Private Taxi Tour of Berlin East and West and Neighbourhood approx. 4-6h

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Reichstag Building

   Magnificent Wilhelminian building, even if criticized by it as a chat room or monkey house. Therefore also built outside and away from the city. Historically valuable, after all, the Red Army soldiers placed their flag on the building as a symbol of victory. Even if the famous photo of it is only reproduced. Then for decades it was largely ignored in the so-called free West Berlin - only 5 m away from the Wall, it was not allowed to be used for official Bundestag sessions. If so, to elect the Federal President, for example, a reprimand from East Berlin followed immediately. Completely gutted in the nineties and completely redesigned for the reunified Bundestag with now over 700 members. Not to forget the iconographic wrapping action by the artist Christo. The Reichstag dome, put on new glass after the architect had only planned a kind of gas station roof at this point, it now represents the new Berlin.

   Pass by without stopping

2. Brandenburg Gate

   It's actually on Pariser Platz, at least from the other side. If the city of Berlin were an apartment, this place would be the so-called parlor. In other words, the room where guests are happy to take them to show the most beautiful sides of the city. But why so much, the surrounding buildings were destroyed by war and demolition in the later decades, all that was left was the Brandenburg Gate. It was about as isolated as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. But it wasn't planned that way. There was no way to get to the gate from either side, a very thick wall stood from the west, and the East Berliners were separated by a fence from the east. The remaining part of the Hotel Adlon was finally blown up. After the fall of the Wall, it was decided to rebuild everything here, but modernized in style, only in cubature as before. Now the Liebermannhaus, the Academy of the Arts, the French and American embassies are gathered here again.

   5 minutes here

3. Potsdamer Platz

   Actually, the right place, which was laid out as an octagon by the soldier king in the 18th century (in contrast to the Karree, the Pariser Platz and the Rondell, today's Mehringplatz), the Leipziger Platz, is located at the end of the street of the same name before the city gate, that led to Potsdam and was therefore also called that. The now more well-known square, the Potsdamer, was already outside and was and is again largely an intersection with lots of traffic. While 100,000 vehicles drove by here every day in the 1920s, the day and night life raged here with amusement restaurants and more. Today the well-known buildings of Mercedes (then Daimler-Chrysler) and the Sony Center are located here, at the beginning of the striking glass tower for the management of Deutsche Bahn. Nearby important hotels (like the Ritz Carlton) and new amusements. That's how it was intended, but it doesn't really want to unfold from the retort, even the Spielbank Berlin wants to leave, the musical is already.

   Pass by without stopping

4. Paul-Lobe-Haus

   This building is the so-called engine of parliament; all parliamentary work takes place here. In Parliament, only the closing speeches are held; the actual discussion and voting takes place in the committees. There is plenty of opportunity for this in every bulge in the over 200 m long building on three floors. And as a glass parliament you can even see it from the outside. Only the EU and secret committees sit in the largest rotunda facing the Spree above the two restaurants - and cannot be seen from outside.

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5. Bundeskanzleramt

   Colossal building, with a height of 36 m, ten floors and a total of 500 office rooms for over 300 employees, not exactly small. The White House would fit eight times. The only bigger ones are palaces for presidents. The Chancellor has her office in the top left corner. In the rotunda above there is an official apartment for her, which she does not use. As you know, she lives across from Museum Island. The official apartment is also rather impractical, with bathroom and bedroom across the street with about 200 m² of usable space.

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6. A modern building, with a striking large giant window in the middle. Behind this, the government is surveyed once or twice a week by accredited journalists from the capital. They then sit in front of a blue wall, which is also easily reflected here in the facade.

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7. Here we pass the east-west border again. In the port, which was already a restricted area at that time, the first deaths occurred after the wall was built. Günter Litfin was shot backwards while trying to swim through the harbor. His brother mourned him until a few years ago - in one of the last remaining watchtowers at the Invalidenfriedhof.

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8. Largest crossing station in Europe, that's what the railway itself says and tells of 300,000 passengers who change trains here every day. Well that's hard to check. But in fact the train station is already huge in its dimensions, with 8 underground tracks and just as many above ground. In between huge halls, a total of 5 levels, and many, many shops. And so that they got enough visitors, the former most important train station in West Berlin, namely the Bahnhof Zoo, was downgraded to a regional train station without a stop for the ICE. To the horror of the Charlottenburg etc, who now had another journey - felt like nowhere. Because the new central station (Berlin never had one, only terminal stations in all directions) was only on the Stadtbahn (which was once built to connect most of Berlin's train stations). The underground only got a stub up to the Brandenburg Gate (it is being extended), and underground digging is still going on at the S-Bahn.

