Berlin is the capital of Germany and one of the most fascinating cities in all of Europe. A visit to Berlin will provide exciting sightseeing, superb gourmet food, the newest in modern art, and a fantastic nightlife.

During the many years World War II, many of Berlin’s buildings where heavily damaged. After the reunification process, almost all were rebuilt.

As World War II ended, the Allies had Berlin divided up into four different sectors. In West Berlin, the Americans, the British and the French controlled this sector.  In the Eastern part of Berlin, the USSR had control.

Since the fall of the infamous Berlin Wall in 1989, the city was incredibly merged together. Now, the united Berlin is once again the capital of all of Germany.

The landmark Brandenburger Tor, at 85 feet (26 meters) in height, was originally the main gate to Berlin. During the bleak years of the Cold War, the Brandenburger Tor was a forgotten icon in run-down East Berlin. Now it proudly represents the symbol of German reunification.

Another very important historical building is the German Parliament Building, also named the Reichstag Building.

After a 1933 fire destroyed the dome, Adolph Hitler used the accident to declare a state of emergency in Germany. But 12 years later the Red Army showed their victory by planting a flag on the roof.

After a major renovation, the building reopened in 1999. Significant improvements included a brand new, spectacular glass dome.

Visitors will find man many remains of the Cold War in Berlin. For one, Check Point Charlie is great example.

Originally, Check Point Charlie was a primary crossing point between East and West Berlin. Its museum showcases a reminder of difficult time in Berlin’s history.

In the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, view photos, and various memorabilia from the Berlin Wall and an assortment of devices that were used by citizens to escape from the East to the West.

Berlin boasts a variety of fine shopping. Here you can find Europe’s largest department store, called KaDeWe.

Make a trip to the sixth floor, where the food and beverage department is located. Gourmet lovers can rejoice and find approximately 1700 different cheeses, 1000 different sausages and 800 types of bread.

Berlin hosts a multitude of weekend markets. Several of the best ones include: Grosser Berliner Trdel- und Kunstmarkt at Strasse de 17. Juni in Tiergarten, Kunst-und Nostalgiemarkt at the Museumsinsel and Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz.

At Christmas time, indulge in the taste of sausages, waffles and the popular German Gluhwein at one of the many festive, Weihnachtsmarkt events around the city.

It’s hard to be believe it’s been 20 years since the fall of the mighty Berlin Wall in Germany.  The wall that divided East versus West and divergent ideologies is gearing up for a huge celebration.

Arguably the most moving historic moment of the 20th century, was the ultimate fall of the Berlin Wall. 2009 will mark 20 years ago this year– was an unforgettable triumph.

Not hard to imagine that Germany is scaling up for a huge celebration and is planning an array of exciting events to commemorate this momentous occasion.

Berlin, now country’s capital, is a haven of creative design and hip cultural delights – is throwing a year-long party for the world to enjoy.

In May, visit the launch of an open-air exhibit on Alexanderplatz (formerly in East Berlin) about the fall of East Germany’s communist government. From November 7 to 9, a three-day “Festival of Freedom” will take place at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. This historic event will be “culminating in a multimedia recreation of the wall coming down.”

If you are looking for a luxury hotel during your stay in Berlin, Germany ….. try these favorites:

Hotel de Rome: Housed in a historic bank building (with the bank vault converted into a pool) and boasting panoramic views of the city’s attractions, this hotel is a member of the prestigious Rocco Forte Collection. Enough said.

Hotel Adlon Kempinski: A fixture on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List, this illustrious hotel is actually offering a special package to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s demise, which includes a guided city tour of Berlin’s historic sites.

Kempinski Hotel Bristol: The first five-star hotel to be rebuilt after the war and a symbol of Berlin.

Ritz-Carlton Berlin: The posh hotel features the La Prairie Spa pool. Bathrooms in the guestrooms are just as sumptuous and spa-like.

Radisson SAS: Stocked with 2,500 exotic fish, the enormous lobby AquaDom is the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium.

Hotel Concorde: The sleek hotel is all about design with stylish minimalist interiors with lots of contemporary art.

Berlin, the capital city of Germany is the biggest city in the country. It is most famous for its historical places, nightlife, cafes, clubs, bars, museums, palaces, and further sightseeing options.

After the fall of the Berlin War, the city has become a genuine melting pot as far as culture is concerned. It has become a place where all types of art, music, and fashion come together.

The city has numerous museums. Museums managed by the government do not need to be paid for to enter four hours prior to their shutting down each Thursday, and there is also the three day Museum Pass which lets visitors have admission to about 70 museums.

Museumsinsel, also known as Museum Island is famous for housing the Pergamon Museum which has a huge compilation of Greek and Islamic art. Additional museums on the island consist of the Altes Museum with Egyptian collections, the Alte National galleries with mostly German collections, and the Bode Museum with Byzantine art.

You can discover a lot of museums that cover the history of the country, particularly the Holocaust. In addition, Berlin is one of those few cities that do not attempt to conceal the negative sides of its history. You can view remnants of the Berlin Wall as well as Jewish museums that cover the Holocaust.

The Deutches Historisches Museum has an enormous assortment of German history items covering all ages. This museum is extremely huge, so make sure you have sufficient stamina to spend hours looking at the whole thing. The Judisches Museum is the Jewish museum. There are many historical items about Jews in Germany in this museum. In addition there is a Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe which covers one entire block. There is an underground museum with information concerning the Holocaust. This is one of the most visited as well as most striking museums in Berlin.

The Berlin Wall may not be there anymore, but a portion of it is still visible along the river. This has been preserved as a gallery, and there are very nice murals on it. There is also a Berlin War Memorial for those that died crossing the wall. There is a viewing platform that lets you imagine exactly what it must have been like when the wall was still in place. Checkpoint Charlie used to be a crossing point between the two sides of Germany, and is also well worth a visit.

The Tempelhof airport is the airport that was used for the duration of the Berlin Airlift in 1948. There is now a memorial here to remember the airlifts around the blockade. This airport has also been featured in numerous films, and has a matchless architecture. With its countless halls and buildings, it was built to become an entry point to Europe, and is still one of the most enormous buildings in the world.

Berlin is an amazing city to see for tourists, and if you can only go to one city in Germany then you should go to Berlin. Its history will help you connect to it, and you will be haunted the rest of your life by many of the historic sites you see here.  Author: Robert M Freeman