8 Best Historical Tours in Berlin

Considered one of the best things to do in Berlin, history tours of the city are designed to give travellers a much more comprehensive view that links modern-day Berlin with its historical past.

You will discover the city and its many places of interest on a guided tour that will allow you to really learn about the events that took place in these spaces in the past, as well as their political and social context.

As you can see, the options for historical tours in Berlin are abundant, interesting and, above all, diverse!

If you are passionate about history or, more specifically, historical events related to the Second World War, the historical tour of the infamous Third Reich is a tour that you simply cannot miss.

Frequently listed by travellers and locals as one of the best things to see and do in central Berlin, this tour will take you through the highlights of Berlin's Nazi past, accompanied at all times by a guide specialising in history.

Although the specific aspects of the tour may vary slightly depending on the tour operator you hire, this type of excursion usually takes the group of travellers to iconic places such as Hitler's own bunker, the former Gestapo headquarters, the Anhalter Bahnhof station (now in ruins) and much more.

If your stay in the city is going to be short, 3 days in Berlin or less, you should seriously consider dedicating part of your itinerary to an experience of this kind. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Useful information.

• Timetable: Available at various times.
• Price: Around £25 per person for group tour options.
• Duration of the tour: Depending on the company you choose, the tour can take between 3 and 4 hours to complete.
• Means of transport: These tours are conducted on foot in small groups of travellers.

The Cold War Berlin tour is a historical tour designed to explore a much more recent period in the history of this German city.

You will find numerous local companies offering this experience in the city. Accompanied by an expert local guide, you will have the opportunity to learn about the events in a different way from how they are recounted in history books. All this while you take a stroll through Berlin.

Although the itinerary may vary slightly depending on the company you hire for the experience, in general you can expect to enjoy several of these experiences: Visit the Berlin Wall, Charlie Checkpoint, discover tunnels 57 and 29, visit Admiralspalast, learn about the Palace of Tears and much more.

This list includes only a few key landmarks to understand the historical period that followed the Second World War, but thanks to the guide's explanations, you will be able to get a fairly accurate idea of what happened during that time.

Useful information.

• Timetable: These tours usually take place in the morning to make the most of the day. If you are staying in Berlin for 4 days, you can easily fit the experience into your schedule.
• Price: Around £18 per participant.
• Duration of the excursion: The tour usually takes 3 hours or a little longer to complete.
• Means of transport: This is a walking tour of Berlin. You will have to walk and stand for long periods of time, so comfortable footwear is essential.

With this excursion option, you will be able to take an original historical tour that takes a group of travellers to discover Berlin aboard one of their favourite means of transport: the bicycle.

This type of experience is among the best bike tours in Berlin due to the extensive itinerary it includes. Among other things, you will learn about the Third Reich in Nazi Germany, see the most important monuments of the Cold War and visit the city's most popular historic neighbourhoods.

The tour is offered by numerous local companies in small groups of no more than 10 participants. Accompanied by a local guide who is an expert in history, you will tour Berlin to learn about its historical aspects, but also to appreciate the daily life of its people.

Walking and cycling are the best ways to get to know Berlin. The city has a relatively flat topography, as well as wide, tree-lined pavements that make it easy to get around even during the summer, one of the busiest times for tourists in Berlin.

Useful information.

• Timetable: The tour can be taken at various times, although the organising companies generally choose the morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.
• Price: Around €40 per participant. The price includes the rental of all the equipment needed for the experience.
• Duration of the excursion: The experience can last between 3 and 4 hours. I recommend setting aside half a day of your itinerary for this tour.
• Transportation: The entire tour, from the meeting point to the last stop, is done by bicycle.

With this historical tour option, you will be able to enjoy Jewish culture in Berlin, learn about the most important aspects of its history and, of course, about the dark moments of Nazism.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you will discover the best of Berlin's Jewish quarter, including sites such as the New Synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery, but also the effects of numerous historical events such as the famous "Night of Broken Glass".

This is a short historical tour that you can even do on a quick trip to Berlin. If you are staying in Berlin for two days and want to do something different, sign up for this experience.

Useful information.

• Timetable: Available at various times throughout the day.
• Price: Varies depending on the company you book with, but you can budget around £18 per participant.
• Duration of the tour: Set aside at least 3 hours of your itinerary for this experience.
• Transport: This tour is conducted on foot through the streets of Berlin's old Jewish quarter.

Just one hour from the German capital lies one of the most notorious concentration camps of the Nazi regime: Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. It is estimated that around 200,000 prisoners passed through its terrifying cells.

Excursions to visit the Sachsenhausen concentration camp are organised from the city. If you are passionate about history or simply want to learn more about the events that shaped modern Germany, this is a visit not to be missed.

During your visit, you can explore each of the rooms accompanied by an expert historian guide and hear incredible stories about the prisoners who lived here, the numerous acts of bravery that took place and the many atrocities committed .

For this and other reasons, a visit to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg is considered by tourists and locals alike to be one of the best tours and excursions from Berlin.

Useful information.

• Opening hours: These excursions usually depart from Berlin in the morning.
• Price: Around £30 per participant.
• Duration of the excursion: This is an approximately 6-hour excursion.
• Transport: To get to Sachsenhausen from Berlin, you will need to take a minibus. The tour of the site is on foot.

Travellers with a slightly darker sense of humour who appreciate experiences outside the traditional norm will enjoy the Rude Bastards Tour of Berlin, a historical tour full of swear words and jokes in poor taste.

If your city break takes you to Berlin for 5 days or more, I recommend this experience as a fun way to get to know Berlin and to complement any of the other historical city tours.

The tour is led by an expert local guide who takes travellers to the most iconic historical sites, but with a touch of irony and humour that you won't find on a traditional tour.

The experience has a limited number of participants, so it's best to book in advance, especially if you're visiting Berlin in June or August, which is the peak tourist season.

Useful information.

• Timetable: Available at various times.
• Price: This is an affordable tour costing approximately £5 per participant.
• Duration of the tour: You should allow around 3 hours for the experience.
• Transportation: This tour is conducted on foot through the streets of the city.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, exploring Potsdam from Berlin is an adventure for history and architecture lovers.

Tours are organised from Berlin, allowing travellers to see the highlights of the city in a single day.

Explore the historic area of northern Germany that wasonce under the controlof the former Kingdom of Prussia. Despite becoming part of the new German state, Prussia was once the most powerful economic and military force in Europe.

As you explore the historical events of the past, you will be amazed by the impressive architecture of Sanssouci Palace, the beautiful gardens that surround it and the unique features of the legendary Dutch Quarter.

Useful information.

• Tours depart from the German capital early in the morning to make the most of the best hours of the day.
• Price: Around £50 per participant.
• Duration of the excursion: Varies depending on the company you hire, between 4 and 6 hours on average.
• Transport: You will take private transport from Berlin and make numerous stops to see the highlights of Potsdam.

Another alternative for a historical tour of Berlin is an immersive excursion through the city, taking in all the highlights that every traveller should see, especially those visiting the German capital for the first time.

The experience is offered by local tour operators, with a qualified native guide who is an expert in German history. The tour takes you around iconic points of the city, such as the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island and even Checkpoint Charlie.

It is one of the most comprehensive historical tours, but the approximately 7-hour itinerary makes it ideal for those who plan to spend 7 days or more in Berlin.

Useful information.

• Timetable: Tours usually start in the morning so you can make the most of the day and see all the best of Berlin in a single day trip.
• Price: Around £150 per participant.
• Duration of the tour: Approximately 7 hours
• Means of transport: The tour is conducted on foot, interspersing walking with rest breaks.