Culture

Behind a green door in Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station, a world of air-raid shelters, tunnels, and old cellars begins. The Berliner Unterwelten association has been leading tours through these facilities since the late 1990s, recounting Berlin's history from World War II to the Cold War.

Located at the easternmost tip of Brandenburg, near the Oder River, Neuzelle boasts its Cistercian monastery, the largest Baroque monument in Northern and Eastern Germany. A magnificent collegiate church, a restored Baroque garden, and a centuries-old monastery brewery make this gem in the Oder-Spree Lake District the most worthwhile weekend trip from Berlin.

Those looking for special cultural sites can embark on an exciting discovery tour in Berlin's underworlds.

In the cellar of Haus Schwarzenberg on Rosenthaler Straße, mechanical monsters come to life. The Monster Cabinet by the artist group Dead Chickens is a machine theater where automaton figures made from scrap and found objects dance, sing, and recite poems.

With a little luck customers of Hekticket at the zoo can see musicals, comedy, plays or even concerts at half price.

On Berlin's magnificent boulevard Unter den Linden stands one of the oldest and most renowned opera houses in the world. The Staatsoper Unter den Linden combines almost 300 years of music history with first-class productions and the unmistakable sound of the Staatskapelle Berlin. A wedding evening that will not soon be forgotten.

Hamburger Bahnhof is one of the world's most renowned and important museums for contempory art.

Berlin's oldest professional improv ensemble meets every Monday at the BKA Theater on Kreuzberg's Mehringdamm for a competition. Two teams, one stage, no script: Theatersport Berlin has been delivering spontaneous theater since 1995, with the audience taking charge.

At Friedrichstraße station, there is a glass and steel pavilion that served as the departure hall at the border between East and West Berlin during GDR times. Today, the Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears) houses a permanent exhibition about everyday life in divided Germany, with free admission.

Located in Tempelhof, on a former UFA film studio site, ufaFabrik is arguably Berlin's most versatile cultural center. Those who experience improv theater here get evenings written by the audience themselves: spontaneous, unscripted, and different every time.

Admiralspalast on Friedrichstraße is one of the few big entertainment venues with tradition with the location being home to the biggest stage shows as early as the beginning 1900s.

Beneath the field of stelae of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe lies the "Place of Information", an underground exhibition covering approximately 800 square meters. It tells the stories of people, families, and places of persecution, and admission is free.

Hackesche Höfe is Germany's biggest Geschlossen court area!

The Nikolaiviertel in Berlin-Mitte is Berlin's oldest city center: cobblestones, narrow alleys, and pastel-colored houses make a stroll here a journey into medieval Berlin. Anyone looking to spend a historically rich yet relaxed day with parents or relatives will find exactly what they're looking for here.

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, Berlin Cathedral in Berlin-Mitte will be the focal point of festive church music: Bach's Easter Oratorio will resound under the mighty dome, accompanied by services and devotions throughout Holy Week. Classical music, faith, and a breathtaking sense of space directly at Lustgarten.

In Tiergarten, just a few steps from Potsdamer Platz, the Felleshus unites the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden under a copper band. Inside, Smørrebrød, jazz, and changing exhibitions await, all without a plane ticket.

In southwest Berlin, precisely in Steglitz, stands the Schlosspark Theater: a private theater with over 200 years of history, which Dieter Hallervorden has turned into one of Berlin's most renowned stages since 2009 with in-house productions, guest stars, and the credo "Spirit with Humor".

Café Bravo in the courtyard of the KW Institute for Contemporary Art on Auguststraße in Berlin-Mitte is arguably the city's most beautiful museum café. Cobblestones, old trees, and an iconic glass pavilion make Sundays here a real event.

Not only is the Berlin Cathedral the biggest church in Berlin, you can also see the largest original church organ from the late Romantic era there.

Berlin's oldest comedy club resides in Prenzlauer Berg: The Cosmic Comedy Club Berlin has been occupying a former savings bank on Schönhauser Allee for over two decades and is now the primary destination for English-language stand-up comedy and improv theater in the capital.

The Café Schwartzsche Villa is located in the Steglitz Cultural Centre, home to the Berlin Authors' Forum, where readings regularly take place in the salon. It is operated by an inclusion company, and a slice of cake costs 4 Euros. As a reading café in Berlin-Steglitz, the yellow Wilhelminian villa boasts a summer garden for around 100 guests.

The small but exquisite Schlosspark Theater in Steglitz offers an entertaining program over Easter 2025.

If you are looking for classical concerts in Berlin, you must visit the Baroque palace on Köpenick Palace Island: Located idyllically on the Dahme river in the heart of the old town, the historic Aurora Hall offers a chamber music experience of such density and atmosphere that it is almost unrivaled in the city.

In Charlottenburg, directly on Steinplatz, stands a concert hall steeped in Berlin's musical history: The UdK Berlin Concert Hall on Hardenbergstraße was home to the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan in the 1960s and is now the vibrant heart of the Faculty of Music at one of Europe's most important art universities.

Bode-Museum on the Museum Island is not only suited for adults with an interest in art but also for families and young visitors aged between 6 - 10 with its Children's Gallery.