How to Spend a Weekend in Berlin, Germany

Unpopular opinion: I’m not a diehard Swiftie. Sure, I like and do listen to her music, mainly her older music, but I’m not a super fan to the point that I’d book a trip in another country to see her. But when my friend Mimi booked a trip to Germany to see Taylor Swift, it was the perfect excuse to meet up with a college friend. When friends from the States come to Europe, I like to make an effort to meet up. When in the neighborhood, right? Last year, Mimi and I met up in Copenhagen. This year we decided to spend a weekend together in Berlin after she attended the Taylor Swift concert. (You’ve heard of Swiftonomics, but I guess this is trickle-down Swiftonomics?) I’d never visited Germany but made the most of my time in its capital. Here’s how to spend a weekend in Berlin, Germany.

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Berlin experiences

From the best museums to how to best see the city, here’s what to do during your weekend trip to Berlin.

Museum Island

There’s an unbelievable amount of history and culture in Berlin. From world wars and the division of East and West Germany, Berlin has been a hotbed for history-making and culture. And it has a swath of museums to visit, including Museum Island. This is composed of: the Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie and Altes Museum. We were hoping to visit the national gallery, but unfortunately, the tickets were sold out; and the line to buy tickets was quite long. We shifted to Plan B: the Neues Museum, which houses famed Egyptian statue Nefertiti.

Reichstag Building

Naturally the one day I decide to take off to enjoy a long weekend with friends happened to be the day where Microsoft decided to crash and affect all the flights, especially the Berlin airport… Our flight wasn’t able to land in Berlin and had to land in Dresden. Then we had to take a 2-hour bus to Berlin. Anywho, this detour shaved off a lot of my free time in Berlin, and it meant that I didn’t make it to my Reichstag reservation. The Reichstag is a government building that offers amazing views of the city, but you have to book your free ticket and get permission in advance to visit.

Jewish Museum

When visiting a new city, I love going to at least one museum, no matter if it’s art, history, culture and the like. I had heard great reviews about the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and my experience was no different. The museum not only addressed the Holocaust but also celebrated and explained Jewish culture. It certainly covered the dark parts of history, but it also celebrated the many Jewish artists, authors and figures. The museum discussed the changes in Judaism over the centuries, eating kosher, the Torah, the Hebrew language and so much more. I’ve visited Holocaust museums in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis; both were powerful and important. Although the Jewish Museum in Berlin also addresses similar topics, it didn’t feel as heavy as the former two. I probably spent about two hours here but could’ve spent more.

Flea Market in Mauerpark

Just steps away from our brunch at Krone Kitchen & Coffee, we discovered the flea market in Mauerpark on Sunday and enjoyed walking around the different booths of jewelry, art, clothes and knickknacks. You can explore this weekly flea market on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., but be sure to check the website before.

Boat Tour

A great way to see the city of Berlin in a short time is taking a boat tour. We enjoyed some time off of our feet on our Reederei Hadynski boat tour. We were able to see many of the big sites of Berlin and even were able to order drinks during our time on the boat.

East Side Gallery

You would be remiss to visit Berlin without stopping by the East Side Gallery, where you can see part of the wall that used to separate East and West Germany. You can stroll past the many different art installations in this open-air art gallery and imagine how much has happened in the past century.

Berlin sites to see

Germany’s capital is full of monuments and iconic sites. Here are some of the big ones you’ll want to see during your weekend trip to Berlin.

Berliner Dom

One of the key sites to see during your weekend in Berlin is the Berliner Dom, or the Berlin Cathedral. The architecture is very impressive, and it’s close to lots of museums and a grassy area. If you’d like to see the interior of the cathedral, there’s an entrance fee.

Victory Column

Snap a pic with Victory Column, one of Berlin’s tourist spots dating back to the 1800s.

Humboldt Forum

I didn’t have time to go inside the Humbolt Forum, but I was able to walk around its courtyard where live music was playing and locals were enjoying the warm summer evening. The site dates back to the 12th century and has carried a wide variety of purposes: medieval quarter, palace, Dominican monastery, and beyond, per its website. Today you can visit its permanent and temporary exhibitions on art and culture.

Brandenburg Gate

You can’t miss a visit to the Brandenburg Gate, an iconic symbol for the city of Berlin. Since its construction in the 1700s, this monument has seen its fair share of historical events from a celebration following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 to Hitler being driven between its pillars in the 1930s.

Berlin restaurants and eats

Berlin isn’t particularly known for its world-renowned gastronomy, but fret not. From where to book brunch to where to enjoy a beer, I’ve got you covered on Berlin eats and sips.

Duore di Vetro Gelato

I had some time to kill while waiting for my friend to get off work, and when on vacation, the only logical response to free time is finding an ice cream spot. If you’re Kristin, at least! I saw that Duore di Vetro Gelato was a bit of a walk but had great reviews. The steps were worth it for this gelato spot, and the line out the door was proof of its success. If you’re looking for a sweet treat in Berlin, you’ll want to add Duore di Vetro Gelato to your weekend itinerary.

Father Carpenter Brunch

My weekend in Berlin also gave me the opportunity to catch up with my friend Hongyu, with whom I studied abroad many moons ago. And one of the best ways to catch up with a friend is over brunch, and she recommended Father Carpenter. This trendy spot is tucked in a cozy courtyard and serves up specialty coffee and brunch. We both opted for the avocado toast, and I was pleased that they had a gluten-free option.

Biergarten

What’s a visit to Berlin without a trip to a biergarten? We loved the atmosphere of this biergarten with a small lake and forest surrounding us. The beer garden is part of the restaurant Cafe Am Neuen See. There was a wait for the restaurant, so we enjoyed a drink at the beer garden and then headed over to the nearby restaurant for dinner.

Cafe am Neuen See

After our drink in the beer garden, we enjoyed a lovely sit-down dinner with a view of the lake. I loved the atmosphere of this restaurant and beer garden, which felt like we were closer to nature and away from the hustle of downtown. Cafe am Neuen See serves up burgers, fish, pizza, pasta and flammkuchen. The restaurant also serves up brunch if you’d prefer to start your day here.

Krone Kitchen & Coffee

We brunched on Saturday, and we brunched on Sunday. Perfect weekend in Berlin, right? We sat outside at Krone Kitchen & Coffee’s patio and feasted on their selection of sweet and savory dishes. I opted for the Cacio e pepe fried egg plate with parmesan, truffle and pancetta. I definitely recommend grabbing brunch here, but be prepared to wait as many others had the same idea.

Eat currywurst

One of Berlin’s specialty is their currywurst, or sausage in a spiced ketchup sauce. This Berlin classic dates back to the mid 1950s, per NPR. I ordered a currywurst from Berliner Kartoffelhaus. Listen, I’m glad I tried it and I recommend that you try it, too. But it didn’t become one of my favorite dishes.

Being an expat comes with its pros and cons, its ups and downs. And I think one of my favorite things about being an expat is weekends like these. Grabbing my backpack, braving Ryanair and meeting up with old friends in a new place. And hey, it’s thanks to Taylor Swift more or less. From exploring the Jewish Museum to visiting the remains of the Berlin Wall, eating currywurst to brunch hopping, there is so much to do during your weekend in Berlin. What did I miss? Tell me in the comments.