00:00Berlin is the kind of city where you need to know not just what to see but also what to
00:04skip.
00:05Coming in hot at number one is Alexanderplatz. There are always tourists kicking about this square
00:11but honestly it's literally one of my least favourite places. It's just a square filled
00:17with fast fashion stores and fast food chains. It's loud, it's dirty
00:24and it's just a very overwhelming space to be in. The only thing it's good for, in my opinion,
00:30is its view of the TV tower. It is in fact the tallest structure in Germany, 368 metres tall.
00:37It was built by the East German government in the 1960s and it opened in 1969. The idea was to
00:44show
00:44the world and especially West Berlin, which you could see clearly up here, that the GDR was a
00:48modern capable state. Do I think you should skip it entirely? No, it's a piece of history that you
00:54should at least stand next to. But here's my honest take. The ticket costs around 25 euros,
00:59queues can be long especially in summer and the view, while good, is not dramatically better than
01:05what you'll get at other spots for free. My tip is to head west and start walking down Unter den
01:10Linden.
01:11This street is packed full of German history, it takes about 25 minutes on foot and it costs absolutely
01:17nothing. First, you'll pass Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site sitting right in the middle
01:23of the River Spree. Five world-class museums, including the Neues Museum, home to iconic artefacts
01:30like the bust of Nefertiti and treasures from ancient Egypt. If you're going to spend money anywhere on
01:36this walk, spend it on a Museum Island day pass, 24 euros. Keep on walking and you'll reach the Brandenburg
01:45Gate.
01:47The Brandenburg Gate has been the backdrop of some of the most defining moments in German history.
01:53Napoleon marched through it, the Nazi regime paraded under it and then in 1989 crowds gathered here
02:00when the Berlin Wall fell. It's free to visit and it also makes a great picture. It's often busy and
02:08it's a hotspot for tour guides so I wouldn't recommend spending much time here or planning to come here
02:12without seeing other things nearby but it's definitely a must see. Now let's take a left
02:19because just a few minutes from here is one of the most powerful memorials I've ever experienced.
02:25The memorial to the around six million murdered Jews of Europe. It was designed by architect Peter
02:31Eisenmann. It's a field of two thousand seven hundred and eleven concrete slabs of varying heights.
02:38There are no names here. No faces. The abstract design is intentional.
02:49One thing I will say about this spot is just make sure you're not taking any inappropriate pictures
02:53or selfies. Be respectful. It's not just a work of art, it's a memorial.
03:00The final stop on this walk is Germany's parliament building, the Reichstag. The glass dome on top was
03:08designed by Sir Norman Foster and added after the reunification of East and West Germany and you can
03:14walk up inside it for free. Just make sure you register in advance online. The view is amazing and the
03:20transparent dome above the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, allows citizens to literally look
03:26down onto their parliament. The symbolism of a transparent democracy was totally intentional.
03:37Next up on my list of things in Berlin to maybe not bother with is Checkpoint Charlie. It's in every
03:43single Berlin tour guide and look, I do get the historical significance. This was the most famous
03:48crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. Many daring escape attempts occurred here
03:54from people trying to flee into the West and it's the site of a tense standoff between American and
03:59Soviet tanks in 1961. Now it's essentially a McDonalds, a fake hut and a gift shop. Not exactly deep
04:08Cold War history. Instead, come to the East Side Gallery, a 1.3 kilometre long stretch of the original
04:14Berlin Wall. It's the longest remaining section and it's been turned into an open air art gallery.
04:20After the wall fell in 1989, over 100 artists from around the world came to paint on it. The result
04:27is
04:27one of the most photographed public art installations on the planet. Now I have a bonus local tip for you.
04:34Come and hang out by the water. Berlin is surrounded by lakes so if you've got the time, hop on
04:39a train and
04:40check out somewhere like Wannsee. Or if you'd rather stay in the city, then come here to Café am Neuensee,
04:46right in the middle of Tiergarten. It's a huge beer garden right in the heart of Berlin's biggest
04:52inner city park with a beautiful lake in the middle. You can rent rowboats here. This is what Berlin feels
04:58like when you scratch the surface of the sightseeing checklist. By all means, go and see the sights.
05:03Just don't stop there. Spend some time walking around and then when you're done, come and grab a drink by
05:08the water.
05:10in the middle of all people, let's have a drink.
05:10Go and see the streets.
05:11I have to get into a drink.
05:11In the middle of the night at the entire of the other places, I have to drink a drink.
05:12I have to take one.
