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Welcome to Humboldt Tours Berlin!

We create bespoke, private tours in Berlin and beyond for culturally curious guests.

Join our expert local guides as they share the stories of our hometown in an insightful, sensitive, and sustainable way. On all our tours, we unravel Berlin’s complex past to help you understand the unique character of our country, our city, and its residents.

Whether you choose one of our suggested itineraries or create your own, you can be sure we’ll go beyond the facts and figures to bring history to life, stimulate discussion, and deepen your understanding of the world. You’ll hear thought-provoking insights and first-hand personal stories that only a local can provide.

We also offer a variety of single-day and multi-day tours in neighbouring cities and countries, including Potsdam, Dresden, Hamburg, Prague, and Vienna.

Explore our private and tailored services

Private Day Tours

Tailor-Made Tours

Our commitment to sustainability.

As tour guides and travelers ourselves, we believe the tourism industry has a responsibility to the planet. A responsibility to minimize our carbon footprint, to raise awareness of social justice issues, and to reduce resource consumption.

That’s why we’re proud to be a partner with Visit Berlin, with a shared commitment to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we are ensuring that travel and tourism within Germany, and beyond, is sustainable for local communities and the environment.

Our own tours are all locally designed and led, and respectful of local people and neighborhoods. We hope that through our work with Visit Berlin, we can inspire other tourism organizations to lead responsibly and follow their own sustainable paths.

Testimonials

“Led by individuals with close connections to Berlin’s Jewish community, these tours of Jewish Berlin’s past and present are warm and insightful. I give them my highest recommendation.”

Rabbi Yitzak Ehrenberg

“The big stories but also the subtle and unexpected ones that make walking tours so much fun.”

Anne Frank Centre

“We had a wonderful, interesting tour yesterday with Greta. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the afternoon, learnt a lot and loved seeing so many different aspects to Berlin. Greta and Stephan were a superb combination.”

Nikki Blackie

“Tolle Stadtführung in Berlin-Kreuzberg – viele Infos, sehr unterhaltsam und keine Minute langweilig. Unsere zwei Tourguides sind eine absolute Frohnatur und machen ihre Sache wirklich ausgezeichnet. Besonders die abwechslungsreiche und kulinarische Reise durch 3 verschiedene Restaurants hat uns extremst gut gefallen. Alle 25 Teilnehmer waren begeistert. Danke nochmals für die gute Betreuung!“

T-Systems International GmbH

“Dear Sebastian, thank you for absolutely everything. You are the best. Your brilliant mind is a given, but your humor and kindness are even more special. Bis Bald.“

“We are back to London and are full of great memories of Berlin. What a fantastic city it is and thank you so much for making our stay special and introducing us to the city you are so passionate about. We loved the whole experience of being in Berlin and your friendly manner, heaps of historical and cultural knowledge as well as your sense of humour made it unforgettable. We hope to be back some time and will be happy to recommend your services to our friends and family if they travel to Berlin.“

Mrs. Chadwick

“Sebastian was super-knowledgeable about everything Berlin and they learned a tremendous amount about the city through him. Torsten was always on time and in the right place and made their travel to and within Berlin seamless.“

Privacy Overview

• +49/177/378 18 63
• [email protected]

PRIVATE TOUR BERLIN

Guided tour berlin.

Custom tailored, private Berlin tours with your local English-speaking Berlin Guide!

Personal advice and request:

Phone: +49/177/378 18 63 Email: [email protected]

Contact & Request

By car, on foot or by bike

Personal Advice:

+49/30/91 70 53 45 +49/177/378 18 63 [email protected]

Private Tour Berlin

Guided tours of berlin, private tour berlin - with your licensed, private english-speaking local berlin guide bespoke berlin tours -  driving and walking experiences., explore the highlights of berlin as well as sites off the beaten path on a private guided berlin tour..

• For individuals and groups of all sizes - Business Meetings - School Trips
• By Sedan, Minivan, Bus, on foot , in your own vehicle and public transport
• You pick the date, start time, duration and subject of your Private Berlin Tour
• Private Berlin Shore Excursions for Baltic Cruise Passengers
• Pick-up/Transfer from airport, train station, hotel etc.
• Personal and custom-tailored, informative & entertaining..

We will take you to the most important, interesting and outstanding sights of Berlin as well as to some hidden places off the beaten path. All tours may be focused on special subjects as the  “III Reich” - “Cold War and Berlin Wall” - Berlins “Jewish Heritage”.

All my guides and myself are residents and tour yearlong, so we are able to give you all the latest information on Berlin. Furthermore, we are all members of the Berlin Guides Association.

