Berlin Travel Guide (Solo Traveler Friendly!)
- Amelia Cutting
- Oct 24, 2025
- 9 min read
GETTING THERE
I flew from Manchester airport to Berlin Brandenburg airport and it was direct and super easy, taking just under two hours. There are a few airlines that fly the route. I flew with EasyJet and the flights are really reasonable, especially when booked in advance. I only had a cabin bag too which meant no waiting for bag collection or having to go through bag drop on arrival at the airport.
WHEN TO VISIT BERLIN
Honestly, Berlin is a wonderful trip any month of the year, but you can plan to go in specific months if you want specific things:
January - March is the cheapest time to visit, so ideal for those travelling on a budget. February also sees the Berlin film festival attract a lot of visitors.
May-September is peak time to go for warmer weather, longer and lighter days, and festivals such as the Fete de la Musique that takes place during the June solstice. July and August are peak tourist seasons, but also the warmest months.
October (when I visited) is the best time to see the city in all its autumnal glory, and you can enjoy events such as Berlin Food Week and the Festival of Lights, which absolutely made my trip.
November - December are Christmas months, where visitors have cold temperatures, but get to experience the Christmas atmosphere, markets and events in the city.
AIRPORT - CENTRE
From Terminal 1 at Brandenburg airport, head down two floors towards the S-Bahn platform. It is not very obviously sign posted, but if you head down you will spot it. From here, the S9 line goes directly into the centre of Berlin in around 35-45 minutes, depending on where you are staying. Take the S9 train in the direction “Spandeau”, and you’ll need an ABC zone ticket for this as the airport is located in the C zone. These cost just over 4 euros one way.
GETTING AROUND
Apart from travelling to and from the airport, and out to Oranienburg (more on this in a bit), I walked everywhere. I stayed near Alexanderplatz, and found that my maximum walking distance between sights and areas was 40 minutes, which was fine for me, but you can also easily hop on and off the S-Bahn and U-Bahn too, it was just my preference to not.
You can purchase tickets for S and U-Bahn travel at every platform, but you have to make sure you use the stamp machine to validate it before you get on the train, or you could face a fine. These machines are all located next to the ticket purchase machines.
I actually downloaded the BVG app instead, where you can put in your route or buy a day/week ticket instead and have it on your phone. You don’t need to validate these tickets if they are purchased on the app, so I found it much simpler to do than faffing with the machines on the platforms, so I do recommend doing this.
It’s cheaper and more explorative to walk, but good footwear is absolutely essential- I wore my Hoka running trainers and they were by far the best I could have brought for all the walking and steps I did.
HOTELS
There are lots of hotels, hostels and Air BnBs in the centre. I stayed at the Gold Palais Hotel which was in a great location, about 15 minutes walk from Alexanderplatz and opposite tram and bus stops too.
THINGS TO DO
Obviously this is not an extensive list of what you can do and see in Berlin, these are just the things I got up to during my few days there. It is definitely one of those cities that you could visit multiple times and still have things left to see.
Berlin TV Tower
This is a historic monument located in the heart of Alexanderplatz, and the highest one in the city that offers iconic views of the capital. I didn’t opt to go inside and up, so for me this was a free thing to see, but you can go inside and head to the observation deck for around 24 euros per adult and 14 euros per child.
Berlin TV Tower Berlin TV Tower lit up for the Festival of Lights
Brandenburg Gate
Another place of historic interest, and located right next to the Reichstag government building. Again, I just went to take a look at these two sights, so they didn’t cost me anything, and it was incredible to see the gate up close given all its history.
Tiergarten Park
Located opposite Brandenburg Gate, this park is huge and I even found within it a monument of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, which as a musician I found very interesting. It was in its autumnal leafy glory when I visited and is the perfect spot to relax, take a picnic or just wander around.
Berlin Cathedral
Berlin cathedral is another iconic landmark in Berlin, and one that is well worth visiting, even if you don’t go in. When I visited in October, it was the Festival of Lights, and Berlin Cathedral was lit up during the night which was so incredible to see. Tickets for entry to the Cathedral are 10 euros for an adult, and they have student and family options too. They are valid for a year as well.
East Side Gallery
Once the Berlin Wall, and now the longest open-air gallery in the world, East Side Gallery is a free, historical walk along the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain. It features the art work of 118 artists from 21 countries, including the infamous Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss. From the gallery, you can cross the bridge into Kreuzberg and enjoy the buzz of the neighborhood, or even take a look in the market hall.
Topography of Terror
The Topography of Terror is a documentation centre and indoor museum, located on the former site of the Gestapo, SS and Reich Security Main Office HQ during the Nazi era. The outdoor exhibition is a short series of information about the reign of Nazi terror and the crimes they committed across Europe. The exhibition is free to visit and enter, and is absolutely worth a visit.
Palace of Tears
Palace of Tears (Tranenpalast) is a former border crossing point between East and West Berlin turned museum. Called the Palace of Tears because of the emotional and tearful goodbyes that happened to those separated by the Wall, it now houses a free exhibition about German division, the history of the crossing point and station, and personal stories/artifacts too.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
This Memorial is just by the Brandenburg Gate, and is dedicated to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust committed by Nazi Germany. The memorial was designed by architect Peter Eisenman and Buro Happold and consists of 2,711 concrete slabs (stelae) arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field, designed to disorientate and confuse visitors as they walk around. There is an underground information centre on the site too, and it is free to enter.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
Located around a 45 minute subway journey out of Berlin in the town of Oranienburg, Sachsenhausen concentration camp was a Nazi concentration camp used from 1936 until 1945. It mainly held political prisoners during World War II, and today is a place of hurt, loss and for extreme reflection. It is free to go to, though you can pay around 3 euros for an audio guide which I highly recommend because it tells you information on each building and monument throughout the camp. You could easily spend a whole day here, wandering around and taking in the history, learning about the atrocities that happened there and reflecting on how lucky we are to live how we live. I was apprehensive about taking the trip out to the camp because I was on my own, but it was actually super easy.
