From insider tricks for saving money on admission, to free days to visit and ways to make your visit go more smoothly, here are our best tips for saving money and time at Berlin’s top 10 sights.

Related: Our favorite affordable hotels in Berlin

Saving at Berlin’s Top 10 Sights

1. The Reichstag

Long an empty shell in the Mauerstreifen (the military zone between the east and west side of the Berlin Wall), the Reichstag was extensively renovated and modernized when the government moved back to Berlin in 2000.

Today, the Reichstag is home to the German parliament and open to visitors. The building’s glass dome roof, designed by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, offers a great view over the city. To get inside, you need to register in advance. You can learn about the process on the Visit Berlin website.

Budget tips:

• The good news is that visiting the Reichstag is free of charge. Just be sure to organize everything as far in advance as possible, since this is a very popular attraction. Book ahead of time to enjoy this building’s rich history.
• To explore the dome and terrace, book admission at www.bundestag.de.

2. Brandenburg Gate

Nothing says “Berlin” quite like the Brandenburg Gate. Built in 1791, this gate has become a symbol of German unity after years of division between east and west. Take a stroll across swanky Pariser Platz, home to the French and US embassies, as well as the luxurious, upscale Hotel Adlon.

Budget tips:

• Although the boulevard Unter den Linden is definitely worth a stroll, the restaurants and cafes you’ll find there, or anywhere around the Brandenburg Gate, will most likely be touristy and overpriced.
• To save those precious euros for more worthy pursuits, pack a picnic and head to the Tiergarten park to the west of the gate.

3. Berlin Television Tower (Fernsehturm)

Rising to a staggering 1,207 feet, the Berlin TV Tower is by far the tallest building in Berlin and can be seen all over the city. The tower also has an interesting history: It was opened on October 3, 1969, shortly before the 20th anniversary of the GDR, and was designed to be a symbol of the might and superiority of East Germany and other socialist societies over the West. Travel to the mirrored sphere at the top for breathtaking views over all of Berlin.

Budget tips:

• The Berlin WelcomeCard will save you 25% on the price of admission.
• The revolving restaurant at the top is expensive, but you can be a true Cheapo and just order a couple of drinks and an appetizer. The food might not blow you away, but the view will!

4. Gendarmenmarkt

One of the most beautiful squares in Berlin, if not Germany, Gendarmenmarkt is a must-see for any visitor. The square is flanked by two cathedrals, Französischer Dom (French Cathedral) on the northern side and Deutscher Dom (German Cathedral) on the southern side with Konzerthaus (Concert House) behind it. Be sure and say “guten tag” to the statue of Friedrich Schiller, the famous German poet and playwright, located at the center of the square.

Budget tips:

• If you’d like to see the inside of one of the cathedrals, opt for the French Cathedral. Its admission is just €3 (€4 less than the price for the German Cathedral).
• Take free guided tour of the Concert House, designed by the famous German neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

5. Berliner Dom

Located on Museum Island (see below) directly on the Spree River, the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) is Berlin’s largest Protestant church and is a wonderful example of High-Renaissance Baroque architecture. The cathedral is also steeped with history and is tied very closely to the Hohenzollern dynasty. It was closed during the GDR era and reopened in 1993 after extensive renovations.

Budget tips:

• The Berlin Pass offers free entry to the cathedral (normal price €7).
• You can also enjoy it from the outside. Snap a few photos, then stretch out and relax at nearby Lustgarten.

6. Kurfürstendamm

Affectionately called “Ku’damm” by Berliners, Kurfürstendamm was West Berlin’s glitzy main shopping street, and stood for cosmopolitan elegance and sophistication for decades. The street begins at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and extends into the upscale neighborhood Halensee. Europe’s biggest department store KaDeWe and Zoological Garten, Germany’s oldest zoo, are both nearby and definitely worth a visit.

Budget tips:

• As with Unter den Linden, you should probably avoid restaurants and cafes directly on Ku’damm.
• But you can find more affordable food nearby: There are many inexpensive Indian restaurants on Grolmanstrasse and cheap Chinese places on Kant Strasse, including the amazing Lon Men’s Noodle House.
• To get a glimpse of student life in Berlin as well as a meal at a very nice price, you can also eat lunch at the TU Mensa, the cafeteria for Berlin’s Technical University.

