Berlin has always been more than a backdrop to history — it’s a magnet for genius, scandal, and reinvention. From Beethoven’s stormy improvisations before the Prussian court to Munch’s controversial exhibition that shook the city’s art world, from Tchaikovsky’s encounters with the Berlin Philharmonic to Michael Jackson waving from the Adlon balcony — the German capital has quietly shaped, and been shaped by, some of the world’s most iconic artists and dreamers. These are thei

When I’m not guiding visitors around Berlin, I work as a radio journalist  — and for the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, I...

Berlin has always been a city of newcomers. From Huguenots in the 17th century to today’s international students and tech workers, the...

The question “Did Hitler have children?”  continues to intrigue guests on my WW2 and Third Reich walking tours of Berlin . Adolf Hitler...

The Truth Behind the “Berlin Ghetto” Myth Many visitors search for where the Jewish ghetto in Berlin was . The surprising answer: there...

Few artifacts capture the world’s imagination like the 3,300-year-old Bust of Nefertiti. Crafted around 1353 BCE in the workshop of the...

The BMW Berlin Marathon  isn’t just another race – it’s one of the world’s great running events, part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors alongside Boston, New York, London, Chicago, and Tokyo. Every September, more than 45,000 runners from over 150 countries take to Berlin’s streets. Whether you’re running or cheering, here’s everything you need to know. Join me on a private guided tour of Berlin , and check out my lists of recommended hotels , restaurants and this guide to

Planning a day trip to Potsdam from Berlin? You're in for a treat— Potsdam is one of the most beautiful and historically rich cities ...

Hey thriller authors—Dan Brown, James Rollins, Steve Berry:  You’ve scoured Vatican archives, cracked codes in Washington D.C., and...

Berlin may not be the first city that comes to mind when thinking of World War I tourism—unlike Verdun, Ypres, or the Somme, it saw no battlefronts, bombings, or trench warfare. Yet, as the capital of the German Empire during the war, Berlin was the political nerve center of a collapsing monarchy and the stage for the country’s shift into republicanism. The remnants of that era are scattered and subtle, but for those who look closely, Berlin offers a compelling mosaic of site

Planning a trip and wanting to see the best Christmas markets in Germany? I got you. As a private guide in Berlin and avid traveler, I’ve...

Why Haven’t These Incredible Berlin Stories Been Turned Into Movies Yet? Future Directors, Listen Up: These Berlin Stories Deserve the...

Learn more about stories like this by booking a Sachsenhausen memorial tour with me. In the summer of 1936, as the world’s eyes turned to Berlin for the Olympic Games, a new Nazi concentration camp was being built just north of the capital: Sachsenhausen . Among the athletes competing that year was Włodzimierz Długoszewski , a talented Polish rower, sports journalist, and public intellectual. He proudly captained the Polish rowing team to Olympic bronze . What he couldn’t kno

Berlin's skyline is a living chronicle of architectural evolution, reflecting the city's rich history and its embrace of innovation. From the stately edifices of Prussian architects like Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Andreas Schlüter, who infused the city with neoclassical and baroque elegance, to the revolutionary designs of Bauhaus pioneers such as Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Berlin showcases a tapestry of styles. Post-World War II reconstruction invited a gl

Why Didn’t More Jews Escape Nazi Germany? One of the most common and heartbreaking questions about the Holocaust is: Why didn’t more Jews leave Germany before the worst happened?  The answer is complex and tragic, involving restrictive immigration policies worldwide, high costs and legal barriers, and deep emotional ties. The story of the MS St. Louis —a ship carrying over 900 Jewish refugees turned away by Cuba, the United States, and Canada in 1939—highlights these challeng

If you’ve ever wandered through the leafy paths of Alexandrowka , the historic Russian colony in Potsdam , you may have noticed something...

Berlin isn’t just about history and hipster cafés — it’s also full of spectacular viewpoints offering sweeping panoramas across the city. From iconic towers and historic domes to secret rooftops and natural hills, here are the best places to get a bird’s eye view of the German capital. 1. Berlin TV Tower (Fernsehturm) Located at Alexanderplatz, the Fernsehturm is Berlin’s tallest structure at 368 meters. Built in the 1960s by the GDR, the observation deck at 203 meters offers

The Ultimate Guide to Fairytale German Places Near Berlin If you're in Berlin and dreaming of fairytale villages , quaint medieval towns , and streets lined with crooked timber houses , you're not alone. Berlin may be a cultural powerhouse, but when it comes to the classic charm of storybook Germany —with its half-timbered facades, cobblestone alleys, and hilltop castles—you might feel like you’re in the wrong part of the country. The south, particularly Bavaria and the Black

As a private guide in Berlin and Potsdam , I’m often asked — especially during summer walks through Sanssouci’s royal gardens — "Why does the grass look so long and wild? Isn’t this supposed to be a historic park?" It’s a great question — and the answer lies in how cities like Berlin and Potsdam are adapting to climate change  and working to protect biodiversity . 1. Climate Change: Hotter, Drier Summers The Berlin-Brandenburg region is getting noticeably drier . Over the pa

The Day Berlin Got Ghosted by the Pope (Because of a Murdered Priest) Yes, you read that right: Berlin once made the Pope so mad that he basically put the city in time-out... for 20 years. This isn’t a Netflix medieval drama—though it could be. Back in 1325, the city of Berlin committed what was, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, an unforgivable sin: its citizens murdered a priest . And not just any priest—Nikolaus von Bernau was a powerful church figure, and his death sent