No other monument in Berlin is as famous around the world as Brandenburg Gate, built between 1789 and 1791 to plans by C. G. Langhans on Pariser Platz in the heart of the city. After the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, Brandenburg Gate became impassable for 28 years. As a signature attraction and symbol of German reunification, it now represents the past and present of the German capital in exemplary fashion. The gate is supported by six Doric columns, forming five passageways with pedestrian-only access. The famous quadriga depicting the goddess of victory, Victoria, riding a four-horse chariot was added in 1794.

The route along Wilhelmstrasse right through the old and new government quarter and embassy district heads towards Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. The ministerial buildings and the Federal Chancellery, in particular, reflect the successful synthesis of the old with the new through prestigious yet modest elegance. From here, your gaze is immediately drawn to the Reichstag, one of the most famous sights in Berlin. Its glass dome by leading British architect Norman Foster has become a hugely popular attraction for visitors from far and wide.

The city's largest cultural event and a major festival for the international film industry, the Berlinale is for Germany what the Oscars are for Hollywood. Stars and starlets, culture and commerce, glitter and glamour at a festival of distinction with 270,000 visitors, 4,000 journalists, and as many as 400 films, mostly world and European premieres. Despite its size, the event is great for meeting new people and discussing the latest films. The cream of world cinema, the independent and arthouse scene, movies for younger audiences, newly unearthed gems from German cinema, films from faraway lands and experimental formats: the Berlinale has all this – and more besides.

A UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of the city, Berlin's Museum Island is a hugely popular attraction both with locals and international tourists. One of the world's most important museum complexes, it is home to priceless cultural treasures. Collections at the Museum of the Ancient World, New Museum, Old National Gallery, Bode Museum and Pergamon Museum take visitors on a fascinating journey through art and culture from the cradle of civilisation in Mesopotamia through Egypt, Classical Greece and Rome, Byzantium, the Islamic World and the Middle Ages right up to the modern age and 19th century Romanticism. (Link zu Museen -> Geschichte -> Denkmal für ermordete Juden) Read more (/link)

Originally opened back in 1962, shortly after the Berlin Wall was built, the museum at the legendary Checkpoint Charlie traces the history of the divided Germany and is one of the city's most popular visitor attractions. A symbol of the tensions between the major world powers, Checkpoint Charlie became the world's most famous border crossing within a city. The 'Haus am Checkpoint Charlie' museum has a permanent exhibition on the history of the Berlin Wall and many other related themes – from opposition, resistance and the Stasi to the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989.

The memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe at the northern end of Wilhelmstrasse close to Brandenburg Gate testifies to the fact that these unspeakable crimes had their origins in Berlin. Covering approx. 19,000m², the site is adorned with 2,711 rectangular concrete blocks designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman. The information centre underneath the wave-shaped 'field of stelae' has an exhibition documenting the persecution and murder of European Jews. A place for mourning, reconciliation and perhaps forgiveness, but not a place for forgetting. (Link zu Museen -> Geschichte -> Denkmal für ermordete Juden) Read more (/link)

The Hackesche Höfe is a magnificent retail complex that embodies the history and characteristic buzz of Berlin's Mitte district. Germany's largest interconnected series of courtyards, the site has been under a historical preservation order since 1977. This extremely popular ensemble has brought back to life a genuine slice of Old Berlin. Exuding all the distinctive charm of the city's traditional courtyards, it is home to a vibrant mix of art galleries, cinemas, theatres, variety venues, restaurants and bars, not to mention all the charming boutiques and big-name flagship stores.

Berlin's 368-metre high television tower is the tallest building in Germany. It was erected in Berlin's historic centre right next to the medieval Church of St. Mary close to the Rotes Rathaus and immediately to the west of Alexanderplatz square. At a height of more than 200 metres, its observation platforms offer a magnificent panoramic view of the city. The tower was opened in 1969, although apparently the architects were not invited to the ceremony. The reason was that those in power at the time were annoyed about the cross-shaped reflection on the outer panels – known as 'the Pope's revenge'.

No other German theatre has dedicated itself with such vigour to upholding the great revue traditions of the 1920s. Visitors can expect glitter and glamour, lavish revues and a spectacular show of light and colour, dance and acrobatics – along with star performers from all over the world who have trod the boards at this site of cultural and historical interest. This 'palace on Friedrichstrasse' is often also used as a venue for media events of all sizes, and can accommodate just under 1,900 visitors.

Built on the northern part of an island in the river Spree, Berlin Cathedral is the city's largest religious building and holds great significance for the Protestant Church in Germany. Year after year, it attracts many thousands of visitors from all over Germany and abroad – and of all faiths and beliefs. Built between 1894 and 1905 to plans by Julius Raschdorff in the Italian high renaissance and baroque style, the cathedral is one of the most important church buildings in Germany. The main entrance is reached through the pleasure garden.

A neo-Romanesque masterwork with Gothic elements, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was consecrated on 1 September 1895. Its impressive mosaics, reliefs and sculptures were created by famous artists. In November 1943, however, the church was destroyed in a bombing raid. Its ruined tower was turned into a memorial and is now one of the signature attractions in the west of Berlin. The new Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church designed by Egon Eiermann was consecrated in December 1961. It is famous for its blue glass walls and the incredible acoustics inside – standing in the centre of a bustling metropolis, you could hear a pin drop.

Luxury fashion, cosmetics and interior design: Quartier 206 features DKNY, Etro, Strenesse, Gabriele Strehle and Gucci concessions, glasses from B54 and the Out of Asia furniture store. The architecture with its glass prisms, mediterranean-style atrium and Venetian mosaics is an attraction in itself. A consumer temple par excellence, Quartier 206 offers an exclusive selection of the most beautiful (and most expensive) items in the world, collections and confections the like of which you won't find anywhere else in Germany.

The Jewish Museum in Berlin is a must for any visitor to the city. The permanent exhibition in Daniel Libeskind's breathtaking building charts the course of German-Jewish history. Everyday objects and works of art, photos and letters, interaction elements and media stations covering 13 different eras from the Middle Ages through to the present day reflect Jewish culture in Germany and show how closely Jewish life is linked with German history. The museum also hosts a variety of special exhibitions.

The German Historical Museum is now housed in two separate buildings. In the exceptional baroque Zeughaus (armoury) on Unter den Linden a permanent exhibition on 'German history in images and artefacts' features more than 8,000 objects depicting German history in a European context. The modern exhibition hall by famous Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei has four levels which offer new exhibitions all the time about major historical events.

The Jewish cemetery at Weissensee is one of the most beautiful in the whole of Europe. It reflects the blossoming of Berlin's Jewish community in the 19th century and early 20th century and, of course, its tragic demise. Laid out in 1880 and home to 115,000 graves, this is the largest surviving Jewish cemetery in Europe and has been under a preservation order since the 1970s. Along the main walkways and on special rows of honour there are mausoleums and monumental headstones for a number of notable Jewish citizens, while a memorial stone commemorates the victims of Nazi persecution.

On sunny days, Berliners flock to Lake Wannsee. As well as providing the perfect backdrop for scenic walks far from the buzz of the city, it is also a true paradise for water sports enthusiasts. Just a few minutes from Wannsee train station, it's the ideal place for swimming, diving, canoeing, rowing and sailing – or simply enjoying a great day out. Boat trips on the lake offer spectacular views of the huge gardens belonging to the lakeside residences and there are many small bays where you can moor up and enjoy a picnic. The shady beer gardens are the ideal settings in which to enjoy a Berliner Weisse beer.