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9. Friedrichstrasse

   One of the most famous and longest streets through the city of Berlin: Friedrichstrasse. From here it runs in a straight line south to Kreuzberg, where it ends at today's Mehringplatz - and thus at Hallescher Tor. It has quite different sections, here is the somewhat dingy northern end, which is currently being spruced up. The Tacheles, which actually stands on Oranienburger Straße, extends over here, as it was originally a shopping gallery before department stores became fashionable. Today it's the other way around. A small new district is being created here on an area that could hold some villages.

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10. Berlin Friedrichstrasse Station

    This station was the only one at the time of the Wall from which there was an onward journey from East to West Berlin, such as for the Paris-Moscow Express at the time. Or also for departures of East Berliners, but then without return ticket. Which is why this station was also used for adventurous escape attempts, which, however, were not always successful. Otherwise, the entire station was criss-crossed by barriers and customs checkpoints, in the middle of which were Stasi observation walks - if you are interested in this and more, you will find the original recreated next door in the so-called Palace of Tears. It was called that because East Berliners had to say goodbye to their relatives there, and often seemingly forever. (Can be omitted if there is no time left depending on traffic conditions and length of stay at the previous attractions. However, additional time can be booked on site.)

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11. Unter Den Linden

    This magnificent boulevard was the first of its kind in Berlin. Actually designed as a tranquil bridle path, it led from the Berlin Palace to the west, through the Brandenburg Gate into the hunting grounds, today's zoo. These were also reserved for the elector personally and exclusively. When the city expanded to the west - the nucleus was the island in the Spree and the eastern side, where the Nikolaiviertel is today - the Jagdweg was expanded into a considerable boulevard. When it came to the question of how to plant it, there was no agreement between nut trees and linden trees. As you can see today, the linden trees prevailed, otherwise today the street was called Unter den Nüssen ... Originally lined with aristocratic palaces, today there are important and prominent buildings from the State Library to the Humboldt University and the State Opera. Only the remaining cafes on the median are cozy.

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12. Russische Botschaft

    After the war, the Soviet Union had the largest foreign representation in Europe built here. Its size was supposed to document who was in charge here in the center of Berlin, at that time the American, British and French embassies on Pariser Platz were all in ruins. Contrary to the von den Linden statutes, according to which all buildings should be aligned flush with the street, this type of palace allowed itself an inner courtyard. It was supposed to please Stalin in everything - but unfortunately it is not known whether he ever set foot in it, let alone stayed the night there. At least nothing would have been missing, even for the attached school there is a swimming pool and ballrooms and so on anyway. But Stalin was also a paranoid all his life. To this day used for the successor states of the USSR called GUS.

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13. Bebelplatz

    So-called commode (Royal Court Library), St. Hedwig Cathedral, State Opera, Humboldt University together form the Forum Fridericianum. In today's Hotel Club the Rome, the SPD and KPD were forcibly united. Therefore, the name August Bebel, the founder of the SPD, may also fit. Otherwise, the square used to be called simply Opernplatz, which would also fit better. In the middle of the square, you can easily walk across it, unless there is a crowd of people there, a glass window in the floor that points to an empty library. Here on May 10, 1933, all books unsuitable from the Nazi point of view were burned. With the Humboldt University opposite, the square forms a nice square, as the Berliner says. Because this building was also built as a palace, namely for the younger brother of Friedrich II, Heinrich. A few years after his death, it was used as the nucleus of the royal Friedrich Wilhelm University, today Humboldt University.

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14. Neue Wache

    For many, the spectacle under the linden trees used to be: the changing of the guard at the new guard, the East Berlin soldiers then walked up and down here at goose-step. That is long gone now, but actually this guard housed the castle guard, at least a small part of it. Formerly a kind of eternal flame inside (actually made of glass, but looks like this when the light falls), today a pièta, an enlarged form of the sculpture by Käthe Kollwitz, who mourned her son who died after only a few weeks in the First World War. Today a place of mourning for all victims of war and tyranny, therefore often statesmanlike wreaths here, especially after the national memorial day in November.

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15. Gendarmenmarkt

    German and French cathedral, theater, concert hall, this square is rightly described by many as the most beautiful square in Berlin. Today's concert hall (formerly built as a theater) is nicely framed by the two so-called domes. Namely the German and the French cathedral. However, they are neither bishop's seats nor cathedrals, but simple meetinghouses that Frederick II had embellished with a cathedral-like tower, supposedly according to his own design. The left church, the German cathedral, is no longer used as such, but contains a museum for the parliamentary history of Germany. The one on the right, the French cathedral, is still used by a Reformed congregation that holds services in French on Sundays. Behind it a small Huguenot museum, because it was these refugees who were allowed to build their church here. They only had to live further outside in Moabit. Rebuilt in GDR times.

