Going to BERLIN next month.. what are the best things to see?

Visit the remnants of the remaining Flakturm. This was one of three giant anti-aircraft towers in Berlin. It's a climb up a spiral ramp to get to the top but the views are great. Also visit the rose garden at the bottom of the tower.

Location: Volkspark Humboldthain.

Station: Gesundbrunnen (then cross the dual carriageway to the park).

Berlin Wall museum and visitor centre.

Location: Bernauer Strasse.

Station: Nordbahnhof S-Bahn.

If you are brave enough to cross the main road in front of the Brandenburg Gate you will see a line of bricks running down the centre of the road. This marks the line of the Wall at that point.

Funkturm. This is the radio mast built before WW2. It has a restaurant about half way up and an exposed viewing gallery at the top (not suitable for anyone worried by heights or visiting on very rainy days). On a clear day the views are stunning. Interesting bit of history - the tower is built on four massive insulators (visible at the bottom of each leg) because the whole structure was used as an aerial. In practice this was found to be electrocuting visitors so when a lift was installed they took the opportunity to properly earth the metalwork. It is now safe to ascend.

Location: Berlin Messe.

http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/radio-tower-funk...

Station: Messe-Nord SbHf.

Teufelsberg. This is the huge Cold War listening station formerly staffed by British and Americans. It is built on top of the hill called "Teufelsberg" to the west of the city. The hill itself was raised from the rubble swept up from Berlin after the War.

Location: Grunewald district of former West Berlin.

Stations: Grunewald SbHf or Messe-Sud. There is about 1km walk to the top of the hill. But you would have to try hard to miss the building and get lost.

http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/teufelsberg

Berlin gasometer at Shoneberg. This is an old gasometer where the superstructure has has a staircase added so that members of the public can walk to the top. It is apparently very flimsy and very high when you look from the ground but when you have climbed to the top you can see that it's rusty as well! The views from the top are very good though and the feeling of satisfaction and achievement on returning to ground level is worth it.Visits must be pre-booked. It is not for those worried by heights and climbers must be fit without breathing difficulties.

Location: Shoneberg.

Stations: Shoneberg or Julius-Leber-Bruke.

Templelhof aerodrome. This is the now closed airport that was central to the Berlin Airlift in the 1950s and was the main airport for West Berlin until Flughaven Tegel opened. It is now a park free to enter for recreation. It's a very pleasant walk around the old airfield and you can stand on the runway and imagine aeroplanes landing over your head.

Location: Templehof district.

Station: Templehof SbHf.

Soviet War Memorial, Treptower Park. This is just over the border in the old East Berlin. The memorial is huge, impressive and "Very Soviet". Walk though the pleasant Treptower Park about 1km from the station and you can't miss it.

Location: Treptower Park.

Station: Treptower Park SbHf.

Archenold Sternwarte. This is the observatory and planetarium located at the "bottom right" corner of Treptower Park. It has regular guided tours finishing with a stunning planetarum presentation of the nigh sky over Berlin on the day of your visit (so you know what to look for when the sun goes down). Located here is the "Treptower telescope". This is the largest remaining working refractor telescope in the world. It is HUGE. Even if astronomy is not your hobby this place is well worth a visit because it's impressive.

Location: Treptower Park - towards the south east corner. Just over 1km from the station - that is - keep going south after you've visted the Soviet War Memorial.

Station: Treptower Park SbHf. There are buses that run along the road to the east of the park which you can use to return to the station (use the Welcomecard ticket).

Schloss Charlottenburg. This is the old royal palace. It is well worth a visit, if only to see what Queen Charlotte thought about Napoleon sleeping in her bed. The gardens are great to stroll around. Look out for the compound where they keep the statues, so they don't wander around scaring people. In December it hosts one of the more "classy" Christmas Markets (i.e it will cost you 1€ to get in after 16:00).

The palace is about 15 mins walk from the stations but you can catch a bus if you want.

Location: Charlottenberg.

Stations: Westend SBhf or Richard-Wagner-Platz UbHf.

Natural History Museum. This contains the largest Brachiosaurus skeleton in captivity as well as other exellent exhibits. A good friend of mine works there so I KNOW it's worth visiting.

Location: Invalidenstrasse (about 1km north of Friedrichstrasse station, a pleasant walk if it's not raining).

Station: Naturkundemuseum UBhf.

Junction of Luisenstrasse and Schumannstrasse. Statue of Albecht von Graefer the inventor of the opthalmascope and hence saviour of thousands of people's eyesight. He was a great (etc) uncle of another friend so please pay your respects if you can.

Location: On the southern corner of the Charite Hospital complex about 800 metres from each of the two nearest stations.

Stations: Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Orianienberger Tor UBhf.

Berlin is a city with a lot of micro-breweries so please drink the local beer. Don't waste your time and money on "international" brands. Also, you won't see many McDonalds. This is because the Berliners are not impressed by over-priced grease-burgers. Find a place that sells kohlroulade for your dinner.

English is spoken almost unversally (some places speak American, and you realise the difference) but not everywhere so be patient, they like to try it and won't let you practice your German.

Plenty of ATMs around so you need not carry huge amounts of cash. Just be aware of the foreign exchange charge that some banks make for withdrawing Euros. Beware pickpockets in crowds.

Buy a Berlin Welcomecard from any "BVG" travel office or S/Ubahn station as soon as you arrive. This is a city travelcard for buses, trains and trams. It also comes with a book of discount vouchers for attractions, resturants, clubs, museums etc. If you just work your way though this book you will see most of the things worth visiting so you won't miss much, and save a lot of money at the same time.

Never travel without a ticket. The inspectors will charge a fixed penalty or around 60€.

http://www.visitberlin.de/en/welcomecard