This is how your Berlin private tour could look like: Click here for Video

With substantial background knowledge, lively everyday stories and amusing anecdotes we will make your Berlin or Potsdam visit a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Welcome to Berlin!

Harald Zawuski - Your personal private Berlin Guide

My team of professional guides and myself invite you to a private tour of  Berlin and Potsdam .

We will take you to the most interesting and outstanding sights as well as to some hidden places off the beaten path.

All tours may be focused on special subjects as the  “III Reich” - “Cold War and Berlin Wall” - Berlins “Jewish Heritage”.

All my guides and I are residents and tour yearlong, so we are able to give you all the latest information on Berlin. Furthermore, we are all members of the Berlin Guides Association.

This is how your private tour  Berlin could look like: Video here

With substantial background knowledge, lively everyday stories and amusing anecdotes we will make your Berlin and/or Potsdam visit a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

Harald Zawuski - Your personal Berlin Guide

Why taking a private Berlin tour with me?

You will experience Berlin on your own private Berlin tour - Bespoke, individually and accurately planned for you, respectively your party only.

• You will be picked up from your hotel, airport, train station or any other place in Berlin.
• All driving tours will be carried out with spacious, comfortable, air-conditioned, state of the art vehicles (including a passenger's accident liability insurance).
• On a public Hop-On/Hop-Off tour you will have to travel in a large group, sitting in cramped space.
• You would have to comply with a given, non-flexible itinerary instead exploring and enjoying the sites you are actually interested in.
• There will be many opportunities for stops en route for snapshots and short walks during your private Berlin tour.  
• Easy payment: by credit card, PayPal, bank transfer...

You will see famous sites as the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag, Unter den Linden Avenue, the Holocaust Memorial, original remnants of the Berlin Wall, the former site of Hitler’s Bunker, Alexander Square among many others and of course places off the beaten path.

My guided and private Berlin will offer you customized and unique traveling experiences. As all my guides and myself are local experts, we are able to give you real insider access that addresses your personal interests.

See and explore on your private Berlin tour the must-sees and classic sites as:

• Checkpoint Charlie – The famous border crossing in Berlins centre
• Gendarmenmarkt – A baroque gem with the French and German dome
• Alexander Platz – Central meeting point today as it was in East-Germany with the famous TV-Tower
• Museumsinsel – An island in the middle of Berlin - full of splendid and unique museums
• Unter den Linden – Under the Lime Trees, one of the famous big city Boulevards of Europe
• The former site of Adolf Hitlers Bunker
• The East-Side-Gallery - The painted Wall
• Holocaust Mahnmal – The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
• Brandenburger Tor – An earlier gateway to the city, the main Berlin landmark
• Reichstagsgebäude – The former Emperors Parliament, today Germanys new Parliament
• Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche – Emperor William Memorial Church
• Kurfürstendamm – Famous bustling shopping street in former West – Berlin
• Potsdamer Platz – One of Berlins new centres with an outstanding modern architecture
• Original remnants of the Berlin Wall
• Victory Column – Memorial to the triumph in the Prussian – French War from 1870
• Tiergarten Parc – Berlins large "Central Park", the former Royalty's game park
• Olympic Stadium – Built for the 1936 Olympic Games
• Charlottenburg Palace – A splendid baroque summer palace, built 1695

Of course you'll be taken also to many sites off the beaten path as well as to the the young, vibrant and hip Berlin districts as Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg and others.

Special Services for Corporates, Meetings, Incentives, Fam trips & Berlin Schooltrips

Are you planing for your corporate, business partners or association a meeting, an incentive or a fam trip in Berlin?

• Why don't you invite your business partners and customers on an exclusive private Berlin tour?
• Your Berlin event will become even more unique and will give your guests and business partners an unforgettable moment to remember.
• As an official or casual get-together, before or after your meeting, during a transfer from the venue to your hotel, restaurant or airport.
• As a family event or a ladie's program.
• We are also able to offer transports of all kind: from aiport, train Station, hotel respectively any location in Berlin.
• On request we'll allocate vehicles of all kind and sizes: state-of-the-art minivans, small busses, motor coaches, sedans as Mercedes E and  S-Class, large double-decker busses (even convertible) for up to 80 people.
• Please rely on us that we'll organize and supervise the safe and punctual course of all your transfers and tours.

All Berlin and Potsdam tours are also available in many different languages:

• German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and others on request.

Berlin School Trips:

• All my guides and myself are very much experienced in touring with students of all age and level of learning.
• All itineraries will be customized to the subject matter and learning programs.
• With elaborate and lively comments about Berlins History, WWII, the IIIrd Reich, Cold War & the Berlin Wall, Jewish Berlin, general German culture and politics, all tours will be at the same time informative and entertaining.
• Many stories, anecdotes and information also about current events will not miss out.
• All tours may be carried out in your own vehicle or provided by us. 

