How to Take a Walking Tour of Berlin

Berlin is a modern European city with both a noble and dark past. One time home to Hitler's Third Reich and the infamous Berlin Wall, this German capital is steeped in history. The best way to experience this city's vibrant past it is by taking a walking tour. Whether you walk the streets with a professional tour guide or do it yourself with a good guide book, there's not a better way to learn first-hand about this amazing city.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• City Map
• Good Walking Shoes
• Camera
• Guide Book

Self-Guided Walking Tour

1. Buy a good comprehensive travel guide of Berlin. A good guide will have detailed maps of the city and maps of public transportation. It should also have a bit of history about each landmark as well as descriptions of Berlin' culture and people.

2. Peruse the guide looking for points of interest that appeal most to you.

3. Make a list of the places you would like to see then find them on the map.

4. Decide how much time you have to spend and plan accordingly. Most walking tours, even when you're setting your own pace, will take at least two to three hours (so wear comfortable shoes!)

5. Highlight each point on your map and plan out the best route to get from A to B to C. Then, find a suitable place to begin your tour. Remember you're on foot so plan tours of sights that are reasonably close together. In Berlin many of the main historical sights are within walking distance of the city center.

6. Read about each location's history in your guide as you walk from point to point.

7. Take pictures of each landmark. Try taking pictures of things from unusual angles and distances to add interest to the photos.

8. Keep a journal of your tour, making notes about each place. Write down your first impressions, what feelings a particular place evoked or what you liked most about something as a way to remember the experience.

9. Repeat the process as many times as you'd like, changing the route and destinations each time.

Professional Guided Walking Tour

1. Research Berlin before you go so you know what parts of the city you most want to visit.

2. Find a tour agency that provides walking tours. This is easily done by searching the Web for walking tours. Most agencies offer various tours that cover different parts of the city. Some of the tours in Berlin have historical themes as well.

3. Book the tour of your choice. Generally these tours can be booked online in advance, or you can often meet at the starting point and pay on the spot. Most tours are reasonably priced and offer discounts for students and children. Berlin offers some of the best walking tours in Europe.

4. Get directions to the starting point of the walking tour and be sure to arrive on time so you don't miss the guide.

5. Take a camera and a travel journal to record your walking tour experience.

Tips & Warnings

• The advantage of a self-guided walking tour is that you get to set the pace and choose the specific destinations. You don't have to wait for a group so if you find a particular location interesting you can spend as much time as you'd like and can move quickly from the spots that are less appealing to you. If you like exploring on your own, a self-guided tour is the best choice.

• The advantage of a professionally guided walking tour is the expertise of the guide. Not only does the guide know the city well so you won't get lost, but he also knows the history. If you're a history buff and love listening to stories from bygone eras, a professionally guided tour is the best choice.

• Some travel guides are available online and provide suggestions for walking tours that are already mapped out for you. They also give background information on each landmark you visit. This is a good way to do your own walking tour without the cost of hiring a tour guide but with the same expertise. Frommers is an excellent guide book for this type of tour information and is available in both hardcopy and Internet forms.

• The Berlin Wall was 96 miles long and divided the city into the democratic Western side and the communist Eastern side. Known to the East German government as the "Anti-fascist Protective Rampart," it was intended to seal the border and prevent emigration to the West. It was built in 1961 and was not destroyed until the end of 1989. The fall of the wall ultimately led to the reunification of Germany. Only a small portion of it remains today as a memorial to this difficult era in Berlin's history.

• Don't miss the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. Hundreds of people tried escaping East Germany by climbing over the Berlin Wall, while sadly, many were killed, others succeeded and had amazing stories to tell. This museum chronicles the escape attempts of those brave souls and is a memorial to the suffering caused by the construction of the Berlin Wall. It also features great artwork that was found along the Berlin Wall before it was destroyed.

• Berlin isn't all about history. It's also a vibrant modern city with avant garde art museums, a lively theater scene, active nightlife and contemporary experimental architecture. So if history is not your thing, there's plenty to see and do. Consider a walking tour of Berlin's many post-modern buildings. Ticket B, a tourism agency, offers such tours guided by architects. Another twist on the walking tour could be a nighttime stroll along one of the city's many hip restaurant and nightclub districts.