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Topography of Terror

Topography of Terror: Our most recommended tours and activities

Berlin: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour with Live Commentary

1. Berlin: Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour with Live Commentary

Explore Berlin's top sights on a convenient hop-on hop-off bus ticket. Listen to facinating stories about the city with live commentary. Have the freedom to jump on or off throughout the validity of your ticket. Visit top areas like Tiergarten, Gendarmenmarkt, and Potsdamer. If, for example, you start your tour at Kurfürstendamm, you will pass the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and reach KaDeWe, one of Europe’s largest shopping centers, through Tauentzienstraße. Next you continue on to Lützowplatz and the embassy district at the Tiergarten and over to the Philarmonic and the West Berlin Kulturforum. The next stop is the historically significant Potsdamer Platz. In the 1930s, it was one of the most public squares in Berlin. After the Second World War, this was no man’s land, where the Berlin Wall divided the city. Today, seeing the vibrant life and the newly erected towers reminiscent of New York’s urban canyons, you will hardly believe that for years there was nothing here other than the Berlin Wall, spring-guns and GDR soldiers. Also, the Legoland Discovery Center is on Potsdamer Platz. From there, continue to Berlin’s other important historical sites. In the Niederkirchner Straße you can find the city parliament, the Martin-Gropius-Bau, a museum with changing exhibitions, the Topography of Terror, which exhibits the history of the Nazis and of the Jews’ suffering under the Nazis, as well as the Ministry of Finance, which was once the Nazi Ministry of Aviation. From there you drive on to Checkpoint Charlie, one of the former border crossings between East and West Berlin. A permanent exhibition looks back at the Cold War period. On Friedrichstraße you come across one of the nicest spots in Berlin, the Gendarmenmarkt, with two similar buildings, the German and French Cathedrals. The Konzerthaus Berlin is in the middle of the square. After the Gendarmenmarkt it’s on to Alexanderplatz and the TV Tower. The stop for these sights is the Neptune Fountain. This used to be the Berlin City Palace. Here you will also have the opportunity to go shopping. The next stop is Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, in front of the Radisson Hotel. From here you can transfer on to a boat if you wish to experience Berlin by boat as well as bus. Also, the Aquadom, Sealife Berlin and the Berlin Dungeon are located at this stop, as well as the Berlin Cathedral, which holds the sarcophagi of the Hohenzollern family. From here you can also admire the golden dome of the New Synagogue on Oranienburger Straße. The “Hackeschen Höfe” are only a few minutes away. Next you'll go over the glamorous street Unter den Linden to the Museum Island, Bebelplatz, Humboldt University and to the stops Unter den Linden 36 (Friedrichstrasse) at ZDF Capital City Studios and Unter den Linden 74, where one of Berlin’s most important attractions is located: Madame Tussauds Berlin. From here the ride continues to the Brandenburg Gate. On the way you will see the UK, Russia, France and US embassies, followed by the Holocaust Memorial. The stop there is at Platz des 18. März. The road leads on past the Reichstag and the government district. You will soon reach the new Hauptbahnhof. From here you have the world-famous view of the German Chancellery, the Reichstag and – as a special surprise – Berlin’s “Fujiyama”. Finally you will cross Berlin’s ‘green lung’, the Tiergarten. This park is bigger than New York’s Central Park. The tour then brings you past the Congress Hall to the stop at Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the President of Germany. From here you can also see the Siegessäule with the golden Victoria statue at the top. On the way back to Kurfürstendamm you will see, for example, the old Hauptbahnhof of former West Berlin, the Technical University and much more. The stops: 01 - Kurfürstendamm 231 (in front of Karstadt) 02 - KaDeWe (main entrance) 03 - Lützowplatz (opposite Hotel Berlin) 04 - Philharmonic / Kulturforum 05 - Potsdamer Platz (at Kolhoff-Tower) 06 - Potsdamer Platz / Linkstraße 07 - Topography of Terror 08 - Checkpoint Charlie (at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum) 09 - Gendarmenmarkt, Markgrafen- / Taubenstraße 10 - Alexanderplatz, Red City Hall, Neptunbrunnen (not in service during the Christmas market in December) 11 - Karl-Liebknecht Str. 5, (to the boat) 12 - Museumsinsel 13 - Humboldt University 14 - Unter den Linden 36 / Friedrichstraße 15 - Unter den Linden 74, Madame Tussauds Berlin (out of order) 16 - Brandenburg Gate, Ebertstraße 17 - Reichstag, Scheidemannstr. 18 - Hauptbahnhof, exit Rahel-Hirsch-Straße 19 - Haus der Kulturen der Welt 20 - Bellevue Palace 21 - Bikini Haus, Budapester Straße 22 - U-/S-Bahn station Zoologischer Garten