7. Schloss Charlottenburg

Located just outside of the center of Berlin City West, Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace) is a beautiful baroque palace located in the middle of a large, picturesque garden at the banks of the Spree River.

Budget tips:

• Unless you’re an absolute palace junkie, it really isn’t necessary to pay the €10 entry fee to go inside the palace. Instead, take a stroll around the beautiful gardens.
• Seek out the bridge over a small lake – a romantic photo opportunity that has been used in numerous films and television shows – as well as the Queen Louise’s mausoleum and the Schinkel pavilion, a small house commissioned by King Friedrich Wilhelm II.

A river boat cruises by Museum Island. Photo: Chas B

8. Museum Island

An UNESCO world heritage site, Museum Island is also home to many of Berlin’s most important museums including the Pergamon Museum, the Bode Museum, Alte Museum (Old Museum),  Neues Museum (New Museum) and Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery).

Budget tips:

• To save on museum admission fees, you should definitely consider buying either the Berlin Museum Pass or Berlin Welcome Card Museum Island.
• If you’re not one for museums, be sure to take a stroll around the island and soak in the quaint history of the place, which is, of course, free of charge.

The Berlin Wall Memorial contain a preserved guard tower. Photo: Ingo Ronner

9. The Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Center

Located between the districts of Wedding (former West Berlin) and Mitte (former East Berlin), the Berlin Wall Memorial honors those who lost their lives trying to cross the Berlin Wall. A section of the wall and a guard tower remain standing, which offers a good feel for what the border felt like for decades. Cross the street and check out the Documentation Center to learn more about the wall’s history.

Budget tips:

• Both the Memorial and Documentation Center are free of charge. Read, listen, and learn about Berlin’s history as a divided city and the tragic consequences it had for the lives of many.
• Keep an eye on your wallet: Pickpockets are often active in this area, so a little extra precaution is advised.

Related: Memorializing the Berlin Wall

10.  Potsdamer Platz

Once a bustling commercial center, Potsdamer Platz became a dormant no-man’s land after World War II and until the fall of the Wall. Soon after, skyscrapers – as well as the Sony Center and the mall Potsdamer Platz Arcaden – sprung up out of the ground practically overnight. In February, the square is also home to the Berlinale, Berlin’s international film festival.

Budget tips:

• Again, it’s best to avoid the touristy restaurants around Potsdamer Platz.
• If you’d like to see a film in English, be sure to check out some of the smaller original language movie theaters in Berlin (check out this list) before shelling out bigger bucks at SonyCineStar.

The post How to save at Berlin’s Top 10 attractions appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Tips for solo travelers and couples

If you plan more than three rides on public transit in the AB zone per day, you’ll start saving money on your fourth trip with a day ticket purchase. Three rides or under, and you’ll want to purchase the 4-single trips ticket for 9€, which saves you 1.80€ over the price of buying four separate single trips.

If you plan a trip out to Potsdam and back, the ABC day ticket will save you money on your third trip of the day.

If you are staying anywhere between four and seven days, the 7-day AB ticket is your best option. Even if you are flying in and out of Schönefeld and planning a day trip to Potsdam, it is cheaper to buy four zone extension tickets for your 7-day AB ticket than a 7-day ABC ticket.

A 48h CityTourCard is 3.50€ more expensive than two AB day tickets and 4.20€ more than two ABC day tickets; the same WelcomeCard is 5.50€ more expensive for AB, 6.30€ more for ABC!

Best tickets for small groups and families

If you and two to four of your friends or family members are attached at the hip while visiting Berlin, the small group day ticket provides an even cheaper alternative to individual day tickets. Savings begin after adding the third person; a group of five will save 17.70€ over the price of five AB day tickets!

Three friends will save 17.90€ purchasing two small group tickets vs. three 48h CityTourCards, or 23.90€ vs. three WelcomeCards; bump that up to five, and the savings go to 52.90€ and 62.90€, respectively!

