Berlin is the capital of Germany and has a rich history spanning from the Prussian Empire to the Cold War. It is now a major tourist destination with over 8 million residents. There are many museums and historical sites to see, including remnants of the Berlin Wall and buildings damaged in World War 2. Popular museums include the Deutsches Historisches Museum and those on Museum Island. Festivals like the Berlin Film Festival and Karneval der Kulturen add to the city's vibrant cultural scene. Iconic landmarks like the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate are also top attractions. With its public transit and maps, Berlin is navigable for tourists looking to explore its diverse offerings.

1. BerlinBy Gordon Fraser

2. Why Come to Berlin?Berlin is the capital city of Germany.Berlin has an extremely rich history. It has gone from the beginning of the Prussian Empire to being at the center of the cold war. In 1990 it was re unified and has become a great tourist destination.Berlin is a city of 8 million people making it the second biggest city in Germany.Berlin is full of museums, clubs and festivals.Berlin is broken down into 6 parts. Mitte is in the middle then there is city west, east central, north, east and sound.

3. Things to see!Berlin in WW2 was the center of a Nazi take over and a huge battle ground near the end of the war. History is truly alive in Berlin there is still building standing from that era in the center of Berlin, there is walls and buildings that are riddled with bullet wholes.In the middle of the cold war Berlin was separated into two halfs. Communist east and Capitalist west. In the east they erected a wall to keep there citizens in. However 20 years ago the Berlin wall was torn down. Not much is left but there is still some and it is worth to go and see what is left.

4. Things to see!Because of Berlins involvement in WW2 there is many different museums that were erected in the city.One of the biggest Museum is DeutschesHistorischesMuseum, This covers all of German history from the beginnings right up until the current day.There is an area in Berlin that has several great museums right next to each other this is called Museumsinsel. Museumsinsel can be translated into Museum island.On Museum Island there is Museums that have art and architequre from all around the ancient world. Another one has German paintings from the 19th century.

5. Things to see!Another great museum is the story of Berlin which tells how Berlin has transformed from a medieval settlement to a bustling city. Is even has a bunker that was built during the cold war. This museum has tours which alternates between English and German language.Most museums are closed on Monday.Berlin offers a 3 day pass that allows access to over 70 Museums inside the city.

6. Things to do.If you are in Berlin for a few days one of the first things you could want to do is get a tour around Berlin.Depending on when you are going to Berlin there is several large festivals that take place around Berlin during certain times of the year.The Berlin film festival is huge. It is held February 10-20th. They sell around 250,000 tickets to it and it features around 400 films.The KarnevalderKulturen is a parade. It is held may 23rd. The Parade has many ethnic grounds come and wear there traditional garb and prepare there traditional food and dances their traditional dances.

7. Things to do!Berlin is full of exciting things to do and see.The German Parliamentary building which is known as the Reichstag. It was redesign in 1999 to include a large glass dome on the top. After a long line wait you can go to the top of this dome and look over the entire city of Berlin.Another Iconic German symbol is Brandenburg Gate. This Amazing Gate is the last standing of 18 Gates. It was built in 1791 by Carl Gotthard. The gate stands over 25M high and a chariot adorns the top. The gate is not that far away from the Reichstag.There is hundreds of clubs in Berlin

8. Things to rememberAlways bring a map of the city. Berlin is huge and Tourist can easily get lost.Even though Berlin is a German city. Most information can be found in English.The Public transit in Berlin is great. There is taxis, Buses, trams, and trains that can help you get around the city.It is recommend to watch you bags during high traffic hours in case of pick pockets.The police in Berlin are not corrupt so bribing them is out of the question. Most officer also know how to speak English so they can answer questions if needed.

9. The End