Why choose us?

My quality guarantee.

Your private Berlin tour, either by vehicle or as a walking tour, your private Potsdam tour or your Berlin river cruise will be exclusively and accurately custom-tailored and carried out only for you, respectively your party.

• All itineraries and schedules are bespoke and comply to your requests.
• You decide on date, hour, duration, number of participants and route.
• All vehicles are state-of-the-art and  comply with the latest safety standards.
• All my guides and myself work for more than 20 years as professionals and have specialized knowledge.
• We are all members of Berlins Association of Tourist Guides "Berlin Guide".

Our mission is to show you what we can of Berlin and P otsdam in an entertaining way and to make your visit an unforgettable experience.

See & explore Berlins most famous sites as well as places off the beaten path.

Contact & Request

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Berlin on the Go

Welcome to Private Guided Tours Berlin

Berlin on the Go!  offers private guided tours Berlin, covering its rich historical past as well as the new and the modern. Discover  the many facets of this exciting metropolis through in-depth tours of the past and present, architecture, culture and local customs. If you would like to have a good insight into Berlin, do not hesitate to contact us.

We offer a high quality and professional service to our valued clients worldwide. Tour the highlights with just a few hours in town, or over the course of several days. Come alone or with a group. We will help you make the most of your stay. 

Interested in Berlin’s fascinating history and its extraordinary changes in recent years, and want the attention of a private certified guide?

Berlin on the Go!® is the place.

Privacy Overview

Welcome to Berlin's top ranked tours.

Excellence. Quality. Experience.

Insider Reviews

Great experience.

We did the Third Reich tour with Georgia and she was great. Very interesting, good management of time, very informative. Would totally recommend this tour and Georgia to friends who visit Berlin. Sheryl W. May '24

Great tour - friendly, well informed and passionate guide (Hannah) who led a really interesting tour. I wanted to book on to all the other tours as soon as I had finished this one! Karen Apr. '23

Three great tours with Insider Berlin!

I found all 3 tours very well organised and the knowledge of the tour guides was excellent. This is the second visit to Berlin and used Insider tours last time and I will certainly use then again if I return to Berlin. Richard T. Apr. '24

This was a great tour.

This was a great tour - we did this on our first day and then worked out which sites to go back to over the next few days. Highly recommend. My two teenagers enjoyed it too! Amanda B. Apr. '24

Would recommend to anyone.

Had this tour recommended to us and it lived up to our expectations. Lewis was an excellent tour guide. Would recommend to anyone on a first time trip to Berlin. Dan Apr. '24

Fantastic Tour, Fantastic Value.

Our guide, Glen, was so very personable, knowledgeable, and ready to answer all our questions. I loved the tour and will recommend it to any of my friends who visit Berlin. Bradley B. Apr. '24

Really interesting tour!

Jasper did a great job of showing us lots of very interesting sights relating to the rise of the Third Reich. We were a small group which allowed for questions and chat. Really well organised, perfect length and very informative. Emma L. Apr. '24

Great tour.

Fabulous morning with Glen. He is really fascinated by the topic and the tour just buzzed with his enthusiasm. He pitched things just right and adapted based our questions. Good booking and organisation. Did 2 tours with same company in 4 days. Sine Apr. '24

Highly recommended!

Another great insider tour, chock full of interesting facts and history by a knowledgeable guide. Thanks Maria! Lynn P. March '24

Absolutely fabulous tour guide. Very knowledgeable.

Our guide was friendly and very informative. He explained everything and answered all of our questions very well. Probably the best tour to date. Thank you R y D (Spain) Mar. '24

Excellent Tour....Excellent Guide

Well worth the money a very knowledgeable guide that kept us entertained the three hours flew by! Mark March '24

Excellent introduction!

This tour was fantastic, I learned so much about the city and it's history. Klaus, our guide, really brought everything to life and was fantastic. Thoroughly recommend this tour as a first time visitor to the city. Faye P. March '24

Excellent Cold War tour..

The Cold War walking tour of Berlin was fascinating. Our guide was full of detailed historical information as well as intriguing anecdotes and my 21-year-old son and I were riveted throughout. This is a must for everyone who visits Berlin. Heather C. March '24

Would highly recommend this tour.

Our guide Tzvika was very knowledgeable and provided us with a lot of insight- thoroughly enjoyed our experience and would highly recommend this tour. Mark Wig Feb. '24

I highly recommend the tour!