Berlin: Small-Group Third Reich and Cold War Walking Tour

2. Berlin: Small-Group Third Reich and Cold War Walking Tour

Hear about the tumultuous contemporary history of Berlin on a guided walking tour to historical sights. Choose from group or private walking tour. Pass by sights like the German House of Parliament, Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, and Checkpoint Charlie. Meet your tour guide in front of the Brandenburg Gate, the site of many changes in 20th-century Berlin. Listen to commentary about the last days of the Second World War and hear how the gate came to be a symbol of reunification in Germany after 1989.  Learn about the curious Reichstag Fire of 1933 as you pass the German House of Parliament. Delve deep into the events that took place after the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1933, what happened to this building since the fall of the wall in 1989. Continue your sightseeing tour by heading to the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten, where you’ll have the chance to examine Soviet military hardware. Walk to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a poignant dedication to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. See the site of Hitler’s Bunker and stroll to Hermann Göring's enormous Ministry of Aviation building at the Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus, which was site where the GDR was founded in 1949. Next, you’ll head to see where the SS and the Gestapo institutions were located. Contemplate life on both sides of the Berlin Wall while gathering around a 200-meter long stretch of the wall. Despite the wall falling 30 years ago, standing here allows you to absorb the very palpable history of the city. Round off the walk with a stop at Checkpoint Charlie, where your guide will finish the tour with anecdotes about the infamous American versus Soviet tank standoff and the final hours before the wall fell.

Berlin: A Third Reich Walking Tour

3. Berlin: A Third Reich Walking Tour

Learn the secrets of one of the most defining stories of the 20th century as you explore Berlin locations closely tied to Hitler and the Third Reich. During the walking tour, authoritative guides who have made this one of the world's most highly regarded tours on the subject provide a fascinating commentary. Visit the remains of Goering's Air Defence Ministry, where the Luftwaffe coordinated the Battle of Britain. Go to the site of Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry, and see the ruins of Himmler's SS and Gestapo HQs. Take a stroll down the imaginary north-south axis of "Germania," as designed by Albert Speer, from the towering Great Hall to the monumental arch. Visit the site of Hitler's New Reichs Chancellery, the seat of power of Nazi-held Europe, and the exact location of the Führer’s Bunker. Your guide will provide a step-by-step account of Hitler's suicide, the last days spent in the bunker, and the fate of his remains. Finally, follow the route of the Soviet attack towards the final battlefield of the Reichstag, and stop before the Soviet Memorial, flanked with T34 Tanks and Red Army Howitzers.

Berlin: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour

4. Berlin: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour

Enjoy the perfect introduction to Berlin on a hop-on hop-off Big Bus tour. Sitting back and relaxing on an open-top double-decker sightseeing bus as you listen to insightful and highly educational audio commentary of the German Capital is the best way to visit all of Berlin's famous memorials, monuments, and museums. Take a captivating journey through Berlin's rich history where you can also immerse yourself in its modern-day vibrant life. You'll pass by and have the opportunity to hop off and further explore the city's most iconic sights such as The Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, The Reichstag, Museum Island, The Berlin Cathedral, and The East Side Gallery - where the Berlin Wall still stands as a reminder of the Cold War Era's East and West Berlin division. The full sightseeing tour of Berlin is 2 hours long. Many choose to do one full loop to see the city and decide where they want to hop off on the next loop around, but it's completely up to you how you plan your day and visit. Buses will arrive every 20-30 minutes throughout the day, so you can choose to hop off at Museum Island to visit The Pergamonmuseum or the 4 other incredible museums and galleries and get back on the bus a few hours later to continue your journey. Visit one of the most interactive museums in the world, the DDR Museum which gives you the chance to experience a little of what everyday life behind the Berlin Wall was like in former East Germany. Gain further insight into Berlin’s tumultuous history on our 90-minute walking tour. Delve into the city’s fascinating past from the Third Reich and Second World War to the Cold War and up to the Fall of the Berlin Wall. In addition to all this, you can also enjoy Berlin’s most famous street food, Currywurst. Nearly a billion of these pork sausages seasoned with curry-flavored ketchup are sold annually and you simply have to try one during your Berlin stay. Complete your Berlin experience with an optional 75-minute live-guided evening bus tour taking in the East Side Gallery, Berlin's trendy neighborhoods of Kreuzberg, Mitte, and Prenzlauer Berg as well as the unmissable Berlin Wall memorial.

