Pergamonmuseum
Named after a superb frieze that depicts the struggle between the gods and the giants, the huge Pergamonmuseum contains fabulous treasures from Babylon, Greece and Asia Minor.

Nightlife
Berliners practically invented decadence in the 1920s, and it's still one of Europe's best places to party. To check out the Szene, start at MS Sansouci and ask around.

Tiergarten
The squashed oval of the Tiergarten is a fun place to hang out, rent a boat or visit the justly famous zoo.

Potsdam and Sanssouci Palace
Potsdam is an unmissable day trip from the city centre: the glorious eighteenth century Sanssouci Palace of Frederick the Great is well restored, but the gardens form the chief delight.

Dahlem Museum Complex
A superb collection of Netherlandish painting and Medieval art, combined with first-rate ethnographic collections, make the Dahlem one of Germany's premier museums.

Checkpoint Charlie Museum
Today very little of the infamous Berlin Wall remains in site. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum tells the history of the Wall and the stories of those who tried to break through.

Reichstag
Refurbished by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, the Reichstag is now the seat of the German parliament. It's remembered as the place where Weimar democracy expired, and the building that the conceptual artist Christo covered in gauze.

Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is famous from grainy newsreels of Nazi parades and an icon of the Cold War divide. Take a taxi or bus through the Gate and absorb one of Berlin's most enduring symbols.

Alexanderplatz's TV Tower
In the centre of what was once the GDR, the soaring Alexanderplatz tower was once East Germany's finger to the West. Take the lift to the top for wide-angle views of the city.