I took the Explore Berlin walking tour on my first day in town. It was an excellent intro to sites in the city center, and included about 15-20 sites plus a lot of historical context [and some great gossip :-)] provided by our outstanding and entertaining guide, Maggie. She also directed us to a number of museums and locations worth visiting later in our stay. I highly recommend the tour! Christiana C. Feb. '24

Informative, friendly and professional.

Our tour instructor was very informative, friendly and professional. Would recommend to friends. David R. Feb. '24

Had a very short time in Berlin...

Had a very short time in Berlin and this was a great use of half a day. The tour guide Chris could not have been better. Very personable and knowledgeable and shared stories and insight that made me so glad I did not just do the audio tour. Really a powerful experience that still sticks with me weeks later. Amy H. Feb. '24

Fantastic Tour.

Gregor was a great guide for our Cold War tour. Our friends we were in Berlin with had never been on a walking tour before but were soon won over by Gregor’s passion for the history of his city & enthusiasm to pass stories on to others. The time passed so quickly & we can’t wait to return to Berlin again to join another Insider tour. David G. Jan. '24

Super informative and friendly!

Maggie was a super friendly tour guide and answered any and all questions related to the tour. It was a super informative introduction to Berlin! Lisa S. Jan. '24

Highlight of our Trip!

We absolutely loved this tour. Our guide, Hannah, had an incredible amount of knowledge about every location and the third reich. This tour is a must-do. Caleb O. Jan. '24

Thoroughly enjoyable tour.

Thoroughly enjoyable tour that packed a lot interesting sights and history into a brisk overview of the last 2 or 3 hundred years of Berlin. Very well informed guide (Jorg) who was friendly and approachable. His obvious interest in the history of this fascinating city, and his love of sharing it, shone through. Will definitely be returning to Berlin within the next 2 years and will 100% schedule another of the walks into my trip. 10/10. David S. Nov. '23

A fantastic tour!

Anika was a brilliant guide, her knowledge of history and especially the social context to events really increased our understanding of Berlin. A fantastic tour! Mark H. Oct. '23

Amazing experience.

The tour was easy to book. Jorg, our guide was brilliant, very knowledgeable and so interesting to listen to. It was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it. C. Barker Okt. '23

Excellent tour.

Easy to book. Easy to find the group. We had the best guide we’ve ever had, Hannah. She was so knowledgeable, kind, passionate about the subject, and shared incredible stories. C.McQ. Sept. '23

It was a great overview in 3 hours...

It was a great overview in 3 hours. George is an amazing guide, very knowledgeable.. will definitely recommend.. Deepak C. Aug. '23

I highly recommend this tour.

I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Berlin and wanting to know more of the history of WWII. Since this is a tour that can’t be rushed, I’m glad I booked it with Insider Tour. T. Hughes May '23

I would recommend this tour.

Good lenght of time, it went quickly, well paced and good route. Ciaran was an awesome guide, enough info to make it interesting without overwhelming us with too much, enjoyed his sense of humor as well. I would recommend this tour, easy to book, find and enjoyable. Amanda T. May '23

As a first-time visitor, I am very...

As a first-time visitor, I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to get a foundational sense of the city, and orientation to its history, culture and geography. I would recommend this great enthusiasm. Our guide was outstanding:, charming, knowledgeable, steeped in Berlin and fun. Marty K. June '23

Amazing guide.

Knowledgeable and attentive particularly to the kids on the tour and encouraged them to ask questions which they did with aplomb. Ran over a little but could have listened to him all day. Ana G. Apr. '23

A wonderful introduction.

A big thank you to our guide. He led us on an easy paced tour, with excellent information and time to take in the sites and ask questions. It was a really good orientation to significant places and a great jumping off point for more discovery. Elizabeth W. Apr. '23

Best Walking Tour of Berlin.

Our guide was extremely informative and knowledgeable on the history of Berlin and WWll. 100% recommend this tour, Cirian took us from before the war, through the war and afterwards. We just wouldn’t have seen these places and had all the details if we had gone off on our own. 176Heathe May '23

The tour is fun and informative.

The tour is fun and informative on the history and landmarks of Berlin. Love our tour guide who has great sense of humour, which make all the amount of information easier to digest and remember, would be cool if the tour can be longer ha! H. Lo Jan. '23

Highly recommend this tour.

Highly recommend this tour. Our guide Jamie was second to none - knowledgeable, engaging and easy to understand. He struck just the right tone given the subject matter. Karen G. Jan. '23

It was a great experience.

It was a great experience, Hannah gave us a fantastic tour of the Third Reich. Especially the Holocaust monument was impressive. Her own story was also very powerful. Would recommend it to anyone! Alexander Jan. '23

Insightful and thought provoking.