    5 minutes here

16. Kronprinzenpalais

    This building and the neighboring Kronprinzessinnenpalais are often overlooked - when all the giant objects on Unter den Linden are named, they quickly go under. In fact, their most important purpose was that which is already hidden in the name: Not only were crown princes and princesses born here, but they also grew up here and not infrequently gave birth to them themselves. The two palaces are connected by a corridor. Since the Kronprinzessinnenpalais is so close to the State Opera, it was often used as an opera cafe, and it is currently being used as an exhibition space. The Kronprinzenpalais is still being used by the administration for the reconstruction of the City Palace / Humboldt Forum.

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17. Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin - Centrum Judaicum

    Here we see a no-stopping ban on the right, bollards and also policemen with submachine guns in their arms. A sure sign of a Jewish facility in Berlin, because it is not without reason that they are guarded day and night. In the facade you can see Moorish style elements, the whole thing is crowned by a golden dome. Unfortunately, the church itself, which offered space for up to 3000 believers, was destroyed in the war. The front building, a kind of entrance portal, was at least started to be rebuilt in Eastern times. In it today a worth seeing exhibition on Jewish life in Berlin. But be careful, the security measures at the entrance are similar to those in the airport. The synagogue was built to replace an older synagogue nearby, at a time when Prussia offered Jews equal civil rights and people wanted to proudly present their own culture. Even the iron chancellor Bismarck appeared for the inauguration in 1866.

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18. Deutsches Historisches Museum

    The German Historical Museum is located in the former armory. This traditionally contains the "toys" for men in case of war, ie war implements. Gladly also those captured by the enemy. As a result, a war weapons museum developed from this, and in GDR times also a military history museum. After the fall of the Wall, the decision was made to set up a central museum of German history here, after the groundbreaking had already fallen where the Chancellery is today. Then the story came in between ... The house itself was completely refurbished after the fall of the Wall, and especially the frescoes outside and also in the inner courtyard of the building make many shiver, because they are replicas of death masks of dying warriors. Andreas Schlueter, the builder of the baroque Berlin Palace, drew here as a sculptor.

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19. Die Hackeschen Hoefe

    Today they are like a nucleus of this area, which is particularly popular with tourists. Dilapidated in GDR times and partly used as a warehouse, this courtyard ensemble was the first to be restored after the fall of the Wall and shines in its old Art Nouveau charm. The courtyards were built in 1908 as a kind of showcase courtyard area. Here life and work were supposed to mix in an exemplary manner, small factories, printing houses and workshops offered work, and the atria were large enough and green enough that one could also live on the upper floors. You can admire all of this again today in its original splendor, although the workshops have been replaced by shops with selected, partly self-made goods. KPM (Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur) also exhibits its porcelain here, and in the same courtyard you will also find the products of the famous East Berlin Ampelmännchen.

    10 minutes here

20. For decades there was simply nothing here, a large parking lot, sometimes used for merrymaking and hype. For centuries, the Berlin Palace of the Berlin Electors, later kings, later emperors stood here. Burned out in the war and not extinguished, its silhouette was still unbroken and was partly used after the war, also inside, for example for exhibitions on how Berlin should continue after the war. Nevertheless, the East Berlin gentlemen let it blow up for months, despite all the criticism from home and abroad, because it represented an icon of north German baroque. Photographically documented in detail before the demolition, it now allows for an externally precise reconstruction, and the inner courtyard of the Schlueter is also being reconstructed true to detail. However, the non-European art collections and those of the Humboldt University are to be placed in the otherwise modern concrete building. Opening as Humboldt Forum 2021/2022. A highlight is the roof terrace.

    20 minutes here

21. Rotes Rathaus

    The Red City Hall is not called that according to the governing mayor's party book; this has the same function in Berlin as the Prime Minister in other countries. But of course for the red bricks. In East Berlin times, the East Berlin magistrate also sat here (incidentally with a Lord Mayor, as was common in all of Berlin until 1945) and the West Berlin ruler sat in the Schöneberg Town Hall. Built in the neo-Gothic style, you can also visit it free of charge, at least some interesting rooms, including a room with many plaster casts of well-known statues. Erected in the 1870s, it of course soon became too small and therefore the so-called town house with a towering dome was built diagonally behind it. The oldest town hall in Berlin stood not far from here on the then so-called long bridge, today's Rathausbrücke, in the middle as a connection between two cities, namely Berlin and Cölln.

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22. Nikolaiviertel

    Recommended tour with Nikolaikirche, Knoblauchhaus and much more. Here you can experience old Berlin, at least the backdrops are right, because that was exactly the intention of the declared reconstruction in the eighties (i.e. still in GDR times), when in truth there were only three houses here, and only the walls of the Nikolaikirche without roof and spire. In addition, 2000 apartments were to be accommodated on this tiny area, a feat of the architect. We approach from the outside at a height that is typical of Berlin and, as it were, zoom into an increasingly older, almost baroque Berlin. With the end of the Nikolaikirche, the oldest in Berlin, today a city museum. In the immediate vicinity is the original Knoblauchhaus, furnished in the most beautiful Biedermeier style and also shows the family life of a cloth maker family free of charge. In addition, typical Berlin restaurants beckon with a view of the Spree, in the middle of St. George as he kills the dragon.

