trip planning · Berlin Guide Editorial Team · 7 min ·
Berlin for Free: 15 Things That Cost Nothing
Berlin on a budget: 15 free activities from the East Side Gallery to parks, flea markets and viewpoints that charge no admission.
Berlin is no longer cheap, but the city has kept its “poor but sexy” core. Many of the best experiences here cost nothing at all. Plan smartly and you can spend days in Berlin without constantly paying admission. Here are 15 things that are free, sorted by mood.
Which landmarks can I see for free?
A surprising number of the most famous places charge nothing.
- Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) - The city’s symbol stands open to everyone, day and night.
- East Side Gallery - Close to a mile of painted Wall in Friedrichshain, an open-air gallery with no ticket.
- Reichstag dome - Climbing into the glass dome above the German parliament is free but requires online registration in advance.
- Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) on Bernauer Straße - The clearest explanation of the division of the city anywhere, free admission.
- Holocaust-Mahnmal - The field of concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate is open to walk through, and the underground Place of Information below it is free too.
Where do I relax outdoors for free?
Berlin is unexpectedly green, and the big parks are among the best things the city offers.
- Tiergarten - The vast central park is made for strolling, picnicking and getting pleasantly lost.
- Tempelhofer Feld - The decommissioned airport is now an enormous open space for cycling, skating and kite flying.
- Mauerpark - On Sundays with its flea market and legendary open-air karaoke, both free to watch.
- Viktoriapark in Kreuzberg - With a waterfall and one of the best free viewpoints over the city.
- Landwehrkanal - Stroll the banks, especially lovely in summer around Paul-Lincke-Ufer.
Which views cost nothing?
You do not need the TV tower for the big picture.
- Viktoriapark hill - From the national monument at the top you get a wide view, completely free.
- Klunkerkranich - A rooftop bar on a parking garage in Neukölln with a panorama view. Entry costs a small amount in the evening and is often free during the day, so check ahead.
- Around the Teufelsberg - The highest point in the west, good for hiking. The site itself charges admission in parts, the forest around it does not.
Which free experiences are quintessentially Berlin?
Some things cannot be had anywhere else, and they stay free.
- Gallery hopping in Mitte - Around Auguststraße, gallery after gallery, with exhibitions open to the public. Perfect for an afternoon, especially in bad weather.
- Flea markets - Mauerpark, Boxhagener Platz, the market at Arkonaplatz. Browsing costs nothing, and the Berlin crowd is entertainment in itself.
How do I save on food too?
Food will not be free, but cheap works very well in Berlin. A döner kebab or a currywurst fills you up for a few euros; details are on our food and drink pages. Weekly markets like the one at Maybachufer sell fresh fruit, bread and snacks at fair prices. And Berlin tap water is drinkable, which saves the constant cost of bottled water.
When are Berlin’s free offers at their best?
Many state museums have free-entry days or reduced prices at set times, but the arrangements change regularly, so check shortly before you go. In summer, life moves outdoors anyway, into the parks and along the canals, where the best program is free. We keep collecting tips for doing Berlin cheaply in our trip planning hub.