Guide was knowledgeable, informative, engaging.....took us on the journey of the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Insightful and thought provoking. Mike W. Feb. '23

Superb guide, very knowledgeable, passionate and philosophical.

Superb guide, very knowledgeable, passionate and philosophical. This tour provides an interesting and fairly comprehensive sweep of Germany’s/Berlin’s history. Highly recommend. R3879E Dec. '22

Absolutely excellent Third Reich tour.

Absolutely excellent Third Reich tour with a high quality tour guide. Absolutely professional, warm, instructive and supportive. I recommend them without hesitation. Richard C. Dec. '22

The tour was brilliant.

The tour was brilliant. Maria was fantastic. Clearly passionate about the subject and so knowledgeable, answering all of our questions confidently. Howard T. Dec. '22

Great 1st day activity!

Great stories and a perfect introduction to Berlin! Peter did a great job leading us around East Berlin and answering our questions. Julie_B Nov. '22

A great tour.

A great tour taking in many of the key sites in and around Berlin post WW2. The knowledge and interest of our guide made the trip for all of our group. D. Cairns, RAMC Association Dec. '22

I would absolutely recommend this tour.

I booked this tour recommended by my friend and it was amazing. Our guide Peter was extremely knowledgeable, interesting and funny. I would absolutely recommend this tour if you want to get to know Berlin better. Ellen Jan. '23

Super interesting.

We had a fantastic time with Jörg who had super interesting things to say. We learnt a lot and would definitely do it again :) Jonas B. Feb. '23

Brilliant introduction to Berlin.

Our guide was superb. Loud and clear and with a great deal of knowledge. We found the tour is just right for our teenagers who really enjoyed it. I’d say a good introduction to Berlin and gives you ideas of things to further explore. J L May '23

Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn and explore!

I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Berlin ......don't miss out on this opportunity to learn and explore! Anth... Mar. '23

A very informative tour of Berlin.

A very informative tour of Berlin. You can tell that the guide was a very passionate Berliner and student of history and that enthusiasm is reflected in the way he handles the tour! S. Longe Mar. '23

High quality guided tour in English.

High quality guided tour in English. Ideal at the start of your stay in Berlin to know the historic background, and the places to visit. Our guide was very dynamic and fun. Martine O. Mar. '23

Brilliant tour - it really set us up for our stay.

We had a brilliant and wide-ranging walking tour of Berlin ... stimulating, informative, fun and moving, all at once. Made us feel very at home in Berlin and excited about the few days we had ahead of us. It really set us up for our stay. Thank you! Helen, James, Alfie and Ned. Helen B. March '23

The tour was amazing.

We did the explore Berlin tour. The tour was amazing. Perfect amount of information. Saw all of the big attractions in Berlin. Sarah B. Mar. '23

Join our expert guides to explore the wonders of Berlin over the course of our acclaimed five-star tours. Armed with years of experience and a great deal of enthusiasm, our guides will reveal the many facets of the city’s colourful past and share with you their wealth of insider knowledge of this absolutely fascinating capital in the heart of Europe.

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Berlin City Break

Fully Guided

Flights & Transfers

• Immerse yourself in the art, culture and history of Berlin on this 3-night city break.
• Stay in the heart of the city with easy access to all must-see attractions.
• Experience the highlights of Berlin on a guided walking tour, including the Berlin Wall & the Reichstag.
• Enjoy plenty of leisure time to discover the city on your own, with recommendations from your local guide.

Book Your Trip From € 828 pp

Book your trip from € 599 pp, from € 828pp from € 599pp, add to wishlist, remove from wishlist, view hotels, your escorted berlin city break holiday.

Discover Berlin with us on this exciting city break! A modern, cosmopolitan and vibrant European capital, Berlin is a city that manages to feel current while still holding on to its history. On this 3-night getaway, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the capital, taking in highlights like the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. As well as learning about Berlin’s fascinating history, you will have free time to explore the wonderful museums, galleries and monuments for yourself. Your local guide can also provide tips on places to eat and drink. We recommend trying a Kaffee und Kuchen, the Berliner mid-afternoon ritual of indulging in a coffee and cake. Join us to get a feel for Berlin’s history and culture on this short city break!

Trip Itinerary

Activity Level: Easy

Relaxed itinerary with plenty of leisure/free time. Where excursions are included they may include walking on level ground (with stops en route) and some steps or stairs

Travel to Germany

Arrive in berlin.

Upon arrival in Berlin, you will be met by our local representative in the airport, before being transferred to your hotel.

