RunCity

Berlin on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 11 of Berlin's best-known sights, including Oberbaum Bridge, East Side Gallery, TV Tower (Fernsehturm) and more. It is about 17.5 km on foot, roughly 5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Berlin leaderboard.

  • 11Stops
  • about 17.5 kmDistance
  • 5 hoursWalking
  • about 127 minRunning
Play Berlin in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Berlin
Photo: File:Museumsinsel Berlin Juli 2021 1 (cropped).jpg: Kasa Fue · CC BY-SA 4.0

This is a long route, about 17 km, from Friedrichshain in the east to the Tiergarten and then up to Prenzlauer Berg. It starts at the brick Oberbaum Bridge over the Spree and follows the East Side Gallery, the longest surviving stretch of the Wall, now covered in murals. From there it heads into Mitte: the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz, Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island and the twin domed churches of the Gendarmenmarkt.

Checkpoint Charlie and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe lead to the Brandenburg Gate and the glass dome of the Reichstag, and the route crosses the Tiergarten to the Victory Column. The bonus stop, Mauerpark, is far to the north, best on a Sunday for its flea market and open-air karaoke. Berlin is flat and well served by the S-Bahn and U-Bahn, so split the day if you like; a visit to the Reichstag dome needs a free booking in advance.

1234567891011

Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Oberbaum Bridge

    Oberbaum Bridge

    The red-brick double-decker bridge over the Spree.

    Photo: Sarah Jane at Flickr · CC BY 2.0

  2. East Side Gallery

    East Side Gallery Photo

    Your favourite mural on the wall.

    Photo: Lklundin · CC BY-SA 3.0

  3. TV Tower (Fernsehturm)

    TV Tower (Fernsehturm) Photo

    The tower's silver sphere.

    Photo: Christian Wolf (www.c-w-design.de) · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

  4. Berlin Cathedral

    Berlin Cathedral Photo

    The cathedral dome from the Lustgarten.

    Photo: Ansgar Koreng · CC BY 3.0 de

  5. Gendarmenmarkt

    Gendarmenmarkt

    The square framed by two domed churches and the concert hall.

    Photo: Marek Heise Fotografie, Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0

  6. Checkpoint Charlie

    Checkpoint Charlie Photo

    The guardhouse with the sandbags.

    Photo: Perituss · CC0

  7. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

    Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

    The field of grey concrete slabs south of the Brandenburg Gate.

    Photo: Alexander Blum · CC BY-SA 4.0

  8. Brandenburg Gate

    Brandenburg Gate Photo

    The Quadriga on top of the gate.

    Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0

  9. Reichstag Building

    Reichstag Building Photo

    The glass dome above the parliament.

    Photo: JoachimKohler-HB · CC BY-SA 4.0

  10. Victory Column

    Victory Column Photo

    The golden Victoria on top of the column.

    Photo: Steffen Prößdorf · CC BY-SA 4.0

  11. Mauerpark

    Mauerpark Bonus

    The park along the old border strip, busy on Sundays.

    Photo: Mika Stetsovski · CC BY 2.0

Play Berlin in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Berlin on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 11 stops on this route add up to about 17.5 km, roughly 5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Some stops are far apart, so you may want public transport for a leg.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Berlin is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Berlin?

    Open Berlin in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Berlin leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Oberbaum Bridge and finishing at Mauerpark. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

    Nearby cities