In a nutshell
- We’ll show you our top 11 viewpoints in Berlin — stunning views guaranteed, from classic observation decks to free local favorites.
- The Victory Column is our personal favorite among Berlin’s best views, with a panorama of the Tiergarten, TV Tower, and Brandenburg Gate.
- Our hidden gem: the Zionskirche in Prenzlauer Berg — no crowds, no lines, just €1 donation and a great rooftop view.
- The Drachenberg is a perfect outing on a sunny day — free admission and one of the best views of Berlin’s skyline.
Berlin Viewpoints on a Map
To help you get your bearings, we’ve put together a map of the most beautiful viewpoints in Berlin. This gives you a quick overview of exactly where the best panoramic spots are located.
The Classics: Top Viewpoints
Berlin TV Tower
No question about it — the Berlin TV Tower is the #1 spot for the best views in Berlin!
Nothing in the city reaches higher: at 368 meters, this iconic tower dwarfs every other skyscraper in Berlin. And accordingly, you get a perfect 360-degree panorama from the observation platform at 203 meters above ground.
You can also dine at the Sphere revolving restaurant, which rotates a full 360 degrees while you eat. That way, you’ll have seen all of Berlin from above — and enjoyed a great meal at the same time.
Admission starts at €24.50, but in our opinion it’s absolutely worth it!
The TV Tower is always packed, no matter what time of day or year. That’s why you should definitely book your ticket online in advance.
Get your TV Tower ticket — skip the line
Get your TV Tower ticket incl. window seat at the restaurant
If you’d like to visit other attractions in Berlin besides the TV Tower, the Berlin Welcome Card all inclusive might be worth it for you. With the Berlin Welcome Card all inclusive, you get access to 30 attractions plus public transportation in Berlin and the surrounding area — ideal if you’re spending, say, a weekend in Berlin.
You’ll find plenty more information about the Berlin Welcome Card all inclusive in our article:
Is the Berlin Welcome Card all inclusive worth it?
Our detailed tips for the TV Tower:
Victory Column
The Victory Column is one of our favorite Berlin viewpoints. From the platform at 50 meters above ground, you’ll enjoy a spectacular view over the city.
Once you’ve climbed the 285 steps of the spiral staircase — yes, it’s a workout — you’re rewarded with a panoramic vista of Berlin’s skyline featuring the TV Tower, the Brandenburg Gate, and the lush greenery of the Tiergarten.
Admission to the platform costs €4, and tickets can only be purchased on-site at the ticket booth. Bring cash!
By the way, many hop-on/hop-off buses in Berlin stop right at the Victory Column. So if you’re exploring the city on a sightseeing bus, it’s well worth hopping off here.
Note: Unfortunately, the Victory Column is not wheelchair accessible. And the spiral staircase is very narrow — you shouldn’t be claustrophobic.
Panoramapunkt Berlin at the Kolhoff Tower
Alongside the Victory Column and the TV Tower, the Panoramapunkt Berlin at Potsdamer Platz is more of an under-the-radar pick among the classic Berlin observation points.
That said, we think the view from the Panoramapunkt is the most beautiful of all — you’re right in the heart of Berlin and still have the TV Tower in your sightline. For us, it’s the best photo spot in Berlin for capturing the city skyline.
Europe’s fastest elevator whisks you up to the observation platform of the Kolhoff Tower at 103 meters in under 100 seconds.
Admission to the Panoramapunkt costs €9. To skip the line, you can buy your ticket online in advance:
Get your Panoramapunkt Berlin ticket — skip the line
Free Viewpoints in Berlin
Reichstag Dome
The Reichstag building is one of the most popular attractions in Berlin and simply can’t be left off any list of the city’s best viewpoints.
The biggest perk? Admission to the roof terrace and the Reichstag dome is completely free!
Even without an admission fee, you should still reserve your slot in advance — it’ll save you unnecessary waiting time on-site.
You can check for available time slots on the spot, but the safer bet is to book your time slot ahead of time.
Since there are quite a few different options for visiting the Reichstag, we’ve written a detailed article about it.
Our detailed tips for the Reichstag:
Drachenberg and Teufelsberg
In the southwest of Berlin, right in the middle of the Grunewald, two hills offer a fantastic view over the city: the Teufelsberg and the Drachenberg.
