Hour-And-A-Half Top Sights Walk

Overview

A light blue umbrella and a baseball cap mark the meeting spot, in front of the French Embassy on Pariser Platz, next to the Starbucks. From there this GuruWalk listing covers a compact 900 meters in 1 hour 30 minutes, offered in German and English.

The walk opens with the early history of Berlin, told through the Brandenburg Gate and the buildings around Pariser Platz, including the Hotel Adlon and several embassies. From there it moves past the Reichstag, pauses at the Holocaust Memorial to talk through features of the Third Reich, and stops at a seemingly ordinary parking lot whose history is anything but ordinary. It finishes at the Wall segments at Potsdamer Platz, which carry a story of their own.

That endpoint is a practical one. The walk's own description points you toward the Philharmonie, the shopping and restaurants of Potsdamer Platz, or the Tiergarten for some quiet, so the route doubles as an orientation for the rest of the day. Reviewers describe it as a good introduction to Berlin and its history, delivered in a relaxed style.

Itinerary

1. Meet At Pariser PlatzFind the guide by the light blue umbrella and baseball cap, in front of the French Embassy at Pariser Platz 5, next to the Starbucks. The walk starts here with a view of the Brandenburg Gate.
2. Brandenburg GateThe early history of Berlin comes first, told through the Gate, its Quadriga, the Hotel Adlon and the embassies around the square.
3. Platz Des 18. MärzThe route continues across this square, the next of the stops named on the walk's page on GuruWalk.
4. ReichstagThe group takes a look at the Reichstag, where the guide has much to tell.
5. Holocaust MemorialA stop at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, where the guide discusses features of the Third Reich.
6. The Parking LotOn the way toward Potsdamer Platz the group visits a seemingly ordinary parking lot with an unusual history.
7. Wall Segments At Potsdamer PlatzThe walk ends at the Wall segments here. From this point you can head on toward the Philharmonie, the shops and restaurants, or the nearby Tiergarten on your own.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points, drawn from the walk's own description and from what travellers have said afterwards.

• Finding The Guide. Look for a light blue umbrella and a baseball cap, in front of the French Embassy on Pariser Platz, right next to the Starbucks. The address given is Pariser Platz 5.
• Pace And Distance. The whole route is 900 meters over 1 hour 30 minutes, so this is a short walk rather than a march. The distance between stops is small, and the time goes into the stories at each one.
• Languages. The walk runs in German and English. Check the walk's page on GuruWalk for the departure you are reserving so you know which language to expect.
• Group Feel. Reviewers describe an interesting, well informed tour delivered in a relaxed style, and one mentions a good small group. Another traveller reported joining as a family and ending up with what amounted to a private walk.
• Weather And Outdoors. The walk's description names no indoor stops, so check conditions on the day and dress accordingly.
• After The Walk. The route ends at the Wall segments on Potsdamer Platz, which leaves you close to the Philharmonie, shopping, restaurants and the Tiergarten. The walk's own description suggests all of these as follow-on options, so plan the rest of your day from there.

Common issues. There is no pickup: every traveller makes their own way to Pariser Platz, and the meeting spot is specific, in front of the French Embassy next to the Starbucks. The walk's page on GuruWalk publishes only the first 3 of its 6 stops in advance, so part of the route is not laid out beforehand.

Common Questions Before You Reserve