3-Day Trip to Berlin, a Major German City

Written/Compiled by Li Xinyi, Reported by MOOK Editorial Department

The German capital, Berlin, is definitely one of the must-visit cities in a lifetime. The city not only boasts historical landmarks left from the East–West Germany division era, architectural icons like Bauhaus, but also the UNESCO-listed Museum Island. Moreover, the efficiency with which the German urban landscape has rapidly regenerated from the devastation of being a WWII defeated nation, along with its well-developed transportation system, makes it easy to see why it has become one of the leading countries in the EU. The basic itinerary is three days, but if you have more time, you can add sites such as the Jewish Museum Berlin, the Bauhaus Archive, and Tiergarten.

Recommended Must-Visit Attraction: Brandenburg Gate

Built in 1789, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin’s most important landmark. Over the past 30 years, due to the construction of the Berlin Wall, it became the visible boundary between the capitalist and communist ideologies. This four-story Greek Neoclassical building is supported by six Doric columns on both its front and back sides, with shorter stone colonnades extending on either side. Atop the gate stands a quadriga—a chariot drawn by four horses—with the goddess of victory, symbolizing grandeur and magnificence. The gate was originally designed to celebrate the victory in the Seven Years' War and to commemorate Frederick the Great, who led the rise of Prussia. However, over the past 200 years of political upheaval, Napoleon’s forces once mercilessly marched through here; Prussian soldiers celebrated the unification of the German Empire here; Nazi troops also paraded here; and during Soviet rule, the gate flew the red flag with hammer and sickle. With the construction of the Berlin Wall, this fateful gate was also sealed off, symbolizing division and hostility, until the fall of the East German regime in 1989 when it reopened again as a symbol of German peace and unity.

Recommended Must-Visit Attraction: Berlin Cathedral

This is a Protestant church built between 1894 and 1905, featuring Renaissance-style architecture and accommodating about 1,500 people. The church suffered severe damage during World War II, and its restoration took a long time. Beneath its majestic and imposing exterior lies deeper spiritual significance, as the Berlin Cathedral with its green dome can be considered a memorial hall for the Hohenzollern dynasty, which ruled the Prussian region for over 500 years. On the church’s southern side, you can find the stone sarcophagi of Frederick I and his wife, as well as nearly 90 other sarcophagi of family members.

Recommended Must-Visit Attraction: Hackesche Höfe

The Hackesche Höfe, consisting of eight inner courtyards with an average height of five stories, was built in the 19th century and includes a mix of commercial buildings, assembly spaces, factories, and residences, making it the largest courtyard complex in Germany. The most eye-catching representative courtyard is Courtyard No. 1, decorated with a mosaic facade by German Jugendstil architect August Endell in 1904. The white walls are adorned with colorful blue and yellow tile dots, offering rich color variations, and it has become one of the favorite photo spots for tourists. Since renovations began in 1991, many previously abandoned spaces have been transformed—while retaining the original exterior and window designs—into uniquely atmospheric restaurants, fashion boutiques, art shops, etc., naturally driving up rents as well. Today, the Hackesche Höfe have become synonymous with trendy East Berlin.