Berlin on a Budget – Top 5 Free Attractions to Visit

Berlin is a fantastic city full of vibrancy, history and culture. However, not everyone has the budget to match everything that Berlin offers. Luckily Berlin is a city that can suit the budgets of any traveller, no matter how small. Here are some recommendations of free sites to visit that will leave you feeling like YOU had the true Berlin experience with enough money left over to buy yourself a bratwurst and a local beer.

The Reichstag Building

The Reichstag building is the official seat of the German Parliament. The building has played a major part in German history, particularly when it was almost destroyed in a suspicious fire in 1933.  It was redeveloped by the famous architect Norman Foster in the 1990s and now features a speculator glass dome constructed on top of the Reichstag building. A spiral staircase within the dome leads you to the top and to some of the most magnificent views of Berlin. Entry is free, but you must book a place on a guided tour. For more information, please visit bundestag.de

The Reichstag building is found on Platz der Republik. The nearest train stations are Bundestag and Brandenburger Tor. The number 100 bus also stops outside of the Reichstag building

The East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is one of the few stretches of the infamous Berlin Wall that remain standing. The wall is almost a mile long and features over one hundred fantastically colourful paintings. You will have to avoid fellow tourists posing and snapping photos against their favourite wall paintings, but it is well worth a visit.

The East Side Gallery lies on Mühlenstraße between the Ostbahnof and Warschauer Straße train stations

Museum Island (German; Museumsinsel)

Did you know that there is an island in the centre of Berlin? Fortunately, this is not JUST an island, but an island that is home to five of most famous museums in Berlin; the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgallerie, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum.  The wonderful Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom in German) also lies on the island. Although you have to pay to enter each museum and the Dom, it is worth wandering around the island and observing the fantastic buildings and beautiful riverside.

The museum island is easily accessed from the street Unter Den Linden or the number 100 bus.

The Topography of Terror (German: Topographie des Terrors)

This is a very interesting museum that sits upon the site of the former SS and Gestapo offices. It is split into two parts comprising of a permanent exhibition in the main building and a sheltered, outside exhibition in the museum grounds. The exhibitions document the history of the SS and the Gestapo and have well-written information accompanying the extensive collection of photographs in both English and German.

The Topography of Terror lies on Niederkirchnerstraße. The nearest train stations are Potzdamer Platz and Kochstraße.

Mauer Park

This park lies on the edge of the fashionable district of Prenzlauer Berg. On Sundays, it hosts one of the biggest flea markets in Berlin. You can find anything your heart desires as traders sell second-hand wares and home-made items. If it gets a little busy, you can sit on the highest point of the park and watch the local graffiti artists and musicians in action. At around 15.00 there is also an outdoor karaoke concert, but this is no ordinary karaoke session. It is held in a stone amphitheatre. Anyone can give it go, providing that you’re not intimidated by the thousand or so members of the audience.

The entrance to Mauer Park can be found on Bernauer Straße 63-64. The nearest train stations are Eberswalder Straße and Bernauer Straße. It can also be accessed by the M10 tram

About the Author:

Stephanie loves to travel the world and write about her experiences.  As a super mom, business owner and wife, she feels like she can take on the world.  In her free time, she contributes to her cost-helping database, How Much Is It?