Berlin: Evening Sightseeing Tour by Bus with Live Commentary

5. Berlin: Evening Sightseeing Tour by Bus with Live Commentary

Explore Berlin during an evening tour, which will take you on a journey past iconic landmarks including the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, and the Berlin Wall Memorial. Venture through the trendy neighborhoods of Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg, where you can experience the modern and vibrant side of Berlin. With a unique contrast between history and culture, our tour offers something for everyone, from the classic to the alternative. Plus, your experienced guide will not only provide insight into the history and significance of the sights but also offer insider tips on the best places to visit after the tour. Sights you will see on the route: Alexanderplatz East Side Gallery Oberbaumbrücke Kreuzberg Museumsinsel Berliner Schloss Boulevard Unter den Linden Brandenburger Tor Tränenpalast Friedrichstadtpalast Neue Synagoge Nordbahnhof (ehemaliger Geisterbahnhof) Mauergedenkstätte Bernauer Straße Mauerpark Kulturbrauerei Prenzlauer Berg Volksbühne

Berlin: Hitler's Berlin The Rise & Fall Guided Walking Tour

6. Berlin: Hitler's Berlin The Rise & Fall Guided Walking Tour

Meet your guide in front of the tourist center at the Brandenburg Gate before embarking on a journey uncovering the dark history of the Third Reich. Following a brief introduction to build an understanding of the political instability of 1930’s Germany and the roots of the Nazi Party, walk over to the memorial to victims of the Third Reich. Get an insight into the cruel social philosophies that would later underpin the Holocaust. Later at the Reichstag (German Parliament Building), learn how the Nazi Party was elected to power and how Hitler became the Führer of Germany. Intertwined with the fierce final battle for the city in 1945, your guide will highlight key street battles, explain Russian and German military strategy as well point out the battle scars which can still be seen in the buildings today. After viewing the Jewish memorial and the Führer bunker where Hitler spent his final days continue the tour to Wilhelm Straße, the once political heart of Nazi Germany. Culminating at where the Gestapo headquarters once stood you will have the chance for a break to get tea or coffee and use the restrooms. Following the break, visit what was once Berlin’s largest train station and a site of the mass deportation of Jews from the city. A short train ride from the modern station takes you to the Jewish district highlighting key historical events where you will learn about the Jewish migration to Berlin, the rise of anti-Semitism in 1930’s Germany, and the modern-day implications. Visit Berlin’s oldest Jewish cemetery and the site of a deportation center. Finally, you will pay homage to the brave men and women who refused to submit to the Nazi’s social philosophies and risked their lives to save others from persecution.

Hitler’s Germany: Berlin During the Third Reich & WWII

7. Hitler’s Germany: Berlin During the Third Reich & WWII

You will meet your expert guide in central Berlin for either a shared group or private tour, depending on your preference. Your guide will begin with an overview of the Nazi’s decimation of Berlin’s nearby Jewish district, before taking you on a short metro ride to the site of Anhalter Bahnhof, a huge train station destroyed in WWII. You will then walk through the former Nazi government district to the colossal former Luftwaffe headquarters (the German air force), headed by Hermann Göring, the former air force HQ is one of the best surviving examples of Nazi architecture. Then you’ll be taken to the Gestapo (the secret police) and the SS headquarters, now home to the Topography of Terror Museum. After the museum break, your guide will continue to cover the Nazi’s most sinister actions: Joseph Goebbels’ use of propaganda; the ‘T4’ euthanasia program; and the Holocaust. As you make your way towards Berlin’s largest park, the Tiergarten, you will visit the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism and the memorial for 96 politicians arrested by the Nazis as they seized power in 1933. Your tour will finish in front of the impressive German parliament building, the Reichstag, as your guide explains both Hitler and Albert Speer’s plan to completely redesign Berlin as ‘Germania’, capital of the empire of the world, and the culmination of the Battle of Berlin - how Soviet soldiers assaulted the Reichstag under anti-aircraft fire, whilst the führer was committing suicide not even a mile away.