Guided Tour of Berlin

After breakfast, depart your hotel for a half day guided tour, exploring one of the most historically rich cities in the world. See Berlin's most important landmarks such as the Pariser Platz, the Brandenburg gate, the Reichstag, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. This guided tour of these monuments tells Berlin's story, right up until after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Please note the tour finishes at Checkpoint Charlie (entrance included) with the chance to remain there / in the city for independent sightseeing. Alternatively, you will have an option to have a transfer back to the hotel at the end of the tour.

The afternoon and evening will be free for relaxing, sightseeing and some shopping.

Free Time in Berlin

Enjoy a day to shop and sightsee at your leisure. You might like to take a trip to Museum Island or the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam.

Return Home

Return home from germany.

Time to say 'Auf Wiedersehen' to Berlin. Today, you will transfer from your hotel to the airport for your flight home, with guide assistance.

Customer Reviews

Hotels available.

Berlin   Germany

Leonardo Hotel Berlin Mitte

An ideal location in the centre of Berlin, where the world-famous Friedrichstraße meets the River Spree, this newly designed Hotel Berlin Mitte welcomes you. The hotel design is characterized by a te…

Know before you go

Will i be met at the airport.

You will be met on arrival at your destination airport and transferred to your accommodation. You will be accompanied on all included excursions by your Travel Department guide. Your expert local guide is also available to give you tips and advice on any aspect of your holiday.

Do I need a Visa?

Please visit our visa page for information on requirements for each country's entry requirements

What if there is an emergency?

We have local representatives in all of our destinations who are available 24/7 as well as an emergency contact number for our offices in Ireland should you ever need it.

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Extra time at Euro 2024: day trips and more from Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Leipzig

Spectacular scenery and rich culture from the Alps to the North Sea are just a train ride away from the main hubs at this summer’s football tournament

From Munich: chill out by Lake Constance

Of all the ways to explore southern Germany this summer, the most memorable is not by train, bus or hire car but by boat. Lake Constance, nearly 40 times bigger than Windermere and two hours south-west of Munich by public transport, is a wonderful water world ringed by harbour towns, and it makes an idyllic break from the Bavarian capital.

With pomp and pageantry to spare, the medieval gateway town Lindau is the most memorable place to start your exploration. First impressions are a serious business there. Upon arrival, you see the same Germany that travellers saw 200 years ago. The seated lion statue that eyes the quayside is still visible from miles around, as is the chess piece lighthouse and the Mangturm , a Rapunzel tower that colours the skyline with zigzag tile patterns in gold and green.

On Lake Constance’s German shore, running north-west from Lindau and accessed by the affordable, shoreline-hopping BSB ferry service , is an even older world. There are old vineyards, old churches, old castles and older monasteries, many of which could well outlive Munich’s tower blocks and football stadiums. The delights of sailing and windsurfing on one of Europe’s largest lakes – as well as swimming in it – worked wonders on me when I first visited after the 2006 World Cup.

After enjoying Lindau’s fortified walls, ivy-draped towers, promenade streets and beer gardens, it’s a 90-minute boat trip to Friedrichshafen , 15 miles up the lakeshore. Here there is often a strange, keel-like structure in the sky above the lake. As much a reminder of the first world war and the Hindenburg disaster as it is of Germany’s engineering prowess, the Zeppelin remains the symbol of Friedrichshafen, and the rigid airships whirr visitors on sightseeing tours above Lake Constance daily in summer. The Zeppelin was born here – on 2 July 1900, the blimp’s initial test flight took place over the shore – and its history can be traced at the harbour Zeppelin Museum . From up in the airship, the blue, far below, makes the inland sea look as if it belongs in a Romantic painting by Caspar David Friedrich.

Most people think Germany is for beer drinkers, but Lake Constance is less about the grain and more about the grape. Pinot gris, blanc, noir and local cultivar Müller-Thurgau have revered status here, and the lakeshore’s pitched sides are braided with vineyards and wine hiking trails.

Meersburg , 12 miles west of Friedrichshafen, offers lakeshore taverns, delicious €4 glasses of plonk and a summer coat of vines, as well as an extraordinary, rose-tinged castle. There are plenty of wineries to choose from, but a long favourite is the Staatsweingut Meersburg , a former prince’s pet winery a steep stroll from the quayside.

From Meersburg’s ferry landing, it’s a 20-minute crossing to Mainau , an extravagant island off the lake’s western shore with a party piece baroque castle. It’s owned by a foundation started by the Count of Wisborg, and in summer its vast gardens – with arboretum, swathes of alpine flowers and an Alice in Wonderland vibe – are open to the public. It’s so wild you can lose yourself among the evergreens, and it feels a world away from any pitch, penalty or football score.

