Berlin tours and excursions

Berlin tours

Bike tours

Distances between east and west can add up quickly, so it's a blessing that Berlin is an exceptionally bike-friendly city, with considerate drivers and good provision for cyclists.

Walking tours

Walking tours are a great way to see the historical centre of Berlin and there are plenty of companies offering different tours. Check them out online.

Berlin excursions

Spreewald

To the southeast of Berlin lies the UNESCO biosphere reserve of the Spreewald (Spree Forest), a vast and ethnically unique forested land interspersed with a labyrinth of waterways. Beloved by Berliners for its quaint traditions and famous gherkins, this is a place to get out into nature, walk and cycle or take a boat tour. The best place to start a tour is from the large harbour in Lübbenau or one of the smaller ones in Lübben or Burg. Spreewald can be reached via regional trains from Berlin's Bahnhof Zoo (journey time - 1 hour 30 minutes) and Ostbahnhof (journey time - 1 hour).

Tel: +49 35433 72299.
Website: http://www.spreewald.de

Potsdam

Potsdam is above all worth visiting for the wonderful UNESCO-listed palaces and beautiful parkland of Schloss Sanssouci, the summer residence of Frederick the Great. The town itself, with its pleasant main shopping street and Dutch Quarter, as well as the nearby Babelsberg Film Studios, make it well worth a full-day excursion. It's around 20km (12 miles) from Berlin's centre.

Tel: +49 331 27 55 80.
Website: http://www.potsdam.de

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Featured Hotels

Soho House Berlin

Part of the Soho House empire, this private club and boutique hotel is based in Mitte, east Berlin's achingly hip heart. The 40 bedrooms vary enormously in price and layout, but all include vintage furniture and quirky features such as record players. Bring your swimmers for the glamorous rooftop pool.

Honigmond Berlin-Mitte

This gem of a hotel is a real find - the building's exterior doesn't suggest its gorgeous combination of period features and swish modernity. The rooms have antiques scattered throughout, and the breakfast is excellent. There's a second property too on a nearby street, in much the same style.

Ritz-Carlton Berlin

Expect the full whistles and bells of an international five-star chain hotel at this sumptuous 300-room property on Potsdamer Platz. Notable features include four restaurants and bars, among them the Tea Lounge, known for its ceremonial afternoon teas. Underground parking is another perk.

Ostel

The prices vary enormously here at this retro showcase for the garish/fabulous interior design of the former East Germany. Part hotel and part museum, this is definitely one of Berlin's more idiosyncratic places to stay; prepare for lots of brown and orange. It's also a stone's throw from techno temple Berghain and the adjacent attractions of hipster Friedrichshain.

Hüttenpalast

Based in a one-time vacuum cleaner factory, this wonderfully eccentric "hut palace" offers colourful accommodation in a range of indoor vintage caravans and repurposed huts. Standard rooms are on offer too – they give more space but they're not nearly so much fun. The backyard has been transformed into a wild garden.

Das Stue

Billed as Berlin's first luxury boutique hotel, the none-more-cool Das Stue sits on the southwestern fringe of the Tiergarten park. It's full of grand design touches, while the rooms themselves are modern with hardwood floors. The hotel also plays home to a spa and, in Cinco by Paco Pérez, a Michelin-starred restaurant.

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