24 Hours in Berlin, Germany: History, Food + What to See

Berlin is not a casual little sightseeing snack. It is one of the most historically heavy cities I have ever walked through.

In this episode of Maxwell’s Kitchen, I spend 24 hours in Berlin, Germany, walking through Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Führer Bunker area, Berlin Wall markers, Checkpoint Charlie, and a few extremely important German food groups: beer, pretzels, pork, cabbage, and dumplings.

This is the fast version of Berlin: what to see, where to stay if you want an easy train connection, what I ate, and what it actually feels like trying to understand this city in one day.

The One-Day Itinerary

Arrive in Berlin
Stay near Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Walk to Brandenburg Gate
See the Reichstag building
Visit the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Find the Führer Bunker plaque
Follow the Berlin Wall markers in the street
Visit Checkpoint Charlie
Eat traditional German food and drink German beer
Sleep in Brandenburg Airport if you are cheap, tired, stubborn, or all three

Getting Around

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is huge, central, and useful if you are moving through Europe by train.

A lot of the major historical sites in this episode can be grouped together on foot, but Berlin still feels bigger and heavier than a normal one-day city. Give yourself time to absorb what you are seeing instead of just checking off landmarks.

In This Episode

Berlin history
Brandenburg Gate
Reichstag building
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Führer Bunker location
Berlin Wall markers
Checkpoint Charlie
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Traditional German food
Sleeping in Brandenburg Airport