Hello all, going on a short 4.5 day trip to Berlin here in a couple weeks and wanted to ask your advice. I won't be totally independent, unfortunately. I'll be with a group and will be having some seminars for parts of days and that will likely include some group walking tours and maybe a museum visit or two, not entirely sure. But, my question is, with the little free time I do have what would you suggest are some of the coolest historical sites to check out? I won't likely have enough time to devote to a thorough museum visit, so Im talking more about places you can view and move on. Anything WWII or Cold War interests me a great deal, so any place you can think of that as a history nerd I'd appreciate seeing, even if only for a few minutes. What are your top picks for me? I realize I could have posted this in the travel forum but I really wanted to pick the brain of fellow history enthusiasts.

I can't offer any advice as I have no ideas what remains from WWII (I think the Zoo Flak Tower is still there?) but please post pictures

World War Two and the Third Reich in Berlin Tour

If I'm being honest, I had no clue the Reichstag was still standing. I thought it was torn down after the war due to the state of destruction it was in.

Berlin's Reichstag: The Complete Guide

If you only have a few hours then take a walk from Alexanderplatz to the Brandenburg Gate/ Reichstag. Along that route you're within short distance from dozens of historical sights including Humboldt University, multiple Cathedrals, Bebelplatz (memorial to book burning in 1933), Checkpoint Charlie, and dozens of large and small museums. We enjoyed the 'Berlin's Odyssey' VR experience on the bottom floor of the TV Tower. You can easily catch a train back from the Bundestag (Congress).

With a little extra time you can take a trip out to Potsdam and visit Cecilienhof. Probably requires half a day because of travel time involved.

The pockmarked buildings from the Battle of Berlin left a lasting impression on me.

I have been there multiple times, but the last was 1998. That's like saying the last time you were in Austin was 1998. It's a whole different city now, so much has changed. There are of course some sections of the wall left. There are some that are in run down shape, some that are like they were after the concrete was chipped off in 89 and then there is one section that has been preserved just as it was in operation, with the double wall set up. What we think of as "the wall" was really just the western side. There was a no-man's land and then a smaller wall in the east.

Go to the old Gestapo headquarters ruin, they had pretty good displays back in the past.

The flak turm is there, but I never got a chance to see it.

Thank y'all for the advice! Also wondering if I'd possibly have time to get out to the site of the Wannsee Conference.

The restaurant on top of the Reichstag was very good, and you can't beat the views.

Restaurant Kfer

A couple of historical tours that stick out to me are the "Dark Worlds" and "Under the Berlin Wall" from Berliner Unterwelten. Both walking tours underground (there are multiple tours in English available) that are 60-90 minutes long. I found both to be utterly fascinating.

Berliner Unterwelten

Enjoy your trip!

1956 Resi Bar - .50 cover, Phones at each table , dancing waters, large band playing Glen Miller music,

Lots of girls! Too bad it,s probably gone!