Where to stay Hotel Zum Schiff in Meersburg (doubles from €139 B&B) is on the lakeshore, has comfy rooms, a chaotic restaurant and a terrace that’s the best location on the water. Mike MacEacheran

From Leipzig: visit Saxon Switzerland

It’s best to try to pronounce Sächsische Schweiz after a couple of strong schnapps. Or just cheat and use the less tongue-tying English translation, “Saxon Switzerland”. However you manage to say it, it’s certainly worth taking some time to see it.

A 25-minute train ride from Saxony’s magnificent state capital, Dresden, and two hours from the its biggest city, Leipzig, this picturesque national park rises impressively from the east bank of the River Elbe and is one of the region’s most popular recreational areas. Yet Saxon Switzerland remains fairly under the radar for most non-German visitors.

The park is the German section of the broader Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which straddle the Czech border (the larger Czech side is called Bohemian Switzerland), and its generous 340-square-miles are characterised by undulating landscapes, craggy sandstone formations, vertiginous valleys, waterfalls and sweeping ravines.

Discovered as a tourism destination a couple of centuries ago, it captured the imaginations of Romantic artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, who painted his classic Wanderer above the Sea of Fog here.

The park was also one of the birthplaces of rock climbing, a pursuit that continues on the area’s thousand-plus free-standing rock faces and climbing peaks. More recently, the park’s scenery has found cinematic fame in films such as Cloud Atlas , The Reader , and The Grand Budapest Hotel .

But even though it drew 1.6 million overnight stays in 2023, it never feels as crowded as, say, the Bavarian Alps further south – with the exception of the park’s obvious tourist magnet, the Bastei Bridge, an attractive outcrop of sandstone offering sweeping, Instagrammable views across the winding Elbe and surrounding mountains.

Just a short way beyond the bridge, however, is quiet, almost deserted forest and 750 miles of crisscrossing hiking trails and climbing routes. Even the most famous multistage trail, the Malerweg (Painters’ Way), which runs for more than 70 miles – divided into eight official day-hikes that vary from easy to demanding – gets immediately quieter after the initial Bastei section. Deeper into the park, there may be the chance to spot peregrine falcons and black storks, kingfishers and Eurasian pygmy owls, lynx and deer, chamois and beavers.

There are restaurants and accommodation options peppered throughout the park, as well as public transport options for many hikes and even luggage transportation services. For cyclists, there are about 30 miles of mountain bike trails, as well as the more leisurely Elbe Cycle Route , which can be picked up at Dresden and remains reassuringly flat and delightfully curvaceous all the way to the mountains and the Czech border.

The pretty spa town of Bad Schandau, at the foot of the Saxon Switzerland mountains, is one of the park’s main gateways and easily accessible by train from Dresden. A few miles further, reachable by car, bus or train, is the tiny village of Schmilka, which has its own Bio Village – a complex of sustainably built hotels and eco-restaurants with equally excellent access to the park.

Where to stay : Hotel Helvetia (doubles from €229 half-board) has riverside views, a sauna complex, an organic restaurant, daily yoga classes and guided hikes. It’s on the Elbe Cycle Route and close to the Malerweg too. Paul Sullivan

From Hamburg: head for the North Sea coast

Less than two hours’ drive from the hustle of Hamburg, Sankt Peter-Ording is a popular seaside spa town that also offers untamed nature, as it sits within the Unesco-listed Wadden Sea, one of the world’s largest stretches of wetland. Blurring the lines between water and land, and running from the northern Netherlands across Germany’s north-west coast and up Denmark’s west, this is a panorama that offers visitors a rare glimpse into the cycles of nature.

At low tide, a vast mudflat world is revealed, while at high tide porpoises can be spotted. Away from designated surfing and land sailing zones, photographers and nature lovers come to spot migratory birds (geese, waders, ducks) flying over the salt marshes and dunes on the “ east Atlantic flyway ” from the Arctic to Africa. The only points of orientation are the occasional stilt houses, a symbol of humanity’s adaptation to this unique natural backdrop.

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In this remarkable landscape, Sankt Peter-Ording offers another feature that may appear contradictory to the natural surroundings – cars parked on the beach. This may appear absurd, but is a clever approach to enabling a direct experience with nature while funding conservation efforts. Parking fees go towards the preservation of this ecosystem, a sustainable model that strengthens the connection between people and nature.

While the birds gorge on delicacies in the mudflats, the culinary offerings in Sankt Peter-Ording are equally rich.  Salt & Silver is a stilt restaurant run by Johannes Riffelmacher and Thomas Kosikowski, who also have two branches in Hamburg. Recently recommended in the Michelin guide, it offers locally sourced meat and fish cooked with Nordic finesse. Nearby, Yamacito Seafood Bar serves fresh fish sandwiches, while Auntie Clara in the Urban Nature hotel (see below) serves “soul” food such as hotpot curry.

