Free sights worth your time
Many of Berlin's most powerful places cost nothing to visit. The Berlin Wall Memorial, the East Side Gallery, the Holocaust memorial and the Topography of Terror documentation centre are all free. So is the Reichstag dome, provided you register ahead.
Walking is the cheapest way to see the city's architecture, from the grand boulevards of Mitte to the post-war housing estates of the east. Free walking tours run daily from central meeting points; tipping the guide at the end is expected.
Eating well for less
Street food is plentiful and affordable. Döner, falafel, Vietnamese noodles and Turkish pastries will fill you up for a modest sum. Bakeries sell filling rolls and pastries in the morning, and supermarkets are well stocked for picnic lunches.
Many restaurants offer a lunch special on weekdays, often a main course plus a drink, at a lower price than dinner.
Transport savings
If you plan to use public transport several times a day, a day ticket or a seven-day ticket usually pays for itself. Tourist cards bundle travel with discounts at museums and attractions, so compare the options against your actual plans.
Berlin is flat and has plenty of bike lanes, so renting a bike for a day or two can be both cheap and enjoyable.
Saving on the trip itself
If you can travel with only a personal item, AeroVista's Lite fare keeps the flight cost down. Staying slightly outside the centre, near a good S-Bahn or U-Bahn line, can also cut accommodation costs significantly without adding much travel time. Visiting outside the summer peak, in spring or autumn, often brings lower hotel rates too.
Cheap evenings out
Berlin's nightlife does not have to be expensive. Many bars have relaxed happy hours, and in summer people often gather in parks or along the canals with a drink from a corner shop. Open-air cinemas, free outdoor concerts and neighbourhood festivals appear regularly in the warmer months.
Galleries in Mitte and Kreuzberg are usually free to enter, and exhibition openings often welcome passers-by. Keep an eye on posters and local listings once you arrive, as much of the city's cultural life is advertised on the street rather than online.
Good to know
- Some museums offer reduced or free entry on certain days; check before you go.
- Refill a water bottle at your accommodation rather than buying bottles.
- Bottle deposits (Pfand) can be refunded at supermarket machines.