    10 minutes here

23. Tiergarten

    Formerly an electoral hunting ground, and because there was also a fence around it so that the animals couldn't run away (and, conversely, the farmers from the surrounding villages couldn't hunt them), it soon had its name: the zoo. But Friedrich II, later called the Great, didn't like the hunt, banished the fence and for the first time allowed the Berliners to enter the private royal hunting grounds. In keeping with his time, he had part of it redesigned into a baroque garden. Later kings preferred the English landscape garden, and this is where the Prussian architect and gardener Peter Lenné excelled. He had the Schafgraben expanded into the Landwehr Canal, thus draining the swampy part of the zoo and creating landscapes, lakes and lines of sight. It has basically stayed that way until today, only World War II had a devastating effect. Soon almost no trees were standing upright, and potatoes were being grown in front of the Reichstag. But then the reforestation came with Allied help.

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24. Victory Column

    Originally erected in front of the Reichstag, it was a lot shorter, our victory column. It contained only 3 drums, on which gilded cannons captured by the opponents: Danes, Austrians and French in the so-called German wars of unification, at the end of which the German Empire was proclaimed in the Palace of Versailles. No wonder that the French in particular were angry and would have liked to have the thing blown up after the war. But the British refused, they were in their occupation sector. And they also had the forest around it reforested. The Victory Column was shipped here by Hitler, who was disturbed by it during the construction of his huge People's Hall between the Reichstag and today's main station. Then he immediately increased it by another drum, for the next win - but as we know, thank God it didn't turn out that way.

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25. Here we see a large green band, which should not look green, but copper. But if you artificially "age-t", as happened here, for some it has the impression of GDR plastic. Behind them, in any case, in chic wooden buildings, individually and yet connected (also through a shared canteen, supplied by a Norwegian high-end restaurant in Schöneberg): the 5 Nordic embassies. 5? Yes, one likes to forget the little Iceland.

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Where it starts and ends

Options you can book

• German 4-6h with city pickup

  4-5 exits: Pick-up from your accommodation in the S-Bahn ring All exits and/or tours are individually arranged by e-mail Taxi: Part of the package price is a taxi ride according to the tariff (7% VAT), the rest city tour fee (19% VAT) Duration: 4 hours: Possible for longer duration mark-up 1 hour optional for restaurant visit Restaurant visit possible: With the maximum duration of 6 hours, 1 hour (free of charge) is scheduled for a visit to a restaurant for your own account SST-Tour City East-West & Kiez: Depending on your wishes and possibilities (traffic, construction sites, etc.), the route can be individually and planned or spontaneously adapted Taxi Luxury SUV Toyota RAV3: raised seating position for better visibility, leather seats, not visible from outside German (native language) Pickup included

• English 4-6h with airport

  With transfer from/to the airport: With this option, the transfer from/to BER Airport incl. Welcome or Farewell Tour Pickup included

• Engl. 4-6h with City Pick-up

  Pick-up / 4-5 exits: Pick up from your accommodation within the S-Bahn ring. Exit and walking tours are individually arranged by e-May Taxi: Part of the package price is a taxi ride according to the tariff (7% VAT), the rest city tour fee (19% VAT) Duration: 4 hours: Possible for longer duration mark-up 1 hour optional for restaurant visit Restaurant visit possible: With the maximum duration of 6 hours, 1 hour (free of charge) is scheduled for a visit to a restaurant for your own account SST Tour City East–West & Kiez: Deviations possible (even after traffic/closures), sequence can change individually and before or spontaneously agreed. Taxi Luxury SUV Toyota RAV4: raised seating position for good visibility, leather seats, not visible from the outside Native German speakers: I speak good and fluent English, but I am not perfect and have a German accent Pickup included

• German 4-6h with airport

  With transfer from/to the airport: With this option, the transfer from/to BER Airport incl. Welcome or Farewell Tour Pickup included

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

de, en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 4 travelers per booking

Operated by

Gunter Bauer GAT-Productions

Know before you go

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• Wheelchair accessible
• Child seat for toddlers from six months to three years available, as well as a booster seat for older children. A baby seat can be brought on request (MaxiCosy)
• Wheelchair-friendly transport means: the guest rushes into the raised passenger seat and the wheelchair is taken in the rear

Photos

Traveler reviews

55 verified traveler reviews for Private Taxi Tour of Berlin East and West and Neighbourhood approx. 4-6h. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.