For the Teufelsberg, with its former radar station, you’ll need to pay admission. Tickets cost €8 and can only be purchased on-site. Bring cash, as card payment isn’t always available.
The Drachenberg is the Teufelsberg’s smaller neighbor and is more of a lesser-known spot in Berlin for tourists. Since there are no trees on the 99-meter-high plateau of the Drachenberg, we actually consider it the better of the two vantage points. And there’s no admission fee here.
What both spots have in common: you’ll need to climb a bit on foot to reach the top. From Heerstraße S-Bahn station, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the Drachenberg. Totally doable, and the view is well worth the effort.
Viktoriapark in Kreuzberg
Viktoriapark is a lovely park in Kreuzberg with an artificial waterfall, a beer garden, a playground, and plenty of greenery.
At the top of the Kreuzberg hill (yes, that’s actually the name of the hill), there’s a monument with the rather unwieldy name National Monument for the Wars of Liberation. From there, you get a fantastic view over Berlin.
In summer, the Kreuzberg hill is a popular gathering spot for locals at sunset. It can get quite crowded up there — but that’s all part of the atmosphere.
Flak Tower at Humboldthain
What Viktoriapark is to Kreuzberg, Volkspark Humboldthain is to Mitte — or more precisely, to the Gesundbrunnen neighborhood. A great park where Berliners gather and unwind in the summer.
The standout feature of Humboldthain is the remains of a flak tower from World War II.
Here you can grab a drink from the Späti (corner store), blend in with the locals at sunset, and soak up some authentic Berlin vibes — all while enjoying the view over urban Berlin.
Our tip: At Gesundbrunnen station, you can take fascinating tours into Berlin’s underworld. Highly recommended! You’ll find more cool tours in our article on guided tours in Berlin.
Our Hidden Gems in Berlin
Park Inn Rooftop Terrace
Our next pick is right in the heart of Berlin and yet still very much a local favorite: the Park Inn Hotel at Alexanderplatz.
The rooftop terrace of the Park Inn Hotel is open to the public — something that not every Berlin travel guide mentions.
From the observation platform at 120 meters above ground, you get a stunning view of the TV Tower right across from you. You won’t get this close to the TV Tower anywhere else in Berlin.
Admission to the rooftop terrace costs €6, and you check in at the hotel lobby.
Still looking for the right place to stay in Berlin? Check out our article on hotels in Berlin and cool hotels in Berlin — you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your city trip.
Zionskirche
Our next recommendation is a true off-the-beaten-path find among the best viewpoints in Berlin: the Zionskirche, right in the middle of Prenzlauer Berg!
From the church tower at 67 meters above ground, you’ll enjoy a wonderful view over the city — no appointment needed and no lines. You’ll need to climb 104 steps to reach the top, and you’ll be rewarded with a great look across Berlin’s rooftops.
For access to the platform, you pay a small donation of €1.
Heads up: The Zionskirche tower climb is only available on Sundays from 12–6 PM.
Kienberg at the Gardens of the World
The Gardens of the World are a bit outside the city center in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, which is why many tourists don’t have this place on their radar.
But the trip is seriously worth it — where else in Berlin can you ride a cable car up a hill? Only here at the Gardens of the World.
The cable car was built for the IGA 2017 (International Garden Exhibition) and is still running today. Over a distance of 1.5 kilometers, it travels from the Gardens of the World through an intermediate stop at Wolkenhain all the way to Kienbergpark. Make sure to get off at Wolkenhain and climb the observation tower at 120 meters above ground.
A round-trip cable car ride costs €6.50 for adults. You can also reach Wolkenhain on foot.
The Gardens of the World are our top pick for a family trip to Berlin with kids. There are plenty of playgrounds and tons to discover!
Our tip: Plan a full day for the Gardens of the World — the grounds are very expansive and there’s a lot to take in.
Grunewaldturm
From Marzahn-Hellersdorf, we head back to the Grunewald for the final Berlin viewpoint on our list.
Right in the middle of the Grunewald stands the 36-meter-tall Grunewaldturm. To reach the top, you’ll need to climb 200 steps. Once up there, you’ll have a 360-degree view over Berlin, the Havel river, and on a clear day, even all the way to Potsdam.
Admission costs €3, and you can buy your ticket at the café’s cashier.
In summer, after the climb, it’s well worth kicking back in the beer garden to refuel with food and drinks. A great way to round off the day.