From the Good Times Surfshop in the Beach Motel (doubles from €85), Tobias Seemeier and Katharina Simon organise punk concerts, skateboarding and surfing events that add a youthful vibe to the town. But at the oldest pub, the Thalamegus, innkeeper Lisa maintains the Frisian tradition. Here, Frisengeist , a flambéed grain brandy, is served with a special toast, which is not only a ritual, but a tribute to Frisian hospitality.

Where to stay The Urban Nature hotel (doubles from €69 room-only) pitches itself as “somewhere in between for city kids and nature freaks” and contrasts a modern design with the rugged beauty of the surroundings. There’s a range of activities from morning walks to yoga. Malte Brenneisen

From Berlin: take a tour of the Spreewald

“Taste the best pickles in town!” beams the ruddy-faced stall-holder, proffering a large gherkin on a stick. I have to admit it’s pretty good – but best in town? That’s a bold statement given that I’m walking along the Gherkin Mile in Lübbenau, the gherkin capital of Germany.

Lübbenau, a market town 60 miles south of Berlin, is also known as the gateway to the Spreewald (Spree Forest). The remarkable landscape of this vast wetland was shaped during the last ice age, when the River Spree split into a labyrinthine network of narrow waterways, creating an inland delta with swathes of meadows interrupted by dense woodland.

Over the years, settlers converted the streams into irrigation canals in order to drain the mineral-rich land for farming. This unique and abundantly diverse ecosystem was designated a Unesco biosphere reserve in 1991, so that its thousands of species of plants, trees, birds, insects and mammals could be protected.

Unsurprisingly, this green haven is popular with tourists and with Berliners looking to escape the city. Trains run frequently from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Lübbenau, taking just over an hour and costing about €23 return with Deutsche Bahn . As there are more waterways here than roads, the best way to explore is by boat. I head to the lively harbour area to join a tour on one of the traditional punts, or Kahns .

This region is home to the Sorb people, a Slavic ethnic minority whose descendants settled here in the sixth century. Sorbian customs, crafts, clothing and language have been fervently preserved here, having survived the repression of the Nazi regime. Women wear long colourful skirts, pretty lace shawls and large embroidered headdresses.

Helped aboard by Dirk, our ferryman, I squeeze on to one of the cushioned benches around a wooden table. Dirk pushes off and tells us about the history of the region while we munch on gherkins and thick black bread.

Our half-day trip meanders past quaint villages full of traditional half-timbered buildings. Dirk navigates under rickety pedestrian bridges and through hand-operated locks with impressive dexterity, while pointing out birds, trees and insects.

Dragonflies flash across the water, and I’m sure I spot an otter sliding slinkily beneath the surface.

We stop at Lehde, a village of just 130 inhabitants, to visit its open air museum (the Freilandmuseum Lehde), which celebrates Sorbian culture. Farmsteads have been rebuilt in the original Sorbian style, and I wander around farms from the 18th and 19th centuries, seeing how these rural communities used to live. It’s a fascinating insight into the customs and traditions of this small community. At harvest time, the whole community would come together to pick little cucumbers to pickle. It’s the mineral-rich soil, high humidity and iron oxides in the water that make Spreewaldgurken the perfect pickle.

So unique are this region’s pickled cucumbers, they have achieved Protected Geographical Indication status; the humble Spreewaldgurken are the champagne of the pickle world.

Exploring independently is easy too: there are kayaks and canoes to hire for about €30 a day or bikes from about €15, to paddle or cycle around the tree-canopied canals.

A picturesque 160-mile bike trail, the Gurkenradweg , winds through the Spreewald. After spending a sweaty hour or so on a bike from Lübbenau, cyclists can stop off for a gherkin ice-cream (yes, really) at the Cafe Kleinod in Burg, or a few bottles of gherkin beer.

Deep in the forest a mile or so north of Lehde and accessible only on foot or by bike or boat, Gasthaus Wotschofska is one of the oldest restaurants in the area and has a shady waterside terrace, and large beer garden, naturally.

Where to stay Guesthouse Bludnik (doubles from €130 B&B), on the three-mile circular walk between Lehde and Lübbenau, makes a perfect base. This beautifully restored wooden building is right on the water and has boats and bikes to hire. Celia Topping

• Germany holidays
• Hamburg holidays
• Munich holidays
• Berlin holidays
• Dresden holidays
• Public transport trips
• City breaks

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