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After lunch nearby, by car to see surviving traces of the Berlin Wall in Bernauerstrasse - here we will see the Wall itself, the free city museum about it (the Berlin Wall Centre), and follow the routes of two escape tunnels used in this neighbourhood in 1962-64. Return to hotel via Checkpoint Charlie.
on-ground arrangements - make your own way to and from Berlin
Personally-guided Berlin Tour -
a sample 3-day itinerary
These are private tours for family / friends groups of up to 5 people, offered by Dr Thomson’s Tours – see Introduction and More About Us for details about us and how we operate our tours.
Related links:
This is a private group (i.e. you & your friends), dates by arrangement. We are very happy to amend the suggested itinerary.
Your Guide:
The Tour is escorted by Dr Andrew Thomson, Director of Dr Thomson's Tours, with a History Ph.D. from the University of Kent - his Ph.D. topic was the experiences of U.S. troops in France in 1944-45 (you can consult an abstract of the thesis on this site). He is a knowledgeable and expert guide, highly experienced in tours of this kind. See More About Us
The Reichstag building, restored in 1999, with Sir Norman Foster's hi-tech glass dome
Above: looking past the Bell in the Glockenturm (clock tower) towards the 1936 Olympic Stadium
Left: part of the Stalinist 1950's buildings in Karl-Marx Allee
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Group of 5 |
Group of 4 |
Group of 3 |
Group of 2 |
1 night away |
£265 ($440) |
£310 ($515) |
£410 ($680) |
£570 ($945) |
2 nights away |
£405 ($670) |
£465 ($770) |
£610 ($1010) |
£830 ($1370) |
3 nights away |
£555 ($920) |
£630 ($1040) |
£815 ($1345) |
£1095 ($1810) |
4 nights away |
£695 ($1150) |
£790 ($1305) |
£1025 ($1695) |
£1370 ($2265) |
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Prices are PER PERSON and include: private guiding, transport by car and public transport, our professional insurance, and accommodation in a 3-star hotel sharing twin/double rooms with en-suite facilities (with breakfast included). Prices do NOT include: meals other than breakfast, museum entries, and personal insurance (purchase of cancellation and general travel insurance is strongly advised) |
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Day One: from the Nazi era to the heart of the Cold War
Meet you at the airport, or at your hotel if you have requested an extra night (for a late arrival the day before; take taxi in).
Drive to Brandenberg Gate area - city centre walking tour (two-thirds of a mile) taking in the outside of the Reichstag, the Brandenberg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial, the site of Hitler’s bunker (marked since 2007 with a board with photos and plan), the ex-Luftwaffe building, and the fine Gendarmenmarkt Square in the old Mitte district.
Day Two: Berlin 1945 and 1936
Drive early to the Reichstag to visit before (most of) the crowds - spectacular city-wide view from the open roof gallery. Then by car to the near-suburbs to see the daunting Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park - an amazing piece of Stalinist artwork - and the May 1945 Surrender Room at the Soviet Museum at Karlshorst.
After a snack lunch we’ll then follow the story of the Soviet attack on the city centre in April 1945, making our way back to the Potsdammerplatz area along one of the axes of their assault. Finish with a visit to the Olympic Stadium from 1936 - superb view from the adjacent Glockenturm (clock tower). Optional visit to the nearby British World War II cemetery before returning.
Day Three: Berlin 1948 to 1989
Drive past Templehof Airport to see the memorial to the 1948 Airlift, before a visit to the excellent Allied Museum in the former U.S. sector which tells the story of the airlift, and the continuing Allied presence up to the withdrawal of all troops in 1994. Back via Schonefeld district town hall, the site of JFK’s landmark June 1963 “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech - marking the height of the early Cold War. After lunch, a visit to the Stasi Museum in the former Stasi (East German secret police) HQ to see one side of life for residents of East Berlin before the dramatic fall of the Wall in 1989.
Two alternative options this afternoon:
Museum of German History and one of the adjacent art galleries (e.g. Pergamon Museum)
Jewish Museum, followed by a walk in the old Jewish quarter around the synagogue
Finish around 5 p.m: drop you back at the airport - or a hotel if you have booked an extra night or two.
The entrance to the Soviet Memorial in Treptower Park