Weather
The average daily temperature in September is around 15°C (about 59°F). The daytime highs for this time of the year get up to 19°C (around 66°F), still warm for the start of autumn and a great temperature for being outside. Check the current local weather forecast.
Currency
The official currency in Germany and Berlin is the Euro. Click here for currency conversion.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Berlin, but they are not accepted everywhere. VISA and Mastercard are the most accepted for credit card payments, but American Express Cards are often refused. Carrying some cash is recommended, especially in restaurants and smaller stores. ATMs are the easiest way to withdraw cash from your home account - ensure you inform your bank before travelling abroad, and be aware that you may be charged for cash withdrawals. It is advisable to exchange some cash before travelling to Berlin.
Electricity
Electricity in Berlin is 230 Volts at 50 Hertz. The standard power sockets in Germany are Type F. If you travel with a device that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz, you will need to bring a voltage converter with you. You may also need a plug adapter if your appliance's plug has a different shape.
Attractions and Cultural Events
The Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Centre
The Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) is located between the districts of Wedding and Mitte on Bernauer Straße, consisting of the Memorial to the Victims of the Wall, a Documentation Centre and the Chapel of Reconciliation. The surviving section of the wall and watchtower enable visitors to get a real feel for the reality of the border facilities.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie (or "Checkpoint C") was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. After the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc and the reunification of Germany, the building at Checkpoint Charlie became a tourist attraction, and is now located in the Allied Museum in the Dahlem neighborhood of Berlin.
Reichstag
When the decision was made to move the Federal Government to Berlin, it was time to reawaken the Reichstag building from its long years of slumber on the Mauerstreifen, the military zone between the two sides of the Wall. The building has since been completely modernized, and today's visitors to the Reichstag can look out from the building's glass dome to get a bird's eye view of the hustle and bustle in the city.
The Oberbaumbrücke (Oberbaum Bridge)
While Germany was divided, the Oberbaum bridge was a border crossing for pedestrians. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, it now connects the two halves of the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The bridge, with its great view, is a popular sight for taking pictures.
Brandenburg Gate
Without a doubt, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin's signature attraction. Built in 1791, it is only remaining city gate that was formerly used to represent the separation between East and West Berlin. Since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, the Brandenburg Gate has now come to symbolize German unity. The decorative Pariser Platz was laid at the foot of the gate and is now home to many of the city's important buildings.
Gendarmenmarkt
The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the most stunning squares in the city, located close to Friedrichstraße, Berlin's exclusive shopping street in the central Mitte district. Three of the most impressive examples of architecture in the capital city are to be found here: the Concert House designed by Schinkel and the German and French Cathedrals (the Deutscher Dom and the Französischer Dom).
Potsdamer Platz
Once the bustling heart of the city before the Second World War, then a no man's land from 1945 until the fall of the wall, the history of Potsdamer Platz has been eventful to say the least. It changed completely after the fall of the wall in 1989 and is now dominated by the presence of the Sony Center, skyscrapers and endless shops. What's more, Potsdamer Platz is the main place to be for stars and celebrities, and not only during film festivals.
Museums of Ancient Art
The Museumsinsel Berlin is a museum ensemble of unsurpassed diversity and stature, which houses the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin’s unique collections of art and cultural artefacts from Europe and the wider Mediterranean region. The island is located in the middle of the city, on the site of Berlin’s founding, eight centuries ago.
Helmut Newton Foundation
The Museum of Photography (Museum für Fotografie) has been a magnet for photography enthusiasts from all over the world since its opening in 2004. The Helmut Newton Foundation occupies the two lower floors in the building and has for many years presented its hugely successful permanent exhibition 'Helmut Newton’s Private Property', as well as individual exhibitions on Helmut Newton’s work, his wife Alice Springs, and his contemporaries, including: 'Helmut Newton: Sex and Landscapes', 'Newton, Nachtwey, Lachapelle: Men, War & Peace', 'Pigozzi and the Paparazzi', and 'Helmut Newton Polaroids'.
Musikfest Berlin
This year’s Musikfest Berlin marks the occasions of the 100th birthday of Bernd Alois Zimmermann and the 100th anniversary of the death of Claude Debussy by presenting key works by these composers in the programme.
Wim Wenders - C/O Berlin Foundation
Wim Wenders is considered a pioneer of New German Cinema and one of the most important representatives of contemporary German film. He is a director, producer, photographer, and writer. In addition to multiple award-winning feature films including Alice in the Cities (1973), The American Friend (1977), Paris, Texas (1984), Wings of Desire (1987), and The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), his most recent documentary films, Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Pina (2011), and The Salt of the Earth (2014) were nominated for the Academy Awards. The documentary film Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018) recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. His new feature film Grenzenlos (Submergence) will be having its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival TIFF on September 10, 2018.
The Feuerle Collection
The feuerle Collection is a new private art museum in Berlin Kreuzberg dedicated to Desire Feuerle's collection which juxtaposes international contemporary artists with Imperial Chinese furniture and Southeast Asia sculptures.
IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited
IFA is the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. IFA 2018 takes place from 31 August to 5 September, in Berlin.
Visit the Tourism Bureau website for more information on traveling to Berlin.