8 Must-See Sites in Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s skyline is made iconic thanks in part to Fernsehturm, or Television Tower. The tallest structure in Germany, this tower reaches more than 1,200 feet into the sky and takes visitors up to its sphere in just 40 seconds via elevators. For more active travelers, take on the 986 steps to the top. The tower lies in Alexanderplatz, a popular square filled with shopping malls, department stores and more. © minnystock | Dreamstime.com

Head to Kaufhaus es Westens, more frequently referred to as KaDeWe, the second-largest department store in Europe after Harrods in London. Spanning a whopping 650,000 square feet, this store features eight floors, each focused on a different type of merchandise, from men’s and women’s fashion to home goods. There’s even a food hall and winter garden, overlooking Wittenbergplatz. © T.w. Van Urk | Dreamstime.com

Checkpoint Charlie was a crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War, and the site today is accessible to the public via an open-air exhibition called BlackBox Cold War. There’s also Checkpoint Charlie Museum nearby, one of the most visited museums in the city. © Andreykr | Dreamstime.com

Berlin’s music, performing arts and opera scene is rich, with several venues situated throughout the city. Make for the 19th-century Konzerthaus Berlin and experience an orchestra concert like no other. In fact, this venue’s acoustics was named one of the best five concert venues in the world for music and/or opera. Don’t forget to also visit adjacent Neue Kirche, an 18th-century church-turned-museum. © Mistervlad | Dreamstime.com

Berlin is one of the best places in the world to go to for a Christmas market; set up on Gendarmenmarkt, it draws about 800,000 visitors each year. This year’s market runs Nov. 24–Dec. 31, boasting tasty food and drinks, vendors selling handmade items, entertainment, and more. © Erix2005 | Dreamstime.com

At Center Potsdamer Plats (formerly Sony Center), you’ll find a massive 43,000-square-foot vaulted roof covering a bustling area of shops, restaurants, a conference center and even hotel guestrooms. © Sylvaindeutsch | Dreamstime.com

Of course, you can’t go to Berlin without walking alongside the Berlin Wall. Encircling West Berlin between 1961 and 1989 to separate it from East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic, this concrete barrier survives today in segments in the city, most adorned with murals. Find segments at Allied Museum and on Friedrichstrasse. © Mathiaspetro | Dreamstime.com

World War II extended beyond just the Holocaust against Jewish people; there were many Sinti and Roma victims under Germany’s Nazi regime, with an estimated 220,000–500,000 people murdered in the genocide. Berlin honors these victims at this memorial, complete with information and a chronology of the genocide, as well as the specific groups who died. © Roberto Nencini | Dreamstime.com