping street.

Berlin is known for several large parks. Book a hotel in Tempelhof, where the Tempelhofer Feld, once a parade ground and later an airport, is now a huge public park. It's great for biking, rollerblading, flying kites and having family picnics. Stay in one of the neighborhoods surrounding the Tiergarten to cycle or stroll on its shaded paths or sunbathe along the shores of its lake. Just off the Unter den Linden street leading to Brandenburg Gate, the open-air Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe provides an opportunity to stroll through its maze like construction and reflect on Germany's conflicted history. Away from the busy city center, Neukoelln offers a peaceful place to stay to enjoy the flowers and playgrounds of Britzer Garten Park. For easy access to boat tours that cruise through Berlin's waterways, find a place in Wannsee. Only 30 minutes by public transportation from central Berlin, this neighborhood has a huge beach area by a lake and is also right near the city of Potsdam, home of the magnificent Sanssouci Palace.