Will the CityTourCard or WelcomeCard ever be worth the extra charge?

In order to understand whether these cards may save you money in the end, you need to know which sites you’re planning to visit, then subtract the 15-50% rebate at any partners (while also remembering to calculate in the deficit from the higher price of these cards) for each entry price before you’ll know the answer. I believe that most such “discount cards” offered by tourist information services  are sometimes meant to squeeze more money out of you rather than truly save you money, and for this reason, they are purposefully obtuse.

The only clear exception to this supposition would be for visitors planning to visit at least two museums on Berlin’s Museum Island. The WelcomeCard Museumsinsel costs 42€ euros for 72h AB, 44€ for ABC.

Your a la carte alternative is to purchase three-day tickets (21€/22.80€) and three-day entry to the museums with a Museumspass (valid in nearly 60 museums for three days) for 24€, or a one-day Bereichskarte for Museumsinsel for 18€.

Depending upon your interest and the length of your stay, this may be one instance where a WelcomeCard saves you money; however, if you plan to visit any other museums in the same period of time, you are likely better off spending just 10€ more (i.e., the equivalent of one museum entry) for a Museumspass, considering all the other institutions you will also be able to visit at no extra charge. Alternatively, you can buy a year-long basic membership to the SMB museums (including all of Museum Island) for just 1 additional euro; museum lovers should check out this EuroCheapo post for more information.

The post Berlin public transit tickets: Getting the most for your money appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the center city’s most-accessible markets and few ideas to help you find affordable gifts:

Gendarmenmarkt: fun entertainment worth the cheap price

This is the only market I have ever been to that charges an entrance fee—to the tune of only €1. That finances an entertainment stage with constant performances, as well as fancifully costumed figures roaming the market and spreading cheer and laughter. There are many larger shops at this market offering “indoor” shopping rather than just market stands, and several restaurants also offer indoor seating.

Alexanderplatz: double your pleasure, double your fun

The square at Alexanderplatz itself is home to a very typical market, with a mix of cheap market items you might find any- and everywhere (colorful knitwear sets, leather wallets, keychains and trinkets) and more unique and handcrafted items such as jewelry, soaps, or handwoven baskets. Given its location at a major transportation crossroads for natives, this market has an abundance of food stands. This is also the most central location to shop for a souvenir for your tree at a Kathe Wohlfahrt glass ornaments shop.

In the shadow of the TV tower, just in front of City Hall, there is a second Christmas market even larger than the first. In the area surrounding the Neptune fountain is a giant ice skating rink with on-site skate rentals, a flying Santa sleigh and a large Ferris wheel. Because it is more atmospheric than its neighbor, it is often quite crowded, with comparable food and drink offerings to the other Alex market.

Potsdamer Plats Christmas Market is the first to open every holiday season. Photo: onnola

Potsdamer Platz: Austrian flair for earlybirds

This market is the first to open in the center of Berlin, usually by the middle of November, so if you’re visiting the city before the Christmas season is in full swing, you can usually get your mulled wine and candied almond fix here. It also offers a gigantic tubing hill with snow machines, if you would like to go sledding. This is a good place to pick up handcrafted wooden Christmas crafts, like arch-shaped candleholders for windows or traditional Christmas “pyramids.”

Opernpalais: nostalgic market

Back for the first time in a few years, this market just past the Cathedral and Museum Island was once among my absolute favorites. Unfortunately, the current subway line work in the area has it seemingly sandwiched between construction zones, meaning it’s best visited at night. You’ll find a unique selection of quality wares for sale here.

Beautiful Charlottenburg Palace all lit up for Christmas. Photo: Stephanie Kligast

Charlottenburg: klein aber fein (small but mighty)

This market in Charlottenburg takes place immediately in front of the palace, which makes for perhaps the best Christmas market photo opportunity in Berlin. While not the largest of the markets, it is also typically uncrowded, which can be a real blessing. Most of the food stands are gathered together, making this an excellent place for groups to meet and eat. The goods on offer are usually very high quality—and if you are in the market for a fancy hat, this is the place!

The post ‘Tis the season for these 5 Christmas markets in Berlin appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.