Luxury things to do in Berlin
Horváth, Rutz, CODA and Grill Royal across Mitte and the canal
Berlin's best kitchens take tasting menus seriously, and these three days take full advantage of that. You move from the Hackesche Höfe to Kreuzberg's canal to Museum Island, with a long dinner closing each evening. This is the version of Berlin where the only question each morning is how to fill the hours before dinner.
Day 1: Mitte courtyards, dinner at Bricole
The day opens at St. Oberholz and wanders through Hackesche Höfe before lunch at Remi, a slow circuit of Senefelderplatz, then Bricole's tasting menu and cocktails at KINK.
- 9:30 AM
St. Oberholz
Iconic Berlin café right in the neighbourhood, great spot to ease into the day with a proper coffee.
Map - 10:30 AM
Hackesche Höfe
Berlin's most famous art nouveau courtyard complex, a grand, unmissable Mitte landmark worth a full wander.
Map - 12:30 PM
Remi
Great-value modern cuisine, one of the city's most talked-about lunch destinations right in the area.
Map - 2:30 PM
Senefelderplatz
Senefelderplatz is a charming Prenzlauer Berg square, a leisurely post-lunch stroll to digest before the evening.
Map - 7:30 PM
Bricole
Seasonal tasting menu in a small Prenzlauer Berg room near Senefelderplatz, with a sharp German wine pairing.
Map - 9:30 PM
KINK Bar & Restaurant
Big cocktail bar near Senefelderplatz with a long open bar and inventive house drinks for a nightcap.
Map
Day 2: Kreuzberg canal, dessert tasting menu
Wrangelkiez breakfast at annelies, lunch grazing Markthalle Neun, a walk by the Spree behind the East Side Gallery, then CODA's dessert-led tasting menu and a last glass at ORA.
- 9:30 AM
annelies
Top-rated neighbourhood breakfast spot in Wrangelkiez, the go-to morning opener near CODA.
Map - 11:30 AM
Markthalle Neun
Kreuzberg's 1891 market hall: graze the stalls for lunch, from fresh pasta to Heidenpeters craft beer.
Map - 2:30 PM
East-Side-Park
Stroll the East Side Gallery park strip along the Spree, iconic Berlin air before dinner.
Map - 7:30 PM
CODA
René Frank's dessert-led tasting menu in Neukölln: every course plays sweet against sour, paired with cocktails.
Map - 9:30 PM
ORA Restaurant & Wine Bar
Top-rated wine bar, sophisticated nightcap in a beautiful old pharmacy space, perfect post-CODA wind-down.
Map
Day 3: Museum Island, then Rutz
Café Einstein sets the tone before Museumsinsel, schnitzel at Borchardt, an afternoon at Andreas Murkudis, then dinner at Rutz and a nightcap at Bellboy.
- 9:30 AM
Cafe Einstein
Grand Viennese-style café a short walk from Rutz, perfect boujee morning coffee in ornate surroundings.
Map - 10:30 AM
Museumsinsel
Stroll the world-famous island of five great museums, the grandest cultural landmark in central Berlin.
Map - 12:30 PM
Borchardt
Mitte's classic lunch brasserie: the Wiener schnitzel with potato salad under marble columns.
Map - 2:30 PM
Andreas Murkudis
White-walled concept store in a former newspaper printworks: Dries Van Noten, rare ceramics and design. Closed Sundays.
Map - 7:30 PM
Rutz
Marco Müller's tasting menu of fermented, smoked and cured German produce, the city's most ambitious dinner.
Map - 10:00 PM
Bellboy Restaurant Berlin
Polished cocktail bar near Gendarmenmarkt for a late martini, a short taxi from Rutz.
Map
Where to stay
Hotel Adlon Kempinski
The Adlon sits on Pariser Platz with the grandest lobby bar in Germany and puts you minutes from Grill Royal, Rutz, and Quartier 206.
Regent Berlin
On Gendarmenmarkt, a few minutes from Borchardt and a short walk to Museum Island; quiet, classic rooms.
Make Berlin your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Reichstag Dome: weeks ahead
- Neues Museum: a few days ahead
- Boros Collection: weeks ahead
- Berliner Philharmonie: a few days ahead
- Berliner Unterwelten: weeks ahead
- Vabali Spa Berlin: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Checkpoint Charlie is a replica guardhouse and photo touts. Spend the history hour at Bernauer Strasse or Topography of Terror.
- The TV Tower restaurant means paying to queue and eat mediocre food at height. Use the Reichstag Dome for views.
- East Side Gallery takes 20 to 30 minutes. Fold it into a Spree walk, do not give it half a day.
- Mustafas queue is the trap, not the kebap. Ruya by Zoo station serves the top rated version fast.
The full Berlin travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around