Berlin: Segway Tour Central City

8. Berlin: Segway Tour Central City

Journey through Berlin's vibrant past and explore historical spots around the former Berlin Wall on this Segway tour.  After a short orientation, enjoy a ride through the center of Berlin and explore the city's famous sights.  Start at the legendary Checkpoint Charlie followed by a visit to the Topography of Terror. Ride pass the Brandenburg Gate, look at the imposing Holocaust Memorial, and experience the colorful hustle and bustle of the Gendarmenmarkt. Listen to interesting facts about the history of Berlin. Marvel at the impressive architecture of the government district and admire how green Berlin is as you travel through Tiergarten or past the Spree. Journey through time and the history of Berlin; from Prussia to the Weimar Republic, the Second World War, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany and the present day - the best overview you can get together with a well-maintained Segway and knowledgeable guide.

Nazi Berlin and the Jewish Community Tour

9. Nazi Berlin and the Jewish Community Tour

The tour begins with the Topography of Terror, headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS. You will see as well the impressive former Ministry of the Reich Air Force and the site of Hitler's immense New Chancellery. Your guide will take you with public transport to the historical district of the Jewish community, where you will see the oldest Jewish cemetery, the imposing New Sanagogue, with its golden dome. You will learn about the long history of the Berlin Jews in this tolerant city untill the Nazis came to power and the mechanisms of forced labour and the deportations during World War II. Your guide will take you at the end of the tour to a museum showing the story of a Righteous Among the Nations and his efforts to protect his Jewish workers from persecution and deportation. When the threat grew ever greater he found places for some of them to hide - one of these was on the premises of what is now the museum.

From Warnemünde Port: Berlin Shore Excursion

10. From Warnemünde Port: Berlin Shore Excursion

This shore excursion is adjusted to each ship’s docking times and starts promptly after your vessel’s arrival, returning with plenty of time to spare - ensuring that you will not miss your cruise ship’s departure.  Meet your host in front of your cruise ship as soon as it docks. Board a comfortable, air-conditioned bus and take a relaxing journey through the picturesque flatlands of East Germany. Arrive in Berlin and meet your professional English-speaking tour guide. Begin the tour in West Berlin at the Charlottenburg Palace. Stretch your legs as your knowledgeable local guide gives you an introduction to the city. Then, drive through the former British sector along Berlin’s Champs-Élysées - the Kurfürstendamm, past the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the KaDeWe, the largest department store in continental Europe. Next, head to East Berlin - visiting the impressive parliament building, the Reichstag - on the way. Stroll through the famous Brandenburg Gate and nearby Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Admire the Tiergarten central park, the Victory Column, a Soviet memorial, the Memorial to the Murdered Sinti and Roma as well as the Paris Square. Continue on to the site of Hitler’s bunker, through Potsdamer Platz to one of the few remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall before reaching the former site of the Headquarters of the SS and Gestapo, today known as the Topography of Terror. Next is your chance to pass through Checkpoint Charlie – the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War - and visit the former US sector. After some free time for lunch (not included in the tour price), continue the tour through the former Soviet sector of East Berlin to visit the spectacular Gendarmenmarkt and Bebelplatz – famous for being the ‘Nazi Book Burning Square’. Visit Berlin’s historic former Royal Quarter – the beautiful boulevard of Unter den Linden, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island, the Berlin Cathedral, and Alexanderplatz with its iconic TV Tower. Time permitting, your tour guide might drive past the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall with its world-famous graffiti – the East Side Gallery or stop in the former Jewish Quarter, which has recently become the fashion and art center of the German capital. At the end of your Berlin tour, say goodbye to your tour guide, and be whisked off in comfort back to your cruise ship.

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What people are saying about Topography of Terror

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 7,752 reviews

Our guide Paul was fantastic. He gave us a great tour and was very informative giving us a really good overview of Berlin and some of its history. Paul made the tour for us all and was an all round top man.

Paul was excellent and was friendly and very accommodating, answering and questions we had. He had a tonne of information to share with the group. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend to anyone!

Staff very helpful. Covered a lot of the city. Audio stories were interesting and factual. Pick up and drop off spots throughout the city.

Interesting, fun, insightful and engaging tour! Matt was friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!

A perfect way to get years of history told and shown in a couple of hours