From Friedrichstrabe train station, take the S-Bahn S1 in the direction of Oranienburg- it is the last stop on the line, and runs every 20 minutes. From the station, it’s about a 25 minute walk to the concentration camp, and a really pretty walk through the town too.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is a reminder of the former border crossing that was opened by the Allies in and around Berlin. It was the most famous crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin, and witnessed numerous escape attempts from East Berlin. The barrier and checkpoint booth, the flag and the sandbags are all based on the original site, and is a site that you should definitely visit.
Mauerpark
Mauerpark is another stunning green space in Berlin, I visited on a Sunday when the flea market was running, and wow it was incredible. There were lots of stalls with beautiful clothes, gifts, shoes- all sorts, as well as food stalls and musicians completing the vibe with live music. It was definitely an enjoyable visit.
WHERE TO EAT
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH
Melis Coffee
This was a small little bakery on the corner of the street where my hotel was, and offered fresh goods like pastries, porridge and yoghurt pots, and also more traditional breakfast items like eggs. It wasn’t the most aesthetic place I visited to eat, but the food was delicious and very reasonably priced for something quick to eat at the start of the day.
Minoa Cafe and Bookstore
This place is such a little gem. It is a small bookshop and cafe and is absolutely stunning inside, featuring book shelves and a cozy table area to sit and enjoy delicious coffee and food. Their brunch menu was very varied. I opted for an eggs, yoghurt and sourdough dish, which did not disappoint at all. It was cozy, had very friendly staff and had English books on offer too.
Einstein Kaffee
Located in the heart of Alexanderplatz right underneath the TV tower, this is a very popular cafe that is open from early until late, and has a huge food selection as well as excellent coffee and even nicer cakes. I got a breakfast on the go option from here- a lovely, fruit filled yoghurt bowl which did not disappoint.
LUNCH/EVENING MEALS
Bear Burger
Bear Burger was located just across the road from my hotel, and I went on my first evening in the city after a delay at the airport and getting in late. There were loads of burger options on the menu, some meat, some vegan and some vegetarian, and you can eat in or takeaway. They also make a delicious burger sauce too.
Frittenwerk
I was on the hunt for a currywurst- I felt like I had to try it on my first visit to Germany, and Frittenwerk was recommended to me to try. They are all over Berlin, and are very vegan-friendly too. I had the vegan currywurst which was definitely interesting- not sure it is for me, but I still enjoyed it.
Piazza Rossa
This was a super convenient Italian restaurant located in Alexanderplatz and it was delicious. I actually ate here twice when I went, very solo traveller friendly, I even ended up sitting next to another lady who was there alone, and had lots of salad, pasta and pizza choices, plus homemade gelato. I didn’t think it was too pricey either for the portion sizes and great service.
Trattoria Peretti
This is another Italian restaurant that was equally as delicious as the other one. It’s located in Mitte in a little covered passageway and is really gorgeous inside and out. It was very busy, so clearly very popular, and again had a great selection of dishes for a reasonable price. Very handy to stop at on your way back from seeing some of the sights in Mitte or Potsdamer Platz.
COFFEE SHOPS
If there’s one thing about me- I love a good coffee, and Berlin does not disappoint on that front. These are some of the nice coffee shops I went into, not including the ones already mentioned above.
Coffee and Cookies
This is another little gem of a place- it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside it is beautifully laid out, with gorgeous tables and decor, and offers excellent coffee, cakes and meals too. I had a mozzarella and tomato bagel here too for lunch and it was so fresh and delicious.
Cafe Tasso
This cafe has a super sweet vibe with a selection of used books, newspapers and magazines, including some in English. They have a variety of food and desserts as well as excellent coffee.
Five Elephant
This is quite a well-known coffee shop in Berlin, and they are located in Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and also Kreuzberg. The coffee is highly recommended, and is focused on sustainable sourcing and ethical practices.
Distrikt Coffee
I stumbled upon this place by accident- I was soaking wet and cold from the sudden downpour and looking for somewhere to get a warm drink and shelter from the remaining storm. Inside is so spacious, calm and trendy with lots of hot drink options- I had just about hit my caffeine limit by then so I had a hot chocolate and a cake which was absolutely delicious.
ESSENTIALS TO HAVE WITH YOU
Good footwear- trainers are going to be your best friend on a Berlin city break and will save your feet from blisters and pain.
A light raincoat- the one day I left my raincoat at the hotel was the one and only day it rained and I was miserable, soaked and too far away from my hotel to go back and get it. Ones that fit into a bag that you can always have on you are great.
Portable charger- I found I was using my phone constantly for Google Maps to get around, using the BVG app to buy train tickets, researching the places I was visiting, taking pictures, listening to music as I walked etc, and it takes a massive toll on your battery. I found having a power bank was perfect for meaning I never ran out of charge and always had my phone accessible to me, even when I’d had a long day out of the hotel- this is super important if you are a solo traveller too.
Comfortable bag- walking around all day with a bag that is digging into your shoulder is not ideal, opt for a comfortable rucksack that isn’t too big it annoys you or becomes too heavy, but that is comfy to walk with and won’t hurt you.
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