5 Free Things to Do in Berlin
I recently embarked on a one-month trip around Europe, so now I am clearly an expert in every city I visited. Why, I can tell you the best place to get stuck inside a sculpture in Prague. I can properly demonstrate how to catch a cold by climbing a snowy mountain in Salzburg. I can recommend the best places to stand on the street to see visitor reactions to the Mannekin Pis, a statue of a peeing boy in Brussels. Perhaps most importantly—and likely the reason you clicked on this article—is that I can give you the lowdown on the best free things to do in Berlin.
All of these activities cost a grand total of zero Euros. I know the dollar does not currently compare favorably with the Euro in terms of conversion rate. But the good news is that zero Euros does, in fact, equal zero dollars.
Perhaps you’re looking to save some money with a budget travel trip. Or maybe you’re just trying to kill a morning or afternoon before catching a train to another city. Here’s what to do in Berlin that won’t cost you a single cent.
Get away for less than $100 a night
Visit the Brandenburg Gate
This 18th-century monument is a really nice piece of architecture in its own right, but it’s also got a long and complex history. Prussian king Frederick William II initially ordered the building of the gate after restoring Orangist power and suppressing a Dutch uprising. Over the years, the gate has been a meeting place for several historical events and has survived multiple world wars. Locals now view the gate as more of a symbol of peace and unity.
I visited the Brandenburg Gate both during the day and at night, and I thought the nighttime experience was far more impressive visually. The gate is lit up, and it’s just a cool sight to behold in front of the night sky. The nighttime visit also had a group of people singing along and dancing to music, which may not be an everyday occurrence, but I bet you’d see things like that more often than not.
While you’re checking out the Brandenburg Gate, you can also wander around the Unter der Linden and Pariser Platz, which feature shops and eateries and usually good people-watching. You’re also just a block away from the Reichstag building, the home of the German parliament (and a super cool dome).
Walk through the Topography of Terror
This free museum includes both an indoor and outdoor section. The indoor area focuses on the SS and Third Reich and the crimes they committed throughout their reign. There’s also a lot of history on the victims from other countries and how the SS was able to infiltrate them. The building itself is located on the site of the former SS Reich Security Main Office.
Meanwhile, the outdoor section is hosted inside an underground trench. You’ll also walk alongside the longest remaining segment of the outer portion of the Berlin Wall. This section features an exhibit called “Between Propaganda and Terror” and highlights how the National Socialist regime impacted Berlin residents and the city as a whole.
Both sections are thoroughly educational and really emphasize the horrors of what the Nazi party did throughout Germany and neighboring countries.
Take flight at Templehofer Feld
Templehof Airport operated from 1923 to 2008 and has an extensive history. During the Cold War, it was the main airport for American military to enter West Berlin. Pilot Gail Halvorsen—also known as the Berlin Candy Bomber—would drop candy for children via parachute shortly before landing.
Today, Templehof Airport is now Templehofer Feld, spanning 355 hectares of the site of the former airport. It’s the largest inner city open space in the entire world and Berlin’s largest park by far.
What you see depends on how much of the park you check out. When I went, the side of the park that’s closer to the airport buildings that read “Templehof Airport” had much more to poke around. There was a mini-golf course with holes designed by local artists, a small museum you could climb on top of to get a bit of an aerial view of things, some sports fields, and an area full of circus tents. Feeling really bold? You can also get yelled at by someone working there not to walk into a circus tent. Hey, when I see an open flap of a circus tent, my curiosity gets the best of me.
The other side of the park is even more of an open space. I walked the entire length of one of the runways and saw about five other humans the entire time. However, I did get to watch a dog herding sheep at a nearby farm and learned about some of the native birds and bugs that live in the area through a variety of signs that line the runway. And I saw a man flying a kite significantly better than I ever have. It was a very peaceful spot!
In busier seasons, Templehofer Feld occasionally hosts concerts, so if you’re planning to stop by, make sure there doesn’t happen to be a show going on, or you will find it to be very un-peaceful.
Stroll around Museum Island
Museum Island houses five different museums that together are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
It does cost money to enter any of the museums, including the Pergamonmuseum, Altes Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Bode-Museum, and Neues Museum. They all have their own unique features, and it can be worth stopping by one or two if you have some time and money to spare.
Whether or not you go inside any of the museums, though, you can see some very impressive architecture from the outside. In a city with no shortage of cool or humbling sights, these museums stand out.
Check out Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was very close to where I was staying at the lovely Numa Apartments. So, nearly every time I left to walk around the streets, I’d see people lined up to take pictures. It’s kind of an odd spectacle to behold. Checkpoint Charlie was an area of the Berlin Wall to cross sides. It’s sort of a somber spot, yet you’ve got people cheesing in front of sandbags and a little military outpost.
Across the street, there’s a museum with lots of information on the site’s history. However, you can wander around the free outdoor BlackBox Cold War exhibition. The free exhibit has a piece of the Berlin Wall and information about different attempts of people trying to get over the wall. Spoiler alert: They were virtually all unsuccessful, so if you don’t like unhappy endings, maybe skip the reading part.
Side note, if you do have some Euros to spare, I’d highly recommend visiting the food truck area next door. You get to hang out in a beachy vibe while sipping on a cocktail or enjoying the SUPER tasty burgers from House of Burgerz. Normally, I’m wary of anything that uses a “z” in place of an “s,” but this burger delivers. The Gorgonzola is just…chef’s kiss. In fact, I even told the chef “Super” (which means “great”) when he asked how my meal was, and he was so appreciative. Delightful all around.
There are plenty of free things to do in Berlin. And several of the spots in this article are all within walking distance of each other. You could realistically do the Brandenburg Gate, its surrounding areas, and Checkpoint Charlie and the Topographies of Terror in one day or visit both of the latter sites in a single afternoon.
And if you’re in Berlin, you’re only a quick train or bus ride down to Prague, perhaps my favorite European city. Grab yourself a Trdelnik treat and visit these 5 quirky Prague statues.
In the meantime, don’t